CRT or LCD Monitor

[Wistrik]

I'm using a Samsung Syncmaster 215TW 21" LCD that got pretty good reviews last year. It was priced between $400 and $500, but as always it depends on where you buy it. At work I use its 17" cousin, which likewise has a good picture, but feels very tiny in comparison.

 

Samsung's 215TW Product Info

 

When I first got it, I experienced a lot of shearing in 3D games, but an updated monitor driver from Microsoft fixed 99% of the problem. It was a good reminder that monitor drivers are almost as important as video drivers nowadays.

 

I get great contrast, true black even in a dark room, and awesome colors. It also rotates for portrait view, which is great for PDFs and other page-oriented documents. Games look great so long as I can play them at 1024x768 or better resolution. I almost need to wear sunglasses if I have Bloom enabled in NWN2, but on my monitor the game looks better without Bloom (helps performance slightly as well.) I have the same issue with Half-Life 2: Episode 2 with HDR enabled. In a way it's kinda cool, I get blinded by bright lights just as in real life. Of course, the monitor lets you turn the contrast down a notch if it's too much, but I usually just turn off HDR/Bloom since the games are plenty bright to begin with, at least on my LCD.

 

Word and Excel love the extra real estate, as do my programming tools. I can compare documents side by side (or flip the screen and compare top and bottom), while keeping the documents at a very readable zoom level.

 

NVidia's video drivers can automatically preserve the aspect ratio for games that don't support wide-screen resolutions. Thus if I play at 1280x1024 or 1024x768 I get black vertical bands on each side of the screen image. This keeps the images in such a game from looking stretched out. With 3D games that's less of a problem. Samsung provides software that preserves the aspect ratio of such games in case your video drivers don't offer that option.

 

I recommend reading several tech reviews before you decide to spend your money. I did, and I don't regret my purchase. It's an 'obsolete' 60hz monitor, but the quality is high enough that I won't need to upgrade for another year or more.

[mkreku]

Samsung 193P was released in early 2004. TFT monitors have come a long way since then.

The 940B was bought in April 2006. It's not even a year old and it's still inferior to the 193P+. How long do you think they've come?

[Diamond]

Half-Life 2: Episode 2

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What? When was that out?

...Or it is just a typo?

[Deraldin]

Half-Life 2: Episode 2

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What? When was that out?

...Or it is just a typo?

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Typo.

[Wistrik]

Half-Life 2: Episode 2

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What? When was that out?

...Or it is just a typo?

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Typo.

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Yes, typo, sorry about that. It was 1am when I posted so I was a bit loopy.

[angshuman]

... SyncMaster 913TM (which sucks, don't buy it, colours are bleak and ugly and I can never get black to actually look like black.. only some crappy gray ...

Ha! Ha! What did I tell ya about TN panels?

 

... a SyncMaster 193P+ which is the best of the bunch and still it isn't close to my CRT at home when it comes to colours, contrast and picture smoothness.

That would be a PVA panel IIRC. And yeah, TN, PVA, S-PVA or TW-S-IPS, nothing can beat a CRT.

 

Maybe I just don't like TFT's?

I hear you, man. Sadly, I feel the sheer practicality of flat panels in terms of footprint provides such an overwhelming advantage that the loss in image quality is worth it.

[Sammael]

Samsung 193P was released in early 2004. TFT monitors have come a long way since then.

The 940B was bought in April 2006. It's not even a year old and it's still inferior to the 193P+. How long do you think they've come?

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There is no comparison between B series and P series Samsung monitors.

[taks]

keep in mind when buying an LCD, there are several hangups that can cause performance issues.

 

first, the native resolution of most larger LCDs is either 1280x1024 or 1600x1200. you'll get your best picture when running in a native resolution mode, which taxes your GPU considerably more than lower resolutions offered by CRTs.

 

second, many native resolutions are NOT 4:3 aspect ratio (e.g. 1024x768 or 1280x960) which is an issue with many games. many games are designed to only support 4:3 aspects. this will be particularly the case for widescreen LCDs.

 

if you have a powerful graphics solution, then you shouldn't have a worry. based on what i've seen, however, with NWN2, non-4:3 aspect ratios tend to perform poorly even with newer graphics cards.

 

just a note...

 

taks

[Bokishi]

Many modern games take advantage of widescreen, future games are going to have to have widescreen support in order to be a certified "Games for Windows" game.

