Aw crap, looks like I might need a new monitor soon.

[NamelessPFG]

My Dell P1110 (FD Trinitron G1-based) started having some serious flyback transformer issues (albeit not totally failing), so I sought out a Sun GDM-5410 locally, which uses the same exact tube and chassis.

Now this one's having image pops, though at least it's not drifting out of focus like the P1110 used to. I don't know how long either of these will survive. (Could it have hurt Sony to make their FD Trinitron designs more reliable, especially given how awesome they look when they work perfectly?)

Only problem is, a replacement monitor will be both significantly more expensive and involve some compromises. Especially since I refuse to go below 1920x1200 in terms of resolution for a new monitor and want an IPS panel for the viewing angles and general image quality...but no input lag, either. Bonus if it accepts component input and allows 16:9 with slight letterboxing for console use as well, but that's not strictly necessary if it means compromising everything else.

Any recommendations for $350 and under, used if need be? I've seen several models that might fit the mold, HP ZR24w and Dell U2410 coming to mind.

[Daniel Beaver]

I'm also in the market for a monitor, and have similar requirements. I suspect the HP and Dell you mentioned will be the main suggestions from fellow GHers.

[alaricljs]

I am very happy with my U2407 and U2408, I have heard good things about the continuation of the line.

[laffindude]

anyhow, lots of options for 23"+ IPS screens in that price range.

Be careful with that statement. Those are eIPS, which is a low cost/quality variant of IPS. AFAIK eIPS (not E-IPS, which is good quality) are really 6 bit panels, not the 8bit like some claim.

Most LCD have processing lag, and IPS compounds the problem with slower pixels. Whether or not you can notice it is another issue though.

[hazeluff]

I'm pretty sure you can even get an LED at that $350- (23"+). LG/Samsung are great brands imo for LCD/LED. I've had used both, and personally like LED screens, they look amazing.

[czarek]

I'd save a bit more or look around for a deal to buy Dell U2410. It's almost impossible to find negative feedback about this excellent screen.

[NamelessPFG]

okay, i see numerous threads from diehard CRT guys raging on and on and on about 1600x1200.  seriously?  are those 120 pixles in height really that big a deal?  i'd gladly take the extra width any day.  1920x1080 fantastic.

I'd rather have the option to run 1920x1080 with slight letterboxing and still have 1600x1200 for my older games (that only go between 1280x1024 and 1600x1200 for their highest resolutions) than not have 1600x1200 at all because it won't fit. That's a regression. I refuse to pay for regressions, and HDTV resolutions don't belong in the PC monitor space.

Extra width isn't a bad thing, and I'm not really so much against the idea of the 16:9 aspect ratio itself as much as I am the industry's stupid decision to reduce vertical resolution instead of expanding horizontal resolution further, like 16:10 does in comparison to 4:3. We're supposed to be INCREASING resolution, NOT reducing it. Unfortunately, it seems like 3840x2160 is still quite a ways away before it becomes standard...

[davkol]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

[NamelessPFG]

Great, now the GDM-5410's doing the "gradually lose focus and then pop into focus" thing, but at least it doesn't stay unfocused for nearly as long as the P1110 did.

I don't know how much longer I can put up with this...

[BiNiaRiS]

my 4 year old Samsung 22" lcd is failing so I'm gonna be in the same market soon. I mainly game on it and I wanted to go with a 120hz though but they are just so expensive in the 24" range.

[Quarzac]

Talk to the chap in the classified who is selling a Trinitron for the cost of shipping. You could probably work something out there.

[NamelessPFG]

Tempting, but it's another FD Trinitron G1, which means while it'll have that great performance I'm used to, its flyback transformer is probably on the edge too. I'm wanting to seek out a Diamondtron NF in the 21-22" range to find if they're actually more reliable or not.

Also, I just remembered that I do have an unused display that I got a few Christmases ago. However, it's cheap TN crap, with 1280x1024 res, VGA and component as the only decent inputs (that's right, no DVI, let alone HDMI), and the scaling on the VGA port is downright awful. (Don't get me started on how it handles 720p and 1080i over component...) The only thing even remotely good I have to say about it is that there's no perceptible input lag.

While I could probably learn to live with that thing if the worst came to pass, I sure wouldn't like it.

[Malphas]

I'd rather have the option to run 1920x1080 with slight letterboxing

But you don't have that option on a 1600x1200 screen obviously, or am I missing something?

[Balgrog]

I really recommend the samsung sync master. I have had mine for a few years now and am still loving it. My dad just got one of the new ones and it is extremely nice, and you can get them in glossy or anti-glare, ton's and ton's of sizes, 70,000:1 response time, and not a bad price tag to boot, good luck!

[telepete]

If you need a deal, ASUS displays are beautiful for the price (someone told me that LG makes the screen but I can't confirm that). I imagine tho that since you are a GH'er you want a killer one. I like Dell displays. Well, everyone likes them.

[itlnstln]

HP ZR24w should be quite good.

I'm considering buying two FullHD LCDs to be used in pivot mode (2060×1920) for reading/coding plus one used LCD (1600×1200) for movies/games/...

If they work out for you, let us know.  I'm looking for a couple of 23/24" monitors with color-matched panels.  I have a couple of ASUSes now, and while they're fine for text work, the panels don't quite match color-wise even after calibration.  It's a small thing, but it annoys me to no end.

[godly_music]

I'm not up to date on what's good, but X-Bit Labs has a wonderful review section for LCD monitors that gets pretty in-depth and technical if you're up for it.

My personal opinion is that Samsung monitors are ****. I've had 3 (one CRT, two LCD) and they all outlasted their warranty by just a few weeks.

[Surly73]

I have two minty Sony GDM-F520s that I'm going to be getting rid of.  They are in their original boxes, and I'm the original owner since they were new.  (Actually, they were warranty replacements for GDM-F400s that I sent to Sony for repair)  They were used personally by me in clean, non-smoking, low light environments (read: no burn in or excessive phosphor wear) and were very well taken care of.  Just about every high end CRT out there seems to be recovered from recycling companies and full of scratches and gouges these days.  Sad.  I believe I've read somewhere that the -F520 is considered the best CRT ever made.  It's 4:3 aspect ratio but has a finer and uniform pitch compared to the GDM-FW900.

I've been meaning to put these up for sale for a while but never got around to it.

[nhwhaup]

I bought both the IPS Viewsonics 2365 WP LCD and the newer LED version.  I have one at work and the other at home.  Very well built, great color reproduction and no glare.  I'm not a gamer so I cannot speak for response time but the LED version has some decent stats.

[laffindude]

^ 2365 is an eIPS panel. Look up to see my opinion on it.

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

If you're sure that it's the flyback transformer, they are pretty easy to replace.

[TheProfosist]

Take a look at the asus pro art line hav both released so far great displays.