27 Or 30 Inch Monitor Suggestions

ejh121

ejh121

ejh121

Associate
Joined
15 Aug 2011
Posts
6
Hi everyone,

I'm planning on buying myself a new 27 or 30 inch monitor. I was thinking about spending up to about £750, but can exceed this if the benefits were worth the extra money.

My uses will be:

  • Gaming (mostly FPS, RPGs and strategy);
  • General office and internet use;
  • No online or competitive multiplayer gaming;
  • No 3D gaming; and
  • No serious graphical work like Photoshop etc.
So, my questions are:

  • Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should get?
  • Is going for an IPS screen worth the money for a non-professional user?
  • What input lag is realistic acceptable for a non-competitive gamer? I currently have a Samsung 2232BW and have never noticed any lag issues.

Thanks in advance for any help or comments that you can give. Let me know if you need any more details.

ejh121
 
ejh121 said:
Hi everyone,

I'm planning on buying myself a new 27 or 30 inch monitor. I was thinking about spending up to about £750, but can exceed this if the benefits were worth the extra money.

My uses will be:

  • Gaming (mostly FPS, RPGs and strategy);
  • General office and internet use;
  • No online or competitive multiplayer gaming;
  • No 3D gaming; and
  • No serious graphical work like Photoshop etc.
So, my questions are:

  • Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should get?
  • Is going for an IPS screen worth the money for a non-professional user?
  • What input lag is realistic acceptable for a non-competitive gamer? I currently have a Samsung 2232BW and have never noticed any lag issues.

Thanks in advance for any help or comments that you can give. Let me know if you need any more details.

ejh121
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IPS is definately worth the money imho, I've had it all, TN, CRT, S-PVA and IPS is definately the best of the bunch. As for IPS being suitable for your requirements, it is hard to say, you are going to see better colour reproduction in photoshop, games and movies, better viewing angles. The quality of the image is higher and the higher resolution is excellent for gaming. The Dells also have a built in scaler and more inputs that you'll ever use so what ever you buy you can connect and run without issue.

Not to forget the warranty, door step exchange saves a huge amount of time and hassle. No need to be without a monitor while it is posted off, or dig the box and cables out from the loft etc. Dells support is excellent in my experience.

Honestly either is a going to be a huge steup up from a 2232BW. Considering the price difference I'd recommend the U2711, it has slightly better input response and still a decent high resolution. I've never noticed any input lag on my U3011 or the previous generation of 30" IPS Dells (3008WFP), that said I'm not a professional gamer.

You have to ask yourself a few questions though, namely do you have the hardware to run a high resolution screen in the games you play with the settings you want? It is less of an issue in older titles, but with newer games it can be an expensive past time

There is some good info here if you have not read the reviews yet:

U2711: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2711.htm
U3011: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u3011.htm


fowler002 said:
well you missed the boat on a £500 dell u2711(only 1yr warranty not the normal 3yrs), the price has gone up to £560 now.
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You really want a 3 year warranty with Dell for this sort of investment, so its not really a loss and £60 is nothing on this high end type screen.
 
Yeah I agree the 3 year next day warranty is a must for these monitors as they are so expensive to replace. I had my 2407 replaced two years down the line due to a dead pixel.
 
Thanks for your views guys, especially about getting the warranty. Normally I don't worry about the warranty too much, and rely on the insurance my credit card provides and the Sale of Goods Act. But in this case I may consider it from what you're saying. Do pixels often die after use? I thought that they were usually dead from the start or okay for years?

I'm not worried about saving a few pounds right now. I think it will be best to find the most suitable monitor, and then search for the best deal. Rather than buying something because it's slightly cheaper and then regretting it. I'm planning on keeping the monitor for at least 5 years, so it's worth getting something I won't regret or be disappointed by long term.

Thanks for your views on input lag Speed. It can be very hard to tell what is moaning in forums by perfectionists and what are serious concerns. I think my system should be sufficient to run a big screen at reasonable settings at the moment. I currently have an i7 930 and 2x GTX460s in SLI, and based on my previous history I'll probably upgrade again in 12 to 18 months.
 
Biggest difference between a 27" screen and the 30" other than the size, is the aspect ratio.

Most modern 27" screens come with the 16:9 aspect while 30" screen are still using the 16:10. Both however offer a higher resolution compared to your standard HD res.

Some people prefer the wider screen with 16:9, others like 16:10 for the extra pixels.

If you're not concerned about multiple inputs, I'd recommend the HP ZR30w as an alternative to the Dell 3011.

Same panel, lesser input lag and a tad cheaper. Also comes with 3 years warranty which can be extended to 5.

For value, I'd go for the Hazro 30. It's about £300-400 less than other 30" screens, but comes with 1 input only and an older screen panel.

Another thing to consider is the wide colour gamut. Some people prefer it, others find the colours "off" especially in games that don't support icc profiles.

In terms of performance, I think you'll be fine with 2x 460s as long as you don't intend to max out AA/AF on modern games.

Regarding the dead pixels, most are dead on start. Rarely would they die during use. Warranty usually covers that though.
 
