- Joined
- May 20, 2003
I was in a situation not to long ago. My Sony CRT Monitor was dying for weeks and it finally passed away last week.
Now what to do? My warranty for this CRT monitor was long gone and this computer needs a monitor to function properly. Monitors are the eyes of the computer, similar like the human body. Although the computer can work without it, it's pretty difficult to operate without one don't you people agree?
The obvious answer was to purchase a new monitor. What brand? What technology? Well I always said if I were going to purchase another monitor it would be a flat panel. Should I though? I know Flat Panel LCD is known for their lack of flexibility for video games due to the phenomenon of "ghosting".
I wanted to take the plunge regardless; I want a DVI, a bigger screen, the whole works! So I went LCD hunting beginning on this forum and other various websites that compare monitors. It all came down to a Samsung and a Dell. It took hours, but made a final decision to go with the Dell 2005fpw. Why? 20.1 inch Widescreen Display, Digital Video Interface, low MS (for video games) and quality of brand.
When the package arrived, it was fairly light (15lbs) for a LCD monitor. Keep in mind it's not light like other monitors due to its 16x9 screen and above average LCD display size (20.1inches). The setup was less than 5 minutes as you probably know the connections are fairly obvious. Once connected I fired up the computer and watched the monitor light up in front of me.
WOW! Never have I experience web surfing and multimedia like this! The DVI connection is amazing! For those who say there isn't a difference between the DVI and VGA must get their eyes checked. The difference is night and day! So vibrant, so colorful it pops outs.
The widescreen display is awesome, so much was missing before. Ghosting? Non-existant. The ergonomics on this unit is right on the money as well as the base. It sits perfectly with great adjusting capabilities that will please anyone with high or low desks.
PIXELS:
I did however find 1 dead pixel after doing pixel tests, however EXTREMELY hard to find and not noticeable at all. Definitely not worth the trouble taking it back. You are probably asking "What you are not going to take back a $500+ monitor to get a perfect one?” NO and here is why. It's not noticeable only on extremely white backgrounds and even then it's hard to see. I don't want the next one to have even more dead pixels. It's not laziness, the time and trouble isn't worth it to me because the problem is not Earth shattering.
Obviously to some people a dead pixel could be dead center on the screen and become bothersome and that I could understand. In my situation, nobody noticed the dead pixel when I had people looking for it and instead I had to point it out to them and still couldn't see it.
My point is 1 dead pixel isn't the end like I thought it would be.
When is it worth exchanging and/or returning the LCD monitor?
Just run your tests and see if there are any that are dead.
If so, how many? Where is it located? Dead pixel(s) obvious on bright, dark or on both backgrounds? This will determine your decision to go for a refund or exchange.
Conclusion:
Money well spent! Video games are excellent, DVD is superb, screen size is awesome and the color and quality simply unmatched!
If you are looking for a quality LCD monitor and your price range is $300-$400+, make the plunge for this monitor it's well worth it! "I only have $300 or less to spend" you say? Easy, SAVE UP! When you purchase and use this monitor you will thank ME!
4.8 out of 5.0 STARS.
Now what to do? My warranty for this CRT monitor was long gone and this computer needs a monitor to function properly. Monitors are the eyes of the computer, similar like the human body. Although the computer can work without it, it's pretty difficult to operate without one don't you people agree?
The obvious answer was to purchase a new monitor. What brand? What technology? Well I always said if I were going to purchase another monitor it would be a flat panel. Should I though? I know Flat Panel LCD is known for their lack of flexibility for video games due to the phenomenon of "ghosting".
I wanted to take the plunge regardless; I want a DVI, a bigger screen, the whole works! So I went LCD hunting beginning on this forum and other various websites that compare monitors. It all came down to a Samsung and a Dell. It took hours, but made a final decision to go with the Dell 2005fpw. Why? 20.1 inch Widescreen Display, Digital Video Interface, low MS (for video games) and quality of brand.
When the package arrived, it was fairly light (15lbs) for a LCD monitor. Keep in mind it's not light like other monitors due to its 16x9 screen and above average LCD display size (20.1inches). The setup was less than 5 minutes as you probably know the connections are fairly obvious. Once connected I fired up the computer and watched the monitor light up in front of me.
WOW! Never have I experience web surfing and multimedia like this! The DVI connection is amazing! For those who say there isn't a difference between the DVI and VGA must get their eyes checked. The difference is night and day! So vibrant, so colorful it pops outs.
The widescreen display is awesome, so much was missing before. Ghosting? Non-existant. The ergonomics on this unit is right on the money as well as the base. It sits perfectly with great adjusting capabilities that will please anyone with high or low desks.
PIXELS:
I did however find 1 dead pixel after doing pixel tests, however EXTREMELY hard to find and not noticeable at all. Definitely not worth the trouble taking it back. You are probably asking "What you are not going to take back a $500+ monitor to get a perfect one?” NO and here is why. It's not noticeable only on extremely white backgrounds and even then it's hard to see. I don't want the next one to have even more dead pixels. It's not laziness, the time and trouble isn't worth it to me because the problem is not Earth shattering.
Obviously to some people a dead pixel could be dead center on the screen and become bothersome and that I could understand. In my situation, nobody noticed the dead pixel when I had people looking for it and instead I had to point it out to them and still couldn't see it.
My point is 1 dead pixel isn't the end like I thought it would be.
When is it worth exchanging and/or returning the LCD monitor?
Just run your tests and see if there are any that are dead.
If so, how many? Where is it located? Dead pixel(s) obvious on bright, dark or on both backgrounds? This will determine your decision to go for a refund or exchange.
Conclusion:
Money well spent! Video games are excellent, DVD is superb, screen size is awesome and the color and quality simply unmatched!
If you are looking for a quality LCD monitor and your price range is $300-$400+, make the plunge for this monitor it's well worth it! "I only have $300 or less to spend" you say? Easy, SAVE UP! When you purchase and use this monitor you will thank ME!
4.8 out of 5.0 STARS.
