Monitor upgrade - help me choose!

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

Looking for a monitor upgrade. Budget is around $300 CAD - would prefer not the spend more. 

 

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_1195_700_1104&item_id=084575

 

Cheapest 1440p 27" I could find. Still pretty expensive, though. I also don't really know how well my 290X will do at the resolution. Still...the panel looks pretty amazing, and it would be great for productivity and such...but the stand is awful...

 

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_1195_699_1100&item_id=103306

 

This was the cheapest 2560 x 1440, period. But it's 23.8", which is actually smaller than the panel I use right now. To be fair, it does have a different aspect ratio. Also, the pixel density should be much higher, and I find 24" to be an amazing size for most things. 

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009642&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA-_-EMC-052417-Index-_-LCDMonitors-_-24009642-L0E&_ga=2.46289319.125977920.1495652371-1629396172.1494617659

 

Awesome sale going on right now for this 144Hz monitor. Looks great for the price, especially with FreeSync. 

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009642&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA-_-EMC-052417-Index-_-LCDMonitors-_-24009642-L0E&_ga=2.46289319.125977920.1495652371-1629396172.1494617659

 

This is basically the same thing, but with a much better stand and build quality, at 30 bucks more. There is also the risk of purchasing a refurbished item. 

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236783 

 

I dunno. You guys got any ideas?

[Microsoft Master]

If you want 144hz for gaming but compromise on the 1440 go with this

https://www.amazon.ca/Acer-Widescreen-Monitor-Nvidia-3DLightboost/dp/B00KO4518I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495755200&sr=8-1&keywords=144hz+monitor

[Glenwing]

8 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Looking for a monitor upgrade. Budget is around $300 CAD - would prefer not the spend more. 

 

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_1195_700_1104&item_id=084575

 

Cheapest 1440p 27" I could find. Still pretty expensive, though. I also don't really know how well my 290X will do at the resolution. Still...the panel looks pretty amazing, and it would be great for productivity and such...but the stand is awful...

 

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_1195_699_1100&item_id=103306

 

This was the cheapest 2560 x 1440, period. But it's 23.8", which is actually smaller than the panel I use right now. To be fair, it does have a different aspect ratio. Also, the pixel density should be much higher, and I find 24" to be an amazing size for most things. 

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009642&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA-_-EMC-052417-Index-_-LCDMonitors-_-24009642-L0E&_ga=2.46289319.125977920.1495652371-1629396172.1494617659

 

Awesome sale going on right now for this 144Hz monitor. Looks great for the price, especially with FreeSync. 

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236783 

 

This is basically the same thing, but with a much better stand and build quality, at 30 bucks more. There is also the risk of purchasing a refurbished item. 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009642&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL052417CA-_-EMC-052417-Index-_-LCDMonitors-_-24009642-L0E&_ga=2.46289319.125977920.1495652371-1629396172.1494617659

 

I dunno. You guys got any ideas?

What kind of monitor are you coming from, out of curiosity?

 

Generally I don't recommend the Acer GN246HL, the lack of DisplayPort input limits flexibility a lot. Also, it doesn't have FreeSync, not sure if you were confused on that point. Usually I recommend the XG2401, but the ASUS MG248Q seems to be on a good deal right now.

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

3 minutes ago, Microsoft Master said:

If you want 144hz for gaming but compromise on the 1440 go with this

https://www.amazon.ca/Acer-Widescreen-Monitor-Nvidia-3DLightboost/dp/B00KO4518I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495755200&sr=8-1&keywords=144hz+monitor

That's the fourth link.

 

2 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

What kind of monitor are you coming from, out of curiosity?

 

Generally I don't recommend the Acer GN246HL, the lack of DisplayPort input limits flexibility a lot. Also, it doesn't have FreeSync, not sure if you were confused on that point. Usually I recommend the XG2401, but the ASUS MG248Q seems to be on a good deal right now.

Oh, sorry, I meant that the Asus had Adaptive Sync. Yeah, I was leaning toward that one was well, but it's refurbished...is it worth the risk?

 

Also, what about 1440p?

 

Coming from a 25" LG 25UM58-P. I was a newb when I bought this monitor, so I didn't do enough research to realize that the vertical height was a little small. It's perfectly fine for normal use, but I have some cash and would like to make the upgrade. Not buying another 25" Ultrawide - dunno what kind of setup I would make. 

