Question I really need help finding a good monitor (I'm getting seriously stressed out!)

[WaldoJones]

Why I'm upgrading:
I only want dual-monitors. I had this but then one broke.
Sadly the monitors I own aren't really available anymore, so I can't replace the broken one even if I wanted to.
They're super old anyways. The color accuracy is non-existent and they really make my eyes hurt so I'm way overdue for a new monitor. I can even see the flickering on this monitor (yikes).

What I do on my computer (in order of frequency):
1. Graphic Design
2. Video Editing & Film-making
3. Gaming (basic low-requirement online MMORPG game)
I don't do any live-competitive games like First-person shooter games although there's a 3-5% chance I could in the next 5 years.

FYI I spend like 8+ hours a day on the computer and although I blink a lot, my eyes get very fatigued sometimes. This is why I'm trying my best to be super picky about choosing a new monitor...

Features I want:

1. Good color accuracy = an IPS display (or REALLY good VA at the very least).
2. Display port (Non-negotiable) + VESA Mount.
3. A somewhat high refresh rate (negotiable).
4. A 16:10 Aspect ratio or something very similar to it (It's what I'm used to). Although I'm not very experienced with aspect ratios so please preach to me. Maybe I'm being dumb here? Idk.
5. Anti-flickering or Anti-Eye fatigue technology.
6. Minimal to no backlight bleeding (idm some minimal IPS glow).
7. A resolution that isn't so ridiculous that my desktop icons and all text are so tiny they're barely readable. My current resolution is 1440 x 900 (and it's a really nice size).
8. Also, Scaling that doesn't make everything seem stretched or blurry (I use Win 7)
9. Not curved! (Bad for the graphic design work I do)

Features I prefer:

1. A 19" to 24" display. I was looking at anything above that just doesn't seem practical for a dual-monitor setup with the space I use.
2. Matte Display / Non-glare (This is a STRONG preference. Glossy displays suck in my room).
3. A very thin bezel on the sides for dual-monitor use.
4. Joy-stick menu controls.
5. Not a fragile piece of junk.
6. Doesn't take hours and hours to calibrate the colors for.
7. Some sort of Free-sync. (Very low preference for this),
8. BRIGHT, but has the ability to be turned down very low if I need to (I'm often online at night).
9. A response time that isn't god-awful slow.
10. No built in speakers.

My Budget:
My original budget is/was $200-350, but I'm not finding anything good in this range. This is how much I want to spend.
I've spent DAYS researching without having any luck. I narrowed my research down to two monitors, but they both came up short:

1. Acer (ED242QR Abidpx) [90% HQ reviews]
Lots of complaints with loads of dead pixels within the first month from reviews on the 23.6-inch model I was interested in.

2. MSI (Optix MAG24C) [80% HQ reviews]
A good majority of buyers report dead pixels, even on replacements (even positive reviews say this). VA display. Has flickering issues. Has issue fitting in most VESA mounts.

I'm willing to spend up to $400-550 if it's a really good monitor that won't break within 4-5 years, and/or have non-existent customer support.
I can't spend anything anywhere near $1,000. I just can't justify spending that kind of money right now.
Especially because I have to buy two of them.


Btw I sit 23" away from my computer monitor.

 

[WaldoJones]

Update:

View: https://youtu.be/KnrxNfxRK_4

This video by Linus just made me consider getting an Ultrawide 34" computer instead. And from what I can tell, it looks like I'd save a lot of money just getting 1 monitor instead of several.
Idk how it would work for screensharing on Discord though. Something I do quite regularly...

Is this worth considering? Everyone who has one says they'll never go back.

The monitor in the video:

https://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-34UM88-P-34-Inch-UltraWide/dp/B01CDYB5CW

 

[desp0]

I'm also in the same boat, but to be fair:

Linus' video is 5 years old, I'm pretty sure there SHOULD be a better alternative by now?

Let's see if someone who's also a digital artist could shed some light about our needs and whether there is a UHD alternative that is already affordable.

