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Need Input on Buying 24+ LCD Monitor

carbonmotion

carbonmotion

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 28, 2004
983
0
San Francisco, CA
Hi,

I own a 15 inch Macbook Pro. I want a external LCD for the follow purposes from most important to least important...

1. The ability to comfortably have three or four pages, word, and pdf documents side by side
2. use as a monitor for my blue-ray and dvd player for my bedroom
3. play video games
4. edit some photos i take on my slr (hobby level - color accuracy not a big deal)
5. some webdesign (hobby level - color accuracy not a big deal)

my budget more or less around $350...
Here is what I am considering. I was wondering if you guys can give me some feedback on what you think.

1. Hanns G 28" http://tiny.cc/0swu1
2. Dell 24" http://tiny.cc/5dGhT

My physical requirements is just one HDMI port and at least 24 inches, monitor needs to be sharp enough to edit documents, however the monitor should be as big as budget allows since my bedroom is pretty big.
 
I would go with the Hanns 28" because of the larger screen. I have never heard of that brand before but the reviews on Amazon make it look like its a great LCD.
 
yes i also second for the hans monitor, more screen real estate, ive never heard of the brand however but u can always look reviews up on cnet or something like that.
 
The Hanns won't give you more screen real estate than the Dell, since they are both the same resolution. Everything will just be bigger on the Hanns, while things will be sharper on the Dell because of the density of the pixels.

The Dell you have pictured there is very nice, and also has a PVA panel, compared to the Hanns' TN. That translates into much better color reproduction and vibrancy, and better viewing angles.

The Hanns I have heard has flickering issues with some higher res sources, mainly for games, (Read this)

At the $350 range, that Dell looks pretty nice, although make sure the inputs are what you need/want, since I know that model doesn't have a HDMI if you were gonna use that (The Amazon page is wrong, the newer 2408WFP has the HDMI, not the 07 model). The Hanns only has HDMI and a VGA, so no DVI depending on how you want to connect your MBP.

If I were you, I would look into some BenQ products, they have some of the best TN panels for gaming around, and they are around/lower than your price point. Also look into Samsung for good TN panels too. Don't expect anything better than TN at that price range/monitor size.
 
DeusInvictus7 said:
The Hanns won't give you more screen real estate than the Dell, since they are both the same resolution. Everything will just be bigger on the Hanns, while things will be sharper on the Dell because of the density of the pixels.
Click to expand...

Im under the impression that bigger is better if you want to watch movies and higher resolution on a smaller panel = smaller text, which is not what i want b/c i will mainly use this for editing multiple doc files
 
Go for the Dell, the PVA-type panel is vastly superior. TN panels like on the other one have a very noticeable colour shift as you view from an angle, even head-on there is a gradient shift from top to bottom. But this is virtually non-existent in the Dell.

There will be some minor input lag, as all PVA panels have, but that's only an issue if you're really into serious gaming.

A 24-inch panel will easily have adequate text size, as the Macbook Pro you have has a higher DPI (pixel density) than a 24-inch LCD. So the text will already be a bit bigger on the Dell.
 
carbonmotion said:
Im under the impression that bigger is better if you want to watch movies and higher resolution on a smaller panel = smaller text, which is not what i want b/c i will mainly use this for editing multiple doc files
Click to expand...

Yeah, all I am saying is that you won't be able to technically "fit more stuff" on the Hanns, since both monitors both have the same amount of pixels. But since things will look bigger, you might get away with having "smaller" windows and then have more stuff.

I would still go with the Dell either way, but just keep in mind that it DOESN'T have an HDMI like the Amazon page says.
 
I have 2 of the HannsG 28" and I think they're quite nice. My eyesight isn't the greatest so 1920x1200 res on a 24", the text looks a bit small and hard for me to read. 1920x1200 on this 28" (technically it's 27.5") is quite comfortable for me in regards to text size. Also looking at your list of rankings of stuff you want to do in order of importance, the TN panel in the HannsG 28" should be ok for you (gaming etc, watching movies etc.). The 28" is very big and a joy to use IMHO. I think newegg sells these for $350 or so (free shipping too).

Do note that the build-quality isn't great, and the Dell with the PVA panel probably has better color accuracy etc. But for $350 for a 27.5" LCD and if you just play games/watch movies on it I think its great. It has a HDMI and VGA port (comes with a HDMI -> DVI cable to hook up to most PCs).
 
hellfire88 said:
I have 2 of the HannsG 28" and I think they're quite nice. My eyesight isn't the greatest so 1920x1200 res on a 24", the text looks a bit small and hard for me to read. 1920x1200 on this 28" (technically it's 27.5") is quite comfortable for me in regards to text size. Also looking at your list of rankings of stuff you want to do in order of importance, the TN panel in the HannsG 28" should be ok for you (gaming etc, watching movies etc.). The 28" is very big and a joy to use IMHO. I think newegg sells these for $350 or so (free shipping too).

