Advice on 2560x1440

[davisdavid]

Hi all, first time poster, long time stalker

 

I'm looking for advice on 2560x1440 monitors though not in the 'should I get one or a 4K monitor' type of advice. 

 

Basically I'm looking for opinions from people who have used them on the size of monitor I should get as that's the last hurdle before ordering one today.  Is 32" to much on a single monitor and is 27" a more 'optimal' level for daily usage and gaming.

 

As I said it will be general use and heavy gaming and I am running i7-4790k / 4GB 290x in CF / 16GB RAM @ 2400mhz and I have no doubt I can run everything on ultra but it's the size of the screen in relation to me as the user that I have concerns with.  Alternatively I could go eyefinity but I'm unsure 3 x 1080p would show benefit over 2560x1440.  Likewise, 290x in CF is probably the best available option for 4K at the moment but 4K is probably 18/24 months away from being the best option for gaming.

 

Budget is around £400 before anyone recommends the LG 3440x1440 widescreen!

 

 

[Guest]

Can you pick up the new Samsung monitors at that price? The Asus PB278Q is a ripper but has a meh stand/bezel. The Samsung uses the same panel but looks better aesthetically. 

[SeanBond]

The lg29um65 is only 400 usd. I purchased it the other day and I don't think I will ever be able to go back to 16:9 format ever again. From my understanding it is basically the 34um95 just smaller and lower resolution. 

[askmax]

Hi all, first time poster, long time stalker

 

I'm looking for advice on 2560x1440 monitors though not in the 'should I get one or a 4K monitor' type of advice. 

 

Basically I'm looking for opinions from people who have used them on the size of monitor I should get as that's the last hurdle before ordering one today.  Is 32" to much on a single monitor and is 27" a more 'optimal' level for daily usage and gaming.

 

As I said it will be general use and heavy gaming and I am running i7-4790k / 4GB 290x in CF / 16GB RAM @ 2400mhz and I have no doubt I can run everything on ultra but it's the size of the screen in relation to me as the user that I have concerns with.  Alternatively I could go eyefinity but I'm unsure 3 x 1080p would show benefit over 2560x1440.  Likewise, 290x in CF is probably the best available option for 4K at the moment but 4K is probably 18/24 months away from being the best option for gaming.

 

Budget is around £400 before anyone recommends the LG 3440x1440 widescreen!

I was going to suggest that but you beat me to it AOC is coming out with a 3440x1440p monitor next month too at about 500 pounds, wait for that possibly?

[ShadowCaptain]

I am using a 27" 1440p Monitor (AOC Q2770PQU) and I find it to be near perfect in size for gaming in my opinion

[askmax]

The lg29um65 is only 400 usd. I purchased it the other day and I don't think I will ever be able to go back to 16:9 format ever again. From my understanding it is basically the 34um95 just smaller and lower resolution. 

There is a 34UM65 which is the same size as the 34 inch but runs at 2560x1080p for 600$

[Sauron]

-

 

Welcome to the forum! Please remember to follow your topics so you're notified when someone answers

 

I know you said "no 4k", but consider it carefully:

2 R9 290x cards will run 4k no problem

4k will be industry standard and does not suffer from scaling from either 1080p or 720p

the extra real estate is so juicy

if you get a 1440p monitor now, you'll regret it wasn't 4k in a few months

the asus pb287q is one HELL of a monitor, its only real flaw being that it's not ips but for a gamer that's not a huge deal

 

That said, 32" is probably too much for 1440p, 27" is the highest I would go for my pc.

[SeanBond]

There is a 34UM65 which is the same size as the 34 inch but runs at 2560x1080p for 600$

Having the 29 inch version I say it's already pretty big. In fact I just took it back earlier for the 25 inch model because it was slightly to big. I had to have it pushed up to the wall on my desk to sit back far enough from it. I have a pretty small desk. I wish they had a 27 inch version because that would have been perfect I think. 

[Geekazoid]

Welcome to the forum! Please remember to follow your topics so you're notified when someone answers

I know you said "no 4k", but consider it carefully:

2 R9 290x cards will run 4k no problem

4k will be industry standard and does not suffer from scaling from either 1080p or 720p

the extra real estate is so juicy

if you get a 1440p monitor now, you'll regret it wasn't 4k in a few months

the asus pb287q is one HELL of a monitor, its only real flaw being that it's not ips but for a gamer that's not a huge deal

That said, 32" is probably too much for 1440p, 27" is the highest I would go for my pc.

I would recommend a 4K, even if TN, if he was using a Mac with OS X, but with Windows, until Microsoft gets it right (BTW, I'm a Windows user) I would recommend he doesn't go any higher than a 27" 1440p monitor IMHO.

Plus, no one is going to regret buying a 27" 1440p monitor, are you crazy? I think you have a bit of a bias towards 4K monitors, I just think that, at the moment, 4K is just all hype IMO.

[davisdavid]

Wow, cheers for the rapid replies gents.

 

I was going to suggest that but you beat me to it AOC is coming out with a 3440x1440p monitor next month too at about 500 pounds, wait for that possibly?

