Mid-range LCDs demystified

..:: Free Radical ::.. said:
Turn the Power Saver audio off through the audio Settings Menu of the monitor! Cyn1c a member at another forum has posted great vids of the S2409W on youtube. :hap2:

Check those out.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned in my review, turning the power saver audio off doesn't change anything. The problem still remains. Other people have also reported this problem. I think most people don't use the monitor with HDMI with audio also routed through it, so there's not been widespread complaints.
 
nice guide...

try to get more LCD`s into the discussion.
it can become one of the best article here to feed those minds who keep
on opening one after another thread askin which LCD to buy ??

their (other LCDs) reviews on net mite help u !

regards and no offense meant
 
Regardless of what these manufacturers project, most TN panels share a common panel manufacturer.

For instance the BenQ E2200HD, BenQ E2200HDA, Dell S2209W, ViewSonic VX2233wm, ViewSonic VX2260wm, ViewSonic VA2213w, BenQ G2220HD, BenQ G2220HD, BenQ G2220HDA all use the same 21.5"WS AU Optronics TN Film (M215HW01 V0) panel.

Subjective color differences amongst monitors with the same panel are almost exclusively because they have been calibrated to appear different. You should any case calibrate the colors of a TN panel to suit what pleases you ;)

It has been said that Samsung makes the best TN panels (like the one with the S variant of 226BW) but the recent attempts to make wider gamut TN panels has only worsened things.

Individual models may differ in the implementation of color gamut, stand and adjustability, added perks like usb ports, HDMI port, Kensigton lock, webcam etc. but are essentially very similar if they have the same panel.



Pricing, warranty, LED backlighting, HDMI and the stand are what add the most value to a monitor and are the only things to be concerned with if two brands use the same panel.

You don't need a gazillion reviews to tell you what TN panel is the best. They are all essentially worth the money you are paying for. Just look out for the things you need and what fits the bill and of course don't succumb to inflated specs :)
 
I'm a layman when it comes to widescreen monitors and I'm more confused after reading this guide!

I guess there is a large group of people whose prime factor in buying a LCD would be its cost. It would be great if someone knowledgeable does that breakup too e.g. 10-12K - Option X (for movies), Y (for games), Z (for graphic work), 12-14K, so on and so forth.
 
..:: Free Radical ::.. said:
I have only mentioned dell monitors as I don't want people to get lost in the fray of model names and numbers.

There are competitive displays from Samsung and Benq, but Dell being quite the recommended brand on the forum, I chose to look at their range for comparisons.

The purpose of this thread was not to reaffirm the notion that you should buy a Dell, but only to compare and contrast different models from a single reference manufacturer and what aspect ratio and size to choose from.

Needless to say, the BenQ E2200HD is a much better package than the S2209W, but I bet I have made a pretty good statement about why not to buy a 16:9 21.5 incher. :)
Click to expand...

Yikes!!!

I think the reviewer had gone bit mislead by the dimensions and resolutions...
21.5 inch lcds have resolutions of 1920x1080 which is 30 pixels more in height and 240 pixels more in width.. compared to regular 22 inchers at 1680x1050.

Which means the amount of content shown is ACTUALLY larger/more in case of these 21.5 inchers...

Thus we dont lose any productivity but we can use the remaining area 240 pix for an IM, Notepad or even sidebar...

this can only be over come by a 24 incher which is 120 pixels more in height but nearly demands twice the cost...

Thus by checking the value for money (smg 2233sw @10400, E2200HD@11900) we are actually going for a better decision in choosing the 21.5 incher...

Talking about chopped height, I agree...
It has lost some height but gained much in resolution and without losing anything in width gains 240 Pix in area....

About gaming if you are sop inclined in 1680x1050 gaming i think all the 21.5 inchers support that (slight blur may occur, but it is not that noticable..)
so your upgade for gaming rig is also optional...

