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In the world of monitors, 2022 has been a very hot and eventful year. We definitely did not expect such a flow of information and new products, but, unfortunately, most of the new products bypassed the territory of the Russian Federation, and those that could get there did it in extremely limited quantities and at crazy prices, with a minimal (often even formal) or completely absent guarantee.

A huge number of “private entrepreneurs” have surfaced on well-known trading floors, carrying goods “on order” and selling what they have already brought to the current moment. We came, we saw, we bought – this is the best case. If delivery to another city or by taxi is supposed, then all that remains is to trust the seller, relying on his rating. What will happen next with the goods – the seller is of little interest. Perhaps you will be provided with a receipt for the purchase in a foreign store, but then you will have to apply for a guarantee in an instance somewhere in the European Union, the UAE or the USA.

Many well-known brands have really left the market – and now their products are available only through “parallel imports”. In this case, some distributors promise “their guarantee” for a period of no more than six months. However, stores that officially sell this kind of equipment are required by all laws to issue a guarantee of at least a year. How this will further affect prices, the possibility of returns, exchanges and after-sales service – the story is still silent.

Now the market is saturated with 2020-2021 models and, of course, offers popular solutions announced even earlier. Time is frozen, but not for manufacturers. All A- and B-brands massively updated the range of available monitors – only a few of them reached the Russian market. In 2022, we were unable to get acquainted with dozens of interesting and relevant solutions, which upsets us, just like you. It remains to believe and hope that the situation will change for the better.

⇡#Farewell to “Premium Service” and the possibility of repair

With the official withdrawal of some brands from the market, the possibility of using various “premium services” and “premium guarantees” has also disappeared. For example, the monitors of the American company Dell, which many people loved precisely for their approach to service after purchase, remained on the territory of the Russian Federation without this important “chip”.

Recall that a year earlier, buyers of most of the monitors from the range of Dell in the event of a warranty event could submit an appeal through an online form. A couple of days or a week later, a DHL or UPS courier arrived with a replacement or a completely new monitor, picked up the defective one – and that was where all the problems ended. Fast and easy. I personally know several people who have used this feature about 8-10 times – looking for a monitor with perfect backlight uniformity and / or without dead pixels. Dell’s warranty policy allowed this.

According to rumors, several other manufacturing companies practiced something similar on the territory of the Russian Federation, but, obviously, they can hardly provide such a service since March-April 2022.

Thus, all that remains for buyers is even better to check the monitors before buying, clarify all the conditions for granting a guarantee, and also not rely heavily on the possibility of a warranty repair (even a fairly simple one) if necessary. The latter was personally tested on the example of a new monitor of a well-known brand – there are no and will not be spare parts, but you still have to wait exactly 45 days until the signing of the “act of non-repairability of the goods” – the master warned about this in advance. Getting used to the new reality…

⇡#IPS Black and A-TW Polarizer. LG Display on a roll!

From bad news to good news. In 2022, LG Display has finally begun actual deliveries of its new IPS Black matrices with a contrast ratio increased to 2000:1 (double the depth of black) and IPS gaming panels using the so-called A-TW polarization layer to reduce “backlight leakage” and the reduction of the Glow effect characteristic of this technology.

The first matrices found their way into desktop monitors Dell from the UltraSharp U series – U2723QE / U3223QE , made in two sizes: 27 and 31.5 inches. I was able to personally get acquainted with each of them, but I did not see any miracles, except for that “twice as deep black”. If you work with photography and video, where “zero black” is not mainly used (which for professionals simply means the absence of useful information), then you will not see any advantages over models based on old AH-IPS and Nano-IPS, no matter what beautiful pictures drawn by the marketing departments of companies tell you.

