do you reccomend this monitor

[sajtion]

do you recommend this monitor?

hello i've been doing a bit of research for my next monitor. i'm switching from crt to tft for the first time and i haven't decided if i should go for 24 or 20 inch. the 24 inch seems too large for me but 20 seem about right. i don't know which is absolutely the best for multipurpose and this is why i need your help. i need it to be good for editing images, watching videos and playing games. my search results now are this


24 inch


BenQ FP241W 24

Samsung 244T

Dell Ultrasharp 2407WFP 24



20 inch


Asus PW201 20.1

NEC MultiSync® LCD20WGX2 20.1

Samsung SM-215TW 21



which one would you recommend i buy?

 

[Lolcb]

BenQ 24"

 

[Baddass]

Given that you've suggested 24" might be too big for you, i guess you're looking at the 20" models more. The larger screens would certainly be nice for movies and for office/image work, but may add an extra strain to your gaming, not to mention your bank account

Out of the 20" models you have left you have three quite different ones to choose from. You have the NEC using AS-IPS panel technology, the Samsung using PVA, and the Asus using P-MVA. If you're not familiar with what the technologies offer i'd suggest having a read of this which should help you. The NEC 20WGX2 is widely regarded as one of the best gaming TFT's in the market right now and is very good in terms of looks and in terms of features. The dynamic contrast (Advanced DVM mode) and OptiClear coating are very nice for enhancing games. The screen does offer decent colour reproduction for your image editing, but the glossy screen coating is not really well suited to movie watching. I found it a little distracting for this use, but many owners do not find it a problem, it's all down to taste. (my review of the NEC 20WGX2 here btw).

So that is a good choice for the gamers out there, but might not be as suited all round as you were hoping. The Samsung 215TW using a PVA panel is a nice choice, certainly a very functional screen and well designed (it has a lot of adjustments in terms of ergonomics). However, the panel is a little behind that of the NEC and other 20" models (despite the low quoted response time) and so for gaming, it's not quite as good. Colour accuracy is still good though, but movie playback is pretty noisy due to the heavy use of overdrive technology. This and the NEC are pretty noisy when it comes to video playback, but not really an issue on either as long as you are viewing from a couple of metres away. The Samsung uses traditional AR coating, so it's not as shiny as the NEC.

This leave the Asus, using the 8ms P-MVA panel from AU Optronics that is also used in other models like the Belinea 102035W and Viewsonic VX2025WM (worth a look if you decide this technology is for you). This offers some very good all round performance really. Not quite as responsive in practice as the NEC, but still very good, and a little better than the Samsung 215TW. Colour accuracy is good, and black depth is also good (black depth is a notch about the NEC). Movie playback is also pretty decent, free largely from the noise you get on S-IPS and PVA panels. Basically, this panel is good all round, not the best in all areas, but an excellent all round compromise. Assuming you like the look of the Asus (which i think is important in any choice), then this might be well suited to your generall all round needs. Might be worth checking out the Viewsonic or Belinea too, since they use the same panel.

You may also find this article useful as it compares the 20" market and the technologies a little more

 

[Baddass]

while i'm at it....

the 24" models are in a similar situation to the 20" models you've selected (man, you haven't made this simple have you! )

The BenQ FP241W uses P-MVA technology, so again, is a good all rounder like the Asus is, just on a larger scale. This is a very good model, the only thing putting some people off is the lack of any hardware aspect ratio control when using external devices (not inc. PC's), but this is due to be updated very soon anyway. More info about the FP241W here if needed.

The Dell 2407WFP and Samsung 244T on the other hand use S-PVA technology, an extension of the PVA in the Samsung 215TW. Again, pretty decent all round, but a bit more noisy in movie playback - again, not an issue really from a sensible distance. Responsiveness is comparable to the BenQ really, and both models are pretty good. The Dell is very well price, and comes with a hell of a lot of inputs and adjustments, a very nice screen indeed. If you decide you want a 24" model, the Dell and BenQ are very hot right now, it would be a tough choice between those two i'd say. The BenQ would probably be a little more suited to your needs as the movie playback is a little better on P-MVA, and colour gradiation might also be a little smoother since the Dell has a few issues sometimes in this area.