Please look in a practical point of buying or suggesting...
 
so i need to make a quick decision ...help me out guys

i need to choose between the samsung 2233sw and the benq e2200hd....
the samsung is almost a 1.5 ks cheaper...

and the specs are almost same...so is tht a good buy ..or shud i stick to tried and tested benq..??
and i gaming on a lower resolution than the native one on an hd 16:9 screen wont look bad right???...

ill be gettin a hd.4850

or shud i get a viewsonic vx2235wm -5...16:10 lcd wid 2 ms response time???
 
ankitmane said:
so i need to make a quick decision ...help me out guys

i need to choose between the samsung 2233sw and the benq e2200hd....
the samsung is almost a 1.5 ks cheaper...

and the specs are almost same...so is tht a good buy ..or shud i stick to tried and tested benq..??
and i gaming on a lower resolution than the native one on an hd 16:9 screen wont look bad right???...

ill be gettin a hd.4850

or shud i get a viewsonic vx2235wm -5...16:10 lcd wid 2 ms response time???
Click to expand...

i WOULD SUGGEST TO GO FOR Benq 2200hd, Samsung i told has backlight bleeding problems and lacks hdmi..
 
Dear thirumalkumaran, I bet you have not read the article in its entirety. The physical height of the E2200HD is less than a 22" 16:10 by 3cm and the width is the same. What the manufacturers have done is cram more pixels in a lesser area. You are not going to appreciate any significant difference in the image quality as in watching 720p / 1080p but you lose a lot of screen real estate. How can you show more content in a lesser area without zooming out? Things appear smaller due to the higher resolution/low dot pitch so you'll feel that you are fitting more stuff. But in fact you'll be squinting to see whatever content is displayed (everything except movies will look smaller). How does it increase office productivity?

If you do want to buy the E2200HD and don't believe me, please go ahead and buy one and come back later and enlighten us after you have used it and actually seen a 22" 16:10. But please don't post misleading statements without actually appreciating the facts.
 
thirumalkumaran said:
Yikes!!!

I think the reviewer had gone bit mislead by the dimensions and resolutions...
21.5 inch lcds have resolutions of 1920x1080 which is 30 pixels more in height and 240 pixels more in width.. compared to regular 22 inchers at 1680x1050.

Which means the amount of content shown is ACTUALLY larger/more in case of these 21.5 inchers...

Thus we dont lose any productivity but we can use the remaining area 240 pix for an IM, Notepad or even sidebar...

this can only be over come by a 24 incher which is 120 pixels more in height but nearly demands twice the cost...

Thus by checking the value for money (smg 2233sw @10400, E2200HD@11900) we are actually going for a better decision in choosing the 21.5 incher...

Talking about chopped height, I agree...
It has lost some height but gained much in resolution and without losing anything in width gains 240 Pix in area....

About gaming if you are sop inclined in 1680x1050 gaming i think all the 21.5 inchers support that (slight blur may occur, but it is not that noticable..)
so your upgade for gaming rig is also optional...

Please look in a practical point of buying or suggesting...
Click to expand...

I think you got this wrong. What he ment was you are having more pixels in smaller place (crowding) So things shown will be also smaller, which means you have sit very near to your monitor to view things like texts. Ofcourse gaming and movie watching will be good but not others.
1920x1080 is actually ment for 24" - 28" monitors. Think of cramming that in 22".
 
SenthilAnandh said:
I think you got this wrong. What he ment was you are having more pixels in smaller place (crowding) So things shown will be also smaller, which means you have sit very near to your monitor to view things like texts. Ofcourse gaming and movie watching will be good but not others.
1920x1080 is actually ment for 24" - 28" monitors. Think of cramming that in 22".
Click to expand...

Can we not switch to a lower resolution while working with text and use the full resolution for gaming and watching videos? I know that LCD's look best at native resolution but for surfing and office apps etc a lower resolution won't matter much. Would it?

BTW, the following is from a review here: E2200HD Review, Part I - Page 8 - [H]ard|Forum

The monitor functions well and the viewing angles good for a TN panel. The picture is sharp and it has all the major inputs (VGA, DVI, HDMI) one would require now-a-days. Gaming was very enjoyable, text was very readable and crisp in Microsoft Office, and Blu-rays were of beautiful picture quality. Overall, I'd say this monitor is a great deal whether you use it for office work, gaming or movie watching.
Click to expand...
 
^^ wow am gettin e2200hd...

even anandtech listed the lower resolutiosns tht look good on this lcd if u don have a powerfull card to play on 1080p
 
Going by Free Radical's recommendation, I would like to know if there is any 22 inch monitor (Available in India)with following features:

1. 22 inch non-HD
2. With built in speakers
3. Provides HDMI connectivity
 
From Review, page 6...
since the dot pitch is so small, it would not even be worth the extra horse power you’ll need. In other words a lose-lose situation
Click to expand...