The new matrices did not decrease the Glow-effect either, on the contrary, it even increased. The only real advantage of the new products is seen only in a direct comparison of the depth of the black field between them and the mid-budget *VA-models. Here between them there may be parity or even some advantage of the new IPS in terms of backlight uniformity (depending on the instance). As a result, the last formal dignity *VA dissolves before our eyes…

From my point of view, a much more significant step in the development of IPS technology is the return of the A-TW polarizer, the manufacturer of which LG Display acquired about 10 years ago. Perhaps it was the absorption of a “stepping on the heels” of a competitor, or perhaps a “look into the future” and a desire to equip many of their matrices with this technology. As it was in reality – we are unlikely to know. The last monitors with A-TW were several professional NEC models from the PA series, and only the first generation – with the WUXI index (WUXI2 were already on the panels without an additional polarization layer).

In official statements about the return of the A-TW polarizer to LG Display, they started talking in 2020 and promised many matrices using it, but the promises did not withstand the collision with reality. In fact, only two models with an A-TW polarizer went on sale, both gaming: 32GQ850-B WQHD standard with a maximum refresh rate of 260 Hz and 32GQ950-B with a 4K 160-Hz panel. It is impossible to name stable deliveries of these monitors, periodically there are long pauses. The cost of these solutions in the US market is adequate and amounts to $599 and $899, respectively, but these new items never made it to Russia. We live and believe!

⇡#Samsung is not far behind: its gaming IPS, 4K UHD 240 Hz, QD-OLED and Smart features to boot

Perhaps, in 2022, Samsung has done even more in the field of desktop monitor technology than LG Display. The manufacturer not only showed itself in the segment of gaming IPS-like monitors (where it had not been seen before) with several models from the Odyssey line, but also introduced the first 4K monitor on the market with a native frequency of 240 Hz – it became Odyssey Neo G8 (G85NB) .

The new 32-inch Odyssey Neo G8 features a 1000R *VA-type 4K curved panel with Quantum Matrix multi-zone backlighting technology that covers 95% of the DCI-P3 color space and is HDR 2000 certified (Samsung’s own standard for local backlight control and maximum brightness 2000 nits peak in a small area of ​​the screen). Therefore, if you hear that now the maximum frequency for 4K monitors is 144-180 Hz – do not believe it! You now know where to find more.

In addition, it is thanks to Samsung that the first OLED gaming monitors appeared on the market in 2022. The new QD-OLED panel, which became the first sign for the company and objectively enhances the advantages of the previously used OLED matrices due to its unique structure, first appeared in the Dell Alienware AW3423DW ultrawide monitor, which is already being sold with might and main on the world market.

Six months after its release, Samsung directly presented its vision based on the same QD-OLED matrix – Odyssey OLED G8 (aka QD-OLED G8 Neo, aka OLED G8 Neo and G8QNB) with a frequency of 175 Hz, a resolution of 3440 × 1440 pixels, a wide color gamut, a maximum brightness of 1000 nits and a response time of 0. 1 ms. The model supports all major adaptive sync standards, and the main differences from the Dell solution are its chic minimalist design and the presence of Smart functions on board along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules. In fact, you get two in one – a gaming monitor and a TV (albeit without a TV tuner – but why is it needed at all in the era of IPTV and various online services?). Surprised so surprised!

⇡ # Cheaper OLEDs, gaming OLEDs and bendable OLEDs. Not a day without OLED…

“More! More OLED! Big, small, flat, curved and bendable!” – something like this was the year 2022 in the monitor market. All this fun, unfortunately, bypassed us, but various Western bloggers, IT publishers and consumers managed to touch a large assortment of new products based on organic light emitting diodes. Everything is clear with 34-inch high-speed QD-OLEDs, but what else was announced and put into production? Let’s get a look.

Two years ago, LG was the first to offer consumers professional displays based on 27- and 31. 5-inch OLED panels. Now LG is updating its UltraFine OLED line for the third time – at the end of 2022, introduced the 27EQ850 model, which replaced the 27EP950 and repeats it in many aspects, but for completely different money – $ 2,000 versus $ 3,000 from its predecessor. A significant reduction in cost with minor simplifications is an excellent example of the correct promotion of new technologies to the masses.

