LCD Monitor - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Palangi · #1 01-26-2008, 11:45 AM

My employer (bless their hearts) is letting me expense an LCD monitor for my home office. Price class to be around $300 for a 22 or 24 inch widescreen model. Usage will be mostly for large Excel sheets, plus viewing 2 documents side by side. It will be used with a laptop, therefore, needs to be able to be connected or disconnected pretty much seamlessly (i.e. little or no reconfiguration needed when switching).

I have used laptops exclusively for years, thus have not dealt with outboard monitors. What do I need to look for in selecting a monitor like this? Are there any "gotchas" to be aware of??

kknudson · #2 01-26-2008, 01:51 PM

Not bad, although depending on how / where you get it, you might have to chip in a little for that size. 50 + / - more for shipping and or taxes.
Still a good deal.

What to look for :
Most are pretty similiar, try for a brand name, but don't get carried away.

Hooking up to your laptop, the input to the LCD will be important.
MOST have both VGA and DVI, but some are DVI only. I am assuming your laptop is probably VGA out only. Adapters are available too.

Contrast and resolution level will be important.

For YOUR type of use, I wouldn't really look at response time, but get the fastest once you've met the other criteria.

Two final comments.
Probably way too expensive (they really over charge for these) see if a docking station is available for your laptop, this makes connecting /disconnecting easy. They are model specific, Check Ebay too.

Next, more than likely you can actually run "2 monitors" the LCD and the laptop screen as too separate screens. There are some issue's connecting and reconnecting, but the added screen real estate is nice.

KarTek · #3 01-26-2008, 01:58 PM

I use a laptop with a docking station and external monitor at work. I can pop it on and off at will with no messing around to get the monitor working. I just use mine as "either/or" but, as was stated above, you can operate both simultaneously with extended realestate. Windows also allows you to run two different resolutions when running an external monitor as well.

One thing I consider EXTREMELY important is that the native monitor resolution must match the output setting of the laptop otherwise, the monitor interpolates the signal and it results in less than sharp text and images.

Look at the possible output configurations of the laptop and buy a monitor that matches one of them.

Larry Delor · #4 01-26-2008, 08:23 PM

The HP LCD monitor that I have, is 22 inches wide, and can not only be used as a wide-screen, but can also be turned 90°, and used horizontally. (would come in handy with centerfolds, I suppose).
As far as running two montiors, I would think it would be easier to get a graphics cards, with two monitor outputs - hook up both at the same time (one for work, and one for here)

Palangi · #5 02-01-2008, 10:19 PM

Got a 22 inch Dell on sale for $250. Works great!!!

Now I don't need new glasses after all.

Emmerich · #6 02-03-2008, 12:24 PM

I use dual 21's and you don't get as much screen as you think, plus the divider is really in the way. A single larger monitor would be great but $$$.

LaRondo · #7 02-05-2008, 02:06 AM

Got a deal on an Acer P-series 22", last Friday. I took me a while to adjust and fine tune all the settings.
I had to find the perfect resolution setting, it didn't work perfectly in all setting, but one. It's razor sharp and perfectly in proportion. It's fantastic!

I looked at 24" as well but it seems those couple of inches are disproportionally more costly ...

Palangi · #8 02-05-2008, 07:35 PM

Yup, 24's were about twice as much money as 22's. I could always find a couple of 22's on sale, but no discounts on the 24's. The one extra feature I would like to have gotten was a couple of USB ports on the monitor. That would have been an extra $90 over the one I bought, so I will just use a USB hub that I had laying around.

Hatterasguy · #9 02-05-2008, 10:35 PM

I love my NEC, nice and clear!

Oliverp · #10 02-06-2008, 02:58 PM

I recently bought an Iiyama PLE2201W at work. I can safely say don't get that one because the quality is awful.

I've had good experiences with Acer screens (I've bought over 30 Acer screens for the company I work for over the past 12 month and none have failed or had any dead pixels).

Dell seems to be very good too.

I've read good reviews on the new Samsungs but have not seen them in the flesh.

Ollie

Mistress · #11 02-06-2008, 03:02 PM

I use an HP at work that is pretty decent. But the mother of all LCD screens was an old Sony I used to work on, they had to pry it out of my hands when I got the new computer and it couldn't be converted.

Dee8go · #12 02-06-2008, 03:05 PM

I've heard a lot of photographers say they thought the best LCD monitors were the Apple Cinema Displays. They do look great, but I wasn't looking with that critical an eye.

Mistress · #13 02-06-2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

I've heard a lot of photographers say they thought the best LCD monitors were the Apple Cinema Displays. They do look great, but I wasn't looking with that critical an eye.

Plus they cost a gazillion dollars and Palangi is on a budget.

Dee8go · #14 02-06-2008, 03:10 PM

It's only money . . . .