The Right Monitor

[Neptune24]

Hi guys. i am after a new moniter and want on compatible with radeon 5750 seris with both DVI and VGA and, if possible HDMI. My PC gets used for internet surfing and playing games. I want to know if a widescreen would be ok for games or should I stick with a normal monitor. I want to keep the price below £150GBP / $230 USD.

Thanks for any help.

Neptune24

[Major_A]

I don't know of any monitor with DVI, VGA and HDMI all included. What resolution are you looking at? Widescreen is the way to go, considering it's harder to find older monitors anyway. If a game comes out that doesn't have widescreen support then the developer should be taken out back and shot.

[DaddyRabbit]

Here are four WITH LED backlight that are under $200 USD

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... rchInDesc=

Here are another four WITH LED backlight that are in the $200 - $300 range USD

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... rchInDesc=

Do you want a flat panel = YES

Do you need a large screen = NO, (refer to the "retina" screen from Apple). If you have a 22" screen with a resolution of 1920x1280 versus a 24" screen at the same resolution the pixel density will be less on the larger screen and the image may not be as sharp. With the video card you have you won't be gaming at super high resolutions anyway.

Do you want LED backlight = YES. It will last longer, run cooler, and give you a better image.

IMHO the two things that last longest between refreshes in a computer build are the case and monitor. You will be staring at this thing for a while so do your research.

[Sttm]

"I don't know of any monitor with DVI, VGA and HDMI all included."

Both of mine have all 3. Does not seem all that rare really.

I dont think any consumer brand is still selling 4:3 monitors, and very few selling 16:10. 16:9 is just the standard now. I think I liked 16:10 better, but my new monitor has so much better color and blacks that the format difference just doesnt matter enough.

I am guessing he wanted HDMI to hook up external sources, like right now I have my Xbox and Satellite Box hooked up, so the 16:9 format is actually better for that. I dont know why else you'd want HDMI, the cables are expensive and while smaller they are harder for me to hook up.

For $230 you should be getting a 24inch 16:9, and with some of the current deals you probably will be able to find an LED backlit model with all 3 connectors.

Good hunting.

[Sttm]

Do you need a large screen = NO, (refer to the "retina" screen from Apple). If you have a 22" screen with a resolution of 1920x1280 versus a 24" screen at the same resolution the pixel density will be less on the larger screen and the image may not be as sharp. With the video card you have you won't be gaming at super high resolutions anyway.

Well the resolution of any monitor in his price range is going to be 1920x1080. So the video card issue is going to crop up in either case.

I have a 27inch 1920x1080, and a 23.6 1920x1080. The pixel density difference just allows me to move my face about an inch closer to the smaller monitor before I can easily make out the pixels. But at my standard playing distance about 14 inches back, I can not see the pixels on either. Playing on the 27 inch is a vastly superior experience and I suggest anyone who can afford to go big do so. Though I'd guess that a screen past 27 inches at 1920x1080 would not be dense enough for monitor use.

Retina Displays aren't really important for monitors, you don't need the pixels to be invisible to the naked eye, you just need them to be invisible at your comfortable playing distance. Cell Phones are held up to the face a lot so there it makes a ton of sense, but who puts their face 5 inches from their monitor.

[Neptune24]

OK so widescreen doesn't matter. As for the graphics card, I have found this one http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... -znfv.html, Would this be ok?? If not could someone point me in the right direction. Idealy I want an ATI and to cost no more than £150 GBP / $235 USD if possible. If it helps, the most graphic heavy games I have are Dawn Of War 2 and X3 terrian Conflick.

Neptune24

[Sttm]

The new 6850s should out perform the 5830s at about the same cost with some new features as well.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/ ... bo/12.html

For some Dawn of War 2 numbers if you are curious.