Choosing a monitor

[museprime]

Hi all!

I just got finished building my first rig. and I am enjoying it a lot! I've upgraded everything and now I have finally gotten around to the monitors.

I was using a dual screen setup before. Which I enjoyed. But I wanted a fresher sharper picture. so I opted for a widescreen since It can become price to buy the 2 of hot monitors rather than 1.

So I purchased this monitor here and got it for $179. I like it I'm still adjusting the setting. It doesn't have HDMI though but I'm using a speaker set up so it's ok along with headphones

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dell+-+23%26%2334%3B+Widescreen+Flat-Panel+IPS+LED+HD+Monitor/6814943.p?id=1218807855013&skuId=6814943

But then I saw this...
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dell+-+24%26%2334%3B+IPS+LED+HD+Monitor/6814952.p?id=1218807855012&skuId=6814952

And This...
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+23.6%26%2334%3B+LED+HD+Monitor/8767187.p?id=1218890757510&skuId=8767187

and this..
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+23%26%2334%3B+Widescreen+LED+Monitor+-+Black/3706239.p?id=1218428704344&skuId=3706239

And Finally these!
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/AOC+23%22+%26+23%22+Dual+IPS+LED+HD+Monitor+Package/9999202900050002.p?id=pcmprd201800050002&skuId=9999202900050002

Can anyone tell me which is better also what the difference between 8,000,000:1 and 50,000,000:1 which is better?

Thanks

 

[getbacktosrinu]

The Dynamic contrast ratio (always in x millions:1 ratio) is not a very good reason to buy a monitor... if you want to know, the standard contrast ratio of most monitors will be in the range of 1000:1... Only cheap monitor with a good contrast ratio is Benq GW2450HM (which says 5000:1 but is really around 2500:1)...

IMO avoid the Dell S2xxx series... the Dell Uxxxx series are sharper and better... but they will be costlier...

Also best advice I can give you is... go to a shop and choose the monitor only after you look at it in real - time (like you would buy a TV)... Online specs are just bluster

 

[museprime]

Hey thanks. I'll take a look at those models. I was also looking to stay under 200.00 which why those dell models caught my eye. I'm actually using the S2340M right now I'm checking out some of the others I listed today. do you know or think it's better to have HDMI/VGA or DVI/VGA? I'm also using my on speakers system

The Dynamic contrast ratio (always in x millions:1 ratio) is not a very good reason to buy a monitor... if you want to know, the standard contrast ratio of most monitors will be in the range of 1000:1... Only cheap monitor with a good contrast ratio is Benq GW2450HM (which says 5000:1 but is really around 2500:1)...

IMO avoid the Dell S2xxx series... the Dell Uxxxx series are sharper and better... but they will be costlier...

Also best advice I can give you is... go to a shop and choose the monitor only after you look at it in real - time (like you would buy a TV)... Online specs are just bluster

 

[getbacktosrinu]

If u have your own speaker system... then the purpose of HDMI is defeated.

DVI/VGA will be good for you for now.

But again, there are some scenarios where HDMI will be useful... for e.g. you have a new - fangled HDTV with which you want to share your ethernet, sound and video... then a HDMI 1.4a cable from your graphic card will be spectacular.

Again, HDMI can transmit 5.1 sound to speakers which use HDMI.

Personally, I use HDMI because I like to minimize cable clutter.

Other monitors, I can suggest are the Viewsonic VX series. Good gaming monitors with sharp pictures and good detail.

Techradar.com rates monitors regularly and pretty decently. Tftcentral.co.uk has the most comprehensive monitor reviews. Let me know if I can assist in any other way.

 

[nikoli707]

honestly if you can afford it i would get something like this....http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=113&cp_id=11307&cs_id=1130703&p_id=9579&seq=1&format=2&ref=cj

i own a similar one and love it, could never go back to 1080p after using mine.

 

[museprime]

Hey Thank I'll check that out as well. I do have a few more questions if you don't mind?

Is there a HDMI Y cable? You know like for two monitors that have HDMI and then singles into one HDMI?

Also does using a VGA and a DVI adapter give you less of better picture quality?

