Help me choose a new gaming monitor!

[ForeignerAUS]

Like the title says.

I will be running it off my laptop that has the following outputs: HDMI 1.4a and Thunderbolt 1 (Displayport 1.1a). My priority is gaming. I have NVidia GPUs, but as I understand it, I cannot get a G-Sync monitor as these are all Displayport 1.2. I know I can't connect a Displayport 1.2 monitor to the Thunderbolt port because I've already tried and it didn't work, so I think I need a monitor that can change its Displayport version from 1.2 to 1.1.

Also, at 1080p I believe the HDMI 1.4a refresh rate maxes out at 60Hz, whereas I've read that Thunderbolt 1 / Displayport 1.1a can do 1080p @ 144Hz and 1440p @ 75Hz. Therefore, for the best experience, I think I want a 1440p 144Hz monitor than has the option to change Displayport version from 1.2 to 1.1. I think I want a TN screen for the lower response time, unless anyone can recommend an IPS screen that would suit my needs with a 4ms GTG or less response time.

Thanks in advance.

[EndlessWaves]

Also, at 1080p I believe the HDMI 1.4a refresh rate maxes out at 60Hz, whereas I've read that Thunderbolt 1 / Displayport 1.1a can do 1080p @ 144Hz and 1440p @ 75Hz.

That's incorrect. HDMI 1.4a actually has slightly more bandwidth that DisplayPort 1.1a.

It depends on the exact resolution whether your quoted two are possible. They should manage it at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 but DP 1.1a especially may not be capable of them at 2560x1080 and 3440x1440.

My priority is gaming. I have NVidia GPUs, but as I understand it, I cannot get a G-Sync monitor as these are all Displayport 1.2. I know I can't connect a Displayport 1.2 monitor to the Thunderbolt port because I've already tried and it didn't work, so I think I need a monitor that can change its Displayport version from 1.2 to 1.1.

You've shown yourself that DP 1.1a works with DP 1.2 monitors by trying the screen with your old desktop card.

If it is a quirk with the thunderbolt use of DisplayPort then the market is tiny, there are very few gaming systems with Thunderbolt outputs, so such a feature isn't going to exist.

I suspect the problem will lie elsewhere personally. Maybe your thunderbolt port is broken/not active with your 970Ms and no screens will work or it's a config/adapter/etc. issue and any screen will work.

Either way, I certainly wouldn't seek out a second hand DP 1.1a 120hz screen until you've narrowed the issue down.

I think I want a TN screen for the lower response time, unless anyone can recommend an IPS screen that would suit my needs with a 4ms GTG or less response time.

Response times are almost meaningless. If you're sensitive to ghosting/blur you need to look at tests of each monitor's performance in that area and consider monitors with features like black frame insertion and backlight strobing.

[gupsterg]

I recently purchased a Dell U2515H, 25" 60Hz 1440P IPS monitor. I had been using an Eizo FG2421, 23.5" 120Hz VA. Viewing data for 1440P performance on a single Fury X it seemed to me a 144Hz screen would be a waste of £, a freesync monitor did appeal to me but again the Dell unit seemed the best buy. I'm glad I went for it for a number of reasons:-

i) great "bang for buck" 1440P display IMO.
ii) as it's 1440P @ 25" the pixel density is greater than a 27" (the usual size people go for @ 1440P), due to this aspect the images appear "sharper". In games it's like extra AA without applying it, normal windows desktop looks fantastic, I made no GUI scaling/font changes.
iii) even though it's a 8ms GTG screen I perceive no ghosting/lag (does support 6ms via OSD menu, but never used it), TFTCentral have a good review about the unit.
iv) besides great colour reproduction the unit looks fantastic and has a great stand. I like the touch sensitive buttons, but one unit I had was flaky on touch responsiveness. I also like the power LED location/size/brightness.

NRG I.T did have stock a few days ago at £219 inc VAT & shipping, they also do refurbs @ £189. If you do decide to go for this monitor and can wait they do get stock regularly (they can give no ETA when it will be in stock though), elsewhere it's £250+.

I had qualms I would like it over the VA panel it replaced with higher refresh rate and lower GTG, I have experienced no such issues and absolutely love the screen. Prior to purchase as I was toying with the idea of getting the 27", but reading this blog post of someone who had the 27" and later went 25" it made my mind up on which I'd get .

