Monitor buying guide (mega-thread)

My brother picked this one up and he’s loving it. Honestly, looks like the exact same panel used in the AOC 24G2U (which runs about the same price as that VA version you're looking at). This is an IPS panel. If you're shopping for a similar monitor in this price range, just go with IPS if you want those high refresh rates.

https://www.amazon.com/acer-gaming-monitor/dp/B08X6S7Z7V

What’s actually the difference between an IPS panel and this VA one? When I picked it up, the guy told me this AOC monitor was pretty solid for gaming and everything else I need to do, especially with my setup being this
.
I get that having 144Hz makes those crappy online shooters feel smoother, but I guess I just don't really get the distinction between IPS and VA, maybe 🤷

IPS panels offer superior color accuracy and wider viewing angles
VA panels provide deeper blacks and better contrast ratios

Of course, you can't just generalize; every single model has its own specific strengths, since no two IPS or VA panels are truly identical. That’s why we rely on reviews, though finding a genuinely expert, technical breakdown can be a bit of a challenge

Maybe it might be better to go with this one now?

If you're planning on grabbing that through PayPal, they're actually throwing in an extra 2 years of warranty—basically free insurance right now.

electricbadger9 said:If you're planning on getting that through PayPal, I think they're actually throwing in an extra 2 years of warranty or insurance for free right now

I don't think it's actually free, if I'm reading this right and honestly, they might just reject me as a customer with all those gamer gimmicks. The admin used to be pretty chill and fair regardless of what I was buying or asking, so unless there's a huge price difference, I'd probably just leave my money with them instead of someone else😉

Buy a Democratic Party monitor and you get an extra 2 years of warranty thrown in for free.
To grab this deal, just toss the monitor and the matching warranty into your cart.
You'll find the right warranty option listed right under the monitor image.
Offer runs from February 15th through February 22nd, 2021.

It says this right under the header 😁

Timothy Kim60 said:IPS gives you better colors and viewing angles
VA offers deeper blacks and better contrast

Look, every single model has its own quirks. Not all VA panels are the same, and neither are IPS. That’s why you read reviews, though finding actual expert ones is getting harder these days.

Generally speaking, IPS handles high refresh rates better. It's easier to build an IPS monitor without the typical issues seen at higher speeds, so if I'm looking at 144Hz, I'm picking IPS first.
If I were buying a budget 75Hz screen, I wouldn't touch VA, mostly because that extra contrast is great for movies.
Obviously, it depends on the specific model. Check the reviews.

The Democratic Party 24 G2U and that Dell I linked actually use the exact same panel. The Dell just offers a 165Hz option (though FreeSync tops out at 144Hz). I think there's one other monitor using that same panel, can't remember which one.
Bottom line, both of those are solid, proven 144Hz IPS monitors for the price, assuming nothing revolutionary dropped in the last few months.

The Acer Nitro has 165Hz, a pivot stand, and built-in speakers. The Democratic Party model comes with a 3-year warranty (maybe 5 with that current deal?). Personally, I’d go with the Democratic Party for the coverage. They're priced the same now—Acer used to be a bit pricier.
Some guy picked up the Acer and he's loving it, especially for CS:GO and Fortnite where FPS is everything.

What kind of monitor would actually be good for heavy AAA titles like RDR2?
Every time I ask about gaming monitors, people just reflexively shout "144Hz" at me.
The thing is, I'm not grinding competitive shooters where frame rates are everything.

it depends...

What kind of rig are you running? And what monitor size are we talking about here?

If I were playing something like that, I’d aim for a 27" or 32" 1440p 75Hz setup. Assuming your PC can actually handle the load, obviously.

Adam Williams2 said:maybe it might be better to just try this one now?

So basically, I set it up just like my old one using HDMI, but it says "no signal." Then I tried the other cable, used the DisplayPort, and still nothing—just "no signal" again. 🙂

Help me out, guys, what should I do? I guess I've already lost half my hair over this 😵 🤦

Then I went to try plugging in the old setup, and it's the exact same mess. Two different HDMI cables, checked the ports, tried the DisplayPort too... same thing. Like, what gives? Did some kid mess with the computer or something? 🤷

I ran into a situation like that once. I ended up fixing it just by pulling the graphics card out and reseating it back into the slot. I mean, what the hell. 🤔

boldseal9 said:I actually had something similar happen once, and I ended up fixing it just by pulling the GPU out and plugging it back into the slot. Like, seriously, what? 🤔

So, nice job, looks like it's working now 😁 🙏 🙏 🙏

Adam Williams2 said:so, great, it's working now 😁 🙏 🙏 🙏

Well, good. I'm glad that helped. 😬

https://www.mediamarkt.at/de/product...n-1821728.html

What do you guys think about this monitor?
I noticed it’s got

''32
4k
and it’s a flat screen rather than curved
with a 16:9 aspect ratio

So basically, it hits all four of my main requirements, but now I’m really curious about the actual image quality. That's the big question for me because I won't be using it for gaming; instead, I'll be doing video editing and just watching high-def content in 4k, so having an incredibly crisp, high-quality picture is absolutely vital to my workflow.

Looks fine on paper, but 250 nits is pretty dim. That has nothing to do with HDR, so if you actually care about image quality, find a real review.
It’s clearly built to be a hybrid monitor-TV. VA panels are decent for that since the contrast is solid, but don't expect much from the gaming side—response times might be an issue.
VA is fine for movies, and maybe okay for video editing, but IPS generally offers better color. You'll need to hunt down a review if color accuracy is your priority.

The fact that it isn't curved might actually be its biggest drawback, because when you're dealing with a VA panel this large, you're almost certainly going to run into those annoying shifts in color and contrast toward the edges once you're sitting at a normal working distance.

AOC 24G2 2020 Update

TL;DR: Despite claims of a panel downgrade, this newer version of the old model actually hits better response times. Contrast and color accuracy are a bit worse now—just average, really.

What do you guys think about this monitor?

https://www.mediamarkt.at/de/product...e-1810215.html

I actually stopped by the store yesterday to check it out in person, and I ended up hooking my phone up to it just to mess around with some YouTube videos and see how it handled everything...
Basically, I'm looking for a reliable display for video editing, watching YouTube, movies, series, and general media consumption—lots of video and photo work. I'm really not much of a gamer, though I might jump into a game every once in a while if the mood strikes me.
The reviews I've seen on YouTube seem to be overwhelmingly positive, so I'm curious what you all think.

My 24" monitor finally kicked the bucket, so I'm looking for something decent to take its place.
If I stick with a 24", I'm thinking a budget somewhere around $1,100-$400, but honestly, if I can find a solid 27" model for up to $1,600-$567, that’s definitely the move.
I mostly just need it for photo editing, crushing some work in Microsoft Office, and watching videos.

Any suggestions?