In the OLED gaming segment, we are familiar with 48-inch solutions based on the same panels used in various OLED TVs. Later, with the release of the LG OLED42C2 TV, various manufacturers, including ASUS and the new company KTC, decided to take advantage of the 42-inch OLED panel, increasing the vertical frequency from 120 to 138 Hz.

Thanks to the flexibility of the OLED substrate, LG announced its 42-inch bendable monitor a little later LG OLED Flex LX3 – Curvature can be changed from zero to a tight 900R curve, giving users the ability to “choose your ideal shape from twenty levels of curvature. ” It looks like servos are integrated into the monitor’s body, powering this whole futuristic design. Magic!

An even more advanced solution has been added to Corsair’s range, the XENEON Flex 45WQHD240 monitor, which is a 45-inch ultra-wide 240Hz OLED screen. It’s also bendable, with a wide range of curvature presets to choose from. But if you need a probably more reliable option, then you should take a closer look at another new product – LG UltraGear 45GR95QE with fixed bend , but still the same 240 Hz.

In an effort to conquer more open spaces, MSI announced its “Project 491C” is a 49-inch QD-OLED (Samsung matrix) with a resolution of 5120 × 1440 pixels, 1000R curvature and a frequency of 240Hz. The date of the monitor’s appearance on sale and the price are not yet known.

Finally, those who do not like to play or work behind huge screens will soon be able to purchase new OLED gaming products with an adequate size of 26. 5 inches, a resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels and a frequency of 240 Hz. 9 companies presented one such display0029 ASUS and LG – PG27AQDM and 27GR95QE-B respectively. We are sure that the models use the same OLED panel, but due to more features and the “premium” approach that ASUS takes with its ROG Swift line, LG’s model will be much more popular. It remains to wait until all this variety of OLED reaches us – and, preferably, at reasonable prices.

⇡#360Hz on TN+Film by BenQ. Didn’t you wait? We, too!

We are never allowed to forget about TN+Film technology, which started the development of liquid crystal monitors. Company BenQ , which has secured its place in the gaming monitor segment with its sub-brand Zowie , decided to remind you that Twisted Nematic panels have been and remain the fastest among LCD matrices. She did this by launching the XL2566K monitor with a frequency of 360 Hz and a working resolution of the Full HD standard.

You may think that few people are interested in such monitors, but believe me, they are not. Already an “industry standard”, the 240Hz TN+Film models from the BenQ Zowie range have been selling steadily for years, keeping the public interested. And this is despite their obvious shortcomings: noticeable artifacts, low picture stability, poor viewing angles and not the best color reproduction. Comparable in terms of vertical scan rate, IPS models are not much more expensive, but there is a certain caste of players whose choice is predetermined: TN + Film – and that’s it!

Western observers have already tested this model, and their conclusions fully confirm my assumptions: XL2566K is really very fast, but the artifacts have not disappeared, and the matrix in the monitor is used without a modified backlight spectrum (W-LED technology is used ~12 years ago) and with all the characteristic shortcomings of TN + Film. However, given the cost of the model against the background of comparable TX IPS solutions on the market, as well as the commitment of hardcore players to TN + Film matrices, there is no reason to doubt the potential popularity of the solution.

⇡ # And again they! 360Hz WQHD IPS and 600Hz for Notebooks from BOE

“If you can make 360Hz for Full HD resolution, then what prevents you from producing a matrix and monitor with the same frequency, but for the WQHD standard (2560 × 1440 pixels)?” – thought in ASUS and AUO. In this tandem, they created an UltraFast generation IPS panel with a lot of technical features and a ROG Swift PG27AQN gaming display based on it. Its announcement took place a year ago, but real deliveries began only at the end of 2022.

