Need a 30" monitor to replace my Dell 22" 2209WA IPS monitor

[dhsolid]

Hello gurus. I'm slowly upgrading my Dell 435mt computer with the first purchase of the Corsair GS800 power supply.


Currently, I have a 22" Dell 2209WA IPS monitor. Can you please list the cheapest or rather not so expensive 30"+ monitors that are in all aspect superior to the 2209WA monitor?

Thank you.

 

[sk1939]

Hello gurus. I'm slowly upgrading my Dell 435mt computer with the first purchase of the Corsair GS800 power supply.


Currently, I have a 22" Dell 2209WA IPS monitor. Can you please list the cheapest or rather not so expensive 30"+ monitors that are in all aspect superior to the 2209WA monitor?

Thank you.

The 2209WA is an e-IPS monitor, which means it's not going to be as accurate as an S-IPS panel which is featured on the Ultrasharp U (2410, 2412, 2712, etc) line (which is why Dell doesn't advertise it was an IPS panel to prevent confusion). Depending on your budget, for around $850 the U2711 would work, otherwise the cheapest IPS 30" option is the HP ZR30W at $1200.

 

[dhsolid]

Yeah I was afraid someone was going to mention the ZR30W. I think all of the 30+ screens are at least 1k.

Is this the perfect time to invest in one anyway? Or is it around the time where new monitors might be out VERY soon? I don't want to shell out 1k and then regret it like a week later.

Also, when the successors to the ZR30W and the U3011 come out, how much will they approx cost?

 

[sk1939]

You can get them used for less money: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ZR30W-30-Widescreen-LCD-Monitor-Black-Mint-Condition-/320989599287?pt=Computer_Monitors&hash=item4abc789637

The one thing about buying a monitor even if a new one does come out a bit later is that the hardware is a known quantity, the reviews are there, and the firmware is mature. New monitors can't say the same (look at the ZR24W when it was first released).

The problem is that with the U3011 and ZR30W at that high end there isn't a whole lot of additional developments that they could add. They could bump the resolution up and add 120Hz, but that is about it. The shift to LED backlighting would be a step back in color accuracy (which is why I bought a ZR24W instead of the 2440W), and RGB led displays are unlikely at this stage.

If this helps any, the ZR30w’s has a color resolution of 10 bits per color per pixel (HP defines this as 30 bits per pixel), which enables it to produce 1.07 billion displayable colors. That’s 100 percent of the sRGB color gamut and 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color gamut. The U3011 has a similar coverage of 97%.

 

[dhsolid]

I thought the LED creates more color accuracy if anything? I think the U3011 doesn't have this technology. Today, I just recently read some reports that the successor to the U3011 will be coming out on March 2013 (U3013).

Still not sure whether to get it now or wait until March to get the U3013 - this will also probably reduce the U3011 price too.

 

[sk1939]

Nope, that's a myth, the only thing it allows are for more energy efficient, brighter, thinner, displays.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57337192-221/why-led-does-not-mean-a-better-picture/

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1368376

Rumored, but as I said, there isn't a whole lot that they can improve on. The 2440W was a step backwards in terms of picture quality imo.

LED backlighting uses less energy, so it cheaper to run and produces less heat. It is also lighter to carry around.

CCFL backlighting has a tendency to be more consistent across the screen, and is easier to calibrate.

As far as waiting, that is up to you to decide.

 

[jaguarskx]

I thought the LED creates more color accuracy if anything? I think the U3011 doesn't have this technology. Today, I just recently read some reports that the successor to the U3011 will be coming out on March 2013 (U3013).

Still not sure whether to get it now or wait until March to get the U3013 - this will also probably reduce the U3011 price too.

Nope.

LED (sometimes referred to as WLED; w=white) used in monitors and laptops are actually blue LEDs with coating of yellow phosphorous to imitate white. Imitation white does not equal actual true white, so color accuracy is worse than using LCD monitors with CCFL backlight (compact cold florescent light).

If you want true white LED, then you need to step up to a professional level LCD monitor that uses RGB LED backlight. The white light is created by using Red, Green, Blue sub-LEDs; when all three primary colors are set to the same brightness you get true white. These types of monitors easily cost in excess of $2,000.