Computer recommendation?

[stoffe]

It looks like my computer monitor is getting close to breaking down, so I'll need to get a new one. The one I currently have is a roughly 6 years old Viewsonic P95f CRT monitor, which I've been happy with so far. It seems like most monitors on sale nowadays are LCD flat screens though, so I presumably have to get one of those.

 

I am however unsure how to compare the image quality of CRT and LCD screens based on their specs. I don't want the new monitor to feel like it's a downgrade in image quality from what I currently have.

 

When I bought a new computer a couple of years ago I got an LCD monitor along with it (a Viewsonic VA902), though the image quality on that one was so poor by comparison it ended up being relegated to use with my old computer instead of the new one. That screen was much too bright and unevenly lit, it couldn't show black (dark marine blue was the best it could muster), the colors felt washed out, and when you played movies or games in full screen it looked like there was a grey mesh, like a mosquito net, overlaid on the image. The colors and brightness also shifted radically if you move the head when looking at it.

 

I'd rather not have a repeat incident of that, so if anyone have any recommendations for a good 19" (1280x1024 native res) LCD monitor with image quality comparable to my P95f I'd appreciate it.

[ChAiNz.2da]

Are you dead set against an LCD? They have greatly improved within the last few years. Also, the lcd you listed... is it a VGA connector? If so, it could explain the craptacular blacks you are getting. DVI provides better contrast and pixel ratio.

 

My Dell UltraSharp 2407's have an absolutely gorgeous picture with true black, however it's beyond the 19" 1280x1024 stats you're looking for (and discontinued ). They do offer 19" in the UltraSharp line though.. plus you get the benefits of widescreen and Hi-Def. Product Link

 

However, if you'd much prefer a CRT, I'll keep an eye out. I always had great results with Samsung back in the CRT days.

[Astrotoy7]

DO you want screen real estate? Doing work or looking at a web page, you can just have heaps of things up and not be cramped for space. Would be great for modding/animating, and those into video editing etc.

 

30" Samsung 305T.

There is a dell equivalent. With the newer ones being HDCP and display port ready. Of course HDCP is irrelevant at 2560x1600p But if you want to slum it and drop to 1080p/720p to plug a ps3 in for example, you also need a analogue conversion device like teh HDFury. Converting a beautiful digital signal to analogue for the sake of a ps3 is a war crime IMO

 

Im currently playing Mass Effect on it, tis a thing of beauty. apologies the pic is a bit dark as my study is darkly lit...

Show spoiler

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or if that is a bit excessive

D333 got one of these recently >> Its my next choice after the above You might want to PM her for a review

samsung T240

 

Why do I recommend samsung? Same panels and sony lcds. 3 year warranty for most models straight off the bat.

 

There are some great CRTs as far as picture quality, BUT finding a high rez one is hard, expecially dual link DVI for HD output, and space-wsie they are massive! yucko.

 

mtfbwya

[stingerhs]

well, i just picked up an Acer P243W 24" LCD monitor a couple months ago, and i still can't get over how excellent this monitor is. everything looks amazing including the games i play on it (Mass Effect, Crysis, etc). a big plus is the HDMI port in addition to a DVI and VGA port. it allows me to use my Xbox 360 in addition to my computer with this monitor, and games at digital 1080p is pure awesomeness.

 

to compare it to other widescreen LCD monitors, the only thing it lacks is more connectivity options and USB ports (which some monitors feature). it can also only do 60Hz at 1080p and at its max res of 1920x1200, but that's not really that big of an issue. the only thing better is a bigger monitor, and given that mine was around $500, a bigger monitor is going to be one heck of a sore spot on your wallet.

[stoffe]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a look at those and see if they're available anywhere near here.

 

Are you dead set against an LCD? They have greatly improved within the last few years.

 

My Dell UltraSharp 2407's have an absolutely gorgeous picture with true black, however it's beyond the 19" 1280x1024 stats you're looking for (and discontinued )

 

I'm not opposed to getting an LCD if the image quality is good enough that it doesn't feel like I'm downgrading from what I currently have. My last brief foray into LCD monitors didn't end well, but it's possible I just got a poor model, and that LCDs have improved since then.

 

My current screen is a 19" monitor which I run in 1280x1024 resolution, and my games work well with that, so I was thinking of getting something similar for familiarity's sake. Don't know how much performance in games and full-screen video is affected by higher resolutions. If it isn't very noticeable I might get a bigger monitor. I won't be able to get a new computer for another half year or so, so the screen will have to work with what I have now.

 

I'm not very knowledgeable about computer hardware, so it feels like a gamble when buying new gear.

