Monitor buying guide (mega-thread)

wiredotter14 said:Or you just hook any old monitor up to a digital TV tuner

So what, I just grab a Dell UltraSharp U2723QE for $467 (or is there something better?) plus some digital tuner? Honestly, I'm clueless about those tuners—how much do they even cost?

Zachary Martin4 said:So I can just grab a Dell UltraSharp U2723QE for $467 (or should I look elsewhere) and pair it with some kind of digital tuner? I'm a bit lost on those tuners though—what are they and what's the damage?

Check out this monitor:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=Q3279VWFD8

I use one myself. It's solid. 1440p is the sweet spot for this size and watching 4K content. It’s affordable, IPS, great picture quality. I watch movies and shows on it in my room; it's perfect for watching from bed. Sure, it's not a TV, but at that distance, it's not too small. I wouldn't go back to anything smaller. It even has a headphone jack if you need it.
You can run it through HDMI to a receiver and DisplayPort to your PC simultaneously, so there's no constant cable swapping.

For the digital tuner, just make sure whatever you pick has an HEVC/H.265 decoder—most do by now. Not much thinking required there; half the grandmas in America have a box sitting around because their old TVs don't support the current standard. Just plug it in via HDMI and use the remote that comes with it. You can probably find a thread in the audio/video section about these boxes.

So, if I grab this monitor, does it actually have built-in speakers? Or am I stuck without audio unless I plug in headphones?
Do I need to hook up external speakers to it?
I’m clueless when it comes to monitors and external tuners. My old setup was just an LG 24 combo with built-in speakers and a remote.

Zachary Martin4 said:Alright, if I grab this monitor, does it have built-in speakers? Like, how am I getting audio without using headphones?
Do I need to hook up external speakers?
I don't know anything about monitors or external tuners. Up until now, I’ve just been using a Dell 24" Full HD setup—that one had speakers built in and even came with a remote.

The specific model I mentioned doesn't have speakers. Sure, some monitors come with them, but they usually sound terrible. It really comes down to your budget and what kind of setup you end up with. Personally, I'd rather just buy dedicated PC speakers for $33 instead of blowing extra cash on a monitor with built-in speakers.

You can plug speakers into the back of this model via the headphone jack (standard 3.5mm), or just plug them directly into your PC.

wiredotter14 said:That specific model doesn't have built-in speakers. Sure, you can find monitors with them, but let's be real—they usually sound like trash. It all comes down to your budget and what kind of setup you end up with. Honestly? I'd rather grab some actual PC speakers for $33 instead of overpaying for a monitor with crappy built-in audio.

You can just plug speakers into the headphone jack on the back (standard 3.5mm) or hook them straight into your PC.

Thanks for the tip!
Ended up going with the same brand, just a smaller, way cheaper version. It's mostly for working from home anyway, maybe watching some TV once in a while.
Just ordered the
Dell UltraSharp 27" 27B2H, VGA, HDMI, 75Hz for $352 including shipping.

Zachary Martin4 said:Appreciate the tip!
I went with the same brand, just a smaller model that won't break the bank. It’s mainly for my WFH setup, maybe used as a TV once in a while.
Ordered the
Dell UltraSharp 27" 27B2H, VGA, HDMI, 75Hz for $352 including shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/example-link

It's not 1440p. Personally, I think 1080p on a 27" is a bit too low for actual work, but hey, if that's what works for you, fine.

Zachary Martin4 said:Thanks for the input!
I decided to stick with the same brand but went for a slightly smaller, much more budget-friendly model. My main priority is remote work, though I'll occasionally use it like a TV.
I ordered the
Dell UltraSharp 27" 27B2H, VGA, HDMI, 75Hz for $352 including shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/example-monitor-link

It’ll be a great value for that price. Honestly, grab the 27" version—especially if you plan on using it as a TV from a distance. Just pick up some decent speakers, and as long as the tuner supports digital broadcasting, you should be fine. Every modern monitor has an HDMI port anyway, if I recall correctly.

Timothy Kim60 said:For that price? It's a steal. Just grab a 27" if you're planning on using it like a TV from your couch. Throw some speakers on it, and honestly, just make sure the tuner supports digital broadcasting—every model has an HDMI port anyway, right?

