It's impossible to pick a monitor!

noludoru

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#1
GAHHHHH!

I'm still using this poor laptop because I haven't picked a monitor yet. Why? Because I have NO IDEA WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. I know I want a flat screen + flat (panel?) monitor. I know I want it to be at least as large as the one I had before, and larger is okay but not necessary. The one I had that crapped out on me after 4ish years is 18" diagonally, 12 inches tall.

Past that, I have no. freaking. clue.

Can anyone help? I'm clearly not using google to search for the right terms. I need " a guide to picking out monitors for dummies," or something. Or someone on here who can help. And anything $250 or so and under is game! No Dells. No Gateways.

Help? Please? I KNOW some of you know computers like the backs of your hands. ANY, any any advice at all is welcome.
 

eddieq

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#4
The 2nd one RedHot posted (the 2253BW) is the same one I listed, but without the webcam and speakers, FWIW. Can't go wrong with either, IMO.
 

GlassOnion

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#6
I'd highly recommend a Samsung. They have a 3 year warranty on all their monitors.

I recently had to claim on my warranty (after having the monitor for 2.5 years) and they sent me a new monitor, had me plug it in to make sure it worked, then send my broken one to them. I didn't go a day without a monitor (other than it already malfunctioning). Good customer service too.

Their website sucks, though. Can't get anything done on it.
 

eddieq

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#7
Samsung is getting to be pretty high end in low cost consumer electronics. I'd recommend them, even though GO doesn't seem to care for them :p
 

96 GTS

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#8
I've had a little 15" Samsung for 3.5 years and I've never had a single issue with it. I'd recommend them, even if Eddie doesn't :p
 

noludoru

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#9
Okay, I'm open to Samsungs then. LOL! Just no Dells or Gateways, my parents have loads of them at work and they break all the time. My old one was a Gateway.
 

Nechochwen

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#10
I've got two LG's, one 19" and one 20". I highly recommend them. They have a great contrast ratio (2000:1), good brightness, they run pretty cool, and I've never had any issues with either of them. They also both cost less than $300.

As for specs, what you want is an LCD. CRT's are big, heavy, they run pretty hot, and they eat a ton of power. LCDs are always flat (like you said you were looking for), so you don't have to worry about that. The only issues you might have are dead pixels (pixels that are stuck to a certain color), which you might just have to deal with depending on the warranty you get. Some companies won't replace the monitor unless it has 8 dead pixels or more, so you'll have to look into that when you buy.

Your video card should have a DVI output, so make sure your monitor has a DVI-D port. It should be standard by now, but I'm not positive.

Response time is useless information. It doesn't matter at all unless you game extensively, and even then a response time of 8ms or less is good. It should be noted that there isn't a standard for how to measure response time, so manufacturers can use whatever they want to to get their number.

What are you using the computer for mostly? Any photo editing, gaming, or things like that? Or mostly just surfing chaz/ the web and checking email?
 

noludoru

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I've got two LG's, one 19" and one 20". I highly recommend them. They have a great contrast ratio (2000:1), good brightness, they run pretty cool, and I've never had any issues with either of them. They also both cost less than $300.

As for specs, what you want is an LCD. CRT's are big, heavy, they run pretty hot, and they eat a ton of power. LCDs are always flat (like you said you were looking for), so you don't have to worry about that. The only issues you might have are dead pixels (pixels that are stuck to a certain color), which you might just have to deal with depending on the warranty you get. Some companies won't replace the monitor unless it has 8 dead pixels or more, so you'll have to look into that when you buy.

Your video card should have a DVI output, so make sure your monitor has a DVI-D port. It should be standard by now, but I'm not positive.

Response time is useless information. It doesn't matter at all unless you game extensively, and even then a response time of 8ms or less is good. It should be noted that there isn't a standard for how to measure response time, so manufacturers can use whatever they want to to get their number.