[Astrotoy7]

1280x1024 reaches critical mass at 19". Maintaining that rez on a larger screen makes it look fuzzy like a low grade plasma tv

 

Before you splurge on a hi-rez monitor, best mention what your vid card is. No point having a HD monitor if your card doesn't really like games above 1280x1024

 

mtfbwya

[stoffe]

Before you splurge on a hi-rez monitor, best mention what your vid card is. No point having a HD monitor if your card doesn't really like games above 1280x1024

 

I got an ATI Radeon X1900 XT card currently (AMD Athlon 64 3500+ processor running at 2.2 GHz in the computer).

[Astrotoy7]

Ah, the x1900XT. Awesome in their day, and still pretty darn good now.. You can definitely squeeze a bit more than 1280x1024 out of that for most titles. (exc. crysis of course )

 

mtfbwya

[stoffe]

From the recommendations in this thread I've been looking around a bit at different Samsung monitors. Judging by what I can make of the specs it seems like Samsung T220 might be an OK choice. It's a big bigger than what I currently have, but hopefully not so big that my aging computer won't be able to manage.

 

Do anyone here have any experiences with this particular model, or can tell from the specs if this could be an acceptable upgrade for someone used to a good CRT monitor?

[ChAiNz.2da]

I'm not familiar with the particular model, however I've never been disappointed with Samsung. My 2 old CRT's are still in pristine shape and serve me well.

 

The 1000:1 ration is nice as well, especially on a 22" model. My 24" (Dell 2407 WFP) has the same specs and is exceptionally sharp when dealing with the white to black ratio. Though they do go quite higher nowadays, the 1000:1 is not shabby by any means and works quite well in both personal and professional working environments.

[stoffe]

I'm not familiar with the particular model, however I've never been disappointed with Samsung. My 2 old CRT's are still in pristine shape and serve me well.

 

The 1000:1 ration is nice as well, especially on a 22" model. My 24" (Dell 2407 WFP) has the same specs and is exceptionally sharp when dealing with the white to black ratio. Though they do go quite higher nowadays, the 1000:1 is not shabby by any means and works quite well in both personal and professional working environments.

 

Looking around some more I found there's apparently even more complicating matters; different LCD panel types. I found this page which seems to offer a decent description of the different types.

 

From the description there and elsewhere it seems that many of the problems I experienced with my first shot at LCD monitors a year ago, (backlight bleeding, poor color representation that shifts radically when moving your head, a gray dither/mesh washing out the image making it look like you have a mosquito net in front of the screen when playing full-screen games and videos) are associated with "TN" type panels. So I should probably not get a monitor of that type to avoid being disappointed again.

 

Problem is just that I don't know how to check what type of panel a particular monitor has?

[ChAiNz.2da]

From the description there and elsewhere it seems that many of the problems I experienced with my first shot at LCD monitors a year ago, (backlight bleeding, poor color representation that shifts radically when moving your head, a gray dither/mesh washing out the image making it look like you have a mosquito net in front of the screen when playing full-screen games and videos) are associated with "TN" type panels. So I should probably not get a monitor of that type to avoid being disappointed again.

 

Problem is just that I don't know how to check what type of panel a particular monitor has?

Yeah, the descriptions are very hard to find (specifics). The 'TFT Active Matrix' or 'TFT LCD' descriptions are pretty much useless since most LCD panels are grouped as this.

 

I have found 2 entries supporting that the monitor you had in mind is a 'TN' subtype though (click the specifications tab):

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001273

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/572808-REG/Samsung_T220_Touch_of_Color_T220.html

 

Whenever you go looking, be sure to check the "specifications" tab. Even if you're not going to buy from them.. some sites provide a bit better information. Hope that helps.

[Negative Sun]

How could I forget my favourite site regarding monitors?

 

T220 review

^ Wow it gets 5 stars, not many screens manage that on that site

Plus it looks friggin' awesome!

 

37 22" screens tested and reviewed

[Darth333]

From the recommendations in this thread I've been looking around a bit at different Samsung monitors. Judging by what I can make of the specs it seems like Samsung T220 might be an OK choice. It's a big bigger than what I currently have, but hopefully not so big that my aging computer won't be able to manage.

 

Do anyone here have any experiences with this particular model, or can tell from the specs if this could be an acceptable upgrade for someone used to a good CRT monitor?

 

I bought the T240 (the t220's bigger brother) about a month ago and I like it (I like it a lot more than my previous Samsung 226BW). It's a TN panel but they are much better than what they were a few years ago. Color representation is good (however I adjusted the factory settings which never really satisfy me) and it does not "shift when moving your head" (the image stays clear and bright).

