bfun buys a monitor

Does anyone really sit 36" away from a computer screen? Max for me would be 24". Also, why buy a monitor that's specifically targeting graphics pros and not gaming when you're primarily concerned with gaming?

 

I guess your desk might limit it, but I'd just move the monitor back. You said it looks too small... well if you moved it back so it looks like a 27" from a closer distance and it still looks too small, then that size with no scaling is just too small for you. I move my 27" back further than my 24" was, but the ppi was an improvement over the 24", so despite things being a little too small at first (I quickly got used to it), it definitely looked sharper. If you want something high ppi without everything being too small you have to go for much higher ppi and use scaling and put up with all the down sides that come with it.

Like alterego said, maybe you shouldn't be looking at a graphics focused monitor. I know gaming monitors used to come with a lot of trade offs (TN only, etc), but it is finally changing. Despite the IPS glow and not as low black levels as I'd desire, one of the new these would be great depending which GPU vendor you want to stick with:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/asus_mg279q.htm
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_xb270hu.htm

The Asus freesync monitor has a scaler which effects input lag at lower refresh rates unfortunately, and only works up to 90Hz with freesync on. So it's not ideal, but whenever it does launch it should be cheaper than the gsync competition. tft central do not seem to think the trade offs are too bad, but I was disappointed to read about the input lag created by the scaler... which only gets reduced/eliminated once you are at a refresh out of the freesync range.

I too would definitely prefer a VA alternative for the lower black level, but I'm just not sure it can be done with the typical response time VA panels have. I'll probably end up upgrading (sidegrading?) to an IPS variable sync monitor soon enough and just holding onto the thing until OLED finally shakes things up. Right now we just have to compromise - do you care about gaming performance (not just response mind you, variable refresh is pretty big for gaming) with decent enough contrast and some ips glow but accurate colour, or do you want your gaming experience to suffer at the expense of contrast and a fairly even viewing experience across the entire screen even in a dark room.

There will be better monitors on the horizon, but for now you need to pick what is more important.

 

I thought perhaps you were mainly oriented around the gaming side of it since you were looking at monitors that had overclocking. At any rate, I would determine the most important use of the monitor long term, and like Fusion is saying, accept the compromises in the less important areas.

 

@alterego

So what's your suggestion? Get something like an ASUS ROG Swift that's built with a gaming focus? I was considering the ROG Swift, and it's a very well reviewed monitor, but the reports of quality control issues are giving me pause, which was why I was thinking of waiting for the second gen ones. I'd probably rather have IPS, but from what I'm reading the panel in the ROG Swift is a weird beast in that it's an 8-bit panel with similarly good color to a lot of IPS panels. So basically I could get that and have something with fast response time, good color, but poor viewing angles. Or wait for the IPS ones that will have good color, good viewing angles, but worse response times. I don't know. I really wish some brick and mortar electronics places were still in business around me so I could see one in person.

That's actually kind of the problem and why I'm being so indecisive. In the past I always went to a store to look at monitors before buying one. With monitors and TVs it's really hard to account for taste. What one person might think looks great, you might think looks like crap.

The U2412M seems to be kind of unique in that it's such a good all arounder. Decent color, viewing angles, and response times. It's not really bad at anything, but it's not great at anything either. I never really had to consider what the main use of it would be.

 

You guys are better informed about the pros/cons of the PC gaming side of monitors than I am. I didn't know that monitor overclocking was even a thing until I perused this thread! Personally, I don't understand the gripes about IPS glow unless you were going bargain basement. I'd probably want an IPS panel myself. Is that even an issue with normal lighting? I get the impression that people are complaining about it because they're watching a dark scene and also sitting in the dark.

 

Depends on the monitor or TV. Glow is really awful on some of them, and barely noticeable on others unless you're sitting in a dark room watching a dark scene.

My father in law has a cheap TV that has horrendous IPS glow. I don't understand how he can watch the thing. It glows horribly even in bright scenes in a bright room.

 

Can you notice that if there's content on the screen, or if you're not sitting in total darkness? I've never noticed bleed or glow on any monitor or screen that I've owned. I also use an older iPad with IPS in a lot of low light situations and haven't been aware of it.

 

Sounds like the BenQ is a keeper if you decide the screen size/resolution is to your liking.

 

My feeling with TVs and monitors is the bigger the better. I don't think it's really possible for a monitor or TV to be too big. I would game on an IMAX screen if I could. I think I'll pull the trigger on the BenQ. Sounds like the flicker issues are sorted out in the newer revisions.

 

It just appeared today on my local store too, $999 for pre-order... no thank you. Surprisingly the Gsync Acer that uses the same panel is the same price. Anyway, there's no way I'd pay twice what I did for my current monitor just to get adaptive sync, better response times and a less grainy anti-glare coating.

I think I'll be waiting for a second gen IPS/VA freesync monitor personally.

The price on newegg is pretty good though. Just look at the Acer alternative there:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009742&cm_re=XB270HU-_-24-009-742-_-Product

$200 more for the same thing using g-sync. Yes, so the refresh range when using gsync is better and there is no scaler so the input lag is lower at lower refresh rates, but $200 is a big saving. It's a shame that we aren't seeing that saving passed on down here for whatever reason.

 

Plus most of the monitors using g-sync are TN panels. Paying $500-800 for something with a TN panel seems pretty insane to me.

I would also hate to buy into g-sync, and then some open standard of adapative syncing becomes standard on monitors and tvs in a few years. A g-sync monitor is going to look as absurd and archaic as a dedicated ageia physx card if that happens.

 

I'm not a fan of the proprietary g-sync at all and I actually went for a 290X instead of a 970 for the reason of not supporting a standard where the monitor I buy locks me into one GPU vendor. Yes, freesync is effectively the same, but that is only because of Nvidia's stubbornness.

However, the lack of a scaler in gsync monitors gives the next to zero processing lag, so for now they are the superior gaming monitors. Sure, the lack of a scaler means they are also very inflexible for other uses, but personally I have a nice 60" VA hdtv, my monitor is a monitor, I don't watch movies or anything like that on it. Freesync monitors need to work on having the scaler have as little overhead as possible - or somehow disable any processing when in freesync mode? This would limit the res to native, but personally that wouldn't bother me on anything but a 4k display.

 

That ACER one is horrendous. Have a look at hard forums, their QC is awful panels being sent with dead pixels, dust under the screen and many other issues.

The Asus ROG IPS panel will be the one to get.