The capabilities of modern GPUs today have greatly outgrown the Full HD standard, as flagship graphics cards in some games can provide frame rates much higher than the monitor’s peak refresh rate. Valorant, for example, can be played at high settings at over 500fps on the latest graphics cards, and games like CS:GO go over 700fps.

You don’t have to look far for examples: according to NVIDIA, the already relatively affordable (and not the newest) GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card paired with an Intel i9 chip-12900K can play Valorant, CS:GO, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Seige at over 360fps at WQHD resolution. This prompted manufacturers of monitors and matrices to introduce such novelties to the market with an increased refresh rate.

If you are not very interested in such “competitive” hits, then you can easily save money and look after yourself WQHD IPS novelties of the end of 2021 with a frequency of 240 Hz. And if you are also a fan of setting graphics settings to the maximum, then catch our advice – feel free to choose among proven 144-165-Hz solutions, even if you have an RTX 4080/409 installed0. Unfortunately, on cards of this price segment, many modern games are not able to “accelerate” to a stable ~100 FPS, so common sense should suggest that these monitors are the most adequate choice.

And if 360 Hz is not serious enough for you, then we can dream about 600 Hz in laptops. Yes, this is the vision of the future of “portable PCs” the Chinese company BOE , engaged in the development and production of LCD and OLED panels. BOE showed a prototype with an aspect ratio of 16:10 (resolution, most likely, 1920 × 1200 pixels) and an unknown type of liquid crystal matrix. This is all interesting, but how relevant?

To date, none of the laptop manufacturers have in their range of models equipped with screens with a refresh rate of 500 Hz or higher. Dell got as close as possible to this formal barrier with its Alienware x17 R2 gaming laptop models. Some of them are equipped with 17-inch screens with Full HD resolution and a refresh rate of 480 Hz.

⇡#DisplayPort 2.0/2.1. Is it necessary?

Continuing the topic of relevance, you can’t help but walk through the long-awaited DisplayPort 2.0 connectivity standard. He, before reaching the market, was almost imperceptibly updated to version 2.1, , which was taken as the basis for the new video cards from AMD . A competitor in the face of NVIDIA with cards of the 4000 series has not yet been in a hurry, but it is expected that the company, together with its partners, will present updated cards with latest versions of DisplayPort support in the near future.

Born specifically for PC use, DisplayPort continues to be the most hassle-free and popular interface for unleashing the full potential of gaming solutions. At the moment, when using DP 1.4 with support for signal compression (DSC), bandwidth problems can only occur with 4K models above 180 Hz, as well as WQHD solutions with 400+ Hz.

By “problems” we mean the inability to use high/maximum refresh rate, 10-bit color and HDR at the same time. How many consumers will be put off by such limitations, given the extremely poor implementation of HDR on 99% of modern monitors, the lack of quality content, and the fact that most applications run in 8-bit color (24-bit for all three RGB color channels)? We doubt.

It turns out that the updated versions of DP, which expanded the bandwidth by 2.5-3 times, are most relevant only for the ongoing race for numbers. In early 2023, monitor manufacturers are expected to announce the first models with new versions of DP, and most likely we will talk about 4K UHD solutions at 240+ Hz. But even here it is not so simple.

It is important to understand that, as in the case of HDMI 2.1, , the VESA association for new versions of DP provides for several data transfer schemes / standards : UHBR10 (40 Gb / s), UHBR13. 5 (54 Gb / s), UHBR20 (80 Gb / s). In all three cases, the real throughput efficiency of interfaces has been increased from 80 to 96.7% compared to DP 1.4.

According to VESA, using DP 2.1 will potentially provide the following speeds: 8K at 60 Hz, 4K at 240 Hz, WQHD at 480-500 Hz, up to two 4K at 120 Hz and up to four 4K at 60 Hz using an MST connection. And all this without the use of stream compression, in 10-bit mode and with active HDR. If you turn on DSC (lossless color compression), the frequency range can be significantly expanded, which monitor manufacturers will be able to take advantage of in the coming years.

