24" (or better) monitors with excellent colour and image quality

ItsMeAgro on 03/12/2015 - 13:21

Help me find a great deal on a monitor?

Desired specs

1920 x 1080 (1920x1200 might be OK).
IPS or better tech
60hz is fine
24" or better (23.6" etc are fine)
Under $350 AUD

What I found so far

The Dell Ultrasharps have a great rep:
$335 U2414H http://www.staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=dell+u2414&…

This Samsung is supposed to be as good or slightly better (and might take a price dive at DSE by Saturday if we're lucky - $290 right now):
$248 LS24E390HL http://www.staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=s24e390&spo…

MSY claims to have the 27" version for $320 (DSE has stock too):
$319 LS27E390HS http://www.staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=s27e390&spo…

Cool story

My old high-end CRT is finally dying.

I'd like to find a high-end monitor that won't be a downgrade in image quality, especially deep colours and good colour graduation in both light and dark scenes.

Intended usage

I'll spend long hours programming on it, but I care mostly about it's picture quality in movies and games (I prefer story-based, immersive, art-heavy games, no need for 120hz etc like competitive twitch FPS gamers like). (I'm worried I'm more picky about colour than most people - might I benefit from those ultra-wide colour gamut monitors? I don't actually do photography work…)

Computing Computer Peripheral LCD Monitor

Comments

FirstNameLastName on 03/12/2015 - 14:42

+1

i got the dell 2412 for about $240.. they used to have them on special all the time.. maybe the aussie $ put an end to that.
(otherwise umart seem to sell dell monitors cheaper than dell a lot of the time)

anyway, i love it.. anyone who sees it loves it.. i love matte screens.. and the stand is superb as with most dell monitors.
actually, i never clean my screen.. so any white-space looks a bit like the surface of the moon.. :)

you seem to be on the right track in terms of narrowing down your choice.. but for more info try http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/selector.htm (i assume you already know about this website)

as for finding a special.. i usually set up an email alert and just play the waiting game.
yolohobo on 03/12/2015 - 15:27

+2

This time last year I was looking around for a 27" 1080p monitor, and at the time the Samsung S27D590 was more or less top of the pack…

http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/monitor-printer/monitor/l…

I bought one and would recommend it. It's a nice monitor.

No idea if the monitor landscape has changed since then though. It's possible there might be better options out there now.

EDIT: I bought mine for $300. It seems they've gone up to $360-$380 since then, so it might be worth waiting for the after Christmas sales.
- m2000 on 03/12/2015 - 20:54
  
  +1
  
  I think it's to do with the Aussie $…a lot of imported electrical/tech stuff has gone up.
- m2000 on 03/12/2015 - 20:56
  
  +1
  
  The only thing I did not like about the samsung monitors is that most do NOT have a vesa mount at the back.
  - ItsMeAgro on 03/12/2015 - 22:03
    
    Thanks! I had no idea, I better confirm for these models, I was planning to mount on a proper adjustable monitor arm…
    - m2000 on 04/12/2015 - 09:48
      
      +1
      
      Yes that I am doing too( do not like it's been fixed )
m2000 on 03/12/2015 - 20:58

+2

You may want to get a 24" rather than 27" if at only FHD. (ie 1920x 1080, 16:9 ratio)
- ItsMeAgro on 03/12/2015 - 22:19
  
  I've heard this, but I don't think I'm too sensitive about lower res.
  
  My projector is only 720p.
FirstNameLastName on 03/12/2015 - 21:34

+1

as for 1920x1080 (16:9) vs 1920x1200 (16:10) —

i don't think there is an issue with 1200.. haven't come across any and I've played a huge range of games on 1200.. and movies look fine.
i also do a bit of programming every now and then, and the 16:10 comes in handy.. the bit of extra 'space' seems to accommodate the windows 'split screen' feature well.. as do games like LoL (which I played for one day then uninstalled realising this would become all of my days)

I'm currently playing red alert 2 on 16:10.. a game developed to be compatible with win95!
Needless to say, the video settings do not have a 16:10 setting, but you just text edit the ini file, and the game works perfectly at 1920x1200

also.. some dell monitor stands allow for 90 degree swivel.. ie portrait view of monitor.. 16:10 fits an a4 page aspect ration better imo.. not that i use this function.
terrys on 04/12/2015 - 08:49

+2

I used to wonder why people would spend ~ #300 on a Dell with similar specs to a $200 ASUS - then picked up a really cheap Dell 2408 WFBp a year ago because of the common "green line" on start-up that fades in ~ 5 minutes. The amount of extra real estate going to 1600 res fro 1200, and the depth and richness and accuracy of colour in games was amazing, and the pivot gives a brilliant canvas for office apps. As I doubt you'd find a new 1900 x 1600, for what you want, it might not be too silly an idea to hunt around for one of these - One of your local fen^W dual-named pawnbrokers probably have one for around $40 -$60.
As for games, [low res] Heretic looked a bit blocky, though bright and vibrant, Descent [1] with the 640 x 480 switch was excellent, and moving up to later output such as Yuris revenge or others in the Red Alert stable were a lot more playable with the increased clarity and size. Skyrim blew me away…
ItsMeAgro on 07/12/2015 - 14:15

+1

Thanks all! Appreciate all your comments, many of them were very helpful in the decision.

I ended up getting the Dell U2414H.
ItsMeAgro on 10/12/2015 - 15:22

I sat it next to my CRT, with the same images on both to compare.

I think what they call the "warmth" of the colours isn't quite as good; on the CRT the skin tones look a touch more natural and the colours have a more "balanced", pleasant feel.

But it's pretty close. Might get even better with some adjustments (I'll have to google how to mess with the "Custom" setting). Maybe I need a wide gamut monitor next upgrade?

But I'm very happy overall. It's a solid and beautiful screen for only $340. So much easier to work with all day.
[Deactivated] on 11/12/2015 - 00:19

+1

I've seen the Dell P2715Q on sale for $550 on the refurb website. I'd jump all over it if I hadn't already bought the U2713H off the outlet for $600. TBH though be careful going to high resolutions it can cause problems.