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ejh121 said:
Thanks for your views guys, especially about getting the warranty. Normally I don't worry about the warranty too much, and rely on the insurance my credit card provides and the Sale of Goods Act. But in this case I may consider it from what you're saying. Do pixels often die after use? I thought that they were usually dead from the start or okay for years?

I'm not worried about saving a few pounds right now. I think it will be best to find the most suitable monitor, and then search for the best deal. Rather than buying something because it's slightly cheaper and then regretting it. I'm planning on keeping the monitor for at least 5 years, so it's worth getting something I won't regret or be disappointed by long term.

Thanks for your views on input lag Speed. It can be very hard to tell what is moaning in forums by perfectionists and what are serious concerns. I think my system should be sufficient to run a big screen at reasonable settings at the moment. I currently have an i7 930 and 2x GTX460s in SLI, and based on my previous history I'll probably upgrade again in 12 to 18 months.
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Not a problem. Pixels can die yes but it is rare and I've had a few other faults sorted in 24-48 hours by Dell, so the exchange warranty it is a really useful and convenient thing to have. Sure insurance can cover it, our contents insurance does but its much more hassle getting them to pay out than giving Dell a quick call.


raralis said:
Biggest difference between a 27" screen and the 30" other than the size, is the aspect ratio.

Most modern 27" screens come with the 16:9 aspect while 30" screen are still using the 16:10. Both however offer a higher resolution compared to your standard HD res.

Some people prefer the wider screen with 16:9, others like 16:10 for the extra pixels.

If you're not concerned about multiple inputs, I'd recommend the HP ZR30w as an alternative to the Dell 3011.

Same panel, lesser input lag and a tad cheaper. Also comes with 3 years warranty which can be extended to 5.

For value, I'd go for the Hazro 30. It's about £300-400 less than other 30" screens, but comes with 1 input only and an older screen panel.

Another thing to consider is the colour gamut. Some people prefer it, others find the colours "off" especially in games that don't support icc profiles.

In terms of performance, I think you'll be fine with 2x 460s as long as you don't intend to max out AA/AF on modern games.

Regarding the dead pixels, most are dead on start. Rarely would they die during use. Warranty usually covers that though.
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Good point on the aspect ratio. There are plenty of colour modes so there should be something to suit everyone, but fair point.

Worth pointing out that the Hazro 30" lacks a scaler as well so if you plan on using it with sources that cannot support the resolution (like a console) it will look rubbish. Personally I just couldn't buy the Hazro over the Dell for a few reasons that don't apply to all, mainly the lack of more inputs (I run more than one system on the monitor), the lack of a scaler, the aspect ratio and the warranty. However for those looking to make significant savings it is worth a look.

There is a TFT Central review on it I'd suggest reading, they do excellent monitor reviews.

GTX460 SLi should be ok on most older titles, newer titles like you say without much eye candy.
 
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well after a few months of trying to decide what new monitor to get I ended up buying the dell u2711 for £570 from the flea bay brand new with 3yrs warranty according to the listing(bought it just a few hrs ago so got to wait till next week for it to arrive), was tempted by the £500 from ocuk but the 1yr warranty put me off.

I currently have a msi 5850 twin frozr ii I bought from ocuk prior to Xmas(not tried ocing it to see if I can push it to 900mhz), get a second 5850/5870 for xfire or just wait a few months for the new graphic cards to be released?

currently have a hyundai w240d(tn version not pva) which a few months back(after 3 1/2yrs) started to play up, the screen starts to slowly shake then after awhile it gets so bad I can't see a thing it's slowly got worse over the last couple of months I only get half hr to a hour before I have to turn the monitor off to cool down(the screen gets hot to the touch). will I see a major difference with the dell compared to my current monitor?
 
fowler002 said:
well after a few months of trying to decide what new monitor to get I ended up buying the dell u2711 for £570 from the flea bay brand new with 3yrs warranty according to the listing(bought it just a few hrs ago so got to wait till next week for it to arrive), was tempted by the £500 from ocuk but the 1yr warranty put me off.

I currently have a msi 5850 twin frozr ii I bought from ocuk prior to Xmas(not tried ocing it to see if I can push it to 900mhz), get a second 5850/5870 for xfire or just wait a few months for the new graphic cards to be released?

currently have a hyundai w240d(tn version not pva) which a few months back(after 3 1/2yrs) started to play up, the screen starts to slowly shake then after awhile it gets so bad I can't see a thing it's slowly got worse over the last couple of months I only get half hr to a hour before I have to turn the monitor off to cool down(the screen gets hot to the touch). will I see a major difference with the dell compared to my current monitor?
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It should be like night and day tbh. I had a TN W240D and mine also failed, awful repair warranty as well with the dreaded "Repair" Tech.

If you can source a second cheap 5850 (sub £100) then I'd go Crossfire. Then when the new cards show up upgrade as and when it is required. You might as well see how you get on with what you have first though.

