CheckEmoji Community · the emoji forum
🏠 Home 🆕 What's new ❓ Unanswered 🔥 Popular 📡 RSS Members 👥 0 online
log in · register
Home › IT › Hardware › Computer Peripherals › Monitor buying guide (mega-thread)

Monitor buying guide (mega-thread)

Started by Kimberly Gomez34 · · 👁 14 views · 811 replies

📡 Subscribe to replies

Participants Kimberly Gomez34quietridge92crimsonstag84Daniel Rivera5Noah Diazanalogtiger19Charles Campbell8velvetskipper8Brenda Walker75Robert Rodriguez2dustyridge7Lawrence Ortiz2Karen Chase10Mark Ramirez11ironcyclist40Adam Moore3Larry Ortiz5Jerry Fowler79Drew Roberts3granitescoutmellowsurfer9wiredotter14Peter Greencrimsonnomad5 …
Jeremy Jackson2 Jeremy Jackson2 Member
13 messages
joined May 2010
#181 ·
Timothy Kim60;73878513 said:I’m actually kind of worried that a 1440p resolution might make things look way too tiny on a 24" screen...

If you want that kind of space, maybe an ultrawide 21:9 setup or even a super-ultrawide 32:9 would be better? Like, just having multiple monitors side-by-side so you don't have all those messy cables or that annoying bezel gap between screens...
/QUOTE]

Thanks so much for getting back to me!
See, my big issue with just one single monitor is that whenever I hit full screen, the app or document just takes over everything. It won't let me snap it so it only fills up, say, a third of the screen automatically. With a three-monitor setup, it’s honestly perfect—I just click the screen and hit Ctrl+F and I'm good to go. But with just one monitor, I can't really use Presenter View properly either, since it needs one screen for the actual presentation and another for my speaker notes. It's a bit of a headache, I guess!

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/240379

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/monitor-with-pivot/213824

https://www.newegg.com/products/detail/m_medium=click

https://www.amazon.com/lcd-monitors/phi...itor-278e8qjab
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 RegularOP
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#182 ·
Whatever you do, don't settle for a TN panel—the colors are terrible and the viewing angles are even worse. Think of it this way: IPS offers the best color accuracy and widest viewing angles, while VA panels excel at deep blacks and high contrast. If possible, look for one with an ergonomic stand that allows for height adjustment, which makes it much easier to align your screen with your other monitors, along with pivot and swivel options similar to that first Dell you linked. IPS is generally the gold standard for most people, though every panel type has its trade-offs.

Here are the specific 24" 1080p IPS models with pivot functionality currently available through our procurement list:

If you want to step up a notch in quality, you should consider the Dell UltraSharp series.

The model listed above actually has a slightly taller aspect ratio (1920x1200 instead of 1920x1080), specifically a 16:10 format rather than the standard 16:9. It’s a bit of an older design—if I recall correctly, that Dell model dates back to around 2012 based on the numbering. While the industry has largely moved away from the 16:10 format, you can still find them occasionally.

However, if you prefer the newer UltraSharp models, they typically come in 1080p with a 16:9 ratio:
Matthew Jones4 Matthew Jones4 Newcomer
5 messages
joined Nov 2021
#183 ·
Hi there.
I'm looking for some advice on picking out a monitor specifically for gaming.
I'm currently running an R9 290X, and while I'm pretty happy with how benchmarks look at 1080p, things start to struggle a bit at 1440p, so I think I should probably stick to a 1080p monitor for now. As far as specs go, I'm leaning toward an IPS panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio, somewhere in the 23" to 24" range—and maybe something with FreeSync, though I'm not entirely sure how much of a difference that actually makes.

My initial thought was to just grab a used Dell U2312HM (link) for about $200, since everywhere I look seems to rave about it, even if people do mention the response time isn't the fastest.
I guess I'm wondering if buying older, used monitors is actually worth it when you consider the price-to-performance ratio compared to newer models.
Also, does anyone know if the difference between an 8ms and a 4ms response time is even noticeable when you're playing fast-paced FPS games?

Thanks in advance.
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 RegularOP
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#184 ·
Look, if you find a solid one...

You shouldn't really see any noticeable response time issues on those 60/75Hz monitors.

Besides, there are some budget-friendly options out there right now—like 32" 1440p 75Hz FreeSync monitors (roughly $567, though they're on sale for $150+ at the moment) or even 24" 1080p 144Hz models with VA panels (also around $567).
Matthew Jones4 Matthew Jones4 Newcomer
5 messages
joined Nov 2021
#185 ·
Timothy Kim60 said:Well, if you happen to find a particularly decent one...