[Microsoft Master]

3 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

That's the fourth link.

 

Oh, sorry, I meant that the Asus had Adaptive Sync. Yeah, I was leaning toward that one was well, but it's refurbished...is it worth the risk?

 

Also, what about 1440p?

 

Coming from a 25" LG 25UM58-P. I was a newb when I bought this monitor, so I didn't do enough research to realize that the vertical height was a little small. It's perfectly fine for normal use, but I have some cash and would like to make the upgrade. Not buying another 25" Ultrawide - dunno what kind of setup I would make. 

Hmmm Maybe this will suit your needs but still has no 1440 but it has free sync, Its worth it for curved monitors especially Samsung because they make beautiful displays but don't bother with display port, unless you have a 4k monitor/ Vr ready system its just a waste of money.

https://www.amazon.ca/Samsung-Curved-24-Inch-Monitor-C24F390/dp/B01CX26WPY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495755884&sr=8-3&keywords=curved+monitor

 

[Glenwing]

14 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

That's the fourth link.

 

Oh, sorry, I meant that the Asus had Adaptive Sync. Yeah, I was leaning toward that one was well, but it's refurbished...is it worth the risk?

 

Also, what about 1440p?

 

Coming from a 25" LG 25UM58-P. I was a newb when I bought this monitor, so I didn't do enough research to realize that the vertical height was a little small. It's perfectly fine for normal use, but I have some cash and would like to make the upgrade. Not buying another 25" Ultrawide - dunno what kind of setup I would make. 

ya, 25" ultrawide is equivalent to 21.5" 16:9 in height. 24" class should be much better.

 

I use 2560×1440 on a 25", it's great. I have a 23.8" monitor next to it, and the difference in size is not much. I don't expect 1440p at 23.8" size would suddenly be too small. A lot of people say 1440p at 23.8" will be too tiny but I have noticed that everyone who says that are all people who do not actually have 23.8" monitors, they are just making a prediction that it will be too small based on their imaginations, but saying it like fact...

 

So those are my first two monitors, as it turns out my third monitor is a refurbished one (a PA248Q), and there isn't a single thing wrong with it. Most people imagine "refurbished" means it broke down and was sent back, and they put a band-aid on whatever was wrong, jury-rig it back together with some duct-tape and sell it again ready to fall back apart at any moment, but actually refurbished pretty much just means "not new", which is generally defined as anything that left the factory, including any products that were cancelled after being shipped and never even reached the customer or were sent back immediately new and still shrink-wrapped, or returned by the customer to exchange for something else, or a myriad of other possibilities that don't even involve the factory seal being broken, but these products cannot be sold as "new" anymore. Of course, sometimes it does mean it was a defective product returned under warranty, but of course it also means whatever flaw was there has been fixed and tested. So for me "refurbished" just means either "new" or "hand-tested". Either way, I'm not bothered about it. Though the only caveat is sometimes there can be scratches or other minor cosmetic defects, if it's a repaired item. But functionally speaking I don't expect any problems from refurbished items, any more than I would from a new item. The water cooling unit on my CPU is also "refurbished" been going for I think 3 or 4 years now...

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

8 minutes ago, Microsoft Master said:

Hmmm Maybe this will suit your needs but still has no 1440 but it has free sync, Its worth it for curved monitors especially Samsung because they make beautiful displays but don't bother with display port, unless you have a 4k monitor/ Vr ready system its just a waste of money.

https://www.amazon.ca/Samsung-Curved-24-Inch-Monitor-C24F390/dp/B01CX26WPY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495755884&sr=8-3&keywords=curved+monitor

 

Doesn't look like a bad option, but I'm looking for a high refresh rate in a 1080p monitor or a 1440p display. Thanks, though!

 

7 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

ya, 25" ultrawide is equivalent to 21.5" 16:9 in height. 24" class should be much better.

 

I use 2560×1440 on a 25", it's great. I have a 23.8" monitor next to it, and the difference in size is not much. I don't expect 1440p at 23.8" size would suddenly be too small. A lot of people say 1440p at 23.8" will be too tiny but I have noticed that everyone who says that are all people who do not actually have 23.8" monitors, they are just making a prediction that it will be too small based on their imaginations, but saying it like fact...