One thing to check when it arrives is that the work order number is visible on the box, Dell will ask for it if you claim on the warranty. Also check the date on the same sticker is near when you purchased it as that is when the warranty starts from.

Assuming it was Buy It Now you are covered by the DSRs so in the very unlikely event you are not pleased with it you can return it for a full refund less you return postage costs. You got a great price though!
 
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Speed said:
It should be like night and day tbh. I had a TN W240D and mine also failed, awful repair warranty as well with the dreaded "Repair" Tech.

If you can source a second cheap 5850 (sub £100) then I'd go Crossfire. Then when the new cards show up upgrade as and when it is required. You might as well see how you get on with what you have first though.

One thing to check when it arrives is that the work order number is visible on the box, Dell will ask for it if you claim on the warranty. Also check the date on the same sticker is near when you purchased it as that is when the warranty starts from.

Assuming it was Buy It Now you are covered by the DSRs so in the very unlikely event you are not pleased with it you can return it for a full refund less you return postage costs. You got a great price though!
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thanks for the reply, forgot to say but it was buy it now not auction.

what do I do if the date on the sticker is from moths back(the listing says it's the new a06 if that means anything)? reject the delivery or just hope for the best that the lost warranty time doesn't come back to bite me in 3yrs time?

what setting to change(contrast etc) to get it set up best(gaming, genral web browsing, word documents and video) without spending money on a calibration tool?

as for the current monitor, I didn't even know it had a 3year warranty until like last week when I googled the problem I'm having with it(someone on the hotukdeals site said it was a common problem and to google it). I'm out of the warranty period so no point in trying to contact them, if people within warranty period having trouble with them hate to think what would happen if i contacted them.
 
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fowler002 said:
thanks for the reply, forgot to say but it was buy it now not auction.

what do I do if the date on the sticker is from moths back(the listing says it's the new a06 if that means anything)? reject the delivery or just hope for the best that the lost warranty time doesn't come back to bite me in 3yrs time?

what setting to change(contrast etc) to get it set up best(gaming, genral web browsing, word documents and video) without spending money on a calibration tool?

as for the current monitor, I didn't even know it had a 3year warranty until like last week when I googled the problem I'm having with it(someone on the hotukdeals site said it was a common problem and to google it). I'm out of the warranty period so no point in trying to contact them, if people within warranty period having trouble with them hate to think what would happen if i contacted them.
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There isn't a huge amount you can do, however you are protected through the retailer under the sale of goods act assuming it's a proper business. Still a few months lost on the warranty is well worth it for the saving you have made over going through a retailer.

They come pre calibrated but the preset modes are good enough for most. Google for people's recommended settings.

As for the faulty monitor stick it on eBay for say £60 + postage Buy It Now with best offers. Someone may want it for parts, just be clear about the faults. If it fails to sell just auction it tbh. Only costs a few quid or wait for a free listing weekend to come up again. You have nothing to lose.
 
Surveyor said:
FYI the latest revision on the U2711 is A07.
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yeah sorry it doesn't say latest, just says a06, think I saw latest revision mentioned in one of the listing so got confused.

whats the difference between a06 and a07, how old will the monitor be if it's a06?

with the u3011 apart from the extra 3inches, 2560x1600 vs 2560x1440 and better factory calibration is there anything else to justify the price difference?
 
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fowler002 said:
yeah sorry it doesn't say latest, just says a06, think I saw latest revision mentioned in one of the listing so got confused.

whats the difference between a06 and a07, how old will the monitor be if it's a06?

with the u3011 apart from the extra 3inches, 2560x1600 vs 2560x1440 and better factory calibration is there anything else to justify the price difference?
Click to expand...

Revisions are usually just firmware updates or slight changes to the manufacturing process. However, if you get any issues that A07 solves then you can phone up Dell to swap it out.

The aspect ratio on the U3011 is different, for more info there are some reviews here:

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u3011.htm
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2711.htm
 
thanks for the replies speed, will post back after the monitor arrives(if my mum hasn't killed me, I currenly don't have a job and she said to me to use my old 17inch tft until I got a job but I couldn't resist :) ).

p.s. ejh sorry to hijack your thread :)
 
well it arrived today, the estimated delivery bit under the postage cost said 4-6 days so I wasn't expecting it till next week. need to tidy up my desk before I put it on there, will I need to uninstall the Hyundai w240d drivers?

the address label(well plastic 'pocket' with the delivery label put into it) covered up the date on the dell label, can see the work order number fine. Had to take the paper out to see the date(took a few mins to figure out how to get the paper out), says shipped on 14th April so 4months already into the warranty.

I went through quidco when I ordered this, its tracked at £5.95(so just over 1% of the selling price). guess it'll cover the yearly £5 quidco fee.

will update this after I've got it out and had a 'play' with it.
 
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Weren't any of you tempted by the Hanns.G HZ281HPB? I know it's a TN panel, but there are some really favourable reviews out.

I want a large screen for studying which involves reading a PDF and operating 2-3 VMs at a time. Can anyone confirm that the text quality on a TN will be so rubbish that I'll wish that I hadn't bothered with it?
 
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