Which monitor?!?!?!

I'm having the hardest time picking which monitor to buy.

Use: I want to hook up my monitor as an external to my laptop. For the past 3 years, I found myself emailing, word processing, web browsing, and watching movies on my laptop. That's about it.

I want to know which monitor is the best for my needs.

1. Dell UltraSharp U2211H for $210. (21.5in)

or

2. Dell ST2420L for $190. (24in)

Or is there anything else better you guys recommend that I haven't came across?

 

That no 2) is good, just the right size for a notebook external.

cheers ...

 

OK, if my ThinkPad X201 has a max resolution of 1280x800, and aspect ratio of 16:10 (widescreen), do I need to get a widescreen monitor for it?

 

1. If you are using the external monitor in the extended mode, then you can use any monitors up to 30 inch LCD with WQXGA LCD (but you will need a ultrabase x200 with the displayport). For the LCD you suggested you can use the vga port on the laptop.

2. Personally i would recommend the Dell U2211h, since it will have an e-IPS LCD, which offers superior quality than the other Dell monitor.

3. There is nothing better in that price category.

 

Anyone have an opinion on this 25in HP for $220
HP 2509m 25" Diagonal Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor | HP® Official Store

vs that Dell U2211H ($210)?

 

You have to understand your priorities. The U2211H has the best image quality of any of the ones you've listed(in terms of accuracy, not necessarily the most vibrant colors or the brightest image), but it's also the smallest and has the highest response time.

Given your uses, only movies would really benefit from image quality and at a loss might suffer a tiny bit from the higher response time(not enough to be a bother though). And even then, not sure how important/noticeable it is for the casual viewer to have the better accuracy. Most people seem to prefer vibrant extra saturated colors.

The one thing the U2211H has going for it other than image quality are USB ports onto the monitor which is a neat feature.

 

as said there is simply no LCD that Dell or other manufacturer produces at that price range to beat U2211h with its e-IPS LCD. You would know it and swear by it, once you get to use it for a while. It is hard to explain in words to you if you have never touched an IPS type monitor.

google U2211h reviews. There are plenty of informative and unbiased picture and video based review why U2211h is the superior choice in that price category.

 

20 inch monitors? does it have to be exactly 20 inches? and also which country do you reside in?

Dell offers next day exchange warranty on their LCD, basically they will drop off and pick up the faulty monitor from your business or resident using couriers. With Samsung you have to take them to the actual repairers, and some of these repairers are pretty bad with their services and attitudes.

 

No it doesn't have to be 20in. I'm in the US. I just thought that it's cheaper for a 20in.

 

IPS panels have the advantage of the most accurate color and wider viewing angle. They are great for professional photo and video editing when properly calibrated. However, assuming your going to sit properly at a desk with the monitor and the activities you mentioned. You don't need those advantages.

I'd go with the 24 incher.

 

Personally speaking, I think getting an IPS monitor for the casual user is a bit overkill. That's like getting a half deaf person a high end audio system.

Sure, it offers measurable and superior quality, but most people aren't trained to notice the difference.

If I showed 5 shades of red cardboard to everyone with an IPS screen I'm sure half of them wouldn't be able to tell a shred of difference without seeing them side by side

 

Agreed.

For your uses (movies, office, spreadsheets, maybe the odd game) a 24" TN panel will suit you perfectly, plus it'll be the same, if not cheaper than a IPS panel. Go with the IPS panel unless you plan on editing photos.

 

what do you guys suggest for a lot of text reading, GIS, browsing and some excel?

i really need the easiest monitor on my eyes. I prefer 1920x1200 because if I have to go 1920 I want the extra vertical space.
i like the u2410 but it's expensive and does not show up in the outlet.

 

GPS? You're doing Global Positioning Systems on your computer?

 

sorry i meant to say GIS . the question about the monitor still remains. and yes you can do GPS on any laptop. most professionals don't use tomtom. lol

 

The thing is, 1920x1200 monitors are far more expensive than 1920x1080 models as they are more expensive to produce. You'd be saving alot of money by going with a 1080 monitor.

The Samsung Syncmaster F2380 is a nice option if you can still find it in stock. It has a C-PVA panel, not exactly IPS quality but then again you don't need that for GIS. C-PVA is definitely a step above TN in terms of viewing angles and colour accuracy. you should be able to find it for a very reasonable price.

 

I know you can do GPS, just seemed like a bit of a random thing compared to the other uses lol

Either way, none of those uses really require nor benefit that much from a better image quality per se. GIS might but I'm guessing the actual data is more important than the image's accuracy in terms of color and viewing angles?

 

yeah i dont care much about GIS. the first things i am concerned with is being easy on the eyes when reading text.
and yes 1200's are more expensive but i just can't stand the 16:9 ratio. would a 23" be a good compromise for readability with a 1920x1200 res?
i am checking out that samsung in the meantime. i just like dell because of the warranty

 

i see people complaining about the U2410 problems with tint.

 

i personally have 2x Dell 2209WA (eips 1680x1050) + 1x no-name TN 1680x1050

The difference between the TN and eips is clear. I can move around (standing up next to the desk) to see the difference. TN shifts in color and contrast A LOT. If you can afford it, get eips, and you will never go back to TN, even for gaming

a 22" TN costs around $130, $110 on sale.
a 22" eIPS costs around $200, $150-$180 on sale

 

is there a samsung with c-pva and 1200 resolution? or a good dell fore less than $200 with 1200?

 

I use a Dell U2410 & two side by side Dell 2209s for CCTV monitoring & video editing at work. The U2410 is by far my favorite monitor but too pricey to buy for my home multimedia system. My boss probably wouldn't appreciate me taking it home either. So....I just picked up a U2311 on sale $249 free ship. Waiting anxiously for it to arrive for am interested in comparing.