[UltraShy]

I have an ancient beast, a 21" Dell Trinitron CRT, that seems like it may not have much more life left in it. It's 9-years old. Back then this 70# monster cost $700.

Any suggestions on what size, brand, and model to replace it with? Cost really isn't an issue here since it seems all monitors are cheap compared to what I paid back in 2000 and all can be lifted with one hand.

Despite my notoriety on this board for cheapness, I actually think quality is important too and look for value -- quality at a decent price. Quality kind of matters to me when buying something I'd expect to keep for many years to come such at this.

 

[companioncube]

get a 22" widescreen LCD, they are about £140-£200 for decent ones. if you got some cash then get a 24" for a £200-400. Dell Ultrasharp 24" (widescreen) is still considered one of the best monitors, samsung are also are good brand

 

[David1976]

I couldn't stand it myself looking at an old dell 17" crt... so I upgraded to a dell 22" widescreen... it is not HD but that does not matter to me... I got it for about $170....

 

[UltraShy]

I couldn't stand it myself looking at an old dell 17" crt... so I upgraded to a dell 22" widescreen... it is not HD but that does not matter to me... I got it for about $170....

They have HD monitors? I wasn't even aware of that. I guess I thought all monitors were high definition, since even a DVD looks grainy when viewed on my ancient monitor. Unlike old TV sets where you can very easily see every pixel up close it's hard to make out individual pixels even on this ancient monitor.

 

[PolarBear]

I just bought a widescreen 24" Samsung 245T a couple of months ago and its great. Kind of expensive though.

 

[warcraft]

Screen door effect affects only projectors and some rear projection tvs.
All monitors capable of 1920x1200 are HD (current HD standard is 1080p)
"HD monitors" are 1920x1080 and are only good for movies, it is actually a defect.
All samsung monitors are TN panels, which has zero quality.
Samsung makes good tvs, not monitors.

 

[WinterDave]

These monitors have free shipping and good reviews....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236053

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001317

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005125

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254005

 

[altspoon]

I got a Samsung 2333 sw a little while ago, which I like alot. I paid 160$. If you get a monitor thats around 22-24" expect to pay 140-220 as a good deal. But bear in mind that all these monitors are going to be 60hz, have similar resolutions, limited viewing angle, and be 6-bit (TN) monitors (see http://compreviews.about.com/od/multimedia/a/LCDColor.htm). The only difference in this price range would be the contrast ratio (do not go based on dynamic contrast).

So I guess what I'm trying to say is... find a deal on www.slickdeals.net, because they have monitors on there all the time! and alot of people on there give their thumbs up or thumbs down on the products too.

I would recommend my Samsung, but its definitely not top-of-the-line, expect to pay more for those (they are 8-bit, have hdmi connections, have amazing viewing angles, and have articulating mounts.)

 

[UltraShy]

All samsung monitors are TN panels, which has zero quality.
Samsung makes good tvs, not monitors.

If Samsung monitors are junk, is there a brand you'd recommend?

 

[UltraShy]

...expect to pay more for those (they are 8-bit, have hdmi connections, have amazing viewing angles, and have articulating mounts.)

I don't even know what an hdmi connection is. As for viewing angle, not sure that matters since I've used my computer for the last 9 years in this same position with me sitting dead center in front of it with the screen about arm's length from me.

As for articulating mounts, I'm going to guess that's the fancy term for a base that adjusts the height. I can adjust the angle of my ancient behemoth, but no adjustment for height. Of course, it's probably easier to make an item that is adjustable when it doesn't have a 70# weight in need of adjustment.

 

[PolarBear]

Screen door effect affects only projectors and some rear projection tvs.
All monitors capable of 1920x1200 are HD (current HD standard is 1080p)
"HD monitors" are 1920x1080 and are only good for movies, it is actually a defect.
All samsung monitors are TN panels, which has zero quality.
Samsung makes good tvs, not monitors.

My samsung monitor is NOT a TN panel. S-PVA all the way

 

[altspoon]

I don't even know what an hdmi connection is. As for viewing angle, not sure that matters since I've used my computer for the last 9 years in this same position with me sitting dead center in front of it with the screen about arm's length from me.

As for articulating mounts, I'm going to guess that's the fancy term for a base that adjusts the height. I can adjust the angle of my ancient behemoth, but no adjustment for height. Of course, it's probably easier to make an item that is adjustable when it doesn't have a 70# weight in need of adjustment.

If you don't need that crap, then f it, get one like this:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?threadid=1498757

looks decent. And its a REALLY good deal, you just have to be ok with a rebate/cashback.

From my understanding the quality of the screen will be about the same as other monitors, things like the power consumption and build quality will be what varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, I guess you could get a feel for stuff like that from newegg reviews.