In 2023, we will most likely expect monitors with DP 2.1 according to the UHBR10 standard (with an effective throughput of 38.69 Gb / s). You will find information about the actual bandwidth only somewhere deep in the TX in the instructions for the monitor, but you will immediately find out that you have a display with DP 2.1 support in front of you – and you will rely on the peak 80 Gb / s that you read about in the news. Aggressive marketing in action!

⇡#New speed detection standard from VESA – ClearMR. Attempt to abandon GtG and MPRT

It seems that the popular standards for describing the speed indicators of monitors will soon be retired – the VESA association introduced a new standard VESA ClearMR , replacing the old BtW (Black to White) and GtG (Gray to Gray), as well as MPRT (Motion Picture Response Time), which is not an indicator of pixel response time, but gives some idea of ​​the frame appearance time on the screen in the case of activated “insert black frame” function. But not everyone knows about this, and therefore manufacturers have long made it a rule to put down the MPRT number in the “response speed” column and thereby greatly confuse uninformed consumers.

Another certification from VESA is based on the assessment of the clarity (!) Of a moving image, which allows you to most correctly determine the real speed of a matrix of one type or another. You can read more about the assessment methodology in the material of the profile portal TFTCentral.

VESA ClearMR certification offers several “sharpness levels” from ClearMR 3000 to ClearMR 9000. Each is an “actual blur range” based on a percentage of clear to fuzzy pixels. For example, a ClearMR level of 7000 is defined as a CMR range of 65 to 75 times (6500 to 7500 percent) – this number of times there are more clear pixels on the screen than blurry ones. In other words, this means that the ratio of sharp and fuzzy pixels on the display is 65-75:1.

How are “clear”, “not very sharp” and “not very sharp” pixels, as well as their number, is a question in a million. You can take this as a joke or not at all, because it is obvious that another VESA certification was conceived as an opportunity to earn money – and we have no doubt that the money will flow like a river. In the meantime, LG’s latest gaming models have passed certification, as well as one HP monitor.

One of the obvious shortcomings of the new speed determination scheme is the impossibility of evaluating the results when using the “black frame insertion” modes. VESA refuses to recognize their usefulness (here we can partially agree with them) and do not plan to take into account the availability of such systems in a particular monitor. Well, that’s their business…

⇡#Forecast for 2023

The development vector for 2023 is set as clearly as possible. At the beginning of the year, we will witness the announcement of an increasing number of new OLED gaming products, as well as the appearance on sale of previously announced solutions, including bendable ones. Manufacturers will continue to increase the vertical frequency on displays of all major standards (from Full HD to 4K UHD), and in order to unlock their potential, they will have to resort to using DP 2.0 / 2.1 interfaces. Support for these interfaces can already be found on the latest GPUs from AMD, and it may also appear on upcoming versions of the NVIDIA RTX 4000 series.

Against the backdrop of a clearly manifested interest of brands in OLED technology, the relevance of the mass use of matrices with multi-zone backlight systems based on FALD and Mini-LED (the main difference between them is the physical size of LEDs and the number of controllable zones) has sharply decreased, and this despite the previously ambitious plans of matrix manufacturers to bring them to sale in a wide range.

Of greatest interest, including from the point of view of availability and reliability, are IPS matrices with increased black depth (contrast ratio of 2000: 1) and the use of an A-TW polarizer to reduce “backlight leaks” and reduce the Glow effect that irritates many. And if at the moment only LG Display has these technologies, which already uses them in final solutions (albeit separately), then in the coming months something similar is expected from the main competitor in the face of AU Optronics. We will wait for the A-TW polarizer layer to be built into IPS Black and flavor this pie with a refresh rate increased at least (for the first time) to 120-144 Hz.

