Buying a new 20" / 21" Monitor Created 18 years ago2006-09-13 12:38:56 UTC by alexb911

Im after a new 20" / 21" TFT widescreen monitor for my computer. Im not on much of a budget - as long as it ain't stupid! I was looking at spending under about ?420.

Now, i've narrowed it down to two.... I think. The thing is, there are so many out there nowadays, it's just so hard. - Thats were you lot come in!

ASUS PW201

Gateway FPD2185W

These are the two.

So, what Im after, are your opinions. I don't care about speakers... derrr (who does?!?!?!) I would like another input for vcr / tv, or something, and i don't care too much about PiP.

Well, thanks in advance for you input.

I'd definately go for the Gateway. 1000:1 contrast is pretty damn high for an LCD monitor, and the price is good too.

reviews are pretty mixed... as always. So complaints about the built in PSU in the gateway hums loudly, as the controls were hard to use on the asus. If anyone has any other suggestions I would be happy to consider them.

Does anyone have a glossy screen, and what sort of difference does it make to image quality?

Ew Gateway...When I first bought a PC I bought their product but it started having problems...They moved their company to Ireland...last I checked that is...So when I called for help they were quite frankly useless.

Never will I touch a Gateway product ever again.

well my laptop (well DTR) screen was a 1440x990 with no gloss coating, it developed a lot of stuck pixels, sent it back and it was upgraded for free to 1680x1050 with X-black coating or something, it just makes the colours seem more deep and not as faded.

I really like the coating but it can be very reflective so positions of lights can be important and using outside is a no go,

yeah... thats the impression I was getting. Lights aren't a problem, I turn them off! Thanks for the info

@Habboi - I am having serious trouble finding this monitor for sale in the UK or Ireland, they all seem to be USA sites - I thought Gateway was amercian? :Z

Gateway is an American company...at least the founder and CEO was American.

lol gateway? I thought they ceased trading years ago

buy a crt they're better in every way but space

not 20" but still damn good.

my friend just got one of these for the core 2 duo system I built him.

its pure awesomeness for the price. near 180 degree viewing arc, no dead pixels, VERY nice contrast and response times.

and once you have one a 19" seems big enough.

and if you REALLY want a big monitor, get a 24" widescreen

You cant say no dead pixels unless your looking at it right now.

And make sure the warrenty covers dead pixels.

I examined every inch of it, there is not a single one.

and the color and contrast were near perfectly preserved when viewing it from an angle, even extreme angles

I'd say go w/ the Asus PW201. It's more expensive, but u also get a web cam that's built into the monitor, and it's not a bad camera either.

asus isn't know for their monitors. but gateways suck hands down.

if your choosing from those get the asus, but know there are better alternatives

CRTs are only better because they support all resolutions and provide a more accurate representation of an image colour wise. For every other intent and purpose they provide a picture incomparably clearer than a CRTs.

Yah, Jobabob's right.

my paragraph doesnt make any sense without swapping the word 'they' for 'tft'

Meh, I understood you.

Cathode ray tubes FTW. 70 year old technology wins!

21"? Thats' silly.

why? 19" is just pointless, no pixel increase, just streched. 17" is too small, just, and I don't like mine anymore. I also wanted another input for playstation / vcr. 15"........................ don't even get me started!!

Which is why I ended up with 20/21"

However, after hours of searching, I have found ONE shop in the UK that sells the gateway, and there happens to be one near me! It also offers an excellent 30 day, no quibble returns policy, so I will try it, and if it sucks, I will return it!!

Aren't I clever!

btw, its staples.co.uk for anyone thats interested. Seems quite cheap.

19" widescreen is impressivly big once you accually have on on the desk

@garg: I was referring to the one that he was going to be sent / buys. Unless you work at the store or you make the EXACT ONE hes getting, you cant be looking at it.

LOL!

@M_gargantua: but as there is no increase in pixels from 17 - 19", what's the point. I understand that its 2" bigger diagonal, but everything's just stretched?! The quality is no better.

Also, I can't get a CRT - there is a wall 2ft from my chair!

you use your computer in a closet?

have you never used a widescreen?

pixel streching would look horrible, as it does on EVERY widescreen, doesn't matter the size.

I think you've just never set the resolution properly.

Why's 21" silly, Seventh? I think that 21" is a good size for a widescreen monitor. Mind you, if I had the cash for my Dream Machine, I'd get Dell's 30-incher

That's just stupid. Appaulingly uncomfortable.

I have a 19" one, you see.

30inch?! that's just getting carried away!! No, my comp ain't in a unit, just on a desk against a wall.

This is my first widescreen monitor - I have a widescreen TV, but is isn't exactly the same.....................

Just wondered though.... what happens on a game that supports 1200 x 1000 approx. max? Do you get black bars, or is it stretched? I would prefer black bars.... some of my games can't cope on max at 1680x1050! Next up.... X1900XTX Crossfires

Getting monitor on monday, so I will post pics and keep everyone updated. Saw it in the store, and it was nice... although they weren't helping themselves... damn thing was connected through VGA?!?!?!?!!?

......twats

I'm pretty sure you just get black bars.

30"-ers are the wave of the future for hardcore, extreme gamers w/ cash. I mean, it gives you a full view. All you see is the game. All outside discractions are invisible. Emerse yourself and become one w/ the game. That is when thy true 1337 potential will come out. ...whoa...deep.

Besides, if Apple has a 30"-er, there must be something to it.

you set it to a nonstandard resolution.

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/wiki/index.php?title=Master_Games_List_-_A

how to do so. its the only way to get widescreen in games like BF2 and prey.

and there are no black bars, even if you set it to the wrong resolution. if you set it to the wrong aspect ratio then it will appear streched, and its always best to run all games in your monitors native resolution, if your computer can support it

Sweet, that'll help when I get my laptop (prolly 17" WUXGA). Thanx.

[u]Gateway FPD2185W TFT LCD Monitor[/u]

Well, after a bit, well.... a lot of fuss with the store I bought it from, I have finally got my monitor, and i LOVE IT!!! Delivery wasn't the problem... but they forgot to exchange the amercian power cord for an english one. Had to wait till this morning for it.

As you can see, I need a wall mount, as my keyboard is touching the monitor, but it's sweet.

I apologise for crappy picture quality. I have two good digital cameras..... One brought 2 weeks ago, the other yesterday! Arghhhh.... had to resort to my dig. camcorder!!!! Noooo...............................

Had one bright pixel... and it still do! but not to bother me, it was expected. Next to none backlight bleed, excellent image quality, and HD videos look a treat.

It has an excellent ratio... 1:1000, although I haven't measured it myself yet.

I would definately recommend this monitor for anyone thinking about upgrading to a 21", despite the less-known / less-popular manufacture. It's a multi-purpose monitor, having composite, component, s-vid, digital, and vga inputs. Also has HDCP support for vista, etc. compatibility, and uses DCDi technology by faroujda, which apparently greatly improves analogue input picture quality.

Finally, has PiP support, and 90 degree rotation that automatically adjusts when you move the monitor round.I now have a X1900XTX on it's way as well to compliment this piece. Looked at the X1950.... but for the price, it didn't seem that much better!

Sorry in advance for 56k's. Maybe I should have just provided links?!?!

fuggy gateway

horrible view radius

j/k