Tired of the 15″ monitor that came with your Dell? Maybe you’re thinking about a larger monitor, because 22″ and up monitors were too expensive when you bought the one you’re using now. LCD monitors are certainly cheaper than they’ve ever been, with 24″ models now available for less than $250.
You’re not dumb. You can read the specs. These new, cheap monitors all have fast response times and great contrast ratios. What’s not to like? Where’s the catch?
LCD monitor panels are designed using one of three LCD technologies:
- TN (twisted nematic) TN type LCDs are the oldest, least expensive, and least accurate LCD display technology. They are also fast, offering some of the fastest response times. Chances are that if the monitor is advertised as 2ms, it’s a TN.TN panels are all 6 bit color instead of 8 bit, so they do not reproduce the full color spectrum that other displays do. They try, by various methods of cheating, but it’s no substitute for true 8 bit color. This is a big deal if you do image or video editing, and if you’re anything like me, it sticks out like a sore thumb when you see a TN monitor.
The other problem with TN panels is the viewing angle. Whereas VA and IPS panel types have excellent horizontal and vertical off-axis viewing, TN panels are only good from straight on. I’m not kidding. My 17″ laptop has a TN panel, and I can see the display anomalies caused by the technology from the center of the screen to the corners when I am sitting directly in front of it. Now imagine how much worse it gets on a 22″ or 24″. Here’s a video to demonstrate the off-axis image quality of a TN panel vs an IPS panel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG7XNwbUYEM
It’s pretty clear what I am talking about.
All that aside, not everyone is as picky as I am. If your usage is light or if your computer time is predominantly spent gaming, you may be happy with an inexpensive TN panel.
- VA (vertical alignment) VA panels (PVA, MVA, S-PVA, ASVA) are the middle solution. Much better viewing angle, good color reproduction, probably the best contrast and blackest blacks, cheaper to produce than IPS panles. The knock against VA panels has been input lag and color shifting. The input lag may be a deal breaker if you’re a gamer. As far as color shifting, it’s noticeable if you’re looking for it, but VA panels are vastly superior to TN for overall color reproduction.A VA panel may be a slightly less expensive alternative to an IPS panel if you need true color on a budget, or are just sensitive to image quality. I’m using one now (Viewsonic VX2025WM, S-PVA) , and the gripes I have against VA technology are nothing that would keep me from owning another. Samsung used to be one of the big proponents of VA monitors, but they’ve mostly gone the TN way of late. Too bad, using PVA is probably why they garnered a reputation for good displays in the first place.
- IPS (in plane switching) Developed by Hitachi in 1996 to address the shortcomings of TN design, IPS panels are generally considered the pinnacle when it comes to image quality, viewing angle and color reproduction. This comes at a price however; as IPS panels cost more to make, the consumer pays the price. Ever wondered why Apple gets so much for their displays? IPS.The other drawback to IPS has historically been response time. This detriment has been pretty much wiped out, with IPS panels in 6ms and 8ms pretty common.
A good deal on a 24″ IPS monitor would be something just under $600. This is a huge leap for someone looking at a sub-$300 24″ TN. Dell may be coming to the rescue though.
The first monitor using E-IPS, an IPS design that costs less to produce, hit the market early this year. The Dell 2209WA LCD monitor is a 22″ IPS panel that boasts 5 ms response times, full 8 bit color, 1000:1 contrast ratio and a height adjustable stand. For less than $300. Cnet Australia calls the 2209WA the best 22″ monitor they’ve ever tested, and web forums are abuzz with positive end user impressions of the 2209WA. It’s been verified that this monitor uses an IPS panel made by LG. This is an incredible development, and hopefully more monitors using E-IPS panels will start flooding the market.
If you need 1920×1200 and can wait, you may see one of these in a 24″ being announced before too long. If you need one now, and if you can live with 1680×1050, this monitor is a very attractive 22″ alternative to a 24″ TN. I ordered one two days ago, and I’ll post my impressions in the comments section after it arrives.
You are going to spend a lot of time in front of your new monitor. Whether your work depends on the quality of the image it renders, or just your eyes, you owe it to yourself to get the best image you can afford.
There is no substitute for letting your own eyes decide, and in the instance of monitors I think it’s a good idea to do some in-person window shopping, even if you intend to make an online purchase. Web forums and Newegg reviews are another useful resource, but remember that not everyone is educated about the subject and read between the lines. Someone else’s caviar just may be your cup ramen.
My personal recommendation is to do your homework and try to find a monitor you can afford that uses either VA or IPS technology. That’s not saying that there may not be some off brand IPS monitor that isn’t as good as a quality TN, but generally speaking you’ll be better off with one of those technologies in a known brand. If the VA or IPS 24″ you found on Newegg is $250 more than the TN monitor you’re also looking at, consider what you will be doing with it and how long you are going to keep it. It very well may be one of those instances where waiting and spending more money is the wiser choice than the instant gratification a cheap, big, new TN monitor will provide in the long run.