[ForeignerAUS]

Thanks for the advice.

That's incorrect. HDMI 1.4a actually has slightly more bandwidth that DisplayPort 1.1a

Yes, quite true, HDMI 1.4a being 10.2 Gbit/s vs 8.64 Gbit/s for DisplayPort 1.1a. Despite this, there seem to be a lot of opinions on the net about the whether HDMI 1.4a can do 1080p @ 120Hz or not (irrespective of bandwidth). Some say yes, others say max 60Hz. I'd love to know what it actually is, and you guys seem pretty knowledgeable, so perhaps you can set me straight once and for all.

With respect to the refresh rates, I found this for DisplayPort:



Not sure if it's right though.

Maybe your thunderbolt port is broken/not active with your 970Ms and no screens will work or it's a config/adapter/etc. issue and any screen will work.

Well the TB port works to output to HDMI on a different monitor, so I don't think that's the problem.

You've shown yourself that DP 1.1a works with DP 1.2 monitors by trying the screen with your old desktop card.

This is almost certainly true, but there is a chance that the mini-DP on the Radeon HD 5970 is actually version 1.2, as they were released around the same time, and I can't find any info anywhere on the card's DP version.

Anyway, I take both your points about response times, so I'm now also considering IPS screens as well.

The big question is, will I ever be able to use G-Sync via my TB1 / mini-DP 1.1a port? It does say on the NVidia site that it is only available on DP1.2. Maybe I have to wait for G-Sync over HDMI . . . The other option would be to get a mini-DP 1.1a to dual-link DVI active converter, and then a DVI to DP cable / converter (if such exists), but I don't know if all this interconversion would just stop the G-Sync completely or not.

[Deus]

I was going to suggest Jeff Atwood's choice of the Asus PB279Q but then noticed that your capped at HDMI 1.4 so might not be worth splashing for the extra res?

[gupsterg]

Therefore, for the best experience, I think I want a 1440p 144Hz monitor than has the option to change Displayport version from 1.2 to 1.1.

The U2515H via OSD can be set to 1.2 or 1.1a DP, ref page 26 of manual (page 12 has other tech info on DP/HDMI).

[EndlessWaves]

Some say yes, others say max 60Hz. I'd love to know what it actually is, and you guys seem pretty knowledgeable, so perhaps you can set me straight once and for all.

I've never looked into it in detail, but the impression I have is that the standard defines the maximum bandwidth and various standard resolutions but that the monitor and computer can communicate to run at whatever resolution they want to as long as it fits within the maximum bandwidth (and doesn't run up against byte limits in the description protocol).

This is almost certainly true, but there is a chance that the mini-DP on the Radeon HD 5970 is actually version 1.2, as they were released around the same time, and I can't find any info anywhere on the card's DP version.

Products only tend to appear a year or more after a standard gets finalised.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3987/a...range-market/3

The big question is, will I ever be able to use G-Sync via my TB1 / mini-DP 1.1a port?

Maybe. I know it was possible on some laptops but it's an unusual configuration so I don't know how widespread support is.

The other option would be to get a mini-DP 1.1a to dual-link DVI active converter, and then a DVI to DP cable / converter (if such exists), but I don't know if all this interconversion would just stop the G-Sync completely or not.

It would stop it completely.

[ForeignerAUS]

Thanks all for your replies. Well I decided to go a different direction. I gave up on the need for a 1 ms 144Hz TN panel based on your comments, and decided I would go for a lower response time IPS panel instead. And no G-Sync.

So I went for this ultra-wide 5ms IPS panel from AOC.

http://aoc-europe.com/en/products/u3477pqu

So far I love it! Games are really immersive and I'm not noticing any ghosting (but my old screen was a 4ms 60Hz screen, so not sure if I would have noticed something had I come from a 1ms 144Hz screen).

Interestingly, I was all ready to change the DP version to 1.1, but it worked out of the box on DP 1.2 mode, 3440x1440 @ 60Hz. So I wonder, had this been a G-Sync monitor, would it have worked? Perhaps the last one I tried just didn't like my setup for whatever reason. It definitely is a first generation Thunderbolt port I'm using though ...
Anyway, I'm happy with my choice. As long as I never play on G-Sync/Freesync/adaptive sync I'll never know any better anyway!