Best gaming monitor for £300-£400

If you adjust the stand on a TN panel to suit then viewing angles are a moot point.
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PCM2 said:
The viewing angle issue of TN is significant because of the viewing angle dependency of the gamme curve. This means that a particular colour varies across the screen with respect to its position on the screen, even irrespective of viewing angle.
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Going to have to disagree with your use of the word significant there.

If a TN monitors height is adjusted correctly (using the lagom.nl viewing angle page and some thick books if vertical adjustment isn't available), then the colour shift across the y axis will not be visible enough (if it all) in a game to be considered significant.

Sure, load up some solid colours and you may see a little colour shift - but how many people buy monitors to look at a solid colour or a benchmark designed to highlight the issues with TN panels.

IPS panels are brilliant (I own an apple cinema display aswell as the G2420HDBL) - but they are not worth double the price for gaming on a 24" to the average consumer.

Wide gamut is also premature IMO - most content (including games) is designed for viewing on sRGB, the monitor is just stretching the colour space and the same over saturation effect could be achieved on a tn panel by increasing the 'digital vibrancy' through the gfx card control panel.

I would reserve judgement on the vg236HE until you actually test it - I would prefer to game on it than on my cinema display because it's much smoother. Movies are also less 'juddery'.
Here is a nice review: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3842/asus-vg236h-review-our-first-look-at-120hz/13

I'm not saying that the u2410 isn't a better monitor (it is!) - but I'm not sure that its the most sensible purchase for the purpose of gaming considering its nearly twice the price.
 
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rickh said:
Going to have to disagree with your use of the word significant there.

If a TN monitors height is adjusted correctly (using the lagom.nl viewing angle page and some thick books if vertical adjustment isn't available), then the colour shift across the y axis will not be visible enough (if it all) in a game to be considered significant.

Sure, load up some solid colours and you may see a little colour shift - but how many people buy monitors to look at a solid colour or a benchmark designed to highlight the issues with TN panels.

IPS panels are brilliant (I own an apple cinema display aswell as the G2420HDBL) - but they are not worth double the price for gaming on a 24" to the average consumer.

Wide gamut is also premature IMO - most content (including games) is designed for viewing on sRGB, the monitor is just stretching the colour space and the same over saturation effect could be achieved on a tn panel by increasing the 'digital vibrancy' through the gfx card control panel.

I would reserve judgement on the vg236HE until you actually test it - I would prefer to game on it than on my cinema display because it's much smoother. Movies are also less 'juddery'.
Here is a nice review: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3842/asus-vg236h-review-our-first-look-at-120hz/13

I'm not saying that the u2410 isn't a better monitor (it is!) - but I'm not sure that its the most sensible purchase for the purpose of gaming considering its nearly twice the price.
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It isn't simply oversaturation - it is both range and vibrancy. You can't achieve any colour beyond what a monitor can actually display no matter what you do over software or drivers! But I do agree with you largely that it is a bit of a premature 'technology' - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=17582438&postcount=15.

I doubt very much that the VG236H is massively different to the 3D panels I've already tested, especially the Dell Alienware OptX AW2310. I've also had a fair bash on the Acer GD235HQ and the 2233RZ. In my opinion the U2410 is simply a more enjoyable monitor to game on and it is nothing to do with 'oversaturation'. I find heavily oversaturated colours disgusting. The viewing angle issue is just shown quite clearly on solid blocks - the point is that in a game a particular colour on a game or movie is different on one section of the panel to the very same shade on another part of the panel - it's poor consistency that for some people is important. It also makes the distinctions of particular colours, especially subtle tonality changes, poor compared to on an IPS panel; but when you're in the heat of a game only quite particular people like myself would really care about such things.