 

So those are my first two monitors, as it turns out my third monitor is a refurbished one (a PA248Q), and there isn't a single thing wrong with it. Most people imagine "refurbished" means it broke down and was sent back, and they put a band-aid on whatever was wrong, jury-rig it back together with some duct-tape and sell it again ready to fall back apart at any moment, but actually refurbished pretty much just means "not new", which is generally defined as anything that left the factory, including any products that were cancelled after being shipped and never even reached the customer or were sent back immediately new and still shrink-wrapped, or returned by the customer to exchange for something else, or a myriad of other possibilities that don't even involve the factory seal being broken, but these products cannot be sold as "new" anymore. Of course, sometimes it does mean it was a defective product returned under warranty, but of course it also means whatever flaw was there has been fixed and tested. So for me "refurbished" just means either "new" or "hand-tested". Either way, I'm not bothered about it. Though the only caveat is sometimes there can be scratches or other minor cosmetic defects, if it's a repaired item. But functionally speaking I don't expect any problems from refurbished items, any more than I would from a new item. The water cooling unit on my CPU is also "refurbished" been going for I think 3 or 4 years now...

Thanks a ton for the info! 

 

The 23.8" 1440p panel has a really nice stand, and seems like the resolution will make it really detailed at that size. What would be your recommendation? The 27" won't have as high a pixel density and an inferior stand...but it also provides much more real estate. The 1080p 144Hz looks like it'll be the best for gaming?? But I don't think the image quality will be nearly as good.

 

So, which would you recommend? 

[Glenwing]

9 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Doesn't look like a bad option, but I'm looking for a high refresh rate in a 1080p monitor or a 1440p display. Thanks, though!

 

Thanks a ton for the info! 

 

The 23.8" 1440p panel has a really nice stand, and seems like the resolution will make it really detailed at that size. What would be your recommendation? The 27" won't have as high a pixel density and an inferior stand...but it also provides much more real estate. The 1080p 144Hz looks like it'll be the best for gaming?? But I don't think the image quality will be nearly as good.

 

So, which would you recommend? 

I'd favor the 23.8" 1440p personally, but I don't do a ton of gaming myself.

[Not_Sean]

5 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

I'd favor the 23.8" 1440p personally, but I don't do a ton of gaming myself.

below 27" I wouldn't bother with 1440p 

[Glenwing]

4 minutes ago, Not_Sean said:

below 27" I wouldn't bother with 1440p 

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

28 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

I'd favor the 23.8" 1440p personally, but I don't do a ton of gaming myself.

It's a lot of school work, media consumption, and some Overwatch on the side. 

 

Just curious, why is the contrast ratio on this monitor so low?

 

So, I've narrowed it down to the 23.8" 1440p and the 144Hz 1080p. 

[Glenwing]

8 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

It's a lot of school work, media consumption, and some Overwatch on the side. 

 

Just curious, why is the contrast ratio on this monitor so low?

 

So, I've narrowed it down to the 23.8" 1440p and the 144Hz 1080p. 

1000:1 is a standard contrast ratio, the other monitors also all have 1000:1 contrast ratios. You may see monitors advertise 10,000,000,000,000,000:1 or whatever "dynamic contrast ratio", which just means "made-up number". The actual contrast ratio of almost all LCD monitors is around 1000:1. Some VA-type monitors may be 3000:1 or even 5000:1 for the high-end ones, but it doesn't go much beyond there.

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

11 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

1000:1 is a standard contrast ratio, the other monitors also all have 1000:1 contrast ratios. You may see monitors advertise 10,000,000,000,000,000:1 or whatever "dynamic contrast ratio", which just means "made-up number". The actual contrast ratio of almost all LCD monitors is around 1000:1. Some VA-type monitors may be 3000:1 or even 5000:1 for the high-end ones, but it doesn't go much beyond there.

Thanks!

 

Just out of curiosity, do all LTT Staff specialize in a certain category? I know D2Ultima is the graphics cards expert, and you seem to be the monitors expert.

[Glenwing]

Just now, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Thanks!

 

Just out of curiosity, do all LTT Staff specialize in a certain category? I know D2Ultima is the graphics cards expert, and you seem to be the monitors expert.

Nope, just happenstance

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

12 hours ago, Glenwing said:

Nope, just happenstance

Wait...don't you have to deal with scaling issues for the 25"...it's pretty hard to read a lot of text on my 25" Ultrawide without changing some settings. What is the optimal DPI for Windows? 

