Dell 3008WFP monitor, a warning for gamers

[Perfectionist]

Good question, there might be something tacked on the end of the serial number but I won't be able to check that until I get home. I ordered mine from a place that explicitly advertised it as the A02 (PCBuyIt). Having said that, the A02 came out quite a few months ago so unless it's really old stock it should be the current revision.

Just had a look with a torch at the back of it, there's 2 barcodes with 2 sets of numbers on each, some I think are customer support codes, there's also a number and barcode on a sticker attached to the VGA cable - none of em have A01 or A02 on the end

RE the quite a few months go thing, actually that reminds me of something the Dell guy said on the phone (after being bounced between customer support in india back to technical support then back again 3 times apparently no one knowing who is in charge of the monitor side of things rather than PCs), he said Scan bought it from them in October

[Fraz]

Mine is A02. I really haven't noticed a problem with the blacks. Yes, they are not totally black, but I'm yet to own an LCD that can do this. Admittedly, I've always had S-IPS panels, apart from one very early 15" panel (probably a TN panel), but one of the best things about this monitor is its ability to display a very large range of colours/shades.

I need to read your comments properly... but unfortunately, I have to drive somewhere now. But tbh, I bought my screen for work reasons, not gaming. It sounds like you've bought the wrong screen for your stringent gaming requirements.

[Ciber]

To get better blacks and more accurate colours, simply turn down the brightness. This turns down the backlight and will help with any backlight bleed. Thats what I did with mine as I could see a little backlight bleedthough making backs grey and colours were overwarm/bright, but using some calibration screens I found that truning off 'dynamic bright' and turning brightness down to 20% looks natural and blacks are blacker than any other screen I've seen. My samsung 27" has a simliar panel and I have to say it is the most gorgeous screen I have ever seen in person for games, everything. Not trying to blow my own trumpet here lol, but these are lovely panels. Also, I was very much looking out for motion blur as I have seen awful motioin blur on cheaper/older panels and I can see none at all.

Also, I chose a 27" panel over the 30" as the resolution is much easier on graphics cards. 30" native resolution will hammer even a GTX280. So, consider the samsung 275T instead of the 3008, or even a newer dell 27" model if there is one yet.

Or you could maybe wait for LED backlit panels which iirc are coming very very soon and will not have some of the problems associated with current tech.

Online Monitor test

Hope this helps.

[moogle]

Hey thanks for that Monitor page test Ciber.
Here's another one I have bookmarked. It's all HTML though

http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/

Some of the tests really make the screen look weird

[phill8800GT]

When I have finished benching my 4870 X2 rig I shall try the link on the screen I somehow have big doubts now in buying a 30" screen for purely gaming on Which I may add, is a big let down for me

[moogle]

Get one 2-3" smaller than that at a 1920x1200 res
OcUK has those Hazro ones which have 5ms and have wide viewing angles suggesting they aren't TN panels so they must be one of the better types

[phill8800GT]

I already have a Dell 27" (2707 model I believe) and its great for gaming on, but I just wish it had a higher screen size I remember an old Iiyama CRT I had, 22" screen (20" viewable) max res 2048 x 1536 Back in the days when I had a Tbird @ 1.33Ghz and a Geforce 2 Ultra, I was playing Colin McRae Rally 2 at that res with everything on full I miss that res!!

[Perfectionist]

Get one 2-3" smaller than that at a 1920x1200 res
OcUK has those Hazro ones which have 5ms and have wide viewing angles suggesting they aren't TN panels so they must be one of the better types

From what I've read and been told in this thread though the no black/darkness problem is with all current LCDs due to how they have backlights unlike CRTs (also out of the LCDs, TN ones have been said to be better for gaming since can have down to 2ms response)?

[moogle]

I already have a Dell 27" (2707 model I believe) and its great for gaming on, but I just wish it had a higher screen size I remember an old Iiyama CRT I had, 22" screen (20" viewable) max res 2048 x 1536 Back in the days when I had a Tbird @ 1.33Ghz and a Geforce 2 Ultra, I was playing Colin McRae Rally 2 at that res with everything on full I miss that res!!

Oh yeah I forgot you had that screen
Just stick with it you'll get used to playing at that res

From what I've read and been told in this thread though the no black/darkness problem is with all current LCDs due to how they have backlights unlike CRTs (also out of the LCDs, TN ones have been said to be better for gaming since can have down to 2ms response)?

Yeah all LCD's have that backlight problem. You'll notice it when playing in the dark. Some have the backlight more bright than others so it's way more noticable. Me I really don't notice it that much on my (TN) screen. Could it be that I'm not that fussy? Not sure
But I really do not notice ghosting though.

[phill8800GT]

I'm not worried about playing at the 1920 x 1200 res, but I figured the 4870 X2 might be actually worth having for the higher screen res that the 30" panels give

I guess it will mean that I wont have to actually upgrade as often as I would have to if I had a 30" panel!!

[moogle]

I guess it will mean that I wont have to actually upgrade as often as I would have to if I had a 30" panel!!

Yar the card would last you alot longer at that res
It'll save you lots + the savings of the new monitor too

[Perfectionist]

I'm thinking about looking for a high-res CRT, not sure where to go looking though, or even if peopl still make em since everyones so in love with LCDs and their horrible damn backlight grr

[phill8800GT]

That'll do me just fine then

The money I was going to spend on a new screen, can go towards that of a lovely ice chilling phase unit

[Perfectionist]

To get better blacks and more accurate colours, simply turn down the brightness. This turns down the backlight and will help with any backlight bleed.

Doesn't seem to affect the backlight at all on 3008wfp.

[Ciber]

Doesn't seem to affect the backlight at all on 3008wfp.

weird!

[phill8800GT]

I must admit, I am going to book some time at Scan to physically see one of these monitors in the flesh... I need to see how good they are and maybe if I find what I want, I'll grab whilst I'm there