I was looking for a suited monitor myself these last days and am a little offput by marketing of current monitors and especially the "10bit color output" which isn't even possible for OpenGL software like Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign etc with consumer grade graphics cards, anyways.

Is it possible to still benefit from the wider color garment of IPS panels?
Also read a lot about VA panels in the past days that don't have the common cons that IPS panels possess (ips glow, backlight bleed).

All I want is a 27-32" screen that has better colors for digital art than my current 24" 1080p TN panel and a 2K-4K resolution would also be nice for better viewing quality of photos/art/movies.

But as it looks right now, every panel type and screen has it's cons and pros and it will always be a trade-off.

I share your desperation

 

[WaldoJones]

I'm also in the same boat, but to be fair:

Linus' video is 5 years old, I'm pretty sure there SHOULD be a better alternative by now?

[......]

I've been hard at work doing research on ultra-wide monitors hoping it would be the end-all solution for my needs. Linu's video is old. But the old stuff is the only stuff in my price range.

34" fits perfectly on my desk and ever since watching this video on how to efficiently multi-task on an Ultrawide screen. I'm pretty much hooked. I didn't know this was possible, so I always looked towards two smaller monitors for my setup because I could Snap windows to the sides of my separate monitors.
But there are apps that allow you to move anything to any spot you want with any key command, shake, or snap-to features. Totally AWESOME!

Also they're all in my budget range. A 27" monitor with the features I want costs like $300-500 EACH. But just one 34" ultra-wide costs $300-450.

The biggest downside is they appear to be very fragile and some companies ship them poorly so they break in the mail. Also some VESA mounts have troubles holding them because of their weight. But many Youtubers figured it out and showed youtube videos for the mounts they used.

Anyways. Here's where my research had lead me so far:

— My watch list —

Higher Price:
https://www.amazon.com/LG-34UM88C-P-34-Inch-21-UltraWide/dp/B01CDYB5CW (B: 80% HQ; no change. 4.5 stars)
126 reviews [1440p]
- Cheap build quality. Wobbly. Bumping a desk wobbles the monitor. Warranty is only 1 year. If it dies the repair costs more than the monitor itself.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Ultrawide-Widescreen-FreeSync-LS34J550WQNXZA/dp/B07FBS36W2
(C: 78.7% HQ; 4 star to 3 star drop)
51 reviews [1440p]


Lower price:
https://www.amazon.com/LG-34WK650-W-34-UltraWide-21/dp/B078GSH1LV 2018 (B: 80% HQ; no change. 4.5 stars)
97 reviews [1080p]
Almost no negative reviews

https://www.amazon.com/LG-34UC79G-B-34-Inch-21-UltraWide/dp/B01LW5CGIS (B: 80% HQ; no change. 4 stars)
510 reviews [1080p]
- Fragile. Poor build quality. Easily breakable. If it dies the repair costs more than the monitor itself.

Also maybe?
https://www.amazon.com/LG-34UM60-P-34-Inch-Ultrawide-Freesync/dp/B06Y28LK9G (C: 70.7% HQ; no change. 4.5 stars)
95 reviews [1080p]


1440p > 1080p on this size monitor. Otherwise you'll experience some ghosting and a little bit of blurriness on text sometimes.

I used Fakespot.com to look for fake Reviews and CamelCamelCamel.com to see Amazon price history to see when the price will drop next.

Best time to buy monitors is between November and December. So do your research now, and then, if you're patient, wait for an email alert from CamelCamelCamel.
It could save you between $100-150 quite easily! Also nearly all websites price match.

P.S. If you do meticulous Graphic Design work, DO NOT get a curved monitor. I've read TONS of reviews of graphic designers saying the curved screen distorts the straight lines they're trying to work on and can be very frustrating.

 

[WaldoJones]

I'm going to conclude my research on Ultrawides for now.
But I still need help deciding on a 24" monitor that's IPS and VESA if anyone figures anything out. Let me know!