Another monitor thread: looking for a 2560x1440 27" or 30" around 400-800 Euros

[TacticalCoder]

This is related to the other monitor thread but the requirements are stricter : )

What monitor would you recommend to get one monitor capable of 2560x1440 in either 27" or 30"?  

(CRTs and dual-screens setup are totally excluded)

The budget is, say, anywhere from 400 to 800 Euros.

I was looking at the Apple 27" but Apple is typically expensive.  

Here's the specs I found about the Apple 27":

TFT active-matrix LCD with IPS
375 cd/m2
contrast ratio: 1000:1
response time: 12ms

I was thinking about the Dell 2711 (response time 6ms) but I've read comments saying that the anti-glare thing totally ruined it for anything besides gaming/movies/photo-editing.  With people saying it has an unbearable blurry effect when browsing / coding / etc.  Is it true or not?  That Dell looks like a nice screen.

What would you go for if you wanted one 2560x1440 27" or 30" with a budget of 400 to 800 Euros?

Main use would be coding / surfing / spreadsheet'ing etc.

[laffindude]

It isn't a blurry effect, but more like a tiny bit of rainbow sparkle. It is not visible unless you look at a page with light uniform color and lowering brightness (mine is calibrated ~100nits) also help reduce the effect at a reasonable viewing distance of ~50cm. I've tuned out of the effect in about 1-2 weeks. It is like the ping epidemic here. If you use excel, I do suggest turning down the brightness. Having a bright display burning your retina all day isn't that good for your eyes.

The extra 160 vertical pixels on the 30" may be helpful, but I find myself having to turn my head more. Also 30" won't fit in your 4-800 euros budget.

PS, don't worry about response time. It is just another hyped up metric.

[TacticalCoder]

It isn't a blurry effect, but more like a tiny bit of rainbow sparkle. It is not visible unless you look at a page with light uniform color and lowering brightness (mine is calibrated ~100nits) also help reduce the effect at a reasonable viewing distance of ~50cm. I've tuned out of the effect in about 1-2 weeks. It is like the ping epidemic here. If you use excel, I do suggest turning down the brightness. Having a bright display burning your retina all day isn't that good for your eyes.

OK thanks, doesn't sound too bad : )

[woody]

U2711 is okay for the price, I don't find anything bothering me with respect to screen coating. Except mine developed dead pixel. Lots of defective units reported on the net. With that in mind, it's your decision whether to take the risk or not.

[Brodie337]

Isn't there a HP which uses the same panel as the Dell without the coating?

[laffindude]

It uses LED backlight though. At that price, I bet it is just "white" (Phosphor coated blue) LED not RGB LED for true white. It'll be fine if you just want the resolution, but color accuracy will be off.

[Brodie337]

Ah ok, I wasn't sure about that.

[iindigo]

I don't know how it compares to Dell's display, but I have a 27" iMac which uses the same panel as the cinema display. I love mine and see little wrong with it... just make sure wherever you place it won't cause a problem with glare.

[Twitchy]

Isn't there a HP which uses the same panel as the Dell without the coating?

Hazro make some monitors with the same panel and no AG, I was looking at one for myself. Ended up getting an HP ZR2740W which I am very happy with so far. Both should be in the OPs budget.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hazro_hz27wa.htm

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hp_zr2740w.htm

[TacticalCoder]

Hazro make some monitors with the same panel and no AG, I was looking at one for myself. Ended up getting an HP ZR2740W which I am very happy with so far. Both should be in the OPs budget.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hazro_hz27wa.htm

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hp_zr2740w.htm

Sounds great, thanks for the links!

[czarek]

Get Dell. Either U2711 or U3011, both are amazing displays. After seeing my friend's U2711 I bought myself 30" for not much more he paid for 27" model as an upgrade from Apple Cinema Display 24". I didn't want Apple's new 27" for the same reasons I hated my 24" - lack of connection options apart from Mini DP, very short cable (I had to use extension to connect it to a Mac Pro sitting under the desk) and the glossy panel, which sometimes drove me mad. I liked its built in Camera/Speakers/Microphone and superb build quality (at least compared to Dell) but I can live without it. And the screen was identical to the one in Dell's 24" model.