 

[WinterDave]

I don't know anything about computer monitors but this looks like a low cost, good one....
A top seller with good reviews, at a low cost, and from a reputable dealer....Free shipping,
$160, and winner of a 'Customer Choice Award'.....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145

Newegg buyers are very savvy! If this is the monitor that everyone is buying then I would go for it! I don't know if you will need a cable for it, and free shipping usually lasts for a week or less.You should check what connections your video card allows....

Or maybe this one since shipping is only nine bucks....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236051

Like I said, it all depends on what connections your video card can handle....

 

[WinterDave]

Just remember that rebates can be notoriously hard to collect sometimes.You have a very short window to mail them in, along with the UPC bar code from the monitor's box.And once you do that, you can no longer return it for a refund.And that most mail order companies won't allow you to return it as defective with free shipping, unless it has THREE dead pixels! And shipping a monitor back at your own cost could be rather expensive! I got a 19" LCD monitor from Newegg a couple of years ago for about $225.With the current deals, you cannot go wrong! Local stores will add about a hundred dollars or more to the price! Newegg is where all the computer savvy people buy their parts from! Dave

 

[WinterDave]

Wow!! Unless I am seriously mistaken, Newegg just dropped the cost of the above mentioned monitor down ANOTHER $20 in the past ten minutes!! And it includes a VGA and DVI cable!!
A top seller, with free shipping, a "Customer Choice Award' winner now for $140 instead of the $160 that it was a few minutes ago!! BUY THIS MONITOR IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145

I already have a 19" LCD monitor, but a $140 bucks for the above 22" monitor with free shipping is such a great deal that I might buy one myself!!

 

[WinterDave]

Oh well, the $20 discount that New Egg was offering on this monitor is now over....

 

[UltraShy]

I'm now looking at SAS with a new monitor. I bought an Acer 23" model H233H for $169.99 + tax at Best Buy.

At 5 AM I just about had an f'ing heart attack when it became clear that my old monitor was basically dead, since the net is my lifeline to the world and shopping for a monitor is a form of torture to me. I hate shopping with a passion.

It took me four drinks & couple bars of Xanax to go to bed till 10 AM when I got up and went out to look at a few stores. My old monitor had been having trouble for a while, but it's really dying now. The pic would become blurry and then there would be this electrical arcing sound and it would be clear again only to quickly go blurry again. The other week I thought I was getting old and just need reading glasses or my contacts had moved out of place, but no, it was just a blurry monitor.

I was shocked to find out how easy this thing was to set up. Just plugged in the power cord and VGA cable and it all looks really nice.

The screen is below my line of vision, but I guess I'll either get used to that or shove something under the base to raise it.

Now as an OCD hoarder I have far more room left on my table to store even more junk with a flat panel that takes up so much less real estate.

I hope I made a decent choice. I also suffer from obsessive second guessing, but so far looks good right out of the box.

 

[UltraShy]

And shipping a monitor back at your own cost could be rather expensive!

That would be one reason I was hesitant about buying online. I also sort of needed it now, which a local store can provide. At the moment I can't manage to find any dead pixels on this monitor, something I had worried about since I've heard of that problem before in addition to Dave's comment about returning one with 3+ dead pixels.

I also worry about shipping because United Package Smashers (or UPS as they prefer) generally look like they use boxes for footballs, brutalizing them in the most sadistic manner possible. At least at a physical store I can see if the box looks like it was to hell & back and avoid it if it was.

 

[coldmorning]

The screen is below my line of vision, but I guess I'll either get used to that or shove something under the base to raise it.

I have a similar acer display and you can probably tilt the display to face upwards if it's too low. This is supposed to better for your eyes too (looking slightly downward rather than straight ahead). It's suggested that the top of the display be slightly lower than eye level.

 

[UltraShy]

I have a similar acer display and you can probably tilt the display to face upwards if it's too low. This is supposed to better for your eyes too (looking slightly downward rather than straight ahead). It's suggested that the top of the display be slightly lower than eye level.

Yeah, it tilts and I have it tilted as far back (upward) as it goes.

The top of the screen is about an inch below my eye level as suggested. I haven't read anything about what level is better for your eyes, so I don't know. I'll probably get used to it. It's just that after 9 years with my previous monitor I'm used to things being a certain way and change always seems a bit odd till you get used to it and it becomes the new normal. This is just like when I finally got a car with automatic and for a number of weeks I'd find my left foot reflexively trying to step on a clutch that isn't there every time I was coming to a stop, since I'd been trained to do that by 14 years of driving nothing but sticks.

I guess most folks probably are looking downward. After all, if you're using a laptop and have it on your lap or even a table it's certainly way below eye level.