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Mymac4ever wrote:

Any comments on the Dell sp2309w? Its a TN. Im getting all dizzy from reading opinions on it...and still I ask u for the same . Ive been after a 22-23inch monitor the last couple of years. Id use it mainly for gaming, internet and writing stuff plus some limited photoediting.

What I can see as the biggest dealbreaker on this one, unless its like crap in which case this is the second biggest dealbreaker, is the powerconsumption: 65-75watts sounds like a lot, specially compared to other monitors of the same size. Or is it because it has hdmi and a usb-hub that power goes thru the roof??

My current monitor is the Samsung 172x, a 17inch TN with dvi and vga that draws around 40watts...

Recomendations would be nice. Its a jungle out there...

I think $370 is a lot for a TN (Dell's current price).  The trouble is that the middle of the road *VA panels typically have high input lag, which can get you killed in fast-paced FPS games.  Since gaming is your primary motivation for buying a new display, you're mostly limited to TN and IPS --the two extremes of the quality spectrum.

On the other hand, unless you happen to spot an amazing deal like I did, you're not going to find any 19x12 IPS for under $500.  So cost is obviously a factor.  Personally, having owned both panel types, I think the image quality is worth the extra cost --even at list price.  I'll never go back to TN.

Really, though, it's up to you and what you do with your computer.  If gaming is your primary concern, then you might be happy with a TN.  Unfortunately few stores have any IPS panels set up, so it's hard for you to make a direct comparison.  But I think $370 is too much for a TN.  Doing a quick search, it looks like it was on sale for $229 at one point.  If you can find it for around that price, then maybe it's right for you.

As for power, it's mostly the backlight.  LCD's are typically around 4-8% transmissive (when displaying white), which means that around 95% of the light generated by the backlight is blocked by the LCD.  So depending on the particulars of the panel, and the fact that it's larger, the wattage will vary.  Plus, the power rating is likely a maximum, measured at full brightness, with all USB ports in use, etc...

Last edited by Mr. T (2009-10-15 3:29 pm)

Looks good.  You're sacrificing some pixels for quality, but I think it's worth it.  You might want to hold off, though.  According to Dell, this is an e-IPS panel.  I wasn't sure what that was, so I googled it, and found this.  Numerous manufacturers are due to release a 23" 1920x1080  e-IPS, rumored to cost the same as today's TN's.

LG Display (LPL) showcased a number of new LCD panels and technologies at CES (yes, I know, that was a very long time ago) and one of the more interesting things that I saw was the company’s shift to lower-cost IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology. IPS is known for very high levels of color fidelity at wide viewing angles and is incorporated into the best LCD monitors out there (e.g. Apple). The company’s 23″ e-IPS TFT LCD panel geared for LCD monitors is touted as having the same price as TN (Twisted Nematic) LCD panels.

Last edited by Mr. T (2009-10-15 7:03 pm)

Mymac4ever wrote:

I usually get a feeling that I want to buy something in the autumn/winter which is probably the reason why Ive managed to get new Macs just a few months before Apple's done major changes to their products (ie Beige G3's and Intel Macs)

This is a fairly good site to give you an idea of the best time to buy Mac hardware, including Apple Cinema displays:
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

After reading some more on the Displayblog that you linked to  "T" Ive realised that its probably worth waiting 'til after january to decide what to buy. If Dell released the 2209 in late january its pretty likely we'll se an update in late january 2010 too. One could also hope that other manufacturers follow and that what they release is a not so expensive 23 inch 1920x1080 e-ips. *fingers crossed*