19" TFT advice

[mondogenerator]

Hi,

I'm planning on getting a new monitor, ever since I got a X800XT I wanted something bigger and badder than my old (yet still excellent) IIyama Vision Master Pro 415 17" CRT.

I thought about getting the IIyama 19" 454 CRT as I know I'll get a good monitor that will do my GFX card justice but I thought I'd see what the deal with TFT's is at the moment cause those 19" CRTs are huge! I've looked around a bit, read some reviews on different TFT's but am still stuck.

I've got a budget of £350 maximum, so which is the best 19" TFT for that price? The PC its used with is a 100% gaming machine, not used for any other tasks.

Cheers in advance!

[toolsong]

If you want to consider a widescreen model, the Dell 2005FPW is £352.44 on www.aria.co.uk under Web Super Specials. It's 1680 x 1050 and 12ms.

[nameinuse]

Are there any downsides to getting the widescreen monitor? What do games make of running in such an odd aspect ratio? I'm in a very similar situation to the OP, but was considering a Viewsonic panel (whichever one's fastest at the time I spend my cash, probably), but also considering the Iiyama 19" panel, as, well, I've had a couple of Iiyamas and they've always been great.

[toolsong]

One of the good features of that Dell is you can set an option in the menu so it won't scale the image to fit the screen.

So if you are playing at 1280x1024 there will be a 200 pixel black border on the left and right and a 13 pixel border along the top and bottom.

More games are starting to support widescreen resolutions, even at this odd 16/10 aspect ratio.

Google for user comments. They all say widescreen gaming rocks, ideally you want a powerful GPU to run it at the native resolution.

I don't have one...yet

[Hulkster316]

I just got a VIEWSONIC VX924 last week and it is incredible. 4 ms response time running it through DVI the picture is super crisp. FEAR demo and dawn of war look awesome on it with zero lag or ghosting.
Can be picked up for less than £300
http://www.misco.co.uk/productinform...0TFT%204MS.htm

[dave87]

CS 1.6 even runs in widescreen

[nameinuse]

Dammit, I'm getting tempted to go widescreen now. This buy-a-whole-rig-at-once thing makes it very difficult to hide quite how expensive this is getting...

It would certainly make sense from one point of view - I've used dual monitors for ages now, and widescreen would do me similar width without the gap in the middle

The other option, I suppose, is to consider 1600x1200 and maybe a 20" panel. They don't quite seem to have the performance (or the nice, mainstream price) of the 19"s, and even some of the widescreen models, yet, though.

[toolsong]

2005FPW arrived today...highly recommended

[herulach]

L1980Q if you do go 19", slimmest monitor ive seen, fantastic colour reprodcution and 0 ghosting.

[Trippledence]

If you want to really put your hardware to the test, and unless you have alot of spare cash a CRT will get you the best (high res) 1600X1200 on most 19" CRT's for your money.

Newer and larger TFT's will take the res even higher

[nameinuse]

I'm afraid it's got to be a TFT for two reasons, really. The lack of scan/flicker is easier on my eyes, and I'm not going to take a 19" CRT to LANs with me - I'm bad enough as it is without handicapping myself with a hernia too.

I've been reading a lot about that new Xerox panel, but it's been getting a mixed reception with the different panel technology in the same product! If not, I'll go with the viewsonic after all, but I like the idea of a glass-fronted panel (I'd get an x-brite if they weren't so expensive and rubbish for gaming).

[Nox]

I paid the extra £150 and went fot the 2405 - its amazing.

Nox

[mondogenerator]

Thanks for the advice guys. I looked at the monitors you all suggested and a whole lot more. Picking a TFT when knowing nothing about them is pretty tough. Allot to take in!

After some research and reading allot of reviews I went for a Hyundai L90D+. I'm very pleased with it, also very pleased with the price!

[oshta]

Ive just got a SyncMaster 930bf (the new '4ms' samsung screens)

- Other than as mentioned on the other tread in very happy with it, and for £260 its not a bad price.


Daniel

[davidstone28]

Another vote for the LG 1980Q.

Note that the Viewsonic 4ms TFT isn't really 4ms - see Anand, THG etc.

[Darth Sidious]

yeah the 4ms viewsonic doesnt hold 4ms while in use, infact it has been proven it drops below the 16ms sweet spot more then viewsonics 8ms model.