Do note that the build-quality isn't great, and the Dell with the PVA panel probably has better color accuracy etc. But for $350 for a 27.5" LCD and if you just play games/watch movies on it I think its great. It has a HDMI and VGA port (comes with a HDMI -> DVI cable to hook up to most PCs).
Click to expand...

You have 2 of those HannsGs?! Dang, that's a lot of space lol. I wish I could buy another Dell 2709W, but I definitely do not have enough desk space :rolleyes:

You have a point though. And I am actually kinda in the same boat, since I have pretty bad eyesight as well, and I own a Dell 2709W with a 1920x1200 resolution on a 27" screen, although the 2709W is also a S-PVA panel, so it does have the better color reproduction and viewing angles for movies. The bigger text does help if you have poorer eyes than normal.
 
I have the Hanns G 28 inch + a BenQ G2400W 24".

The BenQ and Hanns G are hooked up to my PC.The BenQ is also connected to my Xbox 360 via HDMI. The BenQ is great for my needs due to it supporting HDMI, DVI and VGA, audio out for the HDMI, 1:1 scaling is perfect for the native FullHD 1080p image from the Xbox and I just plug the speakers/headphones directly into the screen.

The Hanns G is ... big. I don't know I would purchase one (this one is my friends, using it while he's traveling in Australia). In my opinion I would rather get the Dell 2408 and get an overall better screen. There is some serious bleeding on the Hanns G, it gets really hot, its limited with only the HDMI and VGA ports. The extra space isn't worth it, your still running 1920x1200.

I've been considering buying a used Dell 3007WFP 30". The 2560x1600 intrigues me.

For your consideration, here is a picture of my desk as it stands now.


http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/9721/img7592.jpg
 
TraustiB said:
I've been considering buying a used Dell 3007WFP 30". The 2560x1600 intrigues me.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was looking at the 30"ers too, but being $1300 and up (Canadian prices are wack)...no way. I got my Dell 2709W for $550 CAD compared to normal $999. So I sacrificed the resolution because of price. Which is perfect for me, since I do not want to buy another display adapter, and I am not sure how well the 3008WFP (the 3007 only has Dual-Link DVI) handles scaling to 1:1 pixel mapping, for blu-rays/gaming on PS3.
 
DeusInvictus7 said:
Yeah I was looking at the 30"ers too, but being $1300 and up (Canadian prices are wack)...no way. I got my Dell 2709W for $550 CAD compared to normal $999. So I sacrificed the resolution because of price. Which is perfect for me, since I do not want to buy another display adapter, and I am not sure how well the 3008WFP (the 3007 only has Dual-Link DVI) handles scaling to 1:1 pixel mapping, for blu-rays/gaming on PS3.
Click to expand...

I've found playing on a screen that doesn't handle 1:1 with an xbox via HDMI is frustrating. The image is slightly off and out of shape. The 3008 looks too awesome. One of the best looking screens out there imo. Plus its got every port ... ever. The 2 DVI + HDMI sound great. It supports 1:1 scaling according to this review:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/hardware/desktops/soa/Dell-3008WFP/0,139023402,339284554,00.htm
 
Lol no I have one and bought one for my dad since he want's 1920x1200 and probably can't read the text comfortably at that res on a 24" LCD.

Great pic TraustiB, you can really tell the size difference in that pic of 24" vs 28" (well, 27.5" lol) so should help the OP.

DeusInvictus7: you got a heck of a deal on the Dell 27" P-MVA panel (had I found that deal I woulda have swapped out my 27.5" HannsG for it!).

Pretty much yea, the quality of the HannsG 28" isn't great. Only things going for it is the price, and the size of 27.5". I would get a 24" 1920x1200 but the text is too small for me. Next size up for me is those 30inchers with 2560x1600 or whatever resolution which is extreme (and needs a crazy video card to run). I am thinking of getting one of those 37" LCD TVs to use as a monitor (example, the Westinghouse LVM-37w3(se) have been know to work great as PC monitors) :). Your call OP.
 
hellfire88 said:
DeusInvictus7: you got a heck of a deal on the Dell 27" P-MVA panel (had I found that deal I woulda have swapped out my 27.5" HannsG for it!).
Click to expand...

Yeah I know! It was actually straight from Dell, they had a one day deal for some select stuff. Perfect timing considering I was just browsing for a new monitor one day a couple Fridays ago, saw that, and pretty much had to jump on it so I wouldn't lose the deal later on. It was from the Small Business section, but anyone can order from there anyway.
 
Hmm...Samsung T240 or T260? There is also the BenQ V2400W or the G2410 or something like that. Also, the HP 2408W is another option. Just keep in mind that all of these options are TN panels. So you will get really fast response time for games/movies, but the viewing angle isn't the greatest if you aren't looking at it straight on. But when you are looking straight on, they are great as long as you aren't doing photo critical work, since the reproduction isn't the best.

Other options include plenty from Acer for pretty cheap. Also, LG has a few that would fit the bill as well.

