The best monitor for Photoshop CS5

[dwskas]

I am looking to purchase a good monitor and I have  budget constraint.  I don't understand the difference between contrast ratio and dynamic contrast ratio. I know somw will ask what is my budget is and it is about 275.00- 325.00.  Thanks

[Noel Carboni]

I accept your apology, Dag, and likewise I regret things I said and I offer my apologies as well.  I'm glad to think we can make a new start and both have a good time helping people here.

Now, if you want to talk about heated debates...  Talk to people about the subpixel font rendering in the latest set of internet browsers.  It's more critical than ever that people have good quality display hardware and calibrate their monitors as the colors/shades used by that rendering process just don't work, visually, if they're not right on.  When the monitor is tuned up nicely the text in IE9 or Firefox 6 can look really good, but when it's not it can look really bad!  People can get pretty passionate about what they're seeing and perceiving.

-Noel

[Guest]

See my comment at #14.

My dad was an Eizo kind of guy. He built houses well. When a load of lumber arrived on site, he picked up each piece, examined it in edge in both planes, and placed it in one of two piles, accept and reject.

The lumber yard knew this, would come back, pick up the rejects then replaced them, at which time dad would....

As I said, an Eizo kind of guy.

[Hudechrome]

As an aside, I logged in here from work for the first time and it's coming up with my name not the e-mail name, hudechrome.

What goes around comes around!

[Hudechrome]

And now it just reverted!

[Noel Carboni]

You're clearly using two different Adobe IDs, Lawrence.

-Noel

[Hudechrome]

Actually, not. Ionly have one. Also, my e-mail shows you posted your reponse twice, ie I got two notifications of the same comment.

I'm going to try something.

[Hudechrome]

OK, here's the solution:

The lawrence Hudetz version I signed in with just hudechrome, the hudechrome version I signed in with the full e-mail address, hudechrome@....... Same PW in both cases.

Interesting!

[emil_emil]

Noel, I'm sure thy don't look. They are all packed at the factory - Mexico for North America and Czech Republic for Europe - the shipping department will never unpack.

Based on my experience with Dell support people who are all outsourced I can say that they are trained to do a few certain things and they don't think. It is important that when you ask for replacement to insist on a brand new unit not a returned one - if necessary ask to talk to the manager. Dell doesn't consider monitors with color cast as defective and I think they send them back for shipment for the next replacement request. And I don't think their repair and shipping department communicate what was wrong with each unit. Also I've read that in some countries Dell won't honor replacement request just for color cast and users ask for replacement for other made up reasons that are honored. That may explain as to why some people are getting monitors with color cast even with third replacement.

[D Fosse]

emil emil wrote:

It is important that when you ask for replacement to insist on a brand new unit not a returned one

This I did, in very specific terms.

I'm really glad I didn't pay for this monitor out of my own pocket. I hate this sort of thing. But a color difference across the screen is the absolute worst thing that can happen, because there's not a thing you can do about it.

[FrontCooking]

Thanks for your detailed response, although it doesn't really help me choose a monitor, it's shed a good light on the topic and what to look out for.

From what I know, only a few manufacturers make the actual LCD panels and electronics behind it, and everyone else simply orders differently designed and branded products to sell.

Thomas Wong - Cooking Classes

[Noel Carboni]

Oh, man, a tough question...

I have two old Dell LCDs from about 6 or 7 years ago - Ultrasharp 2001 FP models - and I don't know what I will do when they stop working.

What do I like about them?

1.  They're crisp to the very pixel.  Even the dot on an i is a tiny little discrete black square.

2.  They almost perfectly map the sRGB color gamut and require very little calibration to display gamma 2.20.

3.  They work seamlessly with Windows, powering-down and up as needed.

4.  Colors don't shift hardly at all depending on viewing angle.  This is pretty rare.

5.  They've been perfectly reliable.

However, since you can't get these monitors, and it's anyone's guess whether Dell's current models are just as good, I really can't recommend anything.

I do know, that from what I've read lately, if I did need to replace them I would look very seriously at the Dell UltraSharp U2711.  I think at least some folks here (Emil Emil?) have this model.  It's a bit above your price point, but a monitor is NOT something to skimp on, especially if you value your eyesight.

-Noel

[dwskas]

The most recent monitor I was looking at was a HP 2711, which I can buy for $274.00.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=display&category=display&a1=Screen+size&v1=27&product_code=XP600AA%23ABA&catLevel=2

[Noel Carboni]

I suggest before ordering any monitor sight unseen, you go down to the local high tech / computer store, and actually LOOK at the model you're considering getting.

-Noel

[sisyphos]

HP 2711 is a TN panel. Excellent for gaming, not so good for photography.

The Dell FP models mostly had VA panels. VA has the same viewing angle overall as IPS, but with the "black crush". How much of a problem this is depends on the type of use. I'm currently using an Eizo VA monitor at work, but I have a Dell U2410 arriving shortly, and I'm looking forward to it.

dwskas, look into the U2412. The main difference from 2410 seems to be that it's standard gamut instead of wide-gamut. Still very good value.

Edit: sorry about the double identity. Had to log into a different account on one machine, I'll get it straightened out.

[dwskas]

Thanks for all the responses.  Looks like the monitors that are best also cost a lot.

[Semaphoric]

I've been wanting one of the NEC Mutltisync 30 inchers for a long time: http://www.necdisplay.com/category/desktop-monitors. The Spectraview models come with an X-Rite Eye1 that plugs into the monitor itself, not your computer. If you already have an Eye1, NEC sells the software by itself as well.

When, oh when, will my budget allow it? You can save a bit of money by ordering a refurished one form NEC's site, though.

[Hudechrome]

Eizo offered refurbished as well, but lately I can't find it.