Stuck on if I should switch to a TN panel

[Yoshinat0r]

I have been doing a lot of research on 120hz monitors and they sound awesome to me, just what I've been wanting for a long time. 60Hz is really hard on my eyes, 75hz is nice, but 120Hz I know will be absolutely bliss, especially since I spend almost my entire day staring at my computer screen. I also can't set the refresh rate to anything higher than 60hz when the resolution is higher than 1280x1024 on my monitor, so I'm forced to use 60hz for games, which means instant headache after like 2 hours. So I really really want a 120hz monitor.

My only problem is that all of these 120hz monitors seem to use a TN panel. Right now my monitor uses a PVA panel, which I read has much better viewing angles and color accuracy. I am not sure if I would even notice that big of a difference switching to a TN panel, but the bad viewing angles really puts me off. Many times I play games on my computer while my sister watches, so we're both sitting at about a 45' angle from the front of the monitor. How bad are the viewing angles on TN panels? Do you really have to be directly in front of the monitor to see no distortion in color? This monitor I have now I can literally view it from any angle with almost 0 distortion.

As you can see, this is quite the dilemma for me. 🙁 I suppose the only thing I really could do is buy a 120hz monitor, try it out for a bit, and if I don't like it, return it. Still, it sucks that they are only making them with TN panels.

 

[cjl]

What makes you think that 60Hz gives you a headache? The reason it was a problem with CRT monitors at lower refresh rates was flicker, which isn't a problem with LCDs.

 

[Yoshinat0r]

Because I've tested it many times and always had the same results. If I stare at 60hz for more than like 2 hours, I get a noticeable headache which lasts for hours afterward. 75hz I can look at literally all day and I don't get any kind of headache. It happens every time. If I play a game at a very high resolution, I will get that same headache in like a few hours, because my monitor has to revert to 60hz when displaying at such a high resolution. My friend also kept complaining about getting a headache after playing games with me for an extended period of time, so I asked him what his refresh rate was, and sure enough it was 60hz. Same thing with my mom, her monitor can't even support 75hz and she always says she gets a headache after using the computer for a while.

But it's not only that reason, I know how fluid and smooth 120hz is, and I watch a lot of movies on my computer so I could really really benefit from one of these monitors. I'm just stuck between more color accuracy/better viewing angles vs. nice fluid 120hz.

 

[joelmartinez]

do you have glasses with that special coating for reducing headache stress?

 

[MauveCloud]

I doubt it's just the refresh rate. If your monitor for some reason runs the backlight at 60 or 75 Hz depending on the input signal, that might explain it. I use a Gateway XHD3000 which is S-PVA, and I run 2560x1600 at 60 Hz, and it doesn't give me eyestrain even with extended use (I get some neck strain if I don't take breaks to stand up and walk around a little occasionally, but there's no way the refresh rate would change that). Since joelmartinez brought it up, I do wear glasses, though I don't remember which coatings I got for them.

 

[joelmartinez]

I wear glasses w/ special coating for not getting headaches while looking at computers and I never get headaches on my 60Hz monitor

 

[bildo123]

Interesting about the whole headache thing (like the others I don't get a headache on my flat panel/60Hz, but 60Hz/CRT was killer). At any rate, at least under my own personal view, the switch may be difficult. I tried switching over to a newer LCD (Samsung BX2450/60Hz) from my MVA panel Westinghouse. The viewing angle is a decent bit more sensitive to your head position and the colors/vividness just couldn't match up. On the Westy I could easily have dark darks and bright brights on the same image; not really the case with the Samsung, it was one or the other in terms of favoring. Also, the LED backlit deal appears to put off a nasty blueish hue I couldn't get used to. That's my take on it, hope it helps.

 

[Yoshinat0r]

Best answer selected by yoshinat0r.