 

Also, how good is 1080p at 24" from around 50-60cm away? How does it compare to my 25"?

[Glenwing]

4 hours ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Wait...don't you have to deal with scaling issues for the 25"...it's pretty hard to read a lot of text on my 25" Ultrawide without changing some settings. What is the optimal DPI for Windows? 

 

Also, how good is 1080p at 24" from around 50-60cm away? How does it compare to my 25"?

It's not good to compare based on diagonal size between different aspect ratios. It's alright if everything is the same ratio, but if they're different then you should use the actual thing, which is pixel density. Higher pixel density is smaller pixels and smaller text.

 

24.0" 1920×1080 is 91.8 px/in

25.0" 2560×1080 is 111.4 px/in

25.0" 2560×1440 is 117.5 px/in

23.8" 2560×1440 is 123.4 px/in

 

My 25" 1440p is around the same as your 25" ultrawide, I don't use scaling but it depends on eyesight I suppose. A 27" 1440p might be better if that's a problem.

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

51 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

It's not good to compare based on diagonal size between different aspect ratios. It's alright if everything is the same ratio, but if they're different then you should use the actual thing, which is pixel density. Higher pixel density is smaller pixels and smaller text.

 

24.0" 1920×1080 is 91.8 px/in

25.0" 2560×1080 is 111.4 px/in

25.0" 2560×1440 is 117.5 px/in

23.8" 2560×1440 is 123.4 px/in

 

My 25" 1440p is around the same as your 25" ultrawide, I don't use scaling but it depends on eyesight I suppose. A 27" 1440p might be better if that's a problem.

Hate to bug you with more questions, but I just found a pretty insane deal.

 

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_299&item_id=104562

 

It definitely doesn't look like it's anywhere near the best 4K panel out there. But it's an insane deal for the price. My one gripe would be gaming. I'll probably make a GPU upgrade somewhere down the line, but how will my 290X perform at 4K, with low to medium settings? Also, I've heard mixed opinions on downscaling resolution...is downscaling the same as render scale? I only play a few light titles on the side, but I'd definitely like to have a playable experience.

[Glenwing]

34 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Hate to bug you with more questions, but I just found a pretty insane deal.

 

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_299&item_id=104562

 

It definitely doesn't look like it's anywhere near the best 4K panel out there. But it's an insane deal for the price. My one gripe would be gaming. I'll probably make a GPU upgrade somewhere down the line, but how will my 290X perform at 4K, with low to medium settings? Also, I've heard mixed opinions on downscaling resolution...is downscaling the same as render scale? I only play a few light titles on the side, but I'd definitely like to have a playable experience.

If you mean playing games at a lower resolution than your monitor, that is upscaling

 

If you mean actual downscaling as in NVIDIA DSR or AMD VSR, yes that is basically the same as render scale, but is more generalized so may not work as well as an ingame render scale option.

 

IMO a 1440p IPS monitor is a better option than a TN 4K monitor at the moment but it depends on prices I suppose.

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

7 minutes ago, Glenwing said:

If you mean playing games at a lower resolution than your monitor, that is upscaling

 

If you mean actual downscaling as in NVIDIA DSR or AMD VSR, yes that is basically the same as render scale, but is more generalized so may not work as well as an ingame render scale option.

 

IMO a 1440p IPS monitor is a better option than a TN 4K monitor at the moment but it depends on prices I suppose.

So would keeping the resolution in Windows but lowering it in games be a good idea? Will playing at, say, 1080p look worse than it would on a 28" native 1080p monitor?

 

Do you think I'll be able to get a playable experience at 4K with settings at medium to low? Playable for me is around 45 FPS. Or would I be better off just sticking with a 25" 1440p?

[Glenwing]

1 minute ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Will playing at, say, 1080p look worse than it would on a 28" native 1080p monitor?

Yes, it would look a bit worse, but it's not that big of a deal for images. It mostly affects text like on the desktop, but you would run at full resolution with scaling there, rather than lowering the desktop resolution.

2 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Do you think I'll be able to get a playable experience at 4K with settings at medium to low? Playable for me is around 45 FPS. Or would I be better off just sticking with a 25" 1440p?

You should be fine at lower settings.