However, I do actually have more concerns about the Samsung than the Dell (get your gun ready):
Taking each pout in turn:
1. I hear reports of buzzing at less than 100% brightness
Unfortunately, if you read enough user reviews/forums you’ll find that nearly all monitors can suffer from this – the canny part is confirming whether the manufacturer will swap a unit with this type of fault. I can confirm that DELL do, the disconcerting part for you is, that I know this gem of information because the early revisions of the 2209WA also suffered from this – however neither of mine have or do (A01 revisions.)
2. It's not as fast as my Viewsonic, looking at a similar panel (T240HD) on Digitalversus.com, the 2209WA is damn close...
I can’t comment on this as it’s too subjective – and actually impossible to critique if you don’t know the panel in question (other than comparing official specs - which are sometimes ambiguous when comparing older technologies to new).
If budget dictates: there is nothing wrong with a quality, well constructed/configured TN panel. Especially, if your primary use is gaming and light apps use, and you will be sitting face onto the screen and that you buy the best size/quality ratio for your budget. (a poorly constructed sentence but you get the gist, hopefuly.)
4. Dead pixel warranty isn't as good as the Dell.
That is disconcerting – and, unfortunately, will only prove otherwise if you’re fortunate enough to receive a pixel perfect screen
5. Gaming performance at 1920x1200 - I will update my 1Gb 4870, but not until next year, and I do love a late night frag fest...
This is nothing to worry about as it’s far better that you get the best quality sized screen that you need and can afford and just scale down the resolution 'if necessary' until you get a new gfx card. (Although I suspect 1Gb 4870 will cope admirably on a 1920 x 1200 screen for the most part.)
I think the frustrating lack of proper reviews of the SM2443BW have not helped one bit. I'm assuming the T240 and SM2433BW use the same panel and have based my opinion partly on that fact and related reviews.
See? I nearly talked myself into the Dell there...
I ‘presume’ the same as the panel spec is identical (confirmation from Samsung would probably allay some of your fears on this front) – and us such gaming should not be an issue as the screen is highly regarded as a gaming TN panel. (cmndr_andi may be able to help you out on this as he's a fountain of knowledge when it comes to computer components/reviews)
Where my concerns about the Dell are:
It's 22".
Well, as mentioned before, I can understand your reluctance on this front as the jump from a 19” 4:3 monitor to a 22” 16:10 monitor isn’t that big and the fact it keeps cropping up as the only major factor stopping you from buying the DELL may be definitive(?)
I suspect if you were guaranteed a 100% pixel perfect SM2433BW with zero buzzing you would be filling in your CC details into the respective e-tailers website as soon as you had the confirmation of such a deal? (If this is the case then I would heavily research Samsungs returns policy and tolerances for certain faults – as if they fulfil most of your criteria you may have found your monitor.)
Pass me that blindfold, I'll see you out back!
Any last requests? (apart from a perfectly functioning SM2433BW.)
