time for a new monitor

[posol]

my 1998 17" crt is starting to annoy me. time to upgrade.

i have a geforce 128mb 8x AGP video card with both digital and anaolg outputs (as well as s-video), so thats not an issue.

I'm thinking 19 or 20" lcd.

i would REALLY like to get a wide screen monitor. i love widescreen. scrolling down is ok- scrolling left to right sucks

but, my video card's resolution isn't cut out for it i dont think.

my max settings are 1280x768, 1280x960, and 1280x1024....which means i would probably ahve to run the first, 1280x768 to not make everythign oblong.

if i remember right, a 19 or 20" lcd has its oem resolution in the 1600 territory for width.


so,

option a: spend a shit load of money
upgrade mother board to a pci-e style
get a 256 wide-screen designed video card
monitor
wide screen lcd

option b: spend a lot of money
upgrade video card to 8x agp that supports widescreen resolutions
widescreen lcd

option c: spend some money
keep vid card
buy wide screen lcd, deal with the lack of a good resolution option

option d: spend a little less money
keep vid card
buy normal 4:3 lcd

option e: spend no money.
i have a perfectly functioning monitor... i'm just a snob like that...

i don't really have a budget at this point... i'm kinda just pricing some things out and seeing where they fit into my plan.
i've got 2k coming to me from left over parts that i have a deposit on in a week or so... and probably about the same from tax returns.
at the same time, the hatch needs suspenion ($1500) brake upgrade ($1000), and some ao32r's (750) so that i can rule street mod this season (god willing of course )
so, most of that is already "spent"

other than that, im not "hurting" but i really don't want to blow a G on a new monitor when the one i have works perfectly fine.... its just, well, old, and i'm a Snob like that but i kinda want one

uses- i NEVER watch movies on my computer. i have a 42" plasma for that
i rarely watch divx movies on my computer either-- unless its porn lol i really don't do a lot of video.

my main want for the wider/bigger monitor is that i i like to keep a lot of things running- and things that have multiple columns- like outlook (even though i don't use it) has its three colum setup with a certain preview mode) it would just give me some more room.

i dunno... thoughts?

links to some good deals? companies?

 

[nfn15037]

I picked up an 19 inch Sony LCD a few months ago on closeout at Best buy, it was over $100 off with no box, ran me about $449 and its got DVI input and 2x VGA inputs. I run it off an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro w/256 and it is freaking perfect, so beautiful. All I do with it is surf the web and write assembly language on it, so I can relate on the being a computer snob thing I don't need it, but I have it in case I do! FWIW, I love the setup, and it is easier on my eyes than my old 100 lb 21" CRT IMO. I really love the extra desk space the most, gives me room for more papers and junk.

 

[phunky.buddha]

You can "upgrade" the video card with only $100 and still get slightly better performance than you have now but with higher resolutions.... which card do you have anyway? My Ti4200 supports 1920x1200.

 

[dohch22a4]

I voted for the biggest, baddest setup to have.

Why? Because it isn't my money.

 

[b16ahatch]

if you game or anything like that then i would stay away from the lcd's, to much ghosting.

 

[posol]

no. the most i play for games is poker or chess online.
i have 2 games for the ps2..... and they both came with the system. that, and it hasn't been hooked up in about a year (only to be re-hooked when gt4 comes out)

so, no, no games, no movies, just regular old use....

 

[Citizen_Insane]

Originally posted by b16ahatch@Feb 10 2005, 02:15 AM
if you game or anything like that then i would stay away from the lcd's, to much ghosting.

[post=458941]Quoted post[/post]​

um.....have you ever gammed on an LCD??? I'm pretty hardcore into CounterStrike and I play on a sony 17" LCD and it works PERFECTLY. I think that if you are having problems, you are using a shitty screen. I would never go back to CRT ever after having this baby. Doesn't hurt my eyes anymore...and it was free (steeling from one's parents is tits y0!)


Oh yeah, and for B, Just get a normal 4:3 AR screeen if you plan on doing browsing and whatnot...unless you are getting the new Radeon x8** something card that supports dual dual-dvi, and get an apple 30" widescreen

 

[b204dr]

Originally posted by Calesta@Feb 10 2005, 02:42 AM
You can "upgrade" the video card with only $100 and still get slightly better performance than you have now but with higher resolutions.... which card do you have anyway? My Ti4200 supports 1920x1200.

[post=458929]Quoted post[/post]​

my ti4400 is pretty close to urs cal- i spent a grand total of 75 bucks from a local pc shop was clearancing - also have a gforcefx - forgot model but match card to ur board always to mix and match and hope for proformance -

 

[Battle Pope]

I have a 17" NEC lcd, standard 4x3. Runs at 1280x1024, and I have never had to scroll sideways (except when some asshat posted a huge image on a forum). Bought mine for 400 a couple years ago, not sure what they run now.

 

[brc80]

I voted option B. Reasons being The agp bus is fine, we are not even close on maxing it out so going pci-e and spending all that money makes no sense to me. Just my .02

 

[phunky.buddha]

Originally posted by b204dr@Feb 10 2005, 11:42 AM
my ti4400 is pretty close to urs cal- i spent a grand total of 75 bucks from a local pc shop was clearancing - also have a gforcefx - forgot model but match card to ur board always to mix and match and hope for proformance -

[post=459044]Quoted post[/post]​

Hell, I paid about $300 for my Ti4200 when it came out- but that was 3 years ago. It's time for an upgrade....

 

[GSRCRXsi]

i have a Ti4200 too but ive had my computer for 2 years, and i need to upgrade my monitor. i see all these different brands but i dont know whats shit and whats good. i just want a regular 4:3 17" LCD monitor. i can get a hookup at best buy but the hardest thing is choosing something i like, something thats good, and something relitively cheap. i also want to use the DVI if possible. are all LCD's DVI capable? cause some of them dont even say how they hook up.

 

[phunky.buddha]

Not all have DVI inputs.

Go hit up Newegg and browse through what they have- hell, even BB's web page has pretty detailed specs. Get something with a response time of 16ms at the slowest, and look for either DVI or dual DVI/VGA inputs. You should be able to find a good 17 with those specs for under $300 retail. Read the reviews on Newegg too, then use your discount to get it cheap at the store.