Widescreen LCD?

SmokingTarpan · 02-24-2007, 07:18 PM

Anyone that uses these that has an opinion (concerning gaming, obviously). I made the mistake of walking through Best Buy today, and I noticed that LCD's- especially widescreens- are friggin' cheap all of a sudden. So, I'm currently looking at these two:

Samsung Syncmaster 940BW
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1149205183966

LG Flatron L194WT
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1149206843492

Overall I've been more impressed with the LG visual quality (though Samsung certainly is not bad at all), but I'm not sure how they hold up gaming-wise. I know in the old LCD thread most people swore by Samsung.

icky · 02-24-2007, 08:03 PM

I have one and I would happily take either one of those.

The main catch is the sudden desire to run every game you have at 1440x900. Not all games will do that well. I stuck with CRT for a long time because of my fear of losing that flexibility, but I'm mostly over it now. I was able to go back and play BF1942 in pseudo-widescreen, and it was fine.

The best part is that I now have one less item to carry when I haul my system to go game with some friends. I just drop the monitor into the box with all of the accessories and I'm good to go. That beats taking up my whole passenger seat with a 50lb CRT.

**Cappy** · 02-24-2007, 10:56 PM

this is the one i have and i love it..... http://www.buy.com/prod/acer-al2216w...ml?dcaid=17379
ive only had it a few day but its growing on me fast.

it takes some getting used to but it is

everything is so much BIGGER lol,, well i had a 15 inch LCD

before this lol

**asch** · 02-24-2007, 11:22 PM

The LG has the better contrast ratio between the two.

If you're looking for that price range, I'd also recommend the Dell 20". Or the slightly more Dell 22" (I just got this one and love it). Both of those Dell monitors also have a better resolution.

All four of those monitors are the no-frills kind. They don't have the built in speakers, USB hub, etc. I didn't need those so the no-frills was the better price for me.

freekyE · 02-25-2007, 03:20 AM

Just picked this beauty up for my wife a few days ago...it is nice

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...491&pCatg=5902

**FBmantis** · 02-25-2007, 03:41 AM

Whatever WS monitor you end up getting please take into consideration how games will run at the native res of your monitor. The resolution can get up there and if your graphics card isn't up to snuff then your going to have issues. Of course you'll be able to run games at lower resolutions but really...its best to run these beauties at their native res.

**asch** · 02-25-2007, 10:20 AM

Here are three sites dedicated to widescreen gaming and monitors.

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com...itle=Main_Page
http://www.widescreengamer.com/
http://www.widescreengaming.net/wiki/Main_Page

SmokingTarpan · 02-25-2007, 11:07 AM

I'm using an ATI Radeon X850 series, which is pretty robust, so I don't think I'll have problems using a higher resolution. And, of course, I'm planning to switch from my analog connection to DVI once I get a new monitor.

At this point, the only games that I'm worried about being able to play are Battlefield 2, Civ 4 and Warcraft. Seems that between the various sites, those three either support the game natively or have minor tweaks to get it done.

Asch, I know you don't play Warcraft, but have you noticed any issues with the other two games? And have you seen any issues overall that I should be concerned about? That 22" Dell monitor is looking pretty good, but I'm not sure Dell is the best quality-wise. Of course, the 15" LCD that I'm... testing... for work is not very good for gaming.

**asch** · 02-25-2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingTarpan

Asch, I know you don't play Warcraft, but have you noticed any issues with the other two games? And have you seen any issues overall that I should be concerned about? That 22" Dell monitor is looking pretty good, but I'm not sure Dell is the best quality-wise. Of course, the 15" LCD that I'm... testing... for work is not very good for gaming.

CivIV runs great on the monitor. BF2 runs pretty well. It's not natively supported but it other than the mini-map looking a little stretched, it looks good. Flux put together an update on BF2 and widescreen gaming.

I've never had a problem with a Dell monitor for gaming. I'm on my 3rd one. Dell used to have a rebranded Samsung but not sure that is the case anymore. I've never had dead pixels and I've never noticed ghosting.

**jmaker** · 02-25-2007, 09:18 PM

I also love the Dell flat panels. Don't count them out. They are of very high quality.

SmokingTarpan · 02-26-2007, 11:56 AM

Well, as much as I'd like a cool widescreen monitor, I think I'll have to pass on it until more games support it. I don't truly feel like having to tweak settings or deal with constant minor annoyances just so I can play. Sucks because I was looking forward to it, but I guess I'll just look around for either a 19" or a little bigger LCD.

**asch** · 02-26-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingTarpan

Well, as much as I'd like a cool widescreen monitor, I think I'll have to pass on it until more games support it. I don't truly feel like having to tweak settings or deal with constant minor annoyances just so I can play. Sucks because I was looking forward to it, but I guess I'll just look around for either a 19" or a little bigger LCD.

