27", 120hz, thinnest bezels possible

[Zuma]

The thread title contains my desire.
I want to get a triple monitor setup and i'm really struggling to find the kind of info i am looking for.
my prerequisites are 27" and 120hz, and i am looking for the monitor that has the thinnest bezels i can get with those specs. image quality is less important cos i am mainly playing fps and racing sims.

i was thinking about the samsung s27a950d but that seems unavailable now and pretty expensive. the 750 has thicker bezels as far as can see and even has a bit of clear plastic around the edge. plus it's also too expensive for what it is.

i don't mind going down the route of removing the bezels so long as it can be done without cutting anything. i already removed the bezels from some old monitors i used in the past but i had to cut the casing to do it, and i want the option of returning a defective monitor.

if anyone has a 120hz 27" monitor and you think it has thin bezels please post about it and include the bezels width from the edge of the monitor to the start of the image.

if i find any good info myself i will post it here too.

cheers

 

[blackoctagon]

The S27A950D does indeed have thin bezels but cannot be VESA mounted anyway due to the 'designer' stand.

Since you're open to (moderate) modding of the screen, why not consider an overclockable Yamakasi Catleap from 120Hz.net? One guy recently customised the bezels on his by using ribbon cable and overlapping the bezels: http://120hz.net/showthread.php?629...0hz-Availability&p=12041&viewfull=1#post12041

6mm ain't bad

 

[Zuma]

i am aware of the catleap and i think there are some other 1440p overclocked monitors. but a bit wary of warranty issues, esp as that catleap has to be imported. so i have to assume it would be a nightmare if something went wrong.
if only a well known maker would produce these i'd be all over it, thick bezels or not.

 

[Axeia]

The benefits of running an IPS screen at 120Hz are questionable, there is a reason no 'well know maker' made such a monitor yet. Is it better than a 60Hz IPS with a good overdrive implementation? Who knows. Is it comparable to the 120Hz TN screens? No.

 

[Zuma]

The benefits of running an IPS screen at 120Hz are questionable, there is a reason no 'well know maker' made such a monitor yet. Is it better than a 60Hz IPS with a good overdrive implementation? Who knows. Is it comparable to the 120Hz TN screens? No.

what is your basis for saying this? have you seen an ips screen at 120hz.

i have a theory why monitor makers are dragging their heels over monitor technology development. i think they want to extract the most amount of profit from each technology step. that's why things stagnated at 1080p for so long. the makers all let it happen cos they can keep making money off all their existing manufacturing setup. the reason competition doesn't keep the technology marching forwards is cos only few manufacturers make the panels and all the monitor makers cooperarate with each other over it.

that said, i am interested in the overclocked ips monitors, but i'm gonna let a few others buy some first to test the waters. seriously considering it now though.
i currently have a 1440p monitor and was woried about dropping back to 1080p

 

[covenantuk]

Computer monitors are "stuck" at 1080P simply because of manufacturing economy. 1080P panels are made for TVs and can therefore be supplied as monitor panels cheaply.

Consumers need to demand 1440P or above, but this would require the big box shifters (Dell, HP etc) to add their weight. Currently they have no incentive to promote this - they're more interested in margin.

 

[PCM2]

what is your basis for saying this?

He is correct on a technical level. Those monitors simply use panels that are rated by the manufacture (LG) to run at 60Hz and force them to output much higher refresh rates. It is debatable whether they actually output such a refresh rate without skipping frames but regardless of this they are bound by the same pixel responsiveness limitations as other IPS panels. Even if they were true and official 120Hz parts they would not offer the same level of responsiveness as an equivalent TN panel monitor.

That isn't to say it wouldn't be an improvement over 60Hz IPS monitors in terms of felt responsiveness as it is - and if you have your heart set on such a monitor then don't be put off. One of my close friends and colleagues was able to run an 'overclocked' IPS model at over 110Hz but didn't find the experience as good as on 120Hz TN panels from BenQ and Samsung with which he is very experienced. The connected feeling was improved over normal 60Hz IPS panels but wasn't at the TN panel level - and the reduction in trailing was far less significant as you may expect from the pixel responsiveness.

I wouldn't hold your breath for an official 120Hz IPS panel monitor. The refresh rate drive was originally to fulfill the requirements of fluid active 3D technologies with improved 2D performance a welcome side-effect. LG has switched to passive 3D technologies which work fine at 60Hz in their opinion and they aren't currently producing 120Hz panels of any type. What I hope happens is that Samsung release a 120Hz PLS panel (this is not something I think is beyond them) and perhaps LG follows suit. At least they are now producing 27" 1080p IPS panels - this opens up the market a lot more and is a more suitable candidate for 120Hz simply due to the graphical demands of running WQHD at super high framerates. Some similar thoughts for reference in this article.

 

[Axeia]

bound by the same pixel responsiveness limitations as other IPS panels

Well that was I would post as the base, IPS simply isn't fast enough. A pixel simply can't change state as fast as it can on a TN panel, this has always been the Achilles' heel of IPS. It's gotten better over the years with modern IPS-panel monitors doing just fine for gaming but 120Hz and TN like performance is asking too much.

If it's going to happen for a non-TN technology anytime soon I'm puttting my money on PLS as well, it's still young and improving. I'll stick to my slow Hazro till o-led finally becomes affordable.

 

[Zuma]

i went with the S27A950D in the end
the lack of vesa mount will mean i probably have t make a plinth to get them up higher, but at least i wont have to remove the bezels or worry about getting a dodgy hacked korean monitor (was tempted though)
only problem now is that i am not sure the seller i got it from has stock. he says he has, but i'm not convinced, cos no where else is selling them for a reasonable price.

 

[james_2k]

i went with the S27A950D in the end
the lack of vesa mount will mean i probably have t make a plinth to get them up higher, but at least i wont have to remove the bezels or worry about getting a dodgy hacked korean monitor (was tempted though)
only problem now is that i am not sure the seller i got it from has stock. he says he has, but i'm not convinced, cos no where else is selling them for a reasonable price.

i just bought one too. so we can let each other know how we get on with it?

i decided not to wait for the 970d and save some money in the process.

i really wanted a glossy screen and as such, no other choices except the samsung at 120hz

out of interest where did you buy it?

edit:

saw this:

worried now :S

 

[Axeia]

Common issue with all 'ultra thin' monitors, backlight bleed. The S27A950D also has a somewhat odd design that puts a lot of stress on that bottom right corner increasing the chances of things going wrong. The S27A750D is slightly better in that regard as it uses a more conventional stand.

 

[james_2k]

heard that but ive also heard not all of them suffer from it. and ive seen videos on youtube on 950s both with and without the bottom right bleed.

so heres hoping