 

FYI I also had a P95f in the past which was, until a month ago, still sitting at a workstation at my parents house (it has now been replaced by my Samsung monitor...that's where my (not so ) used pc parts find a second life ) and I had the occasion to have the three monitors turned on one beside each other while I was building and upgrading some PCs over there...I wouldn't go back using the P95f, especially not for gaming.

 

Whether or not the x1900xt will enough to handle the 1650x1200 native resolution, that depends on the games you play and what you consider to be acceptable quality/performance. I used an x1950xtx - only slightly faster than the x1900xt - with my 22" 226BW until the end of last year and it ran most games, including Oblivion, at high/very high settings rather smoothly. Of course, with some of the more recent games it might struggle at that resolution but you always have the option to lower the settings.

[stoffe]

I bought the T240 (the t220's bigger brother) about a month ago and I like it (I like it a lot more than my previous Samsung 226BW). It's a TN panel but they are much better than what they were a few years ago. Color representation is good (however I adjusted the factory settings which never really satisfy me) and it does not "shift when moving your head" (the image stays clear and bright).

 

Thanks for the input, I'll most likely get a T220 then if those annoying "features" aren't as noticeable on LCD screens any more.

 

Whether or not the x1900xt will enough to handle the 1650x1200 native resolution, that depends on the games you play and what you consider to be acceptable quality/performance.

 

It feels like the rest of my computer is on the way of being reduced to a smoking ruin as well, new problems have popped up and old ones have become more serious over the past week. So I guess it's high time to get a new computer as well, even though my current one only is 2 years old.

 

Since I'm not very up-to-date on computer hardware, and given the state of my current computer (keyword: smoking ruin) which was of the "build yourself" variety (you pick components and they assemble it for you), I think I'll play it safe and get a prefabricated computer this time. I'm so sick of the constant problems I've experienced over the last year with this one.

 

I was thinking of getting one of these, HP Pavilion M9363. Do anyone more hardware savvy know if that looks like a decent upgrade from an AMD 64 3500+ (2.2 GHz) with a Radeon X1900 XT graphics card (which I have now)?

[Jeff]

I'm not familiar with the ATI video cards, but the nVidia 9600 GS probably isn't the best choice. The 9600, 8600, etc is the "budget" card in the series while the 9800, 8800, etc is the higher end card, and the GS cards are usually cut down versions of the card's GT version. If there are customization options or another computer with similar hardware, I would try for the 8800 GT or even the 9800 GT depending on budget and how many high end games you play.

 

But maybe the 9600 GS is still an upgrade over your current card, if someone knows ATI cards that wants to comment that would probably help.

 

Other than the video card, the computer looks like a very slick machine.

[Negative Sun]

I was thinking of getting one of these, HP Pavilion M9363. Do anyone more hardware savvy know if that looks like a decent upgrade from an AMD 64 3500+ (2.2 GHz) with a Radeon X1900 XT graphics card (which I have now)?

The processor is more than adequate, though the Q6600 is ageing on a bit now, it was an instant legend at launch and is still a powerhouse to this day, putting most of AMD's even more recent outings to shame.

 

Graphics wise = NO

 

To feed a 22" monitor with decent games and future proof it a bit, that card just won't do, the X1900XT was the flagship card of its generation...this 9600GS isn't quite up there, though it's no slouch either, I'd recommend the nVidia GTX 260, or at the very least a 9800GTX (yes the pre- and suffixes are quite confusing lolz), as for AMD, the HD4850 or 4870 are both awesome, depends on how much you want to spend really

[Darth333]

It will definitely be an upgrade (mainly the CPU) but I am not sure to what extent. I am not sure if the 9600GS can give you a significant improvement over your current system. Unfortunately, I haven't found much about it (most reviews and benchmarks use the 9600GT, which is faster than the GS version.) Note that if you nevertheless go with the PC you linked to above, and later decide to replace the video card, you would also need to change the 300W PSU.

 

I'd also rather go for a more powerful CPU, like the e8400 ( dual core with good overclocking potential - mine runs stable @ 4GHz ) instead of the good but now aging Q6600 or, if it fits your budget, one of the more recent quad cores.

 

Normally you can get a better quality/price ratio if you build your own PC. A prefabricated PC doesn't mean it's better and it's often more complicated to upgrade (the mobo, ram, psu are often very "basic" in those PCs) . Btw, what kind of problems are you experiencing with the current PC?

[Negative Sun]

It will definitely be an upgrade (mainly the CPU) but I am not sure to what extent. I am not sure if the 9600GS can give you a significant improvement over your current. Unfortunately, I haven't found much about it (most reviews and benchmarks use the 9600GT, which is faster than the GS version.) Note that if you nevertheless go with the PC you linked to above, and later decide to replace the video card, you would also need to change the 300W PSU.

