looking for a 22" or 24" monitor

I'm currently in the market looking for a monitor to use with my 12" laptop. I really don't know which brand to go with or what to look for in a monitor. I don't game, use photoshop occasionally, and watch movies (but it's not that important, doesn't have to be super quality type a thing..). Any suggestions?


I recently stumbled on this one that costs a bit extra than the Samsung 2333HD. It's a 1920x1200 but not full HD.

What does Full HD really mean, except for the 1080 vertical resolution? I'll be coming from a 1280x800 12" screen (or a BenQ 22" which had awful colors a while back), so this 24" would be a world's difference to me. The HP has a contrast ratio of 3000:1 while the samsung has dynamic contrast 10,000:1...ouch? :blink:

 

Full HD means 1920 x 1080 resolution which is a 16:9 resolution. Don't worry about these dynamic contrast number, because they are just marketing term.... it compares when the laptop is fully switched off to full brightness white...... if you want to watch movie, then you should go for 1920x1080 screen which is pretty cheap right now.

 

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'd suggest the Dell 2209WA if you can afford it. It is about the same price as the 24", but the 24" is a TN panel so you'll almost definitely notice uneven colors around the edges and corners. The 2209WA uses e-IPS technology (much better!). The Samsung also uses a TN panel, which is a deal breaker in my book.

Anyway, "Full HD" is just a marketing gimmick to make people think lower resolution 16:9 monitors are better than 16:10 monitors that are not marked as "Full HD". Glad you were weary of that term.

As for other performance numbers, EVERY manufacturer cherry picks and cherry designs their tests and definitions for these numbers. Just to, essentially, make numbers up that sound good. The best possible thing you can do is your own research in online forums (like this one, DTR, and [H]ardForum) to see what users think of the monitors.

 

It's on sale at Dell Small Business Right now for $249 w/Free Shipping, also.

Linky

 

For any sort of photo/video work (unless under severe budget constraint), consider a non-TN panel. Check this link out to learn more about LCDs.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/specs.htm

 

I've been able to regularly score $215-230 by calling in.

 

Is there a 24" version of the same thing and if so how much?

 

The U2410 is even better than the 2209WA, from what I hear. $589-$599 from Dell, unknown how low it can go though. I've heard as low as $469-489 with coupons though.

 

wow, expensive!

how are Acers? I'm considering looking into them and I'm not interested in the HP anymore.


oh, and btw, i can't buy online i'm not from the States.

 

Where are you ordering from?

 

I have both w2448hc as linked in the first message and also older 22" w2207 HP monitors. Main feature I wanted was the height adjustable leg, I can get the bottom of the display almost touch the table if I want to (when I do that, the top of the screen is at my eye level. 24" is actually quite big when you look at it 40-50cm away...). And they look good together on my table

While TN panel issues aren't as easily seen in 22", they are very much visible in 24". Vertical viewing angle is so small that there's visible color changes in darker edges of fullscreen movies / pictures. Normal windows desktop usage, websurfing isn't really affected. However I don't use dark wallpaper for that reason

For your use definitely get better panel, other than TN, especially if you want to watch your movies fullscreen. Most of my tv-series/movies I watch on this computer, I do it in a window roughly 1/4 size of the screen while doing something more or less productive on the side. Like read forums and write this message My fullscreen stuff runs in the living room 50" when I need it

 

And then there is the fact that it can do portrait mode. This is by far the nicest way to work with documents and the web. Wide screen, and sites designed to go full width are horrible for reading.

 

hence, you can have to windows opened side by side, which helped me greatly before.

I'll be buying from store, so online isn't an option, that's why I'm asking about the models here that I see in stores. I'm still searching though.

 

What is your budget? And where are you ordering from? (unless I missed this somewhere?)

 

Wow, I still didn't get anything! I'm buying from local stores.

In general, should I go for a 22" 1680x1050 or a 22" 1920x1080??

I found LG and that.

Which would be best of the 2 or the Samsung 2333HD??

I know that TN panel is not good, but I really don't have a choice.

 

i just ordered this the other day sorry its a UK site

http://www.saverstore.com/product/20030199/LG-W2353V-23-LCD-Monitor

seems a good monitor to me and it has good enough reviews
it was between that and the new 2048x 1152 monitor although the samsung only had vga

 

i have a 22" 1680x1050 monitor... i think it's good enough... 1920x1080 might be a little too big... and i prefer 16:10 over 16:9...

unless you watch a lot of movies, i think the 1680x1050 would be more useful

 

Go for the 22" 1920x1080. It may be 16:9, but 1920 width > 1680 width and 1080 height > 1050.

If you can, find one that's 1920x1200.

 

I bought the LG w2261VP and it's good so far, at least better from my 12" laptop! It's a 1920x1080 and it's not bad at all!! I figured total real estate is better to think of than 16:9 or 16:10.

 

Iphetamine, what's your budget atm?

If it's at all possible for you, I'd recommend you shop around for a good deal on a Dell 2209wa eg. at the next big sale wherever. It's a beautiful monitor and I think it'll serve you well

I haven't had a single regret about mine in the months that I've had it!