The industry standard in 2022-2023 can safely be called matrices using modified W-LED backlight systems with a changed spectrum. And in some of them, this will not be done to fully expand the color gamut, but to reduce eye strain using a “hardware” blue peak shift in the backlight spectrum. We should expect the appearance of an increasing number of certificates of conformity and high-profile marketing statements from manufacturers when the next models are put on sale.

Residents of Russia, from the point of view of the author, should come to terms with the not very enviable situation on the desktop monitor market – these are not smartphones and PC components, where significant deterioration has not occurred due to a much more active audience of buyers and completely different sales volumes. “Return to basics” in the segment of monitors, if there is, it will take a considerable amount of time. In the meantime, you should forget about premium brand guarantees, stocked warehouses of spare parts for repairs, constant and large supplies of monitors in a wide range, as well as adequate prices for top solutions. Establishing parallel imports is one thing (and for many stores and distributors it is a successfully completed stage), but answering for the guarantee on your own and with money is quite another. That’s why the crazy prices – everything is explainable.

Under such conditions, it is not surprising that the marketing departments of small Russian brands have become active, offering “domestic developments”: monitors from DEPO, Valday, Vecom, RDW Computers, and so on. True, their assortment is still small, and in terms of their characteristics they can only be interesting for commercial purchases of various organizations.

Side by side with them are Thunderobot gaming monitors from the much more eminent Chinese manufacturer Haier, better known for climate control and home appliances. A huge number of billboards in Moscow are filled with advertising of their new products, and therefore you can be sure that commercial success will not be long in coming. Such massive advertising and promotion will be envied even by Xiaomi and Huawei, which did not actively develop their monitor lines and settled on a relatively small number of models. In other words, the transformation of the market has already begun, and we just have to watch it.

Computers & Hardware Best Buys. Monitors

Traditionally, we give the title of “Editor’s Choice: Best Quality” to products that are made according to the principle “quality at any cost”. But this season, the monitor market pleases not only with more advanced technologies, but also with more affordable prices. And then the principle begins to operate: better less, but better – we will save not on image quality, but on the number of inches.

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To make it easier to find the best model, here is a formula that can accurately identify a high-quality monitor that claims to be Editors’ Choice: Best Buy:

diagonal×(178°/178°+DVI)/price

, mathematical meaning)? For example, milliseconds (i.e. response time), aspect ratio 16:10, which defines a wide format. Or the ability to select other viewing angles – from 140°/130° to 170°/170° (10:1). But the formula contains everything that is important in practice and to the extent that it is necessary. “Wide” sensors have become more affordable, so why settle for anything less than 178°/178°? The speed of all new models is at an acceptable level, and a large or wide format is not always in demand. Thus, only the size of the diagonal and the price remain variables. Having decided that the lack of image quality cannot be compensated for by its quantity, we will discuss other factors that determine user comfort. In particular, the point size.

Diagonal, inches	Resolution, dots	Dot size*, mm
17	1280×1024	0.263
18.1	1280×1024	0.281
19	1280×1024	0.294
19 Wide	1440×900	0.284
20.1	1600×1200	0.255
20.1	1400×1050	0. 292
20.1 Wide	1680×1050	0.258
21 Wide	1680×1050	0.269
21.3	1600×1200	0.271
22 Wide	1680×1050	0.282
23 Wide	1920×1200	0.258
24 Wide	1920×1200	0.269
26 Wide	1920×1200	0.287
27 Wide	1920×1200	0.303
30 Wide	2560×1600	0.252

* The larger the dot, the easier it is to read fonts and thin lines on the screen. On matrices of the MVA and PVA type, the effect of graininess (associated with the grid structure of the matrix) is practically not felt.

The 1280×1024 resolution is the most cost-effective resolution for both the cost of the display and the cost of the gaming graphics accelerator that this monitor will require. After all, watching a beautiful slideshow on a huge screen is not enough fun – the realism of game worlds is determined, first of all, by the frame rate (fps). We recently tested 19-inch LCDs with wide viewing angles, and some of them were under $300.

