Please help me find an LCD monitor

March 11, 2007 9:29 AM

I am on the market for a 17" or 19" LCD monitor for my pc. I am looking for recommendations and/or reliable websites that rate these. It should have VGA 15 pin connection. I would like the TV capability(?) but this is not necessary. I am not a gamer - I use this mostly for my dissertation research. Thank for your help!
posted by eebs to computers & internet (15 answers total)

You can use this website "reviews.cnet.com". It might have the video of the LCD review to see as well. I got some good information there. Might want to just see what's hot on the market right now, and see if you would want that. Since the price will be a bit higher for a new product. Also, if you decide to buy Dell LCD monitor, you might want to check out www.techbargains.com for dell coupons. I got my money almost $300 - 400 off. However, this site should have many good deals on LCDs and everything else. Good luck purchasing the LCD. You made a right decision.
posted by o-thatswhy at 9:46 AM on March 11, 2007

My first LCD monitor was at work and it is a Dell. I've always been impressed with the quality... but I got that one a few years ago. I was at Best Buy a couple of weekends ago and picked up a Samsung SynchMaster 931B (19") for a little over $200, I'm really happy with it.
posted by jerryg99 at 10:07 AM on March 11, 2007

The Samsung SyncMaster line is excellent—I got a 712N a couple years ago and have been very happy with it. Samsung's LCDs are pretty much top of the line, and if you look a bit, you may be able to find a really good deal on one.

I haven't had such great experiences with Dell LCDs—they too often appear grainy, even with optimal settings.

Here's a list of specs to look at when buying an LCD.
posted by limeonaire at 10:34 AM on March 11, 2007

My BenQ FP937s has the most faithful color reproduction that I've seen on an LCD. Most others I've seen (like the Dell I have beside it) have issues with light grays being nearly indistinguishable from from white.

Dells have really nice stands though. If you're not web designing or anything, I'd probably just get a Dell.
posted by frenetic at 10:53 AM on March 11, 2007

Get a 19 inch, the price point between 17 and 19 is too small to bother.
posted by furtive at 11:27 AM on March 11, 2007

I've been happy with my NEC MultiSync 1770NX. At work I use a Dell 17" which has worked out pretty well so far. When shopping for a Dell, make sure you get one of the models with the DVI input in addition to the standard VGA. If someday you end up with a video card that has a DVI out, you will be much happier.
posted by zackola at 11:50 AM on March 11, 2007

I've been researching new LCDs also, and if you're going to be buying it online be sure to factor in shipping costs. Some places charge up to $20, amazon charges $10, and some sites have free shipping (current dell.com promotion, buy.com).
posted by puritycontrol at 12:33 PM on March 11, 2007

addendum: free shipping only on select monitors.
posted by puritycontrol at 12:38 PM on March 11, 2007

Be sure to check out the Dell Refurbished site. You can save quite a bit on their LCDs.
posted by odinsdream at 1:24 PM on March 11, 2007

Top two sellers at Newegg right now. I'm buying one of these soon.

Viewsonic

Sceptre

Full list of top sellers here. be sure to check out the customer reviews.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:11 PM on March 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

To second the first comment, CNET has a pretty good search engine that will let you specify what you want. In this case, I think pretty much any monitor will have a VGA input. I've had a Samsung SyncMaster LCD for years and it's fine. Check CNETs reviews ...
posted by intermod at 2:46 PM on March 11, 2007

I've found the Newegg user reviews helpful, and it's often the cheapest place to buy stuff.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:50 PM on March 11, 2007

I've got to agree about going to Newegg.com to do your research. They've got a search function that will help you select models with the features that you want, and the user reviews can be very helpful for narrowing your choice down from there.

I also agree with the previous response about getting a 19 inch because the price difference isn't that much. I'll go one further and suggest you also get a wide-screen, especially if you want to watch TV or DVDs on your PC. Again, the price difference is not that big.

I've bought both Viewsonic and Samsung monitors in the last year for home use. Both have a great picture, but the Viewsonic has an annoying "Digital Input" message that keeps popping up, and the cable cover on the back does not stay on securely enough. The Samsung monitors also tend to cost a little less.

Some of the Newegg reviewers complain about monitor stands that are not adjustable for height, but I've never found that to be very important, either for the monitors I use at home or at work. A good warranty however, always helps me sleep better at night.

BTW, if you're going to buy mail order, check out the vendor first at resellerratings.com
posted by 14580 at 6:15 PM on March 11, 2007

One more suggestion if you're running Windows XP. After you buy your new LCD monitor, try the ClearType Tuner from Microsoft. It can make a HUGE difference if you're reading a lot of text.

It's free. You can turn it on or off from the web site, or can download a small utility to activate and adjust it.
posted by 14580 at 8:29 PM on March 11, 2007

Hanns-G is making some of the cheapest monitors available right now. You should be able to find a 19" just over $100, which usually involves a rebate. If you don't like rebates, check ebay.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 2:00 PM on March 12, 2007