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Author Topic: Monitors.. info overload!  (Read 5622 times)

Bowdon

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Monitors.. info overload!
« on: January 14, 2017, 05:10:39 PM »

I'm looking to buy a second monitor which will be my main monitor as it'll be newer.

Looking at all the monitors these days there seems to be loads of different types, G-sync, Free-sync, TN, IPS types.. and the prices of these monitors can be sky high. I saw one monitor for £600+ what the heck is going on?

I play some games and I'd like a monitor that uses the displayport connection on the graphics card. I've got nvidia cards.

As anyone else bought a monitor recently? Whats your opinions/experience in this potential minefield of technology?
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snadge

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2017, 05:50:27 PM »

im using my 32" TV lol as its all i have ATM

for gaming you want a monitor that has a high refresh rate such as 120Hz+ and a fast response time (some high end ones have managed to get as low as 1ms now)

also it depends on your setup - e.g. if you had a high end graphics card like GTX 1080 or multiple GPU's then you could make use of dual monitors OR (preferably) a 4K screen as this will give you amazing in-game graphics - some go for ultra-wide monitors that have cinema screen proportions at 21:9 (3440x1440) - me personally would just by a 4K screen with super fast refresh rates and fast response time    ......if I were a gamer
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j0hn

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2017, 05:57:44 PM »

I have a Dell S2716DG G-Sync 27" TN panel.
It's around £500 but I paid £99 through an Amazon mis-price.
G-Sync adds about £200 to a monitor. Freesync is the AMD equivalent. Freesync adds pretty much nothing to monitor prices, but does the exact same. That's the price you pay for Nvidia.
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Chrysalis

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2017, 10:09:03 PM »

Short version.

TN = fastest response times and cheapest price possible, but also worse viewing angles, if off angle on a TN screen you get colour shift.
IPS = better viewing angles, off angle on modern ips screens tends to show contrast shift (IPS 5 or so years ago didnt have this affect some kind of cost cutting has happened I think), better colour accuracy than TN, IPS weaknes can be poor blacks, due to backlight bleed.  IPS is what I buy.
VA = viewing angles somewhere in between TN and IPS and contrast shift off angle, best contrast out of the three due to deeper blacks. VA is not very common now and got squeezed out when IPS moved into the budget pricing space.  Modern IPS tends to be similar to VA for viewing angle characteristics.

For nvidia some screens have gsync, this will remove problems that you can get when the framerate is below the refresh rate of the monitor, so normally in that situation you get tearing if vsync is off or stutter if vsync is on, gsync you get neither but has a very big price premium.
Freesync = amd version of gsync and has almost no price premium as its based on a open standard, but nvidia have chosen to not support freesync presumably to maximise revenues from gsync.

Unless you feel you need gsync, then I would just go for the cheapest IPS you can find that is in the size/resolution you want and has a displayport.

My dell 2209WA screen was a older type of IPS and was the first cheap IPS on the market, off angle there is no colour shift or contrast shift and is an amazing screen, it sold very well but dell oddly took it off the market quickly, I suspect because the screen was deemed too good quality for the price point, since then all IPS I have seen are not as good as that IPS but still definitely better than TN.

AMOLED is deemed as the saviour but I have some bad news, it seems AMOLED is not immune to cost cutting reducing quality, my S3 and S5 phones with AMOLED screens had brilliant viewing angles like my dell 2209WA, but my new S7 phone the AMOLED on that has definite shift off angle, so something has changed on the newest AMOLED screens that I consider lower quality. However it is still superior to IPS phones I have used.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2017, 10:14:05 PM by Chrysalis »
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j0hn

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2017, 10:17:29 PM »

In my opinion for gaming, higher refresh rate is better than higher resolution. I'd rather have 1080P @144hz than 4k @60hz.
The jump from 60hz to 120/144hz is a massive improvement.
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Chunkers

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2017, 09:45:42 AM »

I also like fast response time over resolution,  the problem is to get  butter smooth 4k you need to spend silly money on a graphics card and given the life cycle of  a monitor is typically 3 years  or more I think it's smart to buy 4k now.

I think buying a 1080 monitor new now as a serious gamer is  a mistake. We are all going to be playing in 4k within the next 1 to 2 years. If you are a casual game then no big deal.

Personally I would try and find a 4k Freesync monitor and play at 1080 until 4k capable AMD graphics cards drop in price (it won't be long)

C
« Last Edit: January 16, 2017, 09:49:37 AM by Chunkers »
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snadge

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2017, 01:52:16 PM »

im not a gamer (apart from a few LEGO titles lol - not a LEGO fan, just find the games fun), hence i dont know much about the gaming aspects of monitors... i didnt know there was these different types of sync?  I thought it was just VERTICAL SYNC ON or OFF and ON was always the best result cos you got tearing on OFF
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Chrysalis

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2017, 08:49:02 PM »

2 years is been very optimistic.  Right now 1080p is comfortably the most popular resolution on the steam database.

The problem with increasing resolution and refresh rates is you need a more powerful GPU, I only got a 1440p screen because of extra real estate on my desktop which is invaluable, but for gaming I have actually found it a nuisance as I had to upgrade my gpu to run native resolution.

High refresh rates is an individual thing, some say its so good they would never go back, others like me cannot notice enough of a difference to affect gaming experience.  I even play some games at 30fps to ensure consistent performance and in some games I prefer the 30fps experience.

For this reason I also find 144hz somewhat of a fad, I find it hard to believe 144 over 120hz refresh rate serves any purpose other than marketing.  But again its opinions, everyone has a right to their own, and I dont play games where reactive time is extremely important like multiplayer FPS.
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Bowdon

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2017, 11:01:36 PM »

I decided to get this monitor: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/dell-s2716dg-27-2560x1440-tn-g-sync-144hz-gaming-widescreen-led-monitor-midnight-grey-mo-084-de.html

I noticed my other monitor I have is TN and I liked that one. I'm not a guy who goes for big bright colours (I'm colour blind lol). But I have to say the brightness and colour of this monitor is amazing. The game I mostly play is Black Desert Online and the forestry areas and atmosphere is very immersive. A lot more so than when I played it on the other monitor. I have the g-sync setup and working too.

I am always skeptical of Dell, but this particular monitor had a really good write up on the various forums. I think it was Dell's first attempt at the gaming monitor.
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j0hn

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2017, 07:08:18 AM »

I love my Dell S2716DG. Though I paid a little less than that. ;)
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Bowdon

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2017, 11:36:17 AM »

I love my Dell S2716DG. Though I paid a little less than that. ;)

Blimey! How did you get that price ???
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j0hn

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2017, 03:25:23 PM »

I was waiting for Amazon to get stock so had the monitor on watch with camelcamelcamel at £500.
I got an email saying it was in stock at that price, obviously a mis-price. I placed an order and to my surprise it arrived  ;D
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mteven

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Re: Monitors.. info overload!
« Reply #12 on: August 07, 2017, 11:45:23 AM »

I'm very pleased with my  27inch Samsung monitor.
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