And don't think from this that I'm not a fan of 120Hz monitors. I absolutely am and I am in no doubt whatsoever that 120Hz+ refresh rates will be essential for getting the most out of our future OLED screens. You are also correct that the software needs to play catchup with the colour gamuts to get the most out of OLEDs. I'm hoping to review the BenQ XL2410 in the near future and I'm very much looking forward to it. :)
 
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I have the Dell U2410 for gaming and it is a very good monitor. The main reason I went for it was because I couldn't stand the colour/contrast shift with TN panels, especially when watching media. I couldn't go back to a TN panel now, not even for 120Hz or the reduced input lag.

If you're not bothered by the shifting or limited colour range then go for a TN panel, preferably 120Hz; if you are then the Dell U2410 or the HP ZR24w are your best options.
 
I think it more comes down to the type of games you play. If its especially fast paced then 120hz is fantastic. Can't say that i'm that fussed about 3D.

The worry lately in the monitors section is theres a few people who are giving their own opinions as if its just factual which is a worrying trend :(

The fact is, there is no out and out winner here for everyone.
 
Absolutely true. There is no perfect monitor at the moment and what people are after will differ. All the choice is of course confusing but at least there are lots of options out there. :)
 
Before you can start reccomending a monitor for gaming you have to know what kinda gaming the person does... if all they play is WOW then a nice IPS screen will be fine and much better than a TN but if they are into fast paced FPS games then is a whole different ball game.
 
Your mileage may very well vary... but I notice my KDR in MW2 and a couple of other FPS games is consistantly much higher when playing on my Samsung 2233rz (120Hz) than when I play on any of my 60Hz setups, even tho the 120Hz only seems slightly smoother/responsive it feels much more like I'm getting my natural ability into the game when I'm playing. Only roughly half as often feeling like "I should have made that shot", etc.
 
I really would hold out for the XL2410 in that case. It should be out shortly and was certainly designed with gaming in mind. Being from BenQ the price may be a pleasant surprise too.
 
sigh...typed out a long message answering loads of things in depth but somehow contrived to close the webpage and lose it all right near the end :(

Anywho,ill summrise it instead without any backup or reasoning to keep it short ;)

1)No going back after 120 fps/hz gaming

2)yes the colours aren`t as good (but not horrendous depending on which monitor you go for)

3)Get the asus (reflective screen really isnt that bad)

4)OR wait till the benq comes out and compare(probaly the right thing to do)

5)DONT get the acer (i`ve posted on here regarding the problem i had with the 2 monitors i used)

I will gladly elaborate on any of these points if you wish me too.They do mostly have some argument to back them up ;) all very much IMVHO of course.


Yours

Dash
 
I think we can summise from the OP's feelings and the advice given that it is best for him to wait to see how the BenQ XL2410 turns out. I want to review the bas**rd but it seems I have to wait like everyone else. :mad:
 
Shouldn't be long now... I'm interested to see how it turns out myself - tho I prefer 22"/1680x combination for fps gaming.
 
That BenQ XL2410 looks nice but I bet its still a tn panel ?

What we need is a 23-24" IPS/LED/120hertz Panel to solve all the headache of this thread :)

Wheres hazros as usual delayed product of IPS LED panel arriving ?

My opinion is im definatly going IPS next screen, ive been a TN user for past 15 years and after comparing SC2 intro screens planet details on a tn panel vs a higher end panel and seeing more detail on my pva panel definatly gotta get a highend panel next :)
 
I absolutely agree with you on the merits of IPS vs. TN, but unfortunately I doubt very much that there is ever going to be a 120Hz IPS monitor. The simple fact is that the inherent response time limitations of IPS monitors make them poor candidates for 120Hz. The image would not be fluid enough for stereoscopic 3D and the benefit of the extra framerate etc. would be wasted. Once OLED monitors surface we will have the best of both worlds (and then some), but until them we'll have to compromise in one area or the other.
 
Indeed it does. Apparently the first monitor to 'officially support' ATI's upcoming 3D solutions too (whatever that means). The only reason I'm not massively excited about the ViewSonic, I think, is because I have known about it since the start of the year. But let that take nothing away from the end-product. :D
 
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