Have fun, and kinda take your time making a decision, since you DO want to be happy with it, right? ;)
 
Whatever you do, don't go with Dell. If you wouldn't buy a PC from them, why would your buy their displays. In a recent survey their customer satisfaction came 93rd. Well well below Apple and other companies.

Apple has the best computers and best displays. If you weren't willing to compromise on the design and build quality of your computer, why would you be willing to do the same for your display? How can you live with that thing staring at your face.
 
BMWFan said:
Whatever you do, don't go with Dell. If you wouldn't buy a PC from them, why would your buy their displays. In a recent survey their customer satisfaction came 93rd. Well well below Apple and other companies.

Apple has the best computers and best displays. If you weren't willing to compromise on the design and build quality of your computer, why would you be willing to do the same for your display? How can you live with that thing staring at your face.
Click to expand...

Wow...talk about fanboy speak :rolleyes:. I would never buy a Dell PC, but their displays are just amazing considering the price. Keep in mind I am talking about the Ultrasharp series, not any of the other ones.

And you simply CANNOT say Apple makes the best computers or displays. You just can't. Maybe you prefer them, but that is obviously just your opinion. Don't get me wrong, Apple makes amazing monitors, and amazing computers...DEPENDING on what you are using it for.
 
DeusInvictus7 said:
Wow...talk about fanboy speak :rolleyes:. I would never buy a Dell PC, but their displays are just amazing considering the price. Keep in mind I am talking about the Ultrasharp series, not any of the other ones.

And you simply CANNOT say Apple makes the best computers or displays. You just can't. Maybe you prefer them, but that is obviously just your opinion. Don't get me wrong, Apple makes amazing monitors, and amazing computers...DEPENDING on what you are using it for.
Click to expand...

the new apple displays look like crap, imo... i used to have a 30 inch apple display at work, they need to go back to that look
 
BMWFan said:
Whatever you do, don't go with Dell. If you wouldn't buy a PC from them, why would your buy their displays. In a recent survey their customer satisfaction came 93rd. Well well below Apple and other companies.

Apple has the best computers and best displays. If you weren't willing to compromise on the design and build quality of your computer, why would you be willing to do the same for your display? How can you live with that thing staring at your face.
Click to expand...

Yes please stop. For what he wants the ACDs or thenew LED displays from apple is not going to work. Why simple connectivity. Apple has high end panels in their displays because they are focused at professional use. (why the glass I dont know) They aren't even in the price range and its like buying a MacPro when all you do is web surf and text docs. It makes no sense.

I will second the Samsung T24, I believe that's what I have. Yes its a TN panel, and you can see the color change at different angles, but it doesn't bother me because I view it straight on and it comes with a swivel stand and tilts. Also 2 HDMI ports, component, audio 3.5mm jack, optical audio out, and great customizing features for color presets and audio presets and what not. You can also get one with a Digital tuner which I did. I keep my 360 hooked up and since its 1080p you get full HD for the games and blu-ray. I love it, on newegg.com it was around 450 or something. But just check out cnet and newegg.
 
carbonmotion said:
the new apple displays look like crap, imo... i used to have a 30 inch apple display at work, they need to go back to that look
Click to expand...

Yeah, but considering Apple's new direction of the whole Black and Aluminum and Glass motif, I unfortunately doubt that. I mean, for a "professional display", and I am not talking about a laptop display since I know people are gonna dog me for saying this, matte has to be the choice.

But anyway, back on topic, for $350, I think Samsung or BenQ are your best bets, so I would probably start looking there.
 
DeusInvictus7 said:
Yeah, but considering Apple's new direction of the whole Black and Aluminum and Glass motif, I unfortunately doubt that. I mean, for a "professional display", and I am not talking about a laptop display since I know people are gonna dog me for saying this, matte has to be the choice.

But anyway, back on topic, for $350, I think Samsung or BenQ are your best bets, so I would probably start looking there.
Click to expand...

Just the look of the glass and black and aluminum all together doesn't seem as professional. We have a full iMac 30" lap and then the rest are dual boot MacPro's with ACDs. It looks like you are going into the kids room when you go to use the iMacs. Or a house of mirrors:rolleyes:

yes I agree on the matte as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001280

there ya go.
 
xhambonex said:
They aren't even in the price range and its like buying a MacPro when all you do is web surf and text docs. It makes no sense.
Click to expand...

The thing is if price was such an issue why did he buy a Mac in the first place? It's clear that he doesn't want any compromise when it comes to design and build quality of the products he uses. For him, Apple displays are the perfect solution.
 
BMWFan said:
For him, Apple displays are the perfect solution.
Click to expand...

WRONG! lol. If he wants to play blu-rays say, off a PS3, or even play any console games at all...he CANNOT use the 24" LED ACD. The older gen would work, if he is ok with switching the display cable every time he switches from the console back to his computer, and vice versa. And even more importantly, he does NOT need an IPS panel for what he does.
 
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