I suppose you shouldn't really be worrying about visible response times on those 60/75Hz monitors.

Otherwise, there are some pretty affordable new 32" 1440p 75Hz FreeSync monitors out there now (maybe around $567, though they're on sale for $1500+ right now), and even 24" 1080p 144Hz ones with VA panels (roughly $567 too).

32" feels a bit too big for me, I guess. How does VA actually stack up against IPS?
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 RegularOP
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#186 ·
Colors aren't quite as accurate and the viewing angles leave something to be desired (though they still beat out any TN panel), but you get much better contrast and deeper blacks compared to an IPS. At the end of the day, it really comes down to the specific unit you pick up—monitors are like a box of chocolates; you never know exactly what you're going to get.

I was actually referring to this one:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=C24G1

By the way, there really isn't a 1080p 144Hz IPS monitor on the market, and since those 1440p 144Hz models are significantly more expensive than their VA counterparts, VA panels definitely offer better value if we're looking at 144Hz specs.
Matthew Jones4 Matthew Jones4 Newcomer
5 messages
joined Nov 2021
#187 ·
Timothy Kim60 said:The colors and viewing angles aren't quite as sharp (though still better than TN), but you get decent contrast and deeper blacks compared to IPS. I suppose it really just comes down to the specific unit you happen to pick up, since monitors can be a bit of a gamble—kind of like pulling a random toy out of a Kinder Egg.

I was actually thinking about this one:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=C24G1

Also, there really isn't much of a selection for 1080p 144Hz IPS monitors, and since those 1440p 144Hz models are way more expensive than the VA versions, I guess VA panels end up being the better value if you're looking for 144Hz.

Fair enough. But is there any particular new 1080p 60Hz IPS monitor that stands out?
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 RegularOP
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#188 ·
Nothing really stands out as being particularly special here; there’s a massive sea of similar products out there. You might consider this UltraSharp line as a slightly higher tier, which is what I linked earlier for you, Philosopher.
Ryan Gonzalez4 Ryan Gonzalez4 Member
37 messages
joined Sep 2014
#189 ·
Here is my current setup:

CPU:
Core i5-8600K 6-Core 3.6GHz
GPU:
GeForce® GTX 1070 Ti Gaming 8G
RAM:
16 GB DDR4 3000MHz
OS Hard Drive:
Sandisk SSD 840 500GB
2nd Drive HDD:
2TB
3rd Drive HDD:
1TB
4th Drive HDD:
500GB
Operating System:
Windows 10 64
Motherboard:
MSI Z370 gaming M5
Case:
NZXT Phantom 410
PSU:
Corsair HX850i 850W
Headset:
Logitech G930
Keyboard:
Razer Ornata Chroma
Mouse:
Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum

My current monitor is about a decade old,☕
Samsung SyncMaster P2270HD
Screen Res:
1920x1080

I am looking for an upgrade that is significantly larger than what I have now, and more importantly, I need something that won't give me a headache when it comes to mounting it directly to the wall. I’ve done a bit of digging, and it seems like many high-end monitors come with these proprietary stands that look nearly impossible to swap out for a standard wall mount. Though, I suppose there is little point in splurging on a premium $1667 unit if I can't actually hang it on the wall like a civilized person. 🤔

I'm not entirely sure how much of a dealbreaker G-SYNC or FreeSync would be for me. As for 4K resolution, I suspect my current GPU would struggle to push anything meaningful at that level, so I was leaning toward 2K, or perhaps just seeing how things perform in HD. Honestly, I might just be overthinking it.

Since I work from home, my station is basically running from roughly 9:00 AM until somewhere between 1:00 and 2:00 AM. I need a versatile setup that handles everything from professional tasks to movies and, naturally, gaming. I briefly considered a gaming TV, but for this specific size range, a dedicated monitor feels like the more sensible route. I’m aiming for something in the 30" to 35" bracket. The dilemma now is deciding which one to pull the trigger on—and specifically, why one model would stand out above the rest.

