Best office use computer monitor

[JHZR2]

FWIW, I have a Dell 2408WFPb. Curious if I can do better at this point for an office monitor. A little bigger, like to say 27" would be OK, as I routinely use my monitor to have multiple people looking at stuff. But Im not sold on going bigger just to go bigger, if there isnt compelling picture quality benefit.

My computers can support dual display link, DVI and VGA as needed.

I willnever be watching movies on it, but graphics of technical stuff will be viewed, as will a lot of text and presentations.

Is there a monitor to go with better than what I have?

 

[xBa380]

Go for a IPS display of some sort.

 

[Jeffy_D]

Samsung monitors.... Cant go wrong with them.

ViewSonic and benQ are good too based on my experience.

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
FWIW, I have a Dell 2408WFPb. Curious if I can do better at this point for an office monitor. A little bigger, like to say 27" would be OK, as I routinely use my monitor to have multiple people looking at stuff. But Im not sold on going bigger just to go bigger, if there isnt compelling picture quality benefit.

My computers can support dual display link, DVI and VGA as needed.

I willnever be watching movies on it, but graphics of technical stuff will be viewed, as will a lot of text and presentations.

Is there a monitor to go with better than what I have?


Honestly, the key thing to look at is the resolution. PPI.

1080 is the norm now. 1440 is the minimum I'd go for larger screens.

 

[JHZR2]

My main criteria is that the monitor doesnt use pwm on the backlight. Some reading I've done indicates that pwm backlighting causes a flicker that may not be visible, but can cause eye strain and headaches - I'm succeptible to this, and between the flicker that I assume is happening, plus the heavy anti-glare coating, I think I now know why my otherwise strong eyes have a hard time when spending too much time at the monitor.

I'm considering the Samsung S27B970D, which is a $1k monitor, though at that price, I wonder off if I'm better off with an apple display.

 

[simple_gifts]

"good monitor" is really a subjective type of choice just like "good stereo speakers" You can look @ stats, but in the end if you don't like what you are looking @ (or listening to), do the superior stats make any difference?

I would never buy a monitor without first seeing it "on and in person" I assume, with your backlight issues, you are taking this approach?

That being said, I am still using a 19" hand me down CRT trinitron running @ 85Hz.

 

[BearZDefect]

If you frequently read rather small text then beware that many of the IPS panels have a coarse anti-glare coating that makes the edge of text glittery. Maybe it would not bother you, but you would avoid it with an Apple (glossy) monitor. With your budget of $1k a 27" Apple might be the best choice.

Samsung makes a whole spectrum of monitors, more good than not, but you can't count on the brand alone to determine quality. I have seen good and bad from Samsung. The monitor I'm using now is a Samsung S22A650D, this one works for me but is not what you're looking for.

I agree that you probably want some kind of IPS/PLS panel.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts


I would never buy a monitor without first seeing it "on and in person" I assume, with your backlight issues, you are taking this approach?




You and I both know that is easier said than done, unless you want to be constrained to the pitiful options present at, say, best buy.

I dont even know that I have a "backlight issue". I just believe that on my work monitor, the dell U2408, my eyes tire easier (which may be a subjective thing and I dont have any concrete proof to this statement), but the PWM eyestrain discussions that are all over the internet would imply that such is the case...

Unfortuately the approach as taken that way may b to buy and return multiple monitors...

Fortunately there is good info out there, which is why Im leanign towards a higher end samsung which does not use pwm.

My dell has been stated to have a really thick AG coating, which I guess could be part of it too...

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
If you frequently read rather small text then beware that many of the IPS panels have a coarse anti-glare coating that makes the edge of text glittery. Maybe it would not bother you, but you would avoid it with an Apple (glossy) monitor. With your budget of $1k a 27" Apple might be the best choice.

Samsung makes a whole spectrum of monitors, more good than not, but you can't count on the brand alone to determine quality. I have seen good and bad from Samsung. The monitor I'm using now is a Samsung S22A650D, this one works for me but is not what you're looking for.

I agree that you probably want some kind of IPS/PLS panel.


I dont beliee my U2408 Dell is an IPS panel, but my reading seems to indicate that it has one of these really thick AG coatings on it.

Im leaning towards an upper end samsung 27". The apple monitor has a built in camera and stuff like that makes use at work a problem (no cameras on laptops, phones, etc).

 

[BearZDefect]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts

I would never buy a monitor without first seeing it "on and in person" I assume, with your backlight issues, you are taking this approach?


You and I both know that is easier said than done, unless you want to be constrained to the pitiful options present at, say, best buy....

I agree with you both, from my experience.

 

[JOD]

I have this one here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as..._-pla-_-NA-_-NA

It's only 24", but it's 16:10 vs. 16:9, so it gives you some more screen real estate. After using this monitor and having an IPS screen on my laptop, I really don't think I could go back to a TN panel. I absolutely love this thing. It was well-calibrated right out of the box, which is nice. I think this is the best deal out there in an external monitor.

My wife is using the same monitor that you're currently using and I like this WAY better; the 16:10 layout is nicer and the color reproduction seems several orders of magnitude better. Plus, the better viewing angles of the IPS monitor end up making a bigger difference than you'd think (at least it does for me). The only downside is if you're watching HD movies made for 16:9, but since you said that's not an issue, this seems like a no-brainer.

 

[BearZDefect]

Here is a clean link for the Dell U2412M that JOD wrote about:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260047

Dell direct has had a few special prices on them since they came out too.

I seriously considered that monitor, but after the anti-glare text glitter problem with another Dell UltraSharp I had, and reviews indicating the coating was still coarse, I did not buy it.

Otherwise, the U2412M was right on target for what I wanted and the price was right.

 

[JHZR2]

The question is if that U2412M has the issues that I know of on my Dell U2408WFP. My AG coating is grainy and takes sharpness away, the screen is a bit too blueish, which may be my fault from calibration, and the PWM for backlight dimming is really bad so it strains my eyes...

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The question is if that U2412M has the issues that I know of on my Dell U2408WFP. My AG coating is grainy and takes sharpness away, the screen is a bit too blueish, which may be my fault from calibration, and the PWM for backlight dimming is really bad so it strains my eyes...


I use it for text only, and frankly my eyes are starting to get 'not good' for reading--and to my eyes the text is clear and sharp. Reading the reviews on newegg it appears that most people feel the same way. That said, buying it sight-unseen, you may just have to try it out. They're good with returns if you don't like it. Personally, I really like having the AG coating. Text is WAY more sharp than on the U2408WFP, although I don' know if the AG coating is different or it's just a function of the different screen.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Text is WAY more sharp than on the U2408WFP



How do you know this?

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: JOD
Text is WAY more sharp than on the U2408WFP



How do you know this?


because I've had them both hooked up to the same laptop--at the same time. I mentioned up thread that my wife is still using the U2408. Of course, a bunch of caveats apply: hers is much older than mine and has seen daily use for 3-4 years, there always seems to be some variability within a model, and this is my subjective observation. Still, to my eyes there is a noticeable different in text clarity.

 

[JHZR2]

Got it, saw it and forgot it. Do you know if the backlight uses PWM?

Thanks!

 

[JHZR2]

Unfortunately it looks like the answer is yes...

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
Here is a clean link for the Dell U2412M that JOD wrote about:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260047

Dell direct has had a few special prices on them since they came out too.


I run a pair of these monitors and also a laptop monitor and beyond happy. I paid ~$280 shipped per each. One is running on a USB>DVI adapter. I use them to develop web applications.

 

[JHZR2]

This is one of the annoying things on the 2408 monitor:

I guess it is ghosting?