 

NWN2 is CPU bound, I saw no difference in performance going from a 7800 to an 8800, however putting the conroe in gave the game a real boost.

Edited January 15, 2007 by Bokishi

[taks]

NWN2 is CPU bound, I saw no difference in performance going from a 7800 to an 8800, however putting the conroe in gave the game a real boost.

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i was referring specifically to many complaints that were often tied to widescreens, with 1600x1050 resolution, for example. with such a high, non-4:3, resolution, the game becomes GPU bound. contrast that with my system, which is rather low-end, running on a CRT with 1024x768, with no performance problems (i did have to turn of v-sync, however).

 

but yes, games are moving to wide-screen support, which will make that a moot point soon enough. i have a 213T (samsung) at home just waiting for a high-end GPU and games that will take advantage of it!

 

taks

[alanschu]

The big issue I have with LCDs is the preferred resolution. There are still many games out there that I enjoy playing that come with fixed resolutions (typically 1024x768), and I would prefer to not deal with the degradation in image quality as the LCD attempts to simulate the resolution.

[taks]

yup. native resolution brings with it many problems.

 

as i noted, i recently acquired two LCDs. one is the 213T from samsung (21"), and the other is some sort of 20" dell. with a 6800, i'd screw myself a new orifice if i switched from my 19" CRT (dell, too).

 

oh well... dead monitors sitting in my man-cave with no apparent home.

 

taks

[Kaftan Barlast]

Our showcase computer at Uni has a 30" widescreen monitor. Its so awesome I think Ill steal it someday if I cant stop myself. You can have three applications running next to eachother with a wee bit to spare for MSN etc. on the side.

 

 

problem is that you cant play games on it. you have to set everything down to be able to run it in 2560x1600 and then all the flaws and jaggies really show because its so damn big.

[Sammael]

My Samsung 971P should be arriving tomorrow. I'll post my impressions of it.

[metadigital]

Our showcase computer at Uni has a 30" widescreen monitor. Its so awesome I think Ill steal it someday if I cant stop myself. You can have three applications running next to eachother with a wee bit to spare for MSN etc. on the side.

 

 

problem is that you cant play games on it. you have to set everything down to be able to run it in 2560x1600 and then all the flaws and jaggies really show because its so damn big.

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With your shiny new processor you can run the games in their own windows (rather than full screen); just start saving for that ATi R600 GPU in CrossFire ..!

[Cantousent]

I don't take forever to make decisions. Sometimes, however, the decision is to wait. I almost purchased a 21" CRT today. The voices advocating CRTs won the day. However, I opted against it for a couple of reasons. First, the idea that we're on the edge of a new standard restrained the purchase. Second, my monitor works. Why spend the $500 on a monitor that isn't truly necessary at this time?

 

So, I'll just keep this little 19" monitor I have right now. ...At least until after the England trip this March. I'll reassess the need after that.

[Bokishi]

$500 on a CRT? Hot damn!

[Cantousent]

It's actually $500 after taxes and shipping. The price tag is $473.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16824116121

[Bokishi]

Hmm well the max res is pretty groovy.

[Sammael]

My Samsung 971P should be arriving tomorrow. I'll post my impressions of it.

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Grrrr... apparently, my supplier's shipment didn't include any black or midnight blue monitors, so I'll have to wait until next week for them to get a new shipment.

[Cantousent]

Okay, I've finally taken the plunge and bought my monitor. It's this one here:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16824116121

 

It has mad resolution, great pitch size, and weighs less than 60 pounds. I'm happy. I guess I'm a luddite, but I just prefer my CRTs. Maybe, in the next generation of LCDs, I'll be willing to go to the newer technology.

[metadigital]

Looks good. If you don't have a space/weight/power limitation, I can't see why people wouldn't consider a CRT. That's pretty cheap, and a good spec. Tell us what you think when it's plugged in.

[LadyCrimson]

CRT's still rule.

[Cantousent]

I will send before and after picture so you can get an idea of how much more space it takes than my current 19" monitor. I definitely look forward to it. I'm usually gone from home between 12-16 hours daily, but my wife can probably muscle it inside the house.

[Rosbjerg]

Looks good. If you don't have a space/weight/power limitation, I can't see why people wouldn't consider a CRT. That's pretty cheap, and a good spec. Tell us what you think when it's plugged in.

 

I could never go back to CRT after having a LCD .. I might have the space for the bigger screens, but it's just so much more pleasing when you can move it around without having to call a couple of friends (I mean - 60 pounds!!).