New gaming monitor...

[tisello]

Hey! I'm looking for a new monitor! I play allot of FPS and other fast paced games (I.E Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3)... but i dont know if that really matters. To be honest i don't have a single clue about monitors. All i know is that i got a BenQ 24" screen but i want a 2nd monitor (at least 24").

I've been looking around some web shops and found quite a few that seems good, I've also been talking to a friend about what to look for. He explained the basic things about contrasts and panels but i don't understand much of it. So my questions are:

Is the VA panel better then the TN panel? If so how much of a difference is there? Is it worth to buy a monitor with a VA panel if it's about the same price?

What is the difference between e-ips and h-ips? and is e-ips better then TN?

Why does some monitors say that they have 20 000 000:1 in contrasts while other say 3000:1 when they are about the same price? They call it "Dynamic Contrast" if it's above the million, but i don't know what that means...

Why does some monitors say that they have LED background LCD or something like that? Don't they have either LED or LCD?

Also since my budget is quite low (350$/280€/225£) would you recommend a 24" screen over a 27"? It seems the colors and such are much better for the price on a 24"?

Cheers on you!

 

[MauveCloud]

TFT Central has some articles that explain in more detail, but the image quality for different panel types is something like this:
TN<cPVA<MVA/PVA/e-IPS/PLS<IPS/H-IPS
TN panels have good response time and little ghosting, other panel types have to add response time compensation (RTC), which can add to the price.

The dynamic contrast usually measures the brightness of an all-white screen with the backlight at maximum and compares to the brightness of an all-black screen with the backlight at minimum, which makes the number little more than marketing hype. Comparing the black and white brightnesses when viewing both at the same time, such as with a chessboard pattern gives the static contrast. Most panels have around 1000:1 static contrast, though I see a few panels in TFT Central's panel database that claim 3000:1, 4000:1, or even 5000:1 static contrast (cPVA, S-MVA, and AMVA), though some of these might not be used in retail monitors yet. The only monitor I can think of that has confirmed near-3000:1 static contrast is the Samsung F2380 (see the review of it at TFT Central) Other screen technologies like CRT, plasma, and OLED are capable of static contrast in the millions or better.

The LED is a choice of backlight. The ones that don't specify usually have CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lights), and top of the line monitors sometimes have RGB LED backlights.

At that budget, 27 inches would force you into a TN panel such as the Samsung P2770FH, but you might be able to afford a 24 inch VA panel. Filling in a copy of the template would help too:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/59847-3-template-monitor-advice

 

[tisello]

Approximate Purchase Date: (e.g.: this week (the closer the better))

Budget Range: (e.g.: 200-300) Before / After Rebates

Monitor Usage from Most to Least Important: (e.g.: gaming, surfing the internet, watching movies, editing photos/videos)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: (e.g.: newegg.com, ncix.com -- to show us selection & pricing)

Country of Origin: (e.g.: Grand Fenwick)

Brand Preferences: I don't like LG that much and i do have a good experience with Acer, Samsung and BenQ

Physical Size (Diagonal): 24-27"

Resolution(s) You'll Consider:1920x1080

Computers and Other Devices To Attach:Computer, HDMI
Panel Type(s) Desired: TN or VA

LED Backlight: Desired

Speakers: Indifferent

Wall-Mount: Indifferent

Stand Functions: Tilt

Additional Comments: Best image quality but not over 5ms

 

[tisello]

Also i found a BenQ TFT 27'' EW2730 that claims to have a VA panel, it's on discount in a swedish store and is about 370$, is it worth it?

http://www.inet.se/produkt/2203159/benq-tft-27-ew2730
Maybe you can use googles translator

 

[MauveCloud]

The site has an overlay with the choice of "webbshop" or "butik", and when viewing through Google translate, the "webbshop" button has no effect. However, TFT Central has a review of the BenQ EW2730V:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/benq_ew2730v.htm
Basically, the poor responsiveness and high input lag make it a weak choice for gaming.

The P2770FH I mentioned before apparently has mixed reviews from professional review sites, but of the monitors reviewed at TFT Central, the ViewSonic VX2739wm looks like a good choice for gaming in your size range, among your brands (and fitting your other requirements) the best rated at Newwegg is the Acer S271HLbid, but you might also consider the Asus VW246H.