Which of these ViewSonic monitors? Help asap pretty pls :)

[Tuareg]

So I have to buy a new monitor today or tomorrow. These ViewSonic are really cheap, they all cost the same price in my area. Which of the three should I buy?

Using mostly for desktop and gaming, some movies as well.

The models are:
VA1912wb (19" Widescreen)
VA902b (19" 4x3)
VG2021M (20" 4x3)

Please help me out, it's such a dilemma 🙁

Thanks

 

[Hose]

Buyers frequently bitch about Viewsonic quality and service.... suggest you check out Samsung, NEC, and LG/Philips.

 

[Tuareg]

Actually, I live in Brazil and in the city I live, besides those ViewSonic models all I can find is:

LG L1952H
LG LH1950
Samsung 940B
AOC 193FW
Philips 190X6


That's about it. I need to go pick it up locally tomorrow or the day after that, sooo....

Thanks again!

 

[Hose]

Those are all TN Film panels so the picture quality is likely to be similar. I'm a Samsung fan. They have a good reputation for service.

 

[Tuareg]

I've owned a Samsung 930B before, and there were some things about it that I didn't like:

1 - 5:4 aspect ratio
2 - The bottom part of the monitor was way darker than the top part
3 - The blacks weren't quite black

Am I doomed to get that with any of those?

 

[Tuareg]

Ah, also, how do I tell 8 bit for 6 bit models? I do a little occasional Photoshopping, so probably the dithering wouldn't be welcome I suppose.

 

[Hose]

Ah, also, how do I tell 8 bit for 6 bit models? I do a little occasional Photoshopping, so probably the dithering wouldn't be welcome I suppose.

Probably have to check with manufacturer or some other source as to whether 6 or 8 bit... they usually don't volunteer that info up-front..

Almost all conventional 19" LCDs will be 5:4.

With the 930, your "bottom part darker" issue was likely due to backlight problem.... shouldn't be a "viewing angle" issue on that one like it would be on a TN panel.

"How black are the blacks" is always a concern, and TN Panels are the worst.... it's been improving for all types of panels, but none so far appear to be "perfectly black".

There is no "best" LCD. Each panel type is better at something than the others. You have to decide which is most important to you and accept its shortcomings.


Addendum.... adding to this rather than editing. When I saw "930" I was thinking ViewSonic 930 rather than Samsung 930...

The Samsung 930 IS a TN panel. Even if your sight-line is perfectly in the middle of the screen, you're likely to see both the top and bottom being darker. That is a characteristic of "reduced viewing angle" of TN Panels.

To avoid this, pick a LCD with a VA or SIPS panel.

 

[Tuareg]

Hey, thanks for all the information and feedback!

Okay, with all of this in mind, I'm going to get the best among the ones I listed. I'll most likely avoid the Samsung since I've had the similar 930B in the past and didn't enjoy it. So, among the models I listed, which is supposed to be better for gaming and video?

If the Widescreen one is as good/better than the others, I'll probably choose that one, because of the added desktop space, abilty to play games/watch movies in that format, playing Xbox 360 at 720p on it... etc

Also, the Philips seems to be not as cheap as the others, built-wise.

So, opinions on this decision?

Thanks again! :mrgreen:

 

[Hose]

As mentioned before, they all have TN panels... so, they're all going to be similar in performance. Pick your poison.

 

[Tuareg]

About the WS ViewSonic... can you play older 4:3 games centered, with black bars on the side? Stretching would be a bad idea...

Thanks again!

 

[Tuareg]

I saw both live today, the 20" seemed reeeeeeeeally nice. Wonderful looking screen, playing video and all. Couldn't play any games though.

Still, the Widescreen one is attractive, to play Xbox 360 at 720p and the such, my TV is still a 29" 4x3 CRT =/

 

[Tuareg]

Only thing I'm worried is wether the 20.1" will be much worse with games, CNET review says so =/

 

[Hose]

Only thing I'm worried is wether the 20.1" will be much worse with games, CNET review says so =/

Well, the 20.1's are mostly UXGA and have slower VA panels. The one above is a widescreen... SXGA and most likely a TN panel. Speed-wise OK, but there's always the possibility of undesirable scaling in many models.

 

[Tuareg]

What I'm worried about the 20.1 non-widescreen is the fact that CNet review says it's far from good with gaming and video. If that's real it would be a problem.

As for the Widescreen one, apparently it scales everything 4:3, which is not a good idea.

This is such a dilemma. :X

 

[Hose]

What I'm worried about the 20.1 non-widescreen is the fact that CNet review says it's far from good with gaming and video. If that's real it would be a problem.

As for the Widescreen one, apparently it scales everything 4:3, which is not a good idea.

This is such a dilemma. :X

As far as the 20.1, UXGA, that's right. But where did you get the idea that a monitor "scales everything 4:3"? Can you go to BB and check them out? They often have games running as demo.... the widescreens don't scale what they're showing to 4:3.

 

[Tuareg]

What I'm worried about the 20.1 non-widescreen is the fact that CNet review says it's far from good with gaming and video. If that's real it would be a problem.

As for the Widescreen one, apparently it scales everything 4:3, which is not a good idea.

This is such a dilemma. :X

As far as the 20.1, UXGA, that's right. But where did you get the idea that a monitor "scales everything 4:3"? Can you go to BB and check them out? They often have games running as demo.... the widescreens don't scale what they're showing to 4:3.

You misunderstood me. What I said was that it scales everything that is 4:3 to full screen on the 16:10 monitor by stretching horizontally.

 

[Hose]

What I'm worried about the 20.1 non-widescreen is the fact that CNet review says it's far from good with gaming and video. If that's real it would be a problem.

As for the Widescreen one, apparently it scales everything 4:3, which is not a good idea.

This is such a dilemma. :X

As far as the 20.1, UXGA, that's right. But where did you get the idea that a monitor "scales everything 4:3"? Can you go to BB and check them out? They often have games running as demo.... the widescreens don't scale what they're showing to 4:3.

You misunderstood me. What I said was that it scales everything that is 4:3 to full screen on the 16:10 monitor by stretching horizontally.

You're right... stretching mostly sucks.... TV, too. Better to view in "designed resolution" than bigger just because it's stretched.

1. I don't think they all do that. If the one you have in mind which does, consider something else. How a game scales can be determined by the game itself.

2. Avoid the risk of all that... buy a conventional monitor. After all, widescreen isn't ALL that big of deal, IMO. (May I suggest the NEC 90GX2?... it's really quite FAB!)