I guess I'm hung up on have duel screen that if I right now can only get one monitor I'd like to have the most simple set when I get a another. I have windows 7 and when I tried using my old monitors to set up dual screen I couldn't because Dell has their own adapters and motherboard for that. So the adapter that I had only mirrored the image.

I know windows will detect a second monitor. that's plugged directly from the monitor to the GPU without the adapter. But I guess the question if I do this with the monitor I have right now it means the second monitor would will use either VGA to (adapter) DVI and the other would use DVI to HDMI. Would I experience a screen quality loss on the VGA to DVI?

If u have your own speaker system... then the purpose of HDMI is defeated.

DVI/VGA will be good for you for now.

But again, there are some scenarios where HDMI will be useful... for e.g. you have a new - fangled HDTV with which you want to share your ethernet, sound and video... then a HDMI 1.4a cable from your graphic card will be spectacular.

Again, HDMI can transmit 5.1 sound to speakers which use HDMI.

Personally, I use HDMI because I like to minimize cable clutter.

Other monitors, I can suggest are the Viewsonic VX series. Good gaming monitors with sharp pictures and good detail.

Techradar.com rates monitors regularly and pretty decently. Tftcentral.co.uk has the most comprehensive monitor reviews. Let me know if I can assist in any other way.

 

[museprime]

That looks awesome. guess if I wouldn't need dual screen with a 27' monitor. I never heard of this brand are the good?

honestly if you can afford it i would get something like this....http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=113&cp_id=11307&cs_id=1130703&p_id=9579&seq=1&format=2&ref=cj

i own a similar one and love it, could never go back to 1080p after using mine.

 

[nikoli707]

crystalpro, catleap, achievia, about a dozen other brands, are all LG made A- panels that Dell and Apple use for their 27" 1440p monitors.

i personally have an achievia shimian from the popular ebay seller greensum. dream-seller is another popular seller of these A- panels. monoprice and microcenter are the only us based sellers of these uber popular monitors.

 

[getbacktosrinu]

Are you using integrated or discrete graphics?

All decent modern GPU's have two or three ports for multi - monitor setups.

There is a HDMI splitter, but I don't know how it works... I mean especially for a dual monitor setup.

VGA to DVI picture quality has always been a point of debate. You can find quite a few threads all over the web and even in these very forums. But, the general consensus is that there is a very negligible loss of quality at 1080p.

HDMI to DVI and vice versa. No loss of quality. Only (obviously) loss of audio.

But I am just kind of curious. Is this for work or media or play?

Because dual monitors are kind of moot for media (difficult to watch a movie across two screens) and gaming (the crosshairs or the car should be at the center, so odd numbers. 1 , 3, 5 etc).

Why don't you post your system specification? That will clear up a few things in my mind.

 

[museprime]

It's just personal preferences really. I use a vectorworks and CAD based programs sometimes and it's easier you to have a second screen to you use you know. I also am a casual gamer. so to play games on a dual screen set up isn't important. It's cool but not a must have. And I just realize I can just get an HDMI/HDMI and then do HDMI/DVI as far as my GPU and the monitor is concerned.

Are you using integrated or discrete graphics?

All decent modern GPU's have two or three ports for multi - monitor setups.

There is a HDMI splitter, but I don't know how it works... I mean especially for a dual monitor setup.

VGA to DVI picture quality has always been a point of debate. You can find quite a few threads all over the web and even in these very forums. But, the general consensus is that there is a very negligible loss of quality at 1080p.

HDMI to DVI and vice versa. No loss of quality. Only (obviously) loss of audio.

But I am just kind of curious. Is this for work or media or play?

Because dual monitors are kind of moot for media (difficult to watch a movie across two screens) and gaming (the crosshairs or the car should be at the center, so odd numbers. 1 , 3, 5 etc).

Why don't you post your system specification? That will clear up a few things in my mind.

 

[nikoli707]

Most of the 1440p monitors like the one i suggested use ONLY DVI-D connections and will require a dedicated graphics card to run. So you can run the 1440p monitor from the dvi-d connection, and run a separate 1080p monitor from the hdmi connection as well.

An hdmi splitter is not going to be a true dual monitor as both monitors are going to display the same image.