 

I've read that the £500 mark may have been premature by AOC and it may be closer to £600 - the only difference to the LG is that the AOC ships without thunderbolt.  I think AOC may take advantage that there is little else in terms of competition so provided they undercut LG they can 'charge what they want' as the saying goes.

 

Can you pick up the new Samsung monitors at that price? The Asus PB278Q is a ripper but has a meh stand/bezel. The Samsung uses the same panel but looks better aesthetically. 

 

Samsung release on 19/09/14 and they are £419 and £479 for 27" and 32" respectively on OverClockers - was hoping there would be a release day offer like they have done with the two new Acer models

 

The lg29um65 is only 400 usd. I purchased it the other day and I don't think I will ever be able to go back to 16:9 format ever again. From my understanding it is basically the 34um95 just smaller and lower resolution. 

 

I agree that the ultra widescreen is very appealing but unless i was going 1440 or 4K I would rather go with normal ratios until that option becomes affordable

 

I am using a 27" 1440p Monitor (AOC Q2770PQU) and I find it to be near perfect in size for gaming in my opinion

 

Read some good reviews on the AOC but there is some good competition now from Samsung, Acer and BenQ (when BenQ start shipping more widely again, out of stock everywhere at the moment)

[ShadowCaptain]

Read some good reviews on the AOC but there is some good competition now from Samsung, Acer and BenQ (when BenQ start shipping more widely again, out of stock everywhere at the moment)

 

Well according to TFTCentral, the AOC uses a Samsung PLS panel (just like the Samsung and Asus), it also has a great stand and usb 3 hub

[davisdavid]

Having the 29 inch version I say it's already pretty big. In fact I just took it back earlier for the 25 inch model because it was slightly to big. I had to have it pushed up to the wall on my desk to sit back far enough from it. I have a pretty small desk. I wish they had a 27 inch version because that would have been perfect I think. 

 

This is what I'm thinking, 27" is probably the right size considering distance sat from screen

 

I would recommend a 4K, even if TN, if he was using a Mac with OS X, but with Windows, until Microsoft gets it right (BTW, I'm a Windows user) I would recommend he doesn't go any higher than a 27" 1440p monitor IMHO.

Plus, no one is going to regret buying a 27" 1440p monitor, are you crazy? I think you have a bit of a bias towards 4K monitors, I just think that, at the moment, 4K is just all hype IMO.

 

You think Microsoft will have figured it out with Win 9? They'll have at least improved on scaling I suspect. It's due soon (30/09/14 I think?) and hopefully we're going to get a free upgrade from Win 8 or at least a minimal cost upgrade

 

Yeah I won't regret 1440 nor would I regret 4K but my main issue with 4K is that I wouldn't have the longevity on my GPUs that I will have with 1440 with future games.  Don't get me wrong, if I bought a 4K i'd be on every forum answering every post with 4K FTW.

[Sauron]

I would recommend a 4K, even if TN, if he was using a Mac with OS X, but with Windows, until Microsoft gets it right (BTW, I'm a Windows user) I would recommend he doesn't go any higher than a 27" 1440p monitor IMHO.

Plus, no one is going to regret buying a 27" 1440p monitor, are you crazy? I think you have a bit of a bias towards 4K monitors, I just think that, at the moment, 4K is just all hype IMO.

 

Well, if 4k does get mainstream in a year or so, he will probably regret he didn't get one imo. I would. As for the saling issues, personally I think one of the strengths of 4k is the extra real estate you get. If you scale the text or anything else really, you're giving away part of that real estate, so personally I wouldn't scale anything even if it was done properly. Plus, that's a software issue that will certainly get solved with time, it wouldn't put ME off. But that's just me, I told the op what the advantages were, after that it's up to him to decide.

[SeanBond]

Wow, cheers for the rapid replies gents.

 

 

I've read that the £500 mark may have been premature by AOC and it may be closer to £600 - the only difference to the LG is that the AOC ships without thunderbolt.  I think AOC may take advantage that there is little else in terms of competition so provided they undercut LG they can 'charge what they want' as the saying goes.

 

 

Samsung release on 19/09/14 and they are £419 and £479 for 27" and 32" respectively on OverClockers - was hoping there would be a release day offer like they have done with the two new Acer models

 

 

I agree that the ultra widescreen is very appealing but unless i was going 1440 or 4K I would rather go with normal ratios until that option becomes affordable

 

 

Read some good reviews on the AOC but there is some good competition now from Samsung, Acer and BenQ (when BenQ start shipping more widely again, out of stock everywhere at the moment)

The ultra wide 1440p displays are probably going to stick around in the 1000 dollar range for a while to come I think, it's not something people want as bad as 4k so there won't be nearly as many people making panels for it. I am going to wait for a 1440p ultrawide when I can get it for about 400 to 5

[davisdavid]

Well, if 4k does get mainstream in a year or so, he will probably regret he didn't get one imo. I would. As for the saling issues, personally I think one of the strengths of 4k is the extra real estate you get. If you scale the text or anything else really, you're giving away part of that real estate, so personally I wouldn't scale anything even if it was done properly. Plus, that's a software issue that will certainly get solved with time, it wouldn't put ME off. But that's just me, I told the op what the advantages were, after that it's up to him to decide.