 

I'd also rather go for a more powerful CPU, like the e8400 ( dual core with good overclocking potential - mine runs stable @ 4GHz ) instead of the good but now aging Q6600 or, if it fits your budget, one of the more recent quad cores.

 

Normally you can get a better quality/price ratio if you build your own PC. A prefabricated PC doesn't mean it's better and it's often more complicated to upgrade (the mobo, ram, psu are often very "basic" in those PCs) . Btw, what kind of problems are you experiencing with the current PC?

Couldn't agree more with this statement, the E8400 is the CPU I'd go for atm, uber OC'er and a low TDP of 65W (I believe).

 

I'd also opt for a self-build, but since a recent PC death I'd get it built for me, but I'd still want to choose my own components, my prospect is a budget PC and would look a lot like this:

 

Case: Coolermaster Elite 330

PSU: 500W or above, by a good brand (Corsair, Coolermaster, Enermax, etc.)

CPU: Core 2 Duo 8400 3.0Ghz 1333FSB 6MB L2

Motherboard: Asus P5K SE/EPU Intel P35 chipset (or any Intel P-series based chipsets, though Asus tend to have the mobo's that overclock the best)

RAM: At least 2Gb DDR2 800Mhz, though 4Gb wouldn't hurt, but make sure you get a 64-bit version of Windows with that.

GPU: Depends heavily on your budget, but my choice would be the Radeon HD3800 (cheaper) or HD4800 (better) series, with my budget it would probably be a HD3850 or 3870.

If I had to choose nVidia, my budget would allow me for the 9600GT that D333 mentioned. Best value/performance GPUs around for both teams atm.

HDD: 320Gb Samsung or any other major brand one (prices are all very similar in this category).

OS: With 2Gb of memory, I'd stick with XP SP3, with 4Gb or more memory, Vista Premium 64-bit is the best value.

 

Hope this helps, if you're like me and scared of building it yourself in case of ****ing things up and wasting a lot of money in the process, find a good retailer, probably online, that offers good warranty and has good reviews, if you need extra piece of mind, most retailers will offer you extended warranties, though for a bit more moolah

 

The site I would use: Clicky offers a 3-year limited warranty, with the option of 3 years collect & return, which is the best type of warranty for any piece of technology. It also has good reviews of build quality and customer service, which is always, nice...I know it's UK-based, but I'm sure your area will have some equivalent sites, just look around online or pick up a PC magazine, it'll probably have ads for such sites inside it.

[stoffe]

Been hesitating with this due to my normal buyer's angst, but it looks like my computer decided to force my hand and finally collapsed in a smoking pile of unusable rubble, refusing to even try to start up.

 

After the recommendations in this thread I've decided to try the "build your own" route this time (partly because the assembled one I bought last time hasn't exactly turned out to be working all that well, partly because I need a new computer within the next few days and can't wait a few weeks which seem to be standard with the assembled computers. That does leave me with somewhat limited options, having to get components that are in stock in the various computer shops in this town).

 

I'm not a hardware guru, so I hope I'm not going to regret that decision. How does this shopping list look to those of you who have any knowledge of computer hardware? Would these parts work OK together?

 

Case: Cooler Master Elite 330

Motherboard: Asus P5N-EM HDMI nForce 630i

Power Supply: Corsair VX CMPSU-550CXEU 550W

CPU: Intel Core Duo E8400 3.0 GHz

RAM: Corsair XMS2 DHX TWIN2X2048 - 6400 DHX 2 GB

Harddrive: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500 GB 7200 rpm

CD/DVD: Pioneer BDC-202 BK Bluray / DVD

Graphics: Sapphire Radeon HD4850 512 MB DDR3

Sound: Creative Soundblaster Audigy SE

Keyboard: Logitech G11

Mouse: (Probably keep my existing one since lefthanded people don't seem to exist any more according to mouse manufacturers. )

Monitor: Samsung T220 (22" Wide)

Extra: ESD armband

 

I'm extremely unsure about the motherboard since I have no idea what is different between the different models, and what good brands are. Not that I'm very sure about the rest either. Help please?

 

Also, would the CPU cooler that comes with the Intel processor be sufficient, or would I need to get a separate one? Would any extra case fans be needed to prevent overheating with above mentioned hardware? Anything else I'll need to assemble it into a working computer that I've overlooked?

[Darth333]

If you don`t intend to overclock, then the stock cooler is fine. It is a bit noisy though. (it's not one of the newer models but the Zalman CNPS9700 is a reliable and good cooler if you want an after market cooler...if you buy it, do it at the same time as the rest as it requires the removal of the mobo for installation).