Which games in particular are you thinking of? BF2 doesn't natively support it, but through the command line (shortcut) you can get the resolution you want. I also don't even notice it anymore after that first night of playing.

I think you'll find more games support widescreen than not. BF2 is the only recent game I've come across that doesn't do it natively.

SmokingTarpan · 02-26-2007, 12:19 PM

Well, I'm one of those people out there that notice the smallest visual discrepancies, which is good for work but bad for play. :P Just looking at the screenshots of widescreen BF2 annoyed me because I can tell how much view is lost, and the stretched radar really bugs me.

I know Civ4 will do fine, and I'm pretty sure WoW will as well. However, I'm considering going back to an old game (FFXI), and I have to wonder how much support newer games will have for widescreen viewing. I'd rather avoid the fuss of tweaking the game via command-line, but if I have to do that I want it to at least be displayed correctly instead of a slight loss on the edges or stretching. Little things bug me lots. :P

**asch** · 02-26-2007, 12:22 PM

The other option you have for a game like BF2 is to have your video card (drivers) or monitor use fixed aspect ratio. This means that you would run BF2 in a standard resolution (e.g. 1024x768) and just have the black edges on the left/right side of the monitor. Similar to how a widescreen TV would display a standard signal.

SmokingTarpan · 02-26-2007, 12:31 PM

I suppose I wouldn't mind having black edges so long as the picture looks good, and that would give me the option of running both widescreen games and standard.

Suppose I got the Dell 22" widescreen, and wanted to run a game in 4:3 ratio. I'd just go into the software for my ATI card and tell it what resolution to run at, or would I do this through the game's menu? Also, again using that monitor, would I be able to run correctly in a higher than 1024x768 resolution, but not widescreen? I'm assuming so, as long as the resolution is within the bounds of the supported max, but I figured I'd check.

02-24-2007, 07:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
SmokingTarpan Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,471	Widescreen LCD? Anyone that uses these that has an opinion (concerning gaming, obviously). I made the mistake of walking through Best Buy today, and I noticed that LCD's- especially widescreens- are friggin' cheap all of a sudden. So, I'm currently looking at these two: Samsung Syncmaster 940BW http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1149205183966 LG Flatron L194WT http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1149206843492 Overall I've been more impressed with the LG visual quality (though Samsung certainly is not bad at all), but I'm not sure how they hold up gaming-wise. I know in the old LCD thread most people swore by Samsung. __________________ [squadl] "I am the prettiest african-american, vietnamese..cong..person." -SugarNCamo

02-24-2007, 08:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
icky Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ottawa Valley Posts: 6,154	Re: Widescreen LCD? I have one and I would happily take either one of those. The main catch is the sudden desire to run every game you have at 1440x900. Not all games will do that well. I stuck with CRT for a long time because of my fear of losing that flexibility, but I'm mostly over it now. I was able to go back and play BF1942 in pseudo-widescreen, and it was fine. The best part is that I now have one less item to carry when I haul my system to go game with some friends. I just drop the monitor into the box with all of the accessories and I'm good to go. That beats taking up my whole passenger seat with a 50lb CRT. __________________ Peace through fear... since 1947!

02-24-2007, 10:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cappy Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Washing County, Pa. Age: 42 Posts: 966	Re: Widescreen LCD? this is the one i have and i love it..... http://www.buy.com/prod/acer-al2216w...ml?dcaid=17379 ive only had it a few day but its growing on me fast. it takes some getting used to but it is everything is so much BIGGER lol,, well i had a 15 inch LCD before this lol __________________ \|TG-6th\| Cappy BF2 Rules\|Teamspeak Info\|Become a Supporting Member\|The 6th Devil's Brigade\|TG Primer

02-24-2007, 11:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
asch Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Fort Mill, SC Age: 33 Posts: 9,962	Re: Widescreen LCD? The LG has the better contrast ratio between the two. If you're looking for that price range, I'd also recommend the Dell 20". Or the slightly more Dell 22" (I just got this one and love it). Both of those Dell monitors also have a better resolution. All four of those monitors are the no-frills kind. They don't have the built in speakers, USB hub, etc. I didn't need those so the no-frills was the better price for me. __________________ \| My Maps Gaming Videos by Tactical Gamers Fear the Frog! \| Kill the Frog! \| An Inconvenient Truth "Support game play in a near-simulation environment. Where the focus of play would not be solely on doing what it takes to win, but doing so utilizing real-world combat strategy and tactics rather than leveraging exploits provided to players by the design of the game engine, regardless of the level of advantage, if any, it gives over the opposing team." -- Tactical Gamer Primer

02-25-2007, 03:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
freekyE Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: indiana Posts: 1,000	Re: Widescreen LCD? Just picked this beauty up for my wife a few days ago...it is nice http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...491&pCatg=5902