 

I know what you're saying and 4K is very desirable but for me, I just feel it's just not quite there yet in terms of gaming even with 290x in CF.  There are solid reviews for 290x @ 4K but i'm wary that before long I'd be running games at mid settings as newer games become demanding.  Also the TN panel is a slight put off though I could easily invalidate my argument on that by saying I'm only going to be sat in front of it, not peering round the corner etc.  

 

Of everything I have bought for this new build and we're talking a lot of money, the monitor has been impossible to decide on because it's the part that essentially represents what you've built when it comes to gaming on it and I don't want it to look s**t and want it to show that there is some serious grunt behind the high quality images it is pushing out at high FPS, ultra settings etc.  

[Sauron]

I know what you're saying and 4K is very desirable but for me, I just feel it's just not quite there yet in terms of gaming even with 290x in CF.  There are solid reviews for 290x @ 4K but i'm wary that before long I'd be running games at mid settings as newer games become demanding.  Also the TN panel is a slight put off though I could easily invalidate my argument on that by saying I'm only going to be sat in front of it, not peering round the corner etc.  

 

Of everything I have bought for this new build and we're talking a lot of money, the monitor has been impossible to decide on because it's the part that essentially represents what you've built when it comes to gaming on it and I don't want it to look s**t and want it to show that there is some serious grunt behind the high quality images it is pushing out at high FPS, ultra settings etc.  

 

I'll throw a new option out there: get a 4k monitor and a second 1080p one (they aren't very expensive now). When the 290x crossfire starts to become "not quite enough", switch from 4k to surround 1080p (4k scales perfectly from 1080p).

 

I see your point, but honestly I believe a higher resolution is more important than almost any quality setting. Honestly medium settings are not that bad at all, in a lot of games you wouln't notice straight away if you weren't told beforehand, and before 2 290xs are outdated to the point where you have to go medium you should be able to reach at least high for 3 years or so. I won't dismiss the fact that you want it ips because you're in front of it, there are other reasons to want an ips panel, and in fact that's the best argument you can make against the 4k monitor imo. But, unless you REALLY want it to be ips, I stand by the idea that 4k would be the better option.

[davisdavid]

Just out of interest does anyone own a 4K monitor?  I only ask because if it can be used to run at a similar res to 2560x1440 for games that struggle on 4K it may be a viable option

[davisdavid]

I'll throw a new option out there: get a 4k monitor and a second 1080p one (they aren't very expensive now). When the 290x crossfire starts to become "not quite enough", switch from 4k to surround 1080p (4k scales perfectly from 1080p).

 

I see your point, but honestly I believe a higher resolution is more important than almost any quality setting. Honestly medium settings are not that bad at all, in a lot of games you wouln't notice straight away if you weren't told beforehand, and before 2 290xs are outdated to the point where you have to go medium you should be able to reach at least high for 3 years or so. I won't dismiss the fact that you want it ips because you're in front of it, there are other reasons to want an ips panel, and in fact that's the best argument you can make against the 4k monitor imo. But, unless you REALLY want it to be ips, I stand by the idea that 4k would be the better option.

 

Valid point, I've had this argument with myself several times.  My genre of games is RTS as opposed to FPS so I can convince myself that frame rate is less important than visual looks.  But on the flip side, i've invested a lot into this new build and I don't want it to become 'outdated' before it needs to be.

[Sauron]

Valid point, I've had this argument with myself several times.  My genre of games is RTS as opposed to FPS so I can convince myself that frame rate is less important than visual looks.  But on the flip side, i've invested a lot into this new build and I don't want it to become 'outdated' before it needs to be.

 

Consider this: even if your build gets outdated for 4k, it will still be better than a lower resolution. You aren't really loosing nothing, the performance is still there, but in another way. Not to mention, RTS games are usually easier to run that other genres as they are more cpu intensive.

[eLucid]

Welcome to the forum! Please remember to follow your topics so you're notified when someone answers

 

I know you said "no 4k", but consider it carefully:

2 R9 290x cards will run 4k no problem

4k will be industry standard and does not suffer from scaling from either 1080p or 720p

the extra real estate is so juicy

if you get a 1440p monitor now, you'll regret it wasn't 4k in a few months

the asus pb287q is one HELL of a monitor, its only real flaw being that it's not ips but for a gamer that's not a huge deal

 

That said, 32" is probably too much for 1440p, 27" is the highest I would go for my pc.

By that logic, 24" is too much for 1200p. That's right, I went there!  

 

27" @ 1440p is great because you don't need any AA in games. However, you'll get more immersion from a bigger screen. It all depends on how close you sit to the screen too, just keep that in mind.

 

The bl3200pt has the best contrast and black levels. Plus, it doesn't have IPS glow (it's worse than backlight bleeding imho).

 

1440p IPS/AMVA > 4K TN

Edited September 17, 2014 by eLucid