Belinea 1980 S2, BenQ FP93GP and Philips 190P7ES/00 (Philips 190P7ES/10 TN-matrix model, be careful) are the most affordable and high-quality displays with 178°/178° viewing angles. For those who prefer PVA technology, the least expensive option is the Samsung 971P, one of the best 19-inch monitors. Note that many players will prefer the MVA technology as more affordable and at the same time not lagging behind in games (according to subjective observations).

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All of these models are great for working with photos, we note that BenQ FP93GP is not capable of turning to portrait position. If we talk about professional work, the cheaper NEC MultiSync LCD 1970NXp will be the most profitable option, which still demonstrates more accurate color reproduction than most of its classmates.

It is also worth noting that all these models are very good for working with text and graphics – 19-inch monitor has an almost maximum dot size (0.294 mm), which makes fonts and thin lines easy to read (unfortunately, 20.1 “1400 × 1050 – only on TN-matrices). Finally, when sitting in front of a monitor with a classic aspect ratio, you do not have to turn your head while playing or place program windows in the center of the screen, as you have to do with large widescreens.

And here’s what will not be as comfortable on a 19″ monitor as watching movies. And in games, the “immersive effect” will not be the same. For those who can afford higher resolutions (from 1680 × 1050 and higher), there are quite a few models at attractive prices.

Speaking of 1680×1050 resolution, we would prefer the maximum diagonal of 22 inches, because there is a rather large dot (0.282). However, such monitors are built only on TN matrices. While the latest TN panels achieve viewing angles of 160°/160° or even 160°/170° (10:1), it’s still not the best option for shared photo/video viewing. Viewing angles are especially critical for a widescreen, because even if you look directly at the screen, the colors at the edges can be “shadowed”.

The next variant with a slightly smaller dot is 21 inches, where the most affordable 178°/178°+DVI model is the Samsung 215TW. It is not perfect, as we talked about in the summer article about LCD monitors with a diagonal of 20-21 inches, but it has the best value for money (if, of course, you can find it on sale). Finally, the 1680×1050 mode is quite suitable for the latest accelerators from $200, even if we talk about the latest games (at moderate quality settings).

And finally, monitors for the most demanding users who seek quality at any cost. By the way, there are more and more such buyers, because the price tag of $900 is no longer scare anyone – “long-playing” equipment like a large display or TV is increasingly purchased on credit. But the best part is that 24-inch monitors with support for 1900×1200 (which even overrides the Full HD standard – 1920×1080) are already available for up to $700. Among these models, it is worth noting LG Flatron L245WP and Acer AL2423W, built on high-end P-MVA and S-PVA matrices, respectively. There is also a cheaper Acer AL2416Ws S-PVA, but without a DVI digital interface, and therefore there may be loss in image quality even when connected to the best video cards.

But if you’re willing to go even further and shell out up to $1,000 for a display, we’d advise you not to stop there and consider the “monitor for life” options.

The parameters of the best high-end display are quite easy to calculate. Again, it’s not about the highest resolution and / or diagonal, but the size of the dot. 0.303 mm is an absolute record set by 27-inch models with a resolution of 1900×1200. Of course, most of the work with programs will have to be done in windows located in the center of the screen (after all, the neck is not iron). And for some especially heavy games, you will have to disable the display scaling function (see the Flat panel scaling settings in the video card drivers) and look into the 1280 × 1024 window – unless, of course, you want to contemplate a slide show or an image stretched (even if very high quality) to “native” 1900×1200. At the same time, 27-inch monitors manage to immerse the player in the virtual world “with his head” if the video card (and even better two) will allow. Moreover, as is the case with many 24-inch models, a 27″ display can remain “alone at home” in a one-room apartment: in addition to supporting all HD Video formats (HDCP included), it also provides the ability to connect other video sources – from camcorders to game consoles.