Where to try out a QHD monitor?

[MrRockliffe]

If you've seen my post about XB1 on a QHD monitor, you'll know I'm looking to get one.

However, I'm facing a problem. I have a glossy display on my Pro Retina and love it. Colours are crazy vibrant. However, the only gloss 1440p monitor I can find from a respectable brand is the Iiyama and that has backlight problems. I've got a matte 1080p screen and hate the matte finish - but that could be because it's TN and not IPS. We use 27 Inch iMacs at my college and the picture is wonderful - it's pretty much everything I want in a display (although response time is a little slow for gaming).

Any ideas where I can try one out? I've got a maplin near me but they don't have any. Same story with PC world.

I don't want to get one off Amazon and not like it.

[Agent]

You can send them back via Amazon without any hassle.

I'm in the same boat though - I prefer glossy, but they are getting very difficult to find at all now.

[MrRockliffe]

I know I can send them back, but you have to pay postage (as expected) but that'd leave me short for buying another monitor.

[KeyboardDemon]

I know I can send them back, but you have to pay postage (as expected) but that'd leave me short for buying another monitor.

Are you sure that you have to pay postage to return items to Amazon?
I've had to return items a few times such as an XBox Keyboard attachment for my 360 controller that was sent with the wrong keyboard layout, an incorrectly ordered cover for my iPad that was the wrong size (my fault entirely ) and some other bits I ordered that turned out to be surplus to requirements, all were sent back within a month and I didn't have to pay any return postage.

[MrRockliffe]

I'm now not sure. They told me I would have to pay for the monitor, which I can understand if I don't like it

[KeyboardDemon]

I'm now not sure. They told me I would have to pay for the monitor, which I can understand if I don't like it

That suggests that policies vary according to the size/weight of the product, it looks like an item that weighs a few hundred grams has a different returns policy to an item that weighs 7Kg.

It does sound like you and I are going through the same (painful) decision making process with regards to buying a new monitor.

This is where I am and the decisions I have made so far are:

Say No to:
TN and VA screens
Low refresh rates
1080p
fixed height stands

Say yes to:
G-Sync
144hz+
sRGB colour space
wide viewing angle
2560x1440 or higher

I've considered IPS screens, great colour range, unbeatable viewing angles but response/refresh rates are too slow. Asus Swift, great response/refresh rates, excellent colours but poor viewing angles and limited connectivity with just one

AUO is the company behind the AHVA technology which is currently available on these 3 monitors:
ACER B276HUL
ACER 272HUL
BenQ BL2710PT

While I don't have enough information to conclusively decide if that is the technology I want to go for, I also haven't been able to decide on whether I want to go for 2560x1440, 3440x1440 or a 4k screen, though at the moment I think the 4k screens are definitely lowest on my list.

I think 70% of my usage will be for gaming, followed by the usual web surfing, email, office, multimedia (consumption not creation) and then a very small amount of photo editing plus maybe some video editing, so both 2560x1440 and 3440x1440 do seem really appealing to me.

I'll be going to the Game24 event in London this Thursday and hope to get some answers to the above questions when I'm there, are there any questions you might want answered?

[MrRockliffe]

I've no questions, as such since they can only be answered by looking at the monitor and using it!

I've got my eye on this thus far: http://www.cclonline.com/product/156...lack-/MON3030/

It states 12 ms response, but that's actually good because it's 4 MS GtG. Says IPS but I'm not 100% on that as I've never seen 4ms GtG. It's more likely to be AHVA.

The problem with G-Sync is that if it has G-Sync there's only 1 input and it'll be TN.

Glossy screens are my favourite, but it's not realistic really. The semi gloss of the Asus PB278Q looks appealing. Moreover, the PLS allows for higher refresh rates, possibly, if you're willing to overclock it.

However the price tag is high considering under par stand (swivel is built into the underside so the whole base slides around which looks awful if it's slightly off - OCD hell) and lack of USB 3 hub.

There's a very good deal on Dell's 24 Inch 4K monitor on NRG:IT. It's on for 500 GBP which is incredible for an IPS 4K monitor @ 60 Hz.

Plus, I was looking into getting a 32 Inch TV for gaming on my 360 - BenQ offer a 32 Inch AHVA monitor that Linus did a review on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifU4ZWWZNb8

It's up for 450 on CCL which is good value, so to speak.

It's really annoying and difficult trying to find somewhere where I can view these monitors individually. I might start a shop here in Cardiff where you can try out peripherals because friends often have the same problem . Had I have been able to try my keyboard I wouldn't have bought it. Didn't have the money to pay for return postage at the time so I had to live with a 70 pound keyboard that I didn't, and still don't, like. Pain.

I say I can't try a monitor to find what I like or don't like, but the 27 Inch iMac is the screen I want and I use those twice a week now. Plus the panel in my laptop is QHD. I'll have a go at gaming on it and see if the slower response time bugs me.

[KeyboardDemon]

In the video review of the BenQ 32" VA screen (it's not listed as an AHVA monitor on BenQ's website) Linus talks about "the high contrast with IPS glow, makes reading a treat", (around 7:10 on the video link). Does that mean that IPS is not as good to read text/web pages from as other screen/panel types?

Personally I don't want to overclock a screen, I just want a screen that ticks all of the right boxes from the start and not one that I will have to mod to get there, other than maybe adding a G-Sync chip at a later date if it doesn't already come with this as standard, better still, getting the G-Sync chip added to the monitor at the point of purchase in order to keep the warranty that comes with the monitor.

[MrRockliffe]

I'm not sure if I'm honest, I think what he meant by that was the backlight bleed than can often occur with IPS. I don't encounter it with my laptop or the iMacs at the college, but this is most likely due to the binning process that occurs with them.

[MrRockliffe]

The 32 Inch BenQ is AMVA not AHVA as I stated. http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/benq_bl3200pt.htm

[Jeremy Chan]

What's your budget?

[MrRockliffe]

I'd say 300 ish

[RobbieRoy]

It's really annoying and difficult trying to find somewhere where I can view these monitors individually. I might start a shop here in Cardiff where you can try out peripherals because friends often have the same problem . Had I have been able to try my keyboard I wouldn't have bought it.

It might sound a bit silly and is a long shot but have you tried the Cardiff branch of John Lewis? Their TV and IT depts often carry a lot of screens.

[MrRockliffe]

It might sound a bit silly and is a long shot but have you tried the Cardiff branch of John Lewis? Their TV and IT depts often carry a lot of screens.

I have previously but they only have the 27 inch imac with a qhd screen.

[MrRockliffe]

Ended up buying a PB278Q and well my impressions of it compared to my BenQ monitor is well, meh. It's okay, but I wouldn't say it's worth the 450 pounds it's currently priced at. Text is no sharper than a 24 inch 1080p monitor - at least not noticeably. I haven't tried gaming on it yet so I'll update this when I have.

[MrJim]

Ended up buying a PB278Q and well my impressions of it compared to my BenQ monitor is well, meh. It's okay, but I wouldn't say it's worth the 450 pounds it's currently priced at. Text is no sharper than a 24 inch 1080p monitor - at least not noticeably. I haven't tried gaming on it yet so I'll update this when I have.

I'd be interested to hear how your GTX 760 copes at 1440p? I recently upgraded from a 670 to a 970, mainly because the former was struggling to play most of my games at decent frame-rates & quality settings. Which sort of games do you mostly play?