What are you using the computer for mostly? Any photo editing, gaming, or things like that? Or mostly just surfing chaz/ the web and checking email?
Photo editing - a lot of it. Web browsing. A little bit of gaming, Sims 2... stuff like that. Not much. I need something that isn't distorted (ie what looks like a circle on my screen looks like an oval to everyone else that's how this laptop is, and ow my monitor is as well. it make it hard to eyeball stuff, I have to measure) and had good color.

THANK YOU for the info about dead pixels.. wouldn't have thought of that, ever. The DVI thingy I already knew, that was one of the few things I understood from googling. I don't think it's standard yet. And I wont worry about response time.. thank you.. I thought that was important. Glad to know it's one less thing to worry about.
 

Nechochwen

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#13
For photo editing, make sure you have a decent/ high contrast ratio.

Also, I'd recommend going wide screen if you haven't already. And if at all possible, dual screens. Absolutely amazing. They make you more productive too, as you won't be switching between windows to look at different things. While I don't do any photo editing, I would imagine that having the original up on one screen and the version you're editing on the other would be pretty useful.

Also, what video card are you planning on getting/ have already got?
 

noludoru

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#14
I don't know. :eek: Um, how do I figure that out? Without actually turning on the other computer. Not that it matters, I guess, because if for some reason the video card wasn't good for the monitor we'd get one to go with. Dual screens we already discussed, and I don't want them. Probably will be getting a wide screen. My dad wants to dump like 1k on the huge ones... he's crazy. That, and I know how things would go. (With one of those super-wide ones or a dual)

"Hey Stef! I just came in here to use your computer. I wanted to try your screen out."

"Why do you have a password on your computer? I SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT. It's MY house, and I don't care if it's your computer, I want to use it! Tell me your password or I'll talk to your mother."

"I don't care what your mother says. This is my house and what I say goes. LET ME USE THE DAMNED COMPUTER."

And then one day, after many days of cleaning my keyboard, frantically virus-scanning my computer, and fabreezing my chair, the monitor would disappear. And then magically re-appear in his computer room

"Oh, you weren't using it enough, so I decided it would be better in here. Don't worry, you can still use it if you want to! It's not like it isn't your monitor anymore. But if you don't want it now, don't worry, I'll get you a new one! Just go find something you want at Best Buy. But since we're on a budget and we spent so much on this one, try to get something under $100, okay? We can't be wasting money."

.....and then I would be stuck in this position again. Looking for a monitor. So that's why my maximum size is 24", because that's the size he thinks is too small. If I get anything he likes that is what will happen - it's what happened with my computer/monitor/speakers before we got the wireless and I could get them out of his study (one day when he was gone I finally said enough is enough.. grabbed my stuff and moved it to my room and set it all up, and put his newly-fixed-but-lying-around-because-he-liked-mine-better computer together on his desk. There was so much arguing that week). He wants an excuse to get himself one of those things, and is pressuring me to get one so he'll have an excuse. I say he needs to be a big boy and buy his own d@amned monitor.

Um, sorry this turned into a rant. Anyhow, yeah, video cards. How do I know what kind of video card I have?
 

Nechochwen

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#15
I'm assuming you didn't build your own computer, so you probably bought it. What is the brand and model series (Like a Dell Dimension 4400, info along those lines.) You should be able to go to that company's website and find the specs for it. If not, no biggie. I was just curious.

Also... you dad sounds kinda like an ass. You might get away with making him his own profile on your computer, but restricting it to the most basic things (can't install or uninstall anything, can only use the basic functions, etc)
 

noludoru

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#16
A Gateway something. When I come back up here I'll get the name of it and look.

And yes, my dad is an ass. And a whole lot more. But I never, ever want him touching my computer again. To say that he leaves them "gross" would be an understatement. It's like school computers, except greasier and dandruff everywhere. I wont even speak of what he gets under the computer desk. The profile thing would be fine if he had some common decency and cleanliness, but since he doesn't, I'd rather get something he wont be a bit interested in.

Thanks, Necho! :D *shares virtual Ghirardelli brownies*
 

noludoru

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#18
They're so freaking good. They're the kind with extra dark chocolate and dark chocolate chips that get all melty inside...

Okay, I have to stop. Too much mouth watering. LOL
 

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