Help me choose a computer monitor in this exciting thread!

So I was moving around my primary monitor, a very old and very large 22" CRT and something broke big-time. I tried getting a new cable, but it wasn't that. Now the screen's on-screen-display won't even come up. I think the tube is a goner. I have a small(er) secondary monitor that I'm using right now, but need to get a new primary one.

I'm looking between 20" and 23" or so. Widescreen is nice. What I'm getting concerned about is all this I hear about TN panels vs IPS panels. I know there are really cheap Dell and Samsung monitors that people are very happy with, and I know there are really expensive monitors that serious photo types use that cost way more then I can afford. I'm no high-end retoucher, but I've always kinda trusted my gut with things and definitely need something decent.

It seems like in the 2-300 dollar range, there are plenty of TN models, some of the newest ones even get pretty high marks, but to go up to an IPS panel, prices are more in the 4-600 dollar range to start. However, this is one Dell, the 2209, that is apparently an IPS and it's even cheaper then their 2309, which is a highly rated affordable TN.

The only reason I'm getting hung up on panel type is that I have little else to go on. My cheap-o Samsung secondary screen never looked as good as my CRT, while at almost every job I've ever had I've exclusively used Apple Cinema Displays, and have had no complaints with them.

Do I get the IPS Dell monitor? Do I get the non-IPS Dell monitor that's more expensive and has more features and generally better reviews? Do I shell out more and spend 6/700 for a 20" Apple Cinema Display knowing I will be relatively happy with the color on that? There's also Dell and maybe Samsung monitors that use the same panel as the Apples but are cheaper, I just have to sort out which is which.

Any thoughts/experience?

I don't know about colour accuracy, but Samsung monitors are very reliable. The main monitor I use here is a Samsung, and I've had it for 8 years with no problems.

yeah, I've definitely narrowed my options down by limiting myself to Apple, Dell, Samsung and NEC. Apparently EIZO is the high-end of choice, like Barco was for CRTs.

if you're taking notes...I ordered the Dell Ultrasharp 2209, which uses some new kind of IPS panel and makes it several hundred cheaper then any other IPS panel screen, and it's even a few bucks cheaper then the 2309 which is larger and has tons more features, but a regular TN panel. I'm still going under the assumption that if you do any kind of semi-serious photoshop/color work, you don't want a TN, and many digital photo types are singing the praises of the 2209 as an incredible deal. It must be really popular because I ordered it last night and Dell says I may not get it until the middle of May, which is annoying, but I look forward to it. It's half the price of a 20" apple cinema display.

Do you have DVI?

IPS are lovely and have better colours and viewing angles, if you game at all you'll want a TN for the quicker response time.

I think I have DVI, I have whatever card came with my Mac Pro I bought last summer. It has two ports, one is a digital connection to my samsung LCD, the other had an adapter to VGA to drive my big, now dead, CRT.

Anyway, the Dell apparently isn't so backed up, it shipped today and I should have it by the 5th...very exciting.

I never game and I never watch movies on it, so the quick response time of TN didn't matter, though the response time of this somehow is much better then most of the IPS specs I've seen. What I do do is lots of photoshop, graphic design, minor retouching, seat-of-my-pants color correction etc, so I felt like it wouldn't have been in my best interest to skimp on the better quality of IPS. If the Dell doesn't suit me, I'll sell it and shell out the extra bucks for anApple Cinema Display.

Watch out on this one, there are two models of 2209: the S2209A is a shitty TN panel that's barely a scrape above being a TV, while the 2209WA is the IPS one, and is apparently great. There's a $300 difference, and loads of reviewers are getting the two confused.

sorry, s2209W is the crap one, s2209WA is the good one.

I got the 2209WA for 270. The S2209 is 160. There's also an E2209 that's 200. So only 70 dollar difference between the TN panel version and the eIPS panel version.

The other way to tell the difference is I think Dell is only using the term "Ultrasharp" on the ones with IPS panels.

I got $140 for the TN and $390 for the eIPS one yesterday. Dell's site is airline-esque in its pricing.

Can anyone recommend a good monitor in the 22" range that can rotate to use in portrait mode?

oh yeah, fuck Dell, they just added some kind of "instant savings" and how have the eIPS one for 219$.

There was also all this talk in the forums about how you could just "chat" with their support and get a lowered price, I think 219 was the lowest price you could get. I thought that was over so ordered it last night for 279$ That's 60 bucks Dell just screwed me out of, but such is buying technology. If it's as good as people say, at 279+tax I'm not gonna complain.

If you really ordered it last night, I'm sure you can call Dell sales and tell them about it. They'll more than likely just refund you the difference, I doubt they would make you cancel your order and rebuy to get the discount.

I bought a 2209wa ultrasharp a couple of months ago as my laptop screens colour wasnt true enough for graphics work and people were rejecting work as the colour looked shit. Best £200 i ever spent. i have heard that the newer ones may not have the eIPS and they only used the good panels in early manufacturing to ensure good reviews though that may just be internet slander. Also, it can be extended up and rotated 90 degrees so i assume you can run it portrait

I'm guessing that thing about the panels is just a result of the confusion between the 2209w and 2209wa.

Ed: Have you used a monitor like that before? It drives me nuts because the hinting's all wrong on characters as the subpixels are now in the wrong place. I eventually just got a deeper landscape monitor.

I have a 24" Dell 2407WFP-HC. It is great.

They had already shipped it so I can't get the full amount of their new discount, but they're giving me a partial refund.

So I got my monitor tonight.

It's a nice size...at work I've gone from Apple Cinema 20 to 24, and obv this is inbetween. Compared to my previous 22" CRT, this feels smaller I guess because it's widescreen?

The main issue I have is the max resolution is 1680 x 1050. Now that i see it, I wish it went a little further. I suppose I'm used to working with a higher resolution on my CRT because things feel a bit horsey at this size. Not that I don't have plenty of real estate, I've got a 22 next to a 19" monitor, so I'm sure I'll get used to it.

I don't remember how high the res was on my CRT...I don't like super high resolutions, with the tiny tiny mouse, but I wish this would go one step above where it's at.

As far as color and stuff, it's hard to tell, all the reviews say it needs calibration out of the box. I've toyed with the colorsync calibration and downloaded a profile, but its still different from what I'm used to. It's totally sharp and totally bright (too bright), but the colors a bit off. I think I may by a hardware calibrator.

I don't regret it still, for the price I paid, I can't imagine anything else would come close. You could say by buying the calibrator that maybe I should've just shelled out for an Apple Cinema Display, but I've always felt like having a calibrator was a good idea anyway.

i'm cheating...I just reduced the size of my icons and finder type and doc, so the desktop now looks as roomy as before, even if all my applications don't!

Has anyone used a higher-res monitor than their computer supports, on the assumption that someday they'd upgrade the computer and get an instant monitor upgrade in the bargain? I'm thinking about getting a 4K monitor to replace my decade-old Cinema Display, even though my late-2012 iMac doesn't support it.

Seems like a plan, especially if the extra resolution (once you can access it) would be helpful to how you use your computer. I know I generally replace my computers on roughly a 5 year cycle, but replace my monitors more on a 10 year cycle.