What's the best LCD monitor to buy?

[tmash]

In the market for a new monitor. I want 20+" and widescreen, who makes the best LCD's on a price/performance ratio.

I don't mind paying a little more, as long as its a NOTICEABLE increase in quality/performance.

It will be used mostly for movies/TV shows on my comp, photoshopping, and just general surfing/word processing. No gaming.

Thanks

[Junk Food Junkie]

Samsung SyncMasterTM 225BW-Black (22" inch Wide monitor)
http://www.samsung.com/ca/products/monitor/lcd_widescreen/ls22dpwcbqxaa.asp

Futureshop
$399.99
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10078295&catid=22335

[hightech]

Samsung SyncMasterTM 225BW-Black (22" inch Wide monitor)
http://www.samsung.com/ca/products/monitor/lcd_widescreen/ls22dpwcbqxaa.asp

Futureshop
$399.99
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10078295&catid=22335

+1 for the Samsung. I have this on my system and love it. Some people find the backlight bleed to be annoying but I don't seem to have any issues.

Make sure that when you get this unit, the box is WHITE colour as that is the second generation version and better quality.

I would price match FS with Canada Computers or Infonec as they ask $389.99 for it http://www.pcvonline.com/productDetails.aspx?id=4343

This way you get FS 14 day return policy for 0 dead pixel issues. This is nice since most stores only swap if there are more then 12 dead pixels for this size panel.

[Drthorne]

I have the 22" Samsung as well and it's great, some minor backlight bleed but I think every 225BW model is like it. Got mine from Futureshop about 3 months ago, not one dead pixel

[tmash]

What exactly is "backlight bleed"?

[mahpoaht]

You can save little bit more toward new Dell's 30", hell of a monitor !

[tmash]

You can save little bit more toward new Dell's 30", hell of a monitor !


Link?

nvm, found it, $1700 is a bit more than I want to spend, lol I was thinking somewhere around $400

[Drthorne]

What exactly is "backlight bleed"?

Backlight bleed, this is not my monitor.... mine is only bleeding on the bottom a little, the top it fine

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/drthorne/backlightbleed.jpg

[board123]

One of the LG 22" models is supposed to be very good as well.

[Izzoshady]

+1 for the Samsung. I have this on my system and love it. Some people find the backlight bleed to be annoying but I don't seem to have any issues.

Make sure that when you get this unit, the box is WHITE colour as that is the second generation version and better quality.

I would price match FS with Canada Computers or Infonec as they ask $389.99 for it http://www.pcvonline.com/productDetails.aspx?id=4343

This way you get FS 14 day return policy for 0 dead pixel issues. This is nice since most stores only swap if there are more then 12 dead pixels for this size panel.

+1

You can never go wrong with Samsung...

[ppl4golf]

I don't find the Samsungs are all they are cracked up to be.

I have an Acer 19" 1916WS and later added a Samsung 19" 940BW. The image quality are fairly similar but the Sammy bleeds terrible on the right edge of the panel, also it has a small spot in the middle of the screen which looks like a scratch or dirt behind but it's not a dead pixel.

[tmash]

Well maybe I should rephrase the question...

What sort of specs should I look for in a monitor? What's a good contrast ratio, response time, etc? In addition, how can I tell if the specs are made up "advertising specs" or real specs....the reason I ask is because I know in car audio, they often advertise "Max wattage" which is nowhere near the real output capacity, and I wonder if its the same with monitors.

[Badman]

That samsung is their low line.

If you want a good monitor without breaking the bank then the Dell2007wfp is the best. (second best 20" LCD monitor with the first being NEC which is on sale right now for $550 at best buy)

[ppl4golf]

That samsung is their low line.

If you want a good monitor without breaking the bank then the Dell2007wfp is the best. (second best 20" LCD monitor with the first being NEC which is on sale right now for $550 at best buy)

The price is not that low relatively to the quality and thats for sure.

[talktwo]

I don't know the extent of photoshopping you will be doing, but if you intend to do a lot of printing and graphics etc. in the future, LCD would not be one of my recommendations as the color reproduction is not accurate. What you see on screen may not necessarily be what prints out (despite how far we've come with LCD's).

However, for general purposes, gaming, movies etc. I do recommend a Samsung as well.

[tmash]

I don't know the extent of photoshopping you will be doing, but if you intend to do a lot of printing and graphics etc. in the future, LCD would not be one of my recommendations as the color reproduction is not accurate. What you see on screen may not necessarily be what prints out (despite how far we've come with LCD's).

However, for general purposes, gaming, movies etc. I do recommend a Samsung as well.

No no, no printing done, I don't even have a photo printer. I just like messing around with images and especially photoshopping new hockey jerseys :o .

How are teh LG's compared to teh Samsungs?

[hytong]

What you see on screen may not necessarily be what prints out (despite how far we've come with LCD's).

google "soft proofing" and "Color Management"
depending on your monitor, you won't get the 100% exact color on screen but it will be the best approximation given the hardware

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=1745344
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/07/06/nec_and_lacie_lead_on_professional_lcd_gear/index.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/08/30/all/

here are good displays
http://www.lacie.com/ca/products/family.htm?id=10010
http://www.eizo.com/

[ldrafter]

Would the Samsung or LG 22" models be better than Dell's 22" monitors? I thought that all 22" used the same panels.

[CodecX81]

Samsung's N series of SyncMaster are their higher end product..

Either that, or get a FPW series dell.

I got a 2405FPW, I've owned a 2005FPW, Samsung 940N & 720N.. All 4 of which are still in commission and working great..

Its a tough market out there, figuring out what monitors are 8bit vs 6bit.... But generally, if you stick with those two brands and really pay attention to the specs, and are able to differenciate between a 'good deal' and 'too good to be true'...

you will come out with a really nice LCD.

[evanx]

Dell and LG are pretty decent.

If you are going for Acer and Samsung, make sure you are going for the mid to high end versions. The QC is better.

[ShadowVlican]

here are good displays
http://www.lacie.com/ca/products/family.htm?id=10010
http://www.eizo.com/
these are professional LCDs and will best any other brand (maybe par with NEC's professional line)

however they are expensive. very.

[tmash]

Are the ViewSonic's any good? Their 22" is 369.99 at FS right now....

[akito925]

buy a 27inch lcd t-v that supports high res with inputs, with 1080p . you can't beat the size at all.

[tmash]

buy a 27inch lcd t-v that supports high res with inputs, with 1080p . you can't beat the size at all.

Too much $$$