Best square inch/dollar widescreen monitor size?

[sayeo87]

Hi, I will be looking to buy a monitor soon, but I'm not sure which size to pick to start. I know I want a widescreen that's at least 17", though. I will be primarily be coding and surfing the net (at the same time), and sometimes watching movies, so the productivity boost that comes with extra space is important. So, which monitor size do you guys think has the best square inch/dollar value right now? As I see it, it will be either 17", 19", or 21"/22". Not sure which one, though. Thanks for your help!

 

[cjl]

22" is probably the best bet there, as a decent one can be had for $220 or so, and a good one for $300. It isn't the best resolution per dollar, but it is a good overall compromise IMO (I have a 22" Dell SP2208WFP, and I love it).

 

[jaguarskx]

Since the price difference between 17" and 19" monitors can be as low as $20, I would drop 17" monitors all together.

21" monitors are somewhat rare and I would say they are older monitors based on older tech. Some 21" are pretty expensive, but those are made for graphics professionals.

You are now down to a 19" or 22" debate. Since a 22" monitor has almost 33% more pixels than a 19" monitor, I would choose a 22" monitor.

 

[sayeo87]

Thanks for your replies. I made some calculations, and based on the lowest priced monitor for each size on newegg, the sq inch/dollar ratio for the 19" was only very slightly better than for the 22" (19" had 1.014"/$ whereas 1.007"/$ for the 22")

It's still a $60 jump though from 19" to 22" (which is a lot of money to me) and I'm not sure if I really need something that big. Will 2 browser windows fit nicely side by side in a 19"? (I also plan to use it alongside the 15.4" screen on my laptop.

 

[cjl]

They'll fit in a 19", but it is a lot more usable in a 22". I run my 22" next to my 17" laptop, and it's about right. Also keep in mind that most 20" monitors have the same resolution as 22" (1680x1050), and because of that, they will work better for side by side than the 19" if you can't justify the money for the 22".

 

[jaguarskx]

Many websites are still designed to look good at 800 x 600 resolution. Therefore, on 22" LCD monitor you are less likely to need to use the scroll bars with two browsers opened.