24" IPS - Calling Badass + PCM2

[Adrianr]

I need to get a new monitor for home use. Use is fairly general but will from time to time be required to do some actual work on (Photoshop).

Now for anything colour critical I will still use my proper work monitors, but I need something that's at least passable to use at home in a pinch. Unfortunately I have to cover this out of my own pocket, so another Eizo for home isn't in the budget.

I just took delivery of an AOC Q2770PQU, which has gone straight back in the box almost as quickly as I took it out. I've had Dell 2407s/3007s/U2410s in the past and either my memory is foggy or technology hasn't exactly trickled down in the way I'd have hoped. Shadow detail is non existent and the glow is truly god awful. I think by this that my budget unfortunately puts a 27" out of range (Unless the U2713HM is amazing in which case I'll stretch).

This has lead me to look at 24" again, which whilst not 1440p wouldn't be the end of the world paired with my current monitor. Also an added benefit of saving a chunk of change in the run up to Christmas.

The U2412 seems cheap as chips now (Just realised this is 6bit + A-FRC - Thought it was cheap), and the U2415 isn't much more, but the TFT Central review showed some pretty bad glow compared to the U2414 (which is 1080p, I cant really go smaller than 1920x1200).

So what am I looking at here? Does anyone make particularly low glow IPS monitors? Is the IQ of the U2415 at least appreciably better than the AOC? For the price of the U2415 I'll suck up the glow if there at least isn't anything else notably better. Doesn't have to be wide gamut either.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Just seen that it appears the U2415 is also a 6bit panel, which rules that out too. I'm sure it used to be the case that you couldn't say a 6bit dithered monitor could display 16.7 million colours Is dithering different these days or something?

 

[Baddass]

All of the current IPS 24" standard gamut models are 6-bit+FRC, but don't let that put you off. Trust me, you will not be able to tell the difference between that and an 8-bit IPS panel at all. Keep in mind here that your 3 old screens You've listed are all wide gamut screens so if you move to a standard gamut screen now the colours are going to look very different. Probably dull and flat looking as you'll probably be used to the more saturated appearance of the other screens.

The Aoc you picked up is actually supposed to be a low glow screen so you might really have trouble with anything else around (assuming you stick to IPS type tech which I think you should here). Maybe it's the 27" screen size which is just too much though and exposing you to more glow than you'd notice on a smaller screen.

The dell U2414H is a decent option I think for you and it has less glow than the U2415 model. Eizo have a couple of new screens (reviews coming before Christmas) which are their equivalents to those two Dell models so maybe worth a look too. And should be comparably priced I'm told.

 

[Adrianr]

Thanks Badass.

Any idea on the availability of the Eizo models?

I don't think my problem is adjusting to colour saturation. I frequently work clipped to sRGB/Rec709. Your comments on the AOC being of the low glow variety make me wonder if I simply had a poor sample, because unless other monitors are practically showing white where black should be at 45 degrees I'm not sure I could picture something worse. That allied with a very unpleasant crunching of the shadows made it a very poor image indeed.

Do you think with that in mind it would be worth having another AOC sent to see if it's any better?

I'm skeptical about the 6bit + FRC not showing a difference but for the price of some of the monitors it's maybe worth having a go if you're that sure. Shame the U2414 is the model with less glow as 1080p isn't really enough vertical res.

 

[PCM2]

Thanks Badass.
Your comments on the AOC being of the low glow variety make me wonder if I simply had a poor sample, because unless other monitors are practically showing white where black should be at 45 degrees I'm not sure I could picture something worse. That allied with a very unpleasant crunching of the shadows made it a very poor image indeed.

Two panels are used on the AOC q2770Pqu. The Samsung LTM270DL02 (which does suffer from the usual 'PLS glow') and the Samsung LTM270DL06 (which doesn't). Back in March I believe it was the decision was made to swap to the LTM270DL06, but I do wonder if they have now switched back for some to help clear stocks of the LTM270DL02. Could you check the manufacturing date on yours?

 

[Plexman]

As you are considering the U2415 for the 1920x1200 you may want to have a look the BenQ BL2411PT as from what I remember when I used one the ips glow wasn't too bad.

 

[Adrianr]

Two panels are used on the AOC q2770Pqu. The Samsung LTM270DL02 (which does suffer from the usual 'PLS glow') and the Samsung LTM270DL06 (which doesn't). Back in March I believe it was the decision was made to swap to the LTM270DL06, but I do wonder if they have now switched back for some to help clear stocks of the LTM270DL02. Could you check the manufacturing date on yours?

Will have to pop back to work to check but certainly would explain the difference. Where am I looking for the manufacturing date? Will it be on the monitor itself or the box?

 

[PCM2]

Will have to pop back to work to check but certainly would explain the difference. Where am I looking for the manufacturing date? Will it be on the monitor itself or the box?

Thanks, that would be great. It should be on the information label on the rear of the monitor. It might also be on a sticker on the box but I'm not sure.

 

[Adrianr]

Thanks, that would be great. It should be on the information label on the rear of the monitor. It might also be on a sticker on the box but I'm not sure.

Roger. May not be till Sunday but I'll check before DPD collect it for return.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Adrianr]

Thanks, that would be great. It should be on the information label on the rear of the monitor. It might also be on a sticker on the box but I'm not sure.

Checked the sticker, manufactured August 2014, so pretty recent. Would be interested to see one of these low glow versions to compare. Not too fair comparing it to over a grands worth of Eizo but the difference is stark.

I'm very tempted to take a punt on the Acer 32" on TWO but the having turned off all overdrive settings on any monitor previous, unless they're doing a better job with it (or I just get used too it) being stuck on maximum may be a deal breaker.