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[jid]

Hi All,

Need some advice on purchasing a new monitor.

I have been looking at this one, and for the price and brand I though it was excellent:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-P193W-Crystalbrite-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/B000VPG16G/ref=dp_return_2?ie=UTF8&n=560798&s=electronics

However, I don't hardly know what any of the other specs mean?

DisplaySize: 19" Wide, Display area:408 x 255mm
Black
5ms Response Time
1400x900 Resolution
2000:1 Contrast Ratio
View Angle:160x160
Brightness: 300cd/m2
Analog Input Signal
Internal Power Adaptor
Kensington Lock Supported
Power Consumption 37W
Power Saving Off:1W, Standby:2W
Wall Mountable
16.7M Colour
0.284mm Pixel Pitch

Would this be a good monitor for under £100?

Cheers

Jamie

[broadstairs]

DisplaySize: 19" Wide, Display area:408 x 255mm
Black
5ms Response Time ==> how fast it refreshes lower the better 5ms is quite good
1400x900 Resolution ==> pixel resolution personally I'd go larger than a 19in for greater depth (width x depth)
2000:1 Contrast Ratio ==> how good the contrast is higher the better this is quite good
View Angle:160x160  ==> basically what viewing angle you can still see it clearly again bigger is better - quite good
Brightness: 300cd/m2 ==> how bright, higher is better - personally I'd try to find one in the 500's
Analog Input Signal ==> connector this should be standard VGA
Internal Power Adaptor ==> no external power brick so when you turn it off its OFF
Kensington Lock Supported ==> this allows a cable to lock it to your desk for security
Power Consumption 37W
Power Saving Off:1W, Standby:2W
Wall Mountable
16.7M Colour ==> colour depth
0.284mm Pixel Pitch ==> effectively pixel size smaller is better - this is not bad

Would this be a good monitor for under £100? ==> yes

Just my view but personally I'd go for something a bit bigger maybe a 20 or 22in, but thats personal tase and how deep your pockets are 

[tuftedduck]

What to you want to monitor to do............games, photo editing, video editing, just surfing and mailing ?

Do you want speakers, avi or dsub connection...

There are monitors in this price range which are better than the above in some area, not so good in others......the choice depends on your requirements.
The Acer has less than average colour rendition, with a bluish cast over the whites, slight banding in greyscale areas and a gamut with almost no blacks.
Not good then for anything where colour reproduction is needed, but that might not be a priority for you.

Monitors are tools, and as is always the case, there are the right and the wrong tools for the job.

For slightly better monitors within the same price bracket, have a look at the Viewsonic VA1916w and the Liyama ProLite E1908WSV

[jid]

Thanks both for your replies.

@Broadstairs, thanks for explaining those to me. I wouldn't want any bigger due to limited space and as I say I do not want my pockets too empty! Looking through the explanations you give it is an excellent (ish) monitor for the price, which is what I want.

@TD, I would be using mainly for surfing and schoolwork-including VB and Frontpage all of which would look and be easier to use on 19" compared to my current 15" 

I don't need speakers as I have surround sound for the PC. I don't do image editing a lot and if so it isn't anything on a major scale.

I was thinking 17" but when I saw this monitor at that price, with widescreen I though I had to consider it for this years xmas present...

Thanks for the advice there guys, most helpful 

Regards

Jamie

[Floydoid]

That looks like a very good price.  My monitor is an Acer and I've always been pleased with it.

eBuyer's prices are similar:

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?page=1&store=73&cat=12&subcat=354&mfr=174

[jid]

Yes I currently have an Acer too, has been working with no issues for the past 4 years, I just feel like I need something bigger with a better spec.

[Floydoid]

Just be sure that you're graphics card is up to it tho, but changing from say 17" to 19" shouldn't cause too many problems.

[jid]

Just be sure that you're graphics card is up to it tho, but changing from say 17" to 19" shouldn't cause too many problems.

I have on board graphics. What am I looking for, running Vista?

PC is 4years old so...

[Floydoid]

It depends what kind of expansion slot you have for graphics... you shouldn't need to spend too much for a modest graphics card... mine was about £25 and 256 MB of memory, and is superb, even for more intensive tasks such as watching HQ video... I don't do gaming btw.

If you have Everest, it will tell you what slots your board has (funnily enough under the motherboard section).

http://www.filehippo.com/download_everest_home/

[jid]

I should of rephrased my last post, I meant how would I find what resolutions my on board graphics supports? I know it can work on my 19" widescreen LCD tv which I have tried just now, so would it be safe to say that the Acer will work too?

I only have PCI Express x1 on my board so only expansion would be PCI and I think a PCI graphics card would be shocking!!

[Floydoid]

You're confusing PCI and PCIe i think... the latter is fine for graphics... as to find out what your graphics will support you'd probably have to go to the mobo manufacturer's site - or read the manual if you have one.

[jid]

You're confusing PCI and PCIe i think... the latter is fine for graphics... as to find out what your graphics will support you'd probably have to go to the mobo manufacturer's site - or read the manual if you have one.

No, honestly, I don't have PCI Express x16 or otherwise, just the normal White PCI slots.

Have found the Datasheet and all is ok, it support 2000xsomething so thats all OK then:D

[Floydoid]

I thought you said above yo do have PCI Express?

I'm confused.

[kitz]

me too

But if he's running Vista on it, then it should be fine.

[jid]

I thought you said above yo do have PCI Express?

I'm confused.

Sorry guys, I have a PCI Express x1 slot not x16 which graphics cards use.

Besides my onboard graphics supports the res as proved by using my TV and as stated in the Datasheet.

Thanks

Jamie