HELP me choose - 172x, Benq 767-12, Acer AL1731

[alexb75]

I have read all the reviews I could find. I am looking for an LCD monitor to replace my CRT. My priroties follows:

#1. Text clarity and angle view. I like to be able to view the screen at same quality from different angles

#2. DVD playing/DivX/TV. I wanna play my DVDs and watch TV with my tuner on this screen. I wanna be able to entertain 2-3 people with the monitor.

#3. Game playing - I play games but not everyday. Just when I have free time. I just dont wanna have ghosting effects when I play unreal.

So, based on that, what 17" fits the bill? I was almost set for the latest 12ms monitors but their narrow view angle made me change my mind! The other option is Acer AL1731 which uses Hydis 20ms... it has a wider view angle, would Hydis be better for movies/DivX? Whenever I use my laptop, I HATE the way it plays videos, I have to constanty adjust the screen angle to get a good quality, I just cannot handle this for my everyday monitor.

So, apart from Hydis... which is better Benq 767-12 or Samsung 172x? Tomshwardware gave the nods to BenQ but MANY other websites have given it poor rating?! Also, BenQ just looks cheap?!?!

PLEASE HELP ME.. I have been researching for more than a wekk and still cannot make up my mind at all... LCD buying is HARD

 

[alexb75]

Is this forum dead?!

 

[RichPLS]

I prefer the Samsung...

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<font color=red> And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
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[Stickx]

This forum has been dead for quite a while. I am looking for almost the exact same thing you are. I was about to get the Dell 2001FP because of the great reviews and because it is 1600x1200 which is the same 4x3 ratio of a TV. The 17" and 19" all are 1280x1024 which is a 5x4 ratio which I have been told will stretch eveyone a bit taller. I don't know if this would be a noticable distortion because I have never actually tried it. If you or anyone else has experience with the effects of the different resolutions please let me know.

Also, can you give me other good sites that evaluate the LCD monitors?

 

[shindawa]

FYI - I did not like the Dell 2001FP. It is a nice big monitor with beautiful color, however, it has a native resolution of 1600X1200. That might be great for movies, but it is terrible for reading. Text, webpages, icons are all too small on this resolution. There are settings in Windows to increase font and icon size in most cases, but this is a pain and it never looks right. I tried to reduce the resolution, but the monitor became way to blurry.

In short, if you watch a lot of movies or play a lot of games this is a good monitor. If type or read a lot on your computer this monitor is a bad fit.

 

[RichPLS]

I would love to have the Dell 2001FP
Those specs look awesome on my eyes

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<font color=red> And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign </font color=red>

 

[LathamJohnP]

>> 1600X1200. That might be great for movies, but it is terrible for reading. Text, webpages, icons are all too small on this resolution <<

That's subjective of course. I have a 2001FP, and I specifically chose it because I work from home as a programmer, and find at that resolution I can both read text clearly and fit in all my IDE windows. I use normal size fonts, and sit about 18-24 inches from the display.

For reading/authoring Word docs it's perfect rotated to portrait and set to "fit whole page".

Best to see this monitor and judge for yourself.

John

 

[silly_rabbit]

you know you could just use analog input and switch it to 800X600 right? you are changing the resolution with a perfect ratio for both vertical and horizantal which is a good thing cuz is wont bler as much.

Easter is here....

 

[Stickx]

Good price for the 2001FP at Dell Home. I got it today for $609.75 including free shipping but plus tax. Dell is giving 20% off and there is a coupon listed at edealinfo.com for additional $70.00 off. These coupons are listed on a daily basis and expire daily so you have to look a bit. If I can't read the text then I will have to RMA it, but I expect it will be fine.

 

[RichPLS]

600 bucks for a 20" panel is great.
It is getting closer and closer to my price range.

_____________________________________________
<font color=red> And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign </font color=red>