 

I believe that mobo is micro ATX. You might want to get an ATX mobo. (also fyi, for future upgrades the next generation of Intel CPUs will not work in LGA 775 motherboards but there isn`t much you can do about that right now.) Personally, if it is within your budget, I would go for a little more with something like the P45 chipset, which is still a budget board.

 

If you worry about heat, I`d look into buying the Radeon 4850 model that comes with a better cooler. Several brands (including Sapphire) have released two models: one with the stock cooler which makes the card run pretty hot according to reviews and one with a better cooler. Go for the latter! (generally it also tends to be more quiet).

[stoffe]

If you don`t intend to overclock, then the stock cooler is fine. It is a bit noisy though. (it's not one of the newer models but the Zalman CNPS9700 is a reliable and good cooler if you want an after market cooler...if you buy it, do it at the same time as the rest as it requires the removal of the mobo for installation).

 

Not intending to overclock, but I'd rather not have to keep a constant eye on the thermometer readouts when playing games, and I would rather have a more quiet computer this time so I won't have to bury it under a mound of pillows to be able to be in the same room due to the deafening noise (like my current one). Should probably get a better cooler then.

 

I believe that mobo is micro ATX. You might want to get an ATX mobo. Personally, if it is within your budget, I would go for a little more with something like the P45 chipset, which is still a budget board.

 

Hmm, I'll have to try to find that, then. Got any idea what brand of motherboard is good? I've heard Asus should be decent, but if I can't find one of theirs are there any other decent options?

 

If you worry about heat, I`d look into buying the Radeon 4850 model that comes with a better cooler. Several brands (including Sapphire) have released two models: one with the stock cooler which makes the card run pretty hot according to reviews and one with a better cooler. Go for the latter! (generally it also tends to be more quiet).

 

Hmm, how do you tell what type of cooler the cards have? Wish they'd give them different model names when they change things like that.

 

Thanks for your response, it's much appreciated. I'm mostly in the dark when it comes to PC hardware, and it'd be a very expensive failure if I mess this up.

[Rogue Nine]

Could you give us the options you have for the components you have questions about?

[Q]

If you aren't interested in SLI, which, given your choice of GPU, you obviously aren't, then there is no reason to mess with the truly craptastic Nvidia chipsets. The Asus P5Q Pro motherboard is highly recommended over at the Anandtech forums and even has Crossfire support. It's very cheap here in the states, but I honestly have no idea what it would cost across the pond. It's a total buyer's market for hardware over here right now, though.

 

If you can get the VisionTek brand of that 4850 in Europe, you should, as VisionTek is the only ATI board partner that offers a lifetime warranty, and Sapphire is notorious for raping the unfortunates who end up having to RMA their cards.

 

As far as HDDs go, have you heard of the WD6400AAKS or it's slightly younger and faster sibling, the WD6401AALS? These are the fastest 7200RPM drives available right now. They're as fast as the original Raptors, and they're pretty cheap.

 

Give the motherboard's onboard audio a test drive before investing in a Soundblaster: you might be pleasantly surprised as onboard audio has come a long way in the past couple of years. If you have to get a dedicated sound card, then I would suggest an X-Fi, as the Audigy is outdated.

 

Unless you're running XP I'd suggest 2x2GB RAM because Vista is a hog. As cheap as DDR2 is right now (that is, unless it's expensive in Europe), you may as well get 2x2GB even if you're running XP.

[Negative Sun]

Case: Cooler Master Elite 330

Motherboard: Asus P5N-EM HDMI nForce 630i

Power Supply: Corsair VX CMPSU-550CXEU 550W

CPU: Intel Core Duo E8400 3.0 GHz

RAM: Corsair XMS2 DHX TWIN2X2048 - 6400 DHX 2 GB

Harddrive: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500 GB 7200 rpm

CD/DVD: Pioneer BDC-202 BK Bluray / DVD

Graphics: Sapphire Radeon HD4850 512 MB DDR3

Sound: Creative Soundblaster Audigy SE

Keyboard: Logitech G11

Mouse: (Probably keep my existing one since lefthanded people don't seem to exist any more according to mouse manufacturers. )

Monitor: Samsung T220 (22" Wide)

Extra: ESD armband

That would quite honestly be my components of choice, from the case to the CPU, etc...

 

I wouldn't bother with 2 things though: Sound cards (like Q said, onboard s usually more than adequate), and a Blu-Ray drive (download your HD movies instead, legally of course )

 

Asus make very good motherboards, very good BIOS and usually very overclockable and reliable.