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Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 03-27-2009 at 01:13 AM

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...c=AFC-C8junctionCA

What do you guys think of this? Apparently if I use coupon code CEMCLPNS44, then the price is 129.99.


Right now I have an antiquated 17" Flat Screen CRT and I'm looking to upgrade. Do you guys think there are any drawbacks to one of these?

If you guys think that this isn't worth it, perhaps you can recommend another monitor, please bear in mind that I'm a student who is broke, so my budget for this is around ~200.

Some links of local Big Box Retailers:

www.bestbuy.ca
www.staples.ca
www.futureshop.ca
www.thesource.ca
www.tigerdirect.ca
www.ncix.com
www.a-power.com

If any of them ask for a postal code, use V3J7N8

Thanks in advance :).


RE: Help me choose a monitor by blessedguy on 03-27-2009 at 01:32 AM

I like Samsung's 732NW+ (17'' wide, there is also a 19'' I think...), but:
This one is better, with HDMI and 23'' ($229), or this same monitor basically but 20'' ($195).
But... yeah, I think that monitor you linked to is rly nice, although people didn't find it's speakers worth (but it is a monitor after all...) and they didn't like the buttons. Yet it doesn't come with drivers, so you have to stick with Microsoft's. In common, everyone liked it's colors, and I still think it's a nice option.


RE: Help me choose a monitor by albert on 03-27-2009 at 07:54 PM

If you're looking for something around the 19", get this :
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?s...4&logon=&langid=EN

Although I suggest you to get minimum 22, 19 on a widescreen is way to small, that's the one I sell the most to my clients :
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?l...0FS10119037&catid=

Although, if you're getting it from futureshop, maybe getting a samsung monitor would be an advantage, since we do exchange over the counter in case anything happens, that being for the full 3 years of warranty that's included with the monitor.


RE: Help me choose a monitor by CookieRevised on 03-27-2009 at 08:09 PM

Something which is often forgotten: bigger isn't always better.

I mean, it depends on how close you sit to your monitor. A wopping big ass LCD might be far worse for your eyes (rapid tiring from looking all over the place) than a smaller "normal" sized LCD. You also would see a lot more of the "pixels" if you're closer to the LCD than on a smaller LCD (with the same resolutions). :p

I would say 19" is minimum if you're like 1m away from your monitor. But 24" is way to big for many desk layouts though (sure it looks awesome, but it isn't very healthy and you will get tired quicker from staring at that big screen)!!

To test this distance from the screen yourself, do normal computer stuff and after an hour or so, freeze your head and body and take a ruler and measure the distance from your eyes to the screen.

The reason I suggest to do it after 1 hour of normal PC use is that this would be the most 'natural' position your body is in and the measurement would be far more correct than when you explicitly get behind your PC to measure the distance. Unconsciencly you would position yourself to a bigger distance from the screen than when you don't think about it (and the difference can be very big).

You can use a alarm clock to sound an alarm after 1 hour, or let your mom/friend/whoever come in after 1 hour and do the measurement.

;)


RE: Help me choose a monitor by blessedguy on 03-27-2009 at 10:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
But 24" is way to big for many desk layouts though (sure it looks awesome, but it isn't very healthy and you will get tired quicker from staring at that big screen)!!
It sure is. Mine is 17'' and I already think it's waaaaaaaay too big...
maybe because of my -6di miopy...
RE: Help me choose a monitor by Adeptus on 03-28-2009 at 03:05 AM

As with all things in life, you get what you pay for.  It may be a good value for $129, but I'd be lying if I were to tell you it sounds like a great monitor.

Looking to spend only ~$200 you are not going to get much, but the one feature I wouldn't compromise on is height adjustable stand.  The center of your screen should be at the eye level; you don't want to have to look down. 

A decent choice close to your price point would probably be this.  I've used one myself and it's acceptable.

Another thing you need to know is that anything in your price range, including my suggestion, will be using TN panels.  It's a flat panel technology that is substantially cheaper to produce, but suffers from relatively inaccurate color reproduction and limited viewing angles (meaning that the colors and brightness will change some if you view the panel from an angle and not straight on). 

TN panels are perfectly fine for gaming and typical web browsing/office usage, but not so great if you are working with photography or desktop publishing and need color accuracy.  If you are not, you will likely find a TN panel satisfactory -- the color inaccuracy isn't something that strikes you whenever you look at it, but more of an issue of your printed work not looking like what it did on the screen.

IPS and PVA panels offer more accurate color reproduction and wider viewing angles.  However, they are more expensive and generally slower, which could be a disadvantage if your primary use is gaming.  If you are doing color-sensitive work, you might be better off keeping your CRT until you can afford a monitor using one of those.

This site offers good information about all of this and detailed reviews.


RE: Help me choose a monitor by NanaFreak on 03-28-2009 at 03:18 AM

i have This - BenQ E2200HD and it rules!
but yea... thats just my opinion... i would buy another one of these if i had the money...


RE: Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 03-28-2009 at 06:18 AM

WOW, you guys gave me a lot to think about. I really appreciate it :).

I was initially thinking of an impulse buy, but it seems like I need to do thorough research before buying one and perhaps save up a little bit.

If you have any other suggestions, let me know.

Thanks again.


RE: Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 04-03-2009 at 08:11 AM

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...s-_-L4B-_-24236053

Opinion on that?


RE: Help me choose a monitor by NanaFreak on 04-03-2009 at 08:15 AM

i wouldnt say no to that screen, its pretty much the same as my BenQ and i love it so yea... and Asus is also a good brand plus their stuff with better images is superb (Y)

but yea, if you like the design of that screen it should do you good!

:)


RE: Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 04-03-2009 at 05:10 PM

You mean like this one?
http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34539&vpn=...=BENQ&promoid=1033


RE: RE: Help me choose a monitor by Vilkku on 04-03-2009 at 05:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nimicitor
I recommend Samsung SyncMaster 226BW
I agree, I got that monitor and it's really good. One drawback is that (at least before) there were three different "models" of them, as there were three different manufacturers for the actual screen, with one being considerably worse (these could be identified by some letter on the back on the monitor). I don't know if they got around "fixing" this, because I have a screen that's made by the supposedly bad manufacturer, but I still think it's a very good monitor.
RE: Help me choose a monitor by NanaFreak on 04-03-2009 at 11:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ipab
You mean like this one?
http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34539&vpn=...=BENQ&promoid=1033
yea thats my screen

the only problems with my screen is a tiny bit of bleeding at the top and bottom in the center but thats only minor, and also the height of it is not adjustable but you can still tilt it =p
RE: Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 04-04-2009 at 02:00 AM

What do people mean by bleeding?


RE: Help me choose a monitor by NanaFreak on 04-04-2009 at 02:15 AM

by bleeding i mean this: http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/9577/img1974gd6.jpg (the lighter lines at the top and bottom of the display)

but that only really is noticeable in a very dark room with a black screen...

also i have no idea about the screen you are looking at getting if it bleeds but just look for some good reviews on it and im sure they will tell you all you need to know about it :)


RE: Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 07-06-2009 at 03:17 PM

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=38254&promoid=1078

Opine this please :).


EDIT: Actually, looks like I can get the Benq G2410HD on sale for ~225. Any opinions?


RE: Help me choose a monitor by ipab on 07-10-2009 at 04:13 AM

Ended up getting the BenQ G2410HD for a total of $270 (after taxes and all). Do you guys think I got ripped off :P...

It is an awesome monitor though, no gloss :D