Here is the shortlist I've put together so far:

Asus gaming rog Strix XG32VQ AOC AGON 35
AOC AGON 35" AG352UCG6
Acer predator Z35P 35"
Philips 349 X7FJEW 34
Dell Alienware 34

What are your thoughts? I'll admit, I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to display technology, so I'm feeling a bit lost on what constitutes a good buy versus a total waste of money.🤔
Ryan Gonzalez4 Ryan Gonzalez4 Member
37 messages
joined Sep 2014
#190 ·
Is there anyone actually out there?
Adam Moore3 Adam Moore3 Regular
322 messages
joined Jun 2014
#191 ·
It's a tough call, but I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either. Just do some digging and read through the reviews to see what people are saying, but if you're going that screen size, you absolutely have to go with 1440p. Using 1080p on a monitor that big just won't cut it.

As for the wall mount, I haven't got a clue, to be honest. You should probably check the manufacturer's spec sheets or just ask Almighty Google. 😬
Ryan Gonzalez4 Ryan Gonzalez4 Member
37 messages
joined Sep 2014
#192 ·
Adam Moore3 said:It’s a tough call, though I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them. You should probably dive into some reviews to see what the consensus is, but if you're looking at this diagonal size, 1440p is pretty much non-negotiable. Running 1080p on a screen that big would be a total disaster.

As for the wall mount, honestly, I haven't the slightest clue. Your best bet is to comb through the manufacturer specs or just let almighty Google do the heavy lifting for you. 😬

I did a little digging myself and managed to narrow the field down to three options. Since I almost exclusively stick with Nvidia cards, I prioritized monitors that support G-SYNC Technology. Also, according to the documentation for all three, mounting them on a wall shouldn't present any particular headaches.

AOC AGON AG352UCG6 (Micro Center $2253)
specs; https://www.displayspecifications.com/en/model/e7df113a

Dell Alienware AW3418DW (Best Buy $2660)
specs; https://www.displayspecifications.com/en/model/494fdf1

Acer predator Z35P (Newegg $2499)
specs; https://www.displayspecifications.com/en/model/d2c3bcd

So, if anyone feels inclined to help me make a final decision, I'm all ears.
Adam Moore3 Adam Moore3 Regular
322 messages
joined Jun 2014
#193 ·
Monitors from >$2000 They aren't really my area of expertise, so I wouldn't suggest making a call without reading through plenty of reviews first. 🙂
analogtiger19 analogtiger19 Active Member
134 messages
joined Dec 2016
#194 ·
Since Nvidia actually supports FreeSync now, there’s really no point in dropping extra cash on those overpriced G-SYNC monitors...
Alexander Moore67 Alexander Moore67 Active Member
137 messages
joined Jun 2013
#195 ·
Go with the Acer predator x27. It’s easily the best option out there, though you're looking at over $2,000—so you'll probably want to look into financing if you don't want to drop the cash all at once.
Adam Moore3 Adam Moore3 Regular
322 messages
joined Jun 2014
#196 ·
Alexander Moore67 said:Go with the Acer predator x27; it's top tier, but you're looking at over $2,000, so it's either cash or financing.

You're seriously suggesting a 4K monitor to this guy when he wouldn't even be able to drive it with three times the budget he actually proposed... 🤔
Robert Rodriguez2 Robert Rodriguez2 Regular
353 messages
joined Jul 2015
#197 ·
Adam Moore3 said:You're seriously suggesting a 4K monitor to someone who couldn't even run a setup costing three times your suggestion... 🤔

The guy is completely out of touch... just ignore him👍
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 RegularOP
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#198 ·
You don't need to blow through your entire budget. If I were in your shoes, I’d look for the most affordable 34" ultrawide with a 3440x1440p resolution. Just make sure you grab a non-TN panel with FreeSync—it actually works quite well with Nvidia setups too, provided you aren't just using an HDMI connection. For example, check out click
.
Keep in mind that this specific aspect ratio and resolution tend to command a premium. The next best thing on the market is usually something like the $1900 click...
Bradley Ramos11 Bradley Ramos11 Active Member
50 messages
joined Jun 2003
#199 ·
Back in the day, picking out a monitor was a breeze. You had a set budget, knew what size you wanted, and usually just chose between two models.
But nowadays? It’s a headache. There are way too many variables involved, so I could use some help here:
I'm looking at the 24" to 27" range. My usage varies, but it really boils down to gaming (Doom, The Witcher, etc.). My budget is $500, though I'm willing to shell out a little extra if it actually makes sense. My current GPU is an AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB.
Any advice?
crimsonstag84 crimsonstag84 Regular
518 messages
joined Jun 2010
#200 ·
Should be good enough for what you need:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/product/...m_medium=click

You must log in or register to reply here.

Log in Register

🔗 Similar threads