Lcd led? 22-24 inch?

**pzkpfw** · 22nd February 2011, 09:06

So here's an easy one: I'm thinking of getting a new monitor to replace the 15" 1024x768 Viewsonic I use as an external monitor on my laptop. (The 15" may become a second monitor on the Sons' PC...).

Monitors in the price range I have access to seem to come down to one main choice in specification:

Regular LCD with 2ms refresh - versus - LED backlight with 5ms refresh.

So what do you think? LED with 5ms or non-LED with 2ms refresh?

Also, I'd look at 22" to 24" 16:9. To physically fit the monitor above my laptop screen but below the shelf on top of my desk, I may have to go for a 22". (I like the screens arranged over/under).

Is bigger really better? Would I regret getting 22" instead of 24"?

(The 19" 4:3 external on my work laptop has a vertical res of 1050, close enough to full HD and about the same vertical size as a 22" 16:9 monitor, and is fine for me; so I think 22" is probably OK, but a workmate has a 22" widescreen and complains about how he should have got the boss to spring for a 24"...)

**Grasshopperus** · 22nd February 2011, 09:19

IMO the Dell 24" LCDs still can't be beat. Vertical resolution is the most critical thing if you're dealing with text. 1920x1200 (19:10) is better than lame-ass fullHD.

**lone_slayer** · 22nd February 2011, 09:35

Until recently I worked at Noel Leemings for a few years so can help a bit on this...

Wouldnt bother with LED unless power consuption is an issue because an LED screen is just an LCD screen with LED back lighting instead of your fluro tube style back lighting. LED is also a little slimmer.

When OLED comes out mainstream definatly buy that.

Also the human eye isnt suppose to notice the difference of anything under 10ms but still I belive the faster refresh rate is better for extended viewing times.

In the mean time I would go LCD and I would also look at buying a TV instead especially if this is only to be used sometimes. My notebook often gets connected into my 40" Sony LCD and looks 100X better than my Laptop Screen and my tv isnt 1080P the newer 1080p Screens look even better.
Hope this helps

**steve_t** · 22nd February 2011, 09:36

Get the 24"

Does the LED with 5ms come with an IPS panel? If so, get that one

**lone_slayer** · 22nd February 2011, 09:43

Also if you take your laptop in to a store they wont complain if you wanna hook it up to try it out. If the wont help go to another store they dont deserve your money.

**avgas** · 22nd February 2011, 09:47

Originally Posted by Grasshopperus

IMO the Dell 24" LCDs still can't be beat. Vertical resolution is the most critical thing if you're dealing with text. 1920x1200 (19:10) is better than lame-ass fullHD.

Should do when its more expensive than a 50" plasma......
http://www1.ap.dell.com/nz/en/home/m...=dhs&cs=nzdhs1

**imdying** · 22nd February 2011, 09:50

You need to look at them.

**lone_slayer** · 22nd February 2011, 09:58

Originally Posted by avgas

Should do when its more expensive than a 50" plasma......
http://www1.ap.dell.com/nz/en/home/m...=dhs&cs=nzdhs1

Yeah at that price I would be getting a 40" LCD

**Grasshopperus** · 22nd February 2011, 10:13

Originally Posted by avgas

Should do when its more expensive than a 50" plasma......
http://www1.ap.dell.com/nz/en/home/m...=dhs&cs=nzdhs1

Yep, well it's far better technology than a 50" plasma. Higher resolution and far higher DPI. I bought one of these in 2004 and it's by far the best money you can spend on a computer. It's still better than most of these cheap ass 22" 1680x1050, 1600x900 (or whatever) piles of crap.

Originally Posted by lone_slayer

Yeah at that price I would be getting a 40" LCD

If you use a computer to do productive stuff then you're going to be sitting in front of the monitor. If you're just gonna put your movies or games through a screen (consuming content instead of producing it) then you may as well get a TV.

There's no way you're going to want to sit in front of a 40" screen (at 1920x1080) and bash out some code or use photoshop; work is usually done at a desk with a keyboard & mouse comfortably supported in front of you and a screen a short distance away. I'm not saying it's impossible to do some work using an LCD TV it's just no where near ideal.

Reward yourself; get the best screen you can.

**pzkpfw** · 22nd February 2011, 11:53

Appreciate all the above. Thanks.

Size (physically, and in dollars) is an issue.

I tried to go to a different site just now, and stumbled on Paradigm PC's. (Hadn't been there in a while).

Found this: http://www.pp.co.nz/products.php?pp_id=AA26668

22", LED, Full HD (no, not more), and 2ms refresh. And just a bit more than $300. Might just fit the bill.

Will want to ask what the manufacturers dead/stuck (sub)pixel policy is...

**avgas** · 22nd February 2011, 12:22

Originally Posted by pzkpfw

Will want to ask what the manufacturers dead/stuck (sub)pixel policy is...

By NZ law they have to deliver full return if it fails in warranty period.
Can't remember exact case - but it was something to do with use of service.
Your use with a screen is that is has no faults visually or something.

Grasshopperus - I would love to spend that kind coin on a screen.......and while I say its a great screen.......1000 bucks!!!
You guys don't happen to sit in your offices, on $800 exec chairs, driving $200,000 audi's and sip starbucks every day do you?
If so - where do I send my CV to?

**Grasshopperus** · 22nd February 2011, 15:43

Originally Posted by avgas

I would love to spend that kind coin on a screen.......and while I say its a great screen.......1000 bucks!!!

Yeah, when first released the screens were $1500 and that's when I got one. At the time I was an avid gamer and widescreen LCDs were not common. The extra width actually gave me an edge due to the wider angle game viewpoint which was cool for shooter-games and other games that have heaps of stuff going on (WoW with all the add-on tabs, interfaces etc).

The thing to think about is that you're always interacting with the screen, that awesome graphics card is used when 3D gaming but when doing anything else it's overkill. In my case you still have to spend $1000 to get a new screen just like what I've got; it hasn't become obsolete or noticeably superseded (for my uses) by later models. It devalues a helluva lot less slowly than every other computer component.

I bought it as a present to myself after finishing my compsci degree at uni. Best present ever.

Originally Posted by avgas

You guys don't happen to sit in your offices, on $800 exec chairs, driving $200,000 audi's and sip starbucks every day do you?
If so - where do I send my CV to?

Lol we don't sit in our offices, we're off playing golf and laughing at those fools who work in cubicles.

**pete376403** · 22nd February 2011, 18:28

Originally Posted by lone_slayer

Until recently I worked at Noel Leemings for a few years so can help a bit on this...

Wouldnt bother with LED unless power consuption is an issue because an LED screen is just an LCD screen with LED back lighting instead of your fluro tube style back lighting. LED is also a little slimmer.

Will LED back lighting last longer than fluro? We have a bunch of monitors about to go to the tip because the fluros have aged and the screens now have a pink/red tinge. Other than that they are fine. It is possible to buy led replacement strips from the 'net but the customer doesn't want to pay.
FWIW they are shitbox IBM 15"s)