02-25-2007, 03:41 AM	#6 (permalink)
FBmantis Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,866	Re: Widescreen LCD? Whatever WS monitor you end up getting please take into consideration how games will run at the native res of your monitor. The resolution can get up there and if your graphics card isn't up to snuff then your going to have issues. Of course you'll be able to run games at lower resolutions but really...its best to run these beauties at their native res. __________________

02-25-2007, 10:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
asch Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Fort Mill, SC Age: 33 Posts: 9,962	Re: Widescreen LCD? Here are three sites dedicated to widescreen gaming and monitors. http://www.widescreengamingforum.com...itle=Main_Page http://www.widescreengamer.com/ http://www.widescreengaming.net/wiki/Main_Page __________________ \| My Maps Gaming Videos by Tactical Gamers Fear the Frog! \| Kill the Frog! \| An Inconvenient Truth "Support game play in a near-simulation environment. Where the focus of play would not be solely on doing what it takes to win, but doing so utilizing real-world combat strategy and tactics rather than leveraging exploits provided to players by the design of the game engine, regardless of the level of advantage, if any, it gives over the opposing team." -- Tactical Gamer Primer

02-25-2007, 11:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
SmokingTarpan Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,471	Re: Widescreen LCD? I'm using an ATI Radeon X850 series, which is pretty robust, so I don't think I'll have problems using a higher resolution. And, of course, I'm planning to switch from my analog connection to DVI once I get a new monitor. At this point, the only games that I'm worried about being able to play are Battlefield 2, Civ 4 and Warcraft. Seems that between the various sites, those three either support the game natively or have minor tweaks to get it done. Asch, I know you don't play Warcraft, but have you noticed any issues with the other two games? And have you seen any issues overall that I should be concerned about? That 22" Dell monitor is looking pretty good, but I'm not sure Dell is the best quality-wise. Of course, the 15" LCD that I'm... testing... for work is not very good for gaming. __________________ [squadl] "I am the prettiest african-american, vietnamese..cong..person." -SugarNCamo

02-25-2007, 09:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
jmaker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Warren, OH Age: 28 Posts: 2,643	Re: Widescreen LCD? I also love the Dell flat panels. Don't count them out. They are of very high quality. __________________

02-26-2007, 11:56 AM	#11 (permalink)
SmokingTarpan Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,471	Re: Widescreen LCD? Well, as much as I'd like a cool widescreen monitor, I think I'll have to pass on it until more games support it. I don't truly feel like having to tweak settings or deal with constant minor annoyances just so I can play. Sucks because I was looking forward to it, but I guess I'll just look around for either a 19" or a little bigger LCD. __________________ [squadl] "I am the prettiest african-american, vietnamese..cong..person." -SugarNCamo

02-26-2007, 12:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
SmokingTarpan Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,471	Re: Widescreen LCD? Well, I'm one of those people out there that notice the smallest visual discrepancies, which is good for work but bad for play. :P Just looking at the screenshots of widescreen BF2 annoyed me because I can tell how much view is lost, and the stretched radar really bugs me. I know Civ4 will do fine, and I'm pretty sure WoW will as well. However, I'm considering going back to an old game (FFXI), and I have to wonder how much support newer games will have for widescreen viewing. I'd rather avoid the fuss of tweaking the game via command-line, but if I have to do that I want it to at least be displayed correctly instead of a slight loss on the edges or stretching. Little things bug me lots. :P __________________ [squadl] "I am the prettiest african-american, vietnamese..cong..person." -SugarNCamo

02-26-2007, 12:22 PM	#14 (permalink)
asch Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Fort Mill, SC Age: 33 Posts: 9,962	Re: Widescreen LCD? The other option you have for a game like BF2 is to have your video card (drivers) or monitor use fixed aspect ratio. This means that you would run BF2 in a standard resolution (e.g. 1024x768) and just have the black edges on the left/right side of the monitor. Similar to how a widescreen TV would display a standard signal. __________________ \| My Maps Gaming Videos by Tactical Gamers Fear the Frog! \| Kill the Frog! \| An Inconvenient Truth "Support game play in a near-simulation environment. Where the focus of play would not be solely on doing what it takes to win, but doing so utilizing real-world combat strategy and tactics rather than leveraging exploits provided to players by the design of the game engine, regardless of the level of advantage, if any, it gives over the opposing team." -- Tactical Gamer Primer

02-26-2007, 12:31 PM	#15 (permalink)
SmokingTarpan Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,471	Re: Widescreen LCD? I suppose I wouldn't mind having black edges so long as the picture looks good, and that would give me the option of running both widescreen games and standard. Suppose I got the Dell 22" widescreen, and wanted to run a game in 4:3 ratio. I'd just go into the software for my ATI card and tell it what resolution to run at, or would I do this through the game's menu? Also, again using that monitor, would I be able to run correctly in a higher than 1024x768 resolution, but not widescreen? I'm assuming so, as long as the resolution is within the bounds of the supported max, but I figured I'd check. __________________ [squadl] "I am the prettiest african-american, vietnamese..cong..person." -SugarNCamo

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