Best Bang For The Buck 17" LCD Monitor? (1 Viewer)

[Chuck C]

Can anyone offer a suggestion for a reliable 17" LCD monitor on the cheap?

thanks

 

[Rob FM]

Whoops, didn't see that big "LCD" sign on this thread..... disregard my post !

~Rob

 

[CRyan]

Rob, I think he was wanting LCD. I wish LCD's were that cheap. Anyway, I have no information for you unfortunately. At the moment, you get you what you pay for in the realm of LCD monitors. If you can wait, they will drop dramatically in the next year.

I remember getting my first 17" CRT in 1998. Cost me $650. Ugh, they will come down if you can wait.

C. Ryan

 

[Chuck C]

Welp boys, I did some quick research and picked up the KDS RAD-7 locally for $590 + tax at micro pro (micropro.com).
Man, it is awesome! I can see why no one would ever go back to CRT again! It has this smooth silver finish and comes with matching wheel-mouse and keyboard. Another great thing about LCD technology is that it doesn't put a strain on the eyes. The best part of all is that there is so much more space now. If this thing has cons, then the pros outweigh them big-time.
Too bad the monitor wasn't for me :frowning: . I actually set it up for my dad at his office because he couldn't see too well with the 15" CRT that came with his computer. Now I want one!

 

[Chuck C]

I kinda wanna get a 17" LCD monitor for myself now...has anyone found the perfect 17" LCD? Are there any deals?

 

[Jeff D.]

I can see why no one would ever go back to CRT again!

Having recently moved from a CRT to the Samsung 151s, I have to agree wholeheartedly. The image is WAY better than CRT - razor-sharp text consistent across the entire screen. Beautiful rich colours and response time is more than adequate.
The only time I can see LCDs being lesser than CRTs is in applications where colour purity is essential. Even viewing angles have improved to the point where one can easily use them for presentations.
The biggest advantage, beyond the image quality, is the regained desktop space! CRTs just look stupid now.
I am looking at upgrading to a 17" LCD, and the Samsung 171s looks to be the one to get. Beautiful monitor.
/Jeff

 

[Daren Welsh]

Sorry, but I just had to chime in when I heard the question "Why would I ever go back to CRT?" :p Coming from a gaming point of view, I think LCDs still have some disadvantages. For one, you have the whole native resolution thing to deal with, making it more difficult to play at your favorite hi-res. Also, since FPS is very important in fast-paced games, the ghosting in LCDs is a draw-back.

Granted, I'd love to have a nice LCD for 2d uses, but I'll keep my CRT for gaming.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Tom's Hardware has a 17" LCD roundup
http://www.tomshardware.com

 

[Joe Hsu]

I'm rather surprised to hear people from HTF say that the crispness of LCDs are better than CRTs...as an engineering student, HT fan and computer nut, I haven't seen one LCD that I would take over my current monitor, for optical reasons...I use a Hyundai 17" at work, which was supposed to be top-notch, the specs were great...and I'm glad I only have to use it for work and not enjoyment (). The Sony/Dell LCDs we have in the engin labs at school are the best I've seen so far, and those still strain my eyes after a 2-3 hour lab.
But if you must have one, Samsungs have been rated the best 17" LCDs for a while, and I agree with the reviews, from what I've seen. They just moved out their previous models, but you might be able to catch some leftover stock somewhere for a really good price.
Hope you enjoy the KDS.

 

[Steve_Ch]

>>I'm rather surprised to hear people from HTF say that the crispness of LCDs are better than CRTs...as an engineering student, HT fan and computer nut, I haven't seen one LCD that I would take over my current monitor, for optical reasons...

 

[Ray Chuang]

In my personal opinion, if you have to wear corrective eyewear (glasses and contact lenses) you can forget about 17" LCD monitors.
The problem with 17" LCD monitors is that their native resolution is 1280x1024, and reading 1280x1024 on a 17" LCD gives you eyestrain way too fast.
Given the price of 17" LCD's I'd rather spend more and get myself an 18" LCD--especially now they're dropping under US$900 in price. 18" LCD's also have a native resolution of 1280x1024 but the readability is VASTLY seperior. Best of all, every 18" LCD I know of supports DVI connections for very high quality images.

 

[Chuck C]

Well everyone, I may have found the one. Thanks to some keen reading at tom's hardware review, the new Iiyama Pro Lite 17" LCD may be the way to go. It's a little more than usual, but it supports DVI.
http://www.iiyama.com/product2/AS4315UT.HTM
Plus it looks nice
The cheapest price I found was $670. What do you guys think?

 

[Brian E]

Maximum PC also has an LCD roundup this month.

 

[Scott H]

Chuck,

That Iiyama uses a lot of energy for an LCD. At 60w max, it's one of the least efficient models I've seen, and efficiency and heat are a primary reason people choose LCDs instead of CRTs.

By comparison, an Apple 17" LCD Studio Display uses 40w max, the new Nec/Mitsubishi MultiSync LCD1880SX 18" LCD uses 50w, a Sony SDM-S71 17" LCD uses 45w...

 

[Chuck C]

Scott, I was thinking the saw thing, plus it's a bit expensive for a college punk like me. From Tom's Review, the only monitor to best the iiyama was the Hercules 920, but it's not out yet!...Tom's said mid-july. I hope it's out soon b/c it's about $100 less than the iiyama, it scored highest, it looks good on paper, it's pretty, and it only consumes 35W
Hercules 920 Photo

 

[Chuck C]

How bout the 18" LCD Cornea CT1810 ? ...ebay (wholesale group) has 50 of em at $599 ea.

 

[Scott H]

How bout the 18" LCD Cornea CT1810 ?

I'm afraid I'd pass on that one too...

Comparatively low contrast at 300:1. Very slow pixel response rate at 20/30ms rise/fall (definitely poor choice for gaming etc.). There are LCDs with 25ms total pixel response, including some of the most affordable, from companies like KDS. And no digital connectivity, which if not an issue now may be later.

It is relatively efficient at 36w.

And as a personal preference I don't like speakers in/on monitors. :wink:

 

[Mark Larson]

Why don't you try the SGI 1600SW? A beautiful monitor, and it is widescreen too. I see them on ebay for ~$ 500. Not new, obviously.

 

[Chuck C]

Mark, I just looked into the SGI monitor, and it seems great at first, but then a closer look reveals that 1) I'd have to install a new video card (extra cost) and 2) It's a 2 yr old LCD which leads me to believe that the technology isn't as advanced as today's mass market LCD monitors.

But man...widescreen! Does SGI still make this one?