Best Flatscreen Monitor

[shlingman]

Well the time has come to get a new monitor. I have read a lot about the pure flat monitors and it really seems like they are the way to go. I am basically looking for a 19" monitor with a good clear picture for gaming and dvd movies. I have seen most regular 19" monitors have dot pitches around .25 but the pure flat ones have around a .20. Now does this make a considerable difference?, because there is a considerable difference in the price. Also, could anyone tell me what they think is the best manufacturer of flat screen monitors? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Smoke24]

Most of the guys here like the Samsungs as they are really good and inexpensive. I also like the Viewsonic PF models but I am using what I think is the best, a Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 900u, if you can still find them. NEC has bought out the Mitsubishi computer division so they may not be available now.

[Charliey]

Ill second the motion for Samsung. Ive gotthe SyncMaster 750s, its the cheapest 17" they have, but its really good.

[Smoke24]

I was just at Egghead and they have the 19" Samsung flat screen for $309 with a $20 rebate and $6.95 shipping.

[PardeGT]

I have a better deal on that Samsung 955df flatscreen.

Right now the Gateway.com accessory store is carring it for $299.99 with free shipping and handling. I just got one, I ordered it on Sunday and it arrived Thursday from UPS. If you decide to order it, in the box that has "choose a discount program" scroll down to "instant rebate coupon" and key in "WJ796". This will give you an immediate $25 discount for a total of $274.99. When you recieve the monitor you can send in the upc and get another $20 back from a Samsung manufactures rebate. This is one great monitor for the price. Here is a link to the Gateway site:

http://www.necxdirect.com/hai/tmpl.h...e&page=19inmon

If you have a local Best Buy, you can go there to see this model in person but it sells for $350 there with a $50 rebate.

One other note: I see the Gateway site above lists the monitor with a .25 dot pitch, this is a mismark, it is actually .20! I'm using it right now and I love it.

HTH

[Confused]

Could some elobrate a little on monitors. I guess my year old 19" is regular. What is flat screen as opposed to regular monitor?
Flat screen and flat panel are different, right?
What is TFT?
With my new system I want a flat panel I think. By flat panel, I mean one that looks like a note book standing up. I want one of those for the space saved and less heat. I've grown used to this 19" but I'm afraid a flat panel 19" is going to be far more than I'm willing to pay (right now I refuse to spend more on the monitor than the rest of it), so therefore a flat screen or regular screen may be in order.
Also elobrate on what qualties to look for in each.
Thanks
Chas

[glc]

Flat screen is a conventional CRT that has a flat rather than a curved front. Flat panel is LCD - TFT is an "active matrix" LCD vice passive or "dual scan". TFT has a wider viewing angle and is brighter than a dual scan.

A 19 inch flat panel is still frightfully expensive, but 17 inch panels are now below $800 and going lower. Because ALL of a flat panel's screen is viewable, it has almost as much screen "real estate" as a 19 inch CRT. Note that flat panels look fantastic at "native resolution" but can look a but blurry or jagged at lower resolutions due to pixel interpolation. Most 17 inch flat panels have a native resolution of 1280x1024.

There are 2 basic types of CRT - conventional "shadow mask" and "aperture grill" (Trinitron). Aperture grills generally give deeper color rendition and are more linear, but are more expensive and have a couple of grill support wires that can be annoying to some people - they show up as 2 fine dark horizontal lines on a white screen. Whatever, the lower the "dot pitch" or "grill pitch" the better they look.

[Confused]

Thanks GLC. If I read and understand your post correctly, a 17" TFT flat panel will appear nearly the size of the 19" conventional I now have. And if because of cost I go with regular CRT, I should get a flat screen "aperture grill" or Trinitron.
Thanks
Chas

[glc]

Well - there are flat screen conventionals and flat screen Trinitrons - go look at both types in the stores. The Trinitrons are more expensive than conventionals.

[shlingman]

Thanks for all the info, i bought the SyncMaster 955DF from the gateway accessory store for $275 with the free shipping. Can't wait to try it out when it gets here in the next couple days.

[babylon5guy]

I have one and I love it!