Why does everyone keep saying this?! The DPI on a 21.5" 1080p panel is just (approximately) 102! The human eye is capable of viewing detail to around 300 DPI. I believe that many independent tests have proved the same.

Clarkvision - 530 DPI at 20 inches. (A very good read)
Wikipedia - 300 DPI (distance not mentioned)

Stop bashing lower size monitors for higher resolution!! As long as people have graphics cards good enough to pump out the required pixels, the greater density these monitors provide IS A GOOD THING.

Does everyone actually believe that resolutions won't ever go above 1080p?! After all desk sizes aren't gonna get much bigger, and most normal humans won't wanna use more than a 30 incher for a computer screen... so the super high resolutions (beyond 2560x1600) will eventually arrive on the high end displays and then filter down to the "for-the-masses" eventually.

In short, if you have a powerful graphics card, there is no reason NOT TO BUY a cheap higher resolution alternative like the BenQ E2200HD. :D

From SenthilAnandh's reply to thirumalkumaran...
So things shown will be also smaller, which means you have sit very near to your monitor to view things like texts. Ofcourse gaming and movie watching will be good but not others.
1920x1080 is actually ment for 24" - 28" monitors. Think of cramming that in 22".
Click to expand...

This is the exact sort of thing I don't understand!!

What do you mean by 'meant' for? Who decides these things?!

I'm using a E2200HD right now - and sitting at the same location as I used to for my old 17" (1280x1024). Other than a sharper, and overall (far) better picture, I don't see any shortfalls whatsoever!!
 
elvesbane said:
From Review, page 6...

Why does everyone keep saying this?! The DPI on a 21.5" 1080p panel is just (approximately) 102! The human eye is capable of viewing detail to around 300 DPI. I believe that many independent tests have proved the same.

Clarkvision - 530 DPI at 20 inches. (A very good read)

Wikipedia - 300 DPI (distance not mentioned)
Click to expand...

While I do agree that the eye can resolve much more detail than the current generation displays, please bear in mind that the figures you quoted are
  • In context to printed images (Clarkvision). Printers preserve the most detail when they are used to print at the highest possible dpi.
  • Subject to bias by the photographer. Not everyone has the same visual acuity. I hardly call that a blind test and I am no stranger to medical research as I have been a part of quite a few.
  • The "maximum" detail is perceived not with the eye at rest, but by accomodating the lens of the eye i.e. squinting which fatigues the eye and can cause eye strain or worse. For something like a monitor which depending on your job, you have to watch for hours, you'll want something which requires minimal effort.
  • Not everyone sits at 20 inches to view a monitor or watch HD movies.
elvesbane said:
Stop bashing lower size monitors for higher resolution!! As long as people have graphics cards good enough to pump out the required pixels, the greater density these monitors provide IS A GOOD THING.

Does everyone actually believe that resolutions won't ever go above 1080p?! After all desk sizes aren't gonna get much bigger, and most normal humans won't wanna use more than a 30 incher for a computer screen... so the super high resolutions (beyond 2560x1600) will eventually arrive on the high end displays and then filter down to the "for-the-masses" eventually.
Click to expand...

I am all for high resolution monitors for the masses if they don't compromise on anything else :p

If its a trade off between the screen real estate and "super high resolutions", I would prefer more screen real estate.

Frankly, I would love to see a 23" 16:9 1080p IPS "for the masses" as soon as possible. God, I so wish there was one so that I won't even have to make this review.

elvesbane said:
In short, if you have a powerful graphics card, there is no reason NOT TO BUY a cheap higher resolution alternative like the BenQ E2200HD. :D
Click to expand...

Your powerful graphic card won't be powerful long enough as is the current trend with GPU hardware. Your monitor will outlive your GPU. Why not buy something which would serve you better for the long term?

elvesbane said:
I'm using a E2200HD right now - and sitting at the same location as I used to for my old 17" (1280x1024). Other than a sharper, and overall (far) better picture, I don't see any shortfalls whatsoever!!
Click to expand...

Good for you! :)

My only aim is to help those who are in need of a new monitor. You can buy what you want and justify your purchases later :eek:hyeah:

I am just finding justifications for a monitor I am yet to buy. :D
 
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