Is it still worth it buying a CRT monitor as an alternative to a budget 144Hz monitor, assuming I'm mostly playing CS GO and older games?

[MISLcz]

Hello.

Do you think it is still worth it buying a 17"/19" CRT that can handle 120Hz at lower resolutions (800x600, 1024x768) for gaming (mostly older and fast paced games like Far Cry, CS GO) if I have a low budget atm (150 euro is optimal for me, but I can invest at most 240 euro)? I can get a 17" Hyundai CRT in very good condition for $15 locally, coupled with a $20 DisplayPort-VGA active adapter and a $15 thick VGA cable I think it's the most affordable and highest price/performance way for me to get into high-refresh, low motion blur gaming. What are the real drawbacks of CRT monitors, except the flicker, high power consumption and the thickness (none of that matters to me btw)? I heard CRT monitors are still the best budget choices in some ways like black level, color reproduction and so (especially with cheap TN panels). Is that true?

 

Thanks, MISLcz

(I'm new to this forum, so please don't hate me for doing something wrong regarding this post.)

[xriqn]

Should be fine.

[Blebekblebek]

So you are aim for higher frequency, but the question is does the CRT monitor you want to buy have 144hz or at least 120Hz?

My best CRT monitor was only outputting 85Hz at 1024x768, 75Hz at 1280x1024

 

I mean if the monitor you are looking also just capable at 60Hz, what's the point? I understand about ghosting and delay, but that was years ago.

 

[MISLcz]

Just now, Blebekblebek said:

So you are aim for higher frequency, but the question is does the CRT monitor you want to buy have 144hz or at least 120Hz?

My best CRT monitor was only outputting 85Hz at 1024x768, 75Hz at 1280x1024

 

I mean if the monitor you are looking also just capable at 60Hz, what's the point? I understand about ghosting and delay, but that was years ago.

 

The monitor I looked at is capable of 96kHz horizontal frequency, and 150Hz vertical frequency, and it's officially rated at 1600x1200 75Hz (I'll use that for older games) AND 1024x768 100Hz, so I assume 120+ Hz 800x600 should be perfectly fine to run without damaging or degrading the monitor.

[SolarNova]

Depends on the CRT.

 

The best CRT's can do high res and high hertz, whilst looking far better than LCD monitors today due to their self immisive nature.

 

IMO, if you can find a 'good' CRT, and can get it to u.. grab it before som1 else who knows a thing or two about CRT's does. Its a niche product now, but those who know CRT's, snap the good ones up quick.

 

Get the specs, see what it can do. hell for that price .. just grab it and find out.

 

Oh and you cant damage a monitor, it will ether do it or wont. No damage, just push it as far as it will go. CRT's have a good tendancy to go beyond their indicated specs. If its rated at 1600x1200 75hz, i wouldnt be surprised if you got get 85hz out of it at that res. You may be able to do somthing like 1440 x 1080 at 100hz.

[MISLcz]

15 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

Depends on the CRT.

 

The best CRT's can do high res and high hertz, whilst looking far better than LCD monitors today due to their self immisive nature.

 

IMO, if you can find a 'good' CRT, and can get it to u.. grab it before som1 else who knows a thing or two about CRT's does. Its a niche product now, but those who know CRT's, snap the good ones up quick.

 

Get the specs, see what it can do. hell for that price .. just grab it and find out.

 

Oh and you cant damage a monitor, it will ether do it or wont. No damage, just push it as far as it will go. CRT's have a good tendancy to go beyond their indicated specs. If its rated at 1600x1200 75hz, i wouldnt be surprised if you got get 85hz out of it at that res. You may be able to do somthing like 1440 x 1080 at 100hz.

The 17" monitor I want to grab is not really THAT good IMO, but I think it should be enough to introduce me into CRT. It's a region-specific Hyundai model btw.

 

About damaging a monitor: I think it's definitely possible if I screw up the timings, more often than not the failsafes trigger when I set the timings too high, but long-term it may not be good.

 

Also the ad for the monitor is 3 weeks old, and nobody has grabbed that monitor yet...

[SolarNova]

If its ur 1st CRT, i think ull be amazed at the contrast compared to the POS LCD's that have overtaken the market.

 

Personaly i use a Plasma, and i cant stand the thought of one day having to replace it when it pops, with an LCD.

Thankfully OLED, and to some degree microLED, are slowly making there way into mainstream markets.

 

if i could get my hands on a Sony GDM FW900 24" 16:10 CRT monitor, i'd most certainly snap it up. alass, they are super rare nowdays.

[MISLcz]

10 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

If its ur 1st CRT, i think ull be amazed at the contrast compared to the POS LCD's that have overtaken the market.

 

Personaly i use a Plasma, and i cant stand the thought of one day having to replace it when it pops, with an LCD.

Thankfully OLED, and to some degree microLED, are slowly making there way into mainstream markets.

 

if i could get my hands on a Sony GDM FW900 24" 16:10 CRT monitor, i'd most certainly snap it up. alass, they are super rare nowdays.

I used a shitty 60Hz CRT a looong time ago when I was fixing my granddad's PC, but I don't remember much of that, except for that it flickered a bit

 

BTW: The Hyundai 17" I originally wanted (specs: Maximal resolution 1600x1200/75Hz, Recommended resolution 1024x768/100Hz, Horizontal refresh: 96kHz, Vertical Refresh 150Hz) is probably good for around 15 euro, I also found another ad selling a Hyundai 19" monitor (specs: 1600x1200/85Hz, 1280x1024/85Hz, 1024x768/100Hz, 800x600/85Hz, 640x480/120 Hz, Horizontal refresh 110kHz, Vertical Refresh 150Hz), it's more expensive though at around 30 euro incl. shipping, and the seller would probably need to ship it through the entire country. What do you think about it? I can't decide! Is it easy to damage a CRT in shipping?

[SolarNova]

Could always just get both lol.

 

Personaly, i like bigger screens, its why i use a 42" Plasma, though i admit i prefer 37", and owuld like a higher PPI.. but i digress.

 

I'd go for the 19" model personaly. but CRT's being as old as they are, they are both likely in different condition, without beign able to pick the monitor up urself and thus get to see it in action before buying, your just goign to have take a gamble. Do you have room for the bigger one ? are u ok with potentialy burning 30 euro vs burning 15 euro . If the answer is yes to both then grab it.

[MISLcz]

Just now, SolarNova said:

Could always just get both lol.

 

Personaly, i like bigger screens, its why i use a 42" Plasma, though i admit i prefer 37", and owuld like a higher PPI.. but i digress.

 

I'd go for the 19" model personaly. but CRT's being as old as they are, they are both likely in different condition, without beign able to pick the monitor up urself and thus get to see it in action before buying, your just goign to have take a gamble. Do you have room for the bigger one ? are u ok with potentialy burning 30 euro vs burning 15 euro . If the answer is yes to both then grab it.

Yes I'll probably grab both and see what they turn out to be, I have enough room for both storage and usage of CRTs, so that should be a non-issue. The price is a small concern, since I'll also have to buy an active convertor from Displayport to VGA, but that costs 20 euro, which is not that much.

[SolarNova]

In that case i wish you luck Hope they are in good condition.