Thanks. Already ordered the digital tuner, and I’ve already got some killer speakers lying around.
https://www.amazon.com/example-link

I’m really digging the G7, but I’ve been reading some stuff about flickering issues. Is there any truth to that? I heard they supposedly fixed it, but I don't know for sure. On the other hand, that Alienware looks absolutely killer, but it's only 27 inches.

I just want to know which one is the better bet and a safer purchase overall.
Right now, I'm rocking a 60Hz Full HD setup.

RTX 2080 Ti
128GB RAM
i9 16-core

Hello, I am considering purchasing this gaming monitor I previously owned the 24" version and was quite satisfied with it. My main concern is whether a larger screen size would result in a grainier image when viewed up close. Also, is there anything of higher quality available for around $500 in this price range?

It really comes down to personal preference. For some people, a 27" 1080p screen looks grainy, while others don't mind it at all. Your best bet is to head over to a local Best Buy or similar showroom and see it for yourself before buying.

Timothy Kim60 said:It really comes down to personal preference. To some people, a 27" 1080p screen looks pixelated, while others don't mind at all. It’s probably best to head over to a Best Buy or similar store and see one in person before deciding.

What do you think? Would it be better to just stick with a 24" instead? Honestly, I was perfectly happy with my 24" setup; I wouldn't have even looked for an upgrade if I hadn't smashed it.

Is it just me, or does a 32" screen feel smaller with every passing day? Honestly, those standard 23 or 24-inch monitors I used to rely on now feel about as tiny as a postage stamp.

Justin Phillips15 said:What’s your take—would going back to a 24" be the better move? Honestly, 24" feels like the sweet spot for me; I wouldn't even be looking for an upgrade if I hadn't smashed my old one.

In my opinion, this is the top choice for a gaming monitor through $500

https://www.nabava.net/search.php?q=AOC+24G2U

Just make sure you avoid the model without the number 5 in the name (that's just the 75Hz version). Grab the 144Hz one instead.

silvermaker8 said:https://www.bestbuy.com/site/monitor-32-inch-4k/100300576

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/2721D/product

I’m leaning toward the G7, but I’ve read some claims about flickering issues. I don't know how much truth there is to that, though apparently they fixed it. On the other hand, the Alienware looks absolutely killer, but it’s only 27 inches.

I just want to know which one is the better bet and safer to buy.
Right now I'm running a 60Hz Full HD setup

RTX 2080 Ti
128GB RAM
i9 16-core

The G7 is solid as far as I know if that's the kind of performance you're after. Check this out:

Best gaming Monitors of 2020: 1440p, 4K, Ultrawide, 1080p and Budget Choices

The catch is that a lot of the "best buys" aren't available locally here, so you should probably check Amazon.

Justin Phillips15 said:I wouldn't even trade it unless I totaled it first.

Is this some kind of aftershock from that earthquake the other day?

Drew Sanchez82 said:Is this an aftershock from that earthquake a few days ago?

Yeah, I just ordered this AOC. I've never actually used a 144Hz monitor before, so I am quite curious to see if I can notice any real difference.

Justin Phillips15 said:Yeah, I just ordered this AOL one. I've never actually used a 144Hz monitor before, so I'm really curious to see if the difference is actually noticeable.

Man, I totally get that. I had to go out and grab a new TV myself because that big earthquake back in March pretty much trashed my old one...
Luckily my monitor survived, even though the desk it was on got bent pretty bad.

If you're jumping from a 24" to a 27", you'll definitely notice the size change regardless.
For me, the real jump was going from 24" up to 29".

Drew Sanchez82 said:Man, I had to pick up a new TV myself because that earthquake back in March totally trashed my old one...
Luckily, my monitor survived, even though it got bent out of shape.

If you move from a 24" to a 27", you'll definitely notice some difference.
I personally jumped from 24" to 29".

I ended up getting the 24" model that TNG mentioned. That size works fine for me since I'm just a weekend gamer.😁 My TV fell over too, but it actually survived.

Hey guys, looking for some advice on a 27" monitor or bigger. Budget is around $1.00. I need this mainly for photo and video editing—gaming isn't really my thing. It absolutely has to be an IPS panel, but doesn't necessarily need to be 4K...

Thanks in advance. 😉