Which monitor is my best bet?

[krodista]

I am in the precess of specing out Dell Desktop and am looking to finally upgrade from my OLD Dell CRT Tritron monitor which I have had for the last 10 years. I have been looking at getting a 24" monitor and have noticed that there are two options through Dell. ST2410 and U2410 are the two that I am looking at as they are the two 24" monitors offered by Dell as part of the package of getting a computer.

I am a gamer, so I worry about refresh rates. Another option would be to order a Dell without a monitor and get something from another brand. I have tried to scour the net to find comparisons of the two monitors and have yet to be successful in finding something concrete. I appreciate any advice you guys have.

 

[danorou]

The U2410 (U being for Ultraclear) is definitely the higher tech model. It has a slightly higher resolution (1920x1200 vs 1920x1080) and a higher contrast (80,000:1 vs 50,000:1) You will probably notice that the screen looks sharper, but that is at the cost of 1ms response time (I hardly think us humans can notice 1ms difference) and higher power usage, if that's your thing.

Refresh rates are the same, both are recommended at 60Hz, which is normal.

Now, on the subject of non-Dell monitors, there are many more, and cheaper options. The one I would recommend is an ASUS 23.6 inch screen from newegg. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052) It will run you $190 with free shipping. It is likely a better deal than what you would get with the Dell monitor, but that depends if you get a combo discount. Hope this helps.

 

[Emperus]

Dell U2410 uses an IPS panel which is vastly superior to the conventional TN panel used on all budget LCD monitors.. It basically has the advantage of producing better colors.. Depending on the gamer, this may or may not be a advantage also.. Personnely though, i'd recommend the U2410 if you can afford.. It'll keep you satisfied for a long time.. Don't bother about those dynamic contrast ratios though.. They are just a marketing thing..

 

[danorou]

The contrast ratios are only a useful comparison when compared within the same brand. Due to the screen being IPS, it produces deeper blacks.

Reviews of U2410: http://reviews.cnet.com/lcd-monitors/dell-ultrasharp-u2410/4505-3174_7-33772972.html

(Make sure you have a video card that can support these resolutions at good framerates for the work/gaming you will be doing)