Monitor suggestions

spiderDude

I've been doing quite a bit of freelance work that requires me to be able to use correct colors. My current monitors suck in this aspect, so its time for an upgrade.

What monitors do you guys suggest that can give me good calibrated colors?

ZacD

Any IPS monitor is a decent starting place, but any monitor's color can be off without proper calibration. There are devices like the Spyder4Pro, which is about $150, that can calibrate any monitor to the best of it's ability.

The main question is what is your budget, what size monitor do you want, are you going to use multiple monitors, do you care about higher resolutions?

spiderDude

Cool, had no idea about things like Spyder4Pro. As far as budget, looking to keep it under $300. I don't need top of the line, just something reliable.

Norron

I've had good luck with this HP monitor I got a few years back. it's an early IPS panel but the color accuracy is good and it's a 19:10. Haven't had any problems with color gradients across the panel either like the one review on amazon.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/HP-LP2475w-24-inch-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/B001FS1LLI"]Amazon.com: HP LP2475w 24-inch IPS Widescreen LCD Monitor: Computers & Accessories[/ame]

Also it has a lot of inputs, supports composite, svideo, hdmi, and displayport.

ZacD

This is a good deal right now, $100 off of what it retails for on Dell's website, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSharp-U2312HM-IPS-Monitor/dp/B005LN1JEC/"]http://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSharp-U2312HM-IPS-Monitor/dp/B005LN1JEC/[/ame] But getting an LED monitor might be a better idea, there's a $300 one [ame]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260047[/ame] (you can get it for $278 with the promo code listed on that page)

Any Dell Ultrasharp monitor will work well.

spiderDude

awesome, thanks for the suggestions guys!

Lyaksandr

I agree with ZacD about the Dell Ultrasharp line. I highly recommend the U2412m, especially if you calibrate it with a decent system like the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/X-Rite-EODIS3-i1Display-Pro/dp/B0055MBQOW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1381357064&sr=1-1&keywords=xrite+i1"]X-Rite i1[/ame] or the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/X-Rite-CMUNDIS-ColorMunki-Display/dp/B0055MBQOM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1381357113&sr=1-1&keywords=xrite+colormunki"]X-Rite ColorMunki[/ame].

Definitely get a well-reviewed IPS display, but watch out for Wide Gamut displays like the Dell U2413 that have more than 100% sRGB coverage. Unless you work with raw photos shot in Adobe color space or something like that, getting a wide gamut monitor will only cause headaches.

Get as close to 100% sRGB coverage as you can, but not more.

Racer445

Lyaksandr wrote: »

I agree with ZacD about the Dell Ultrasharp line. I highly recommend the U2412m, especially if you calibrate it with a decent system like the X-Rite i1 or the X-Rite ColorMunki.

Definitely get a well-reviewed IPS display, but watch out for Wide Gamut displays like the Dell U2413 that have more than 100% sRGB coverage. Unless you work with raw photos shot in Adobe color space or something like that, getting a wide gamut monitor will only cause headaches.

Get as close to 100% sRGB coverage as you can, but not more.

having a wide gamut monitor is fine as long as the sRGB emulation mode offers full color space coverage, which the dells do. the dell U2413 is a really good all rounder right now. it offers true 8-bit (IMPORTANT!) color, very good calibrated results, and it has very low input lag so you can even play games on it. the sRGB emulation is excellent. it's at a very good price right now too.

spiderDude

Thanks guys! Looking at it the U2412m does look really good. If anything I'll probably go with that, but I'll continue to look around some more.

Thanks again everybody!

AlecMoody

I replaced my lacie pro system with an xrite colormunki display a few months ago and it's working really well. Overall I prefer it to the discontinued lacie tool and its half the price.

I use a bunch of dell 3007wfp monitors. 2560x1600, can be found used cheaply, 30", ips... Backlighting color temp drifts over time so if you are using old panels having hardware to profile the monitor is extra important.


Also, racer is correct about wide gamut. Unless it emulates SRGb it's a problem. Also, be skeptical of the image quality when its running is srgb emulation mode. Newer monitors might do it better but some of the first monitors that did sRGB emulation had precision issues.

ZacD

If you want a really nice high resolution high quality panel, and are willing to risk getting a cheap stand and possible dead pixels, try getting a 27" Inch Crossover 27Q from ebay. They are around $380, 2560x1440.

AlecMoody

Yeah, those are a good option. I tend to think dead pixels arent a big deal. I know they arent going to have any affect on the art I make.

Racer445

sRGB emulation in modern wide gamut monitors is quite good, the U2413 hits it dead on.

those korean monitors aren't always a great choice. they often have build quality issues and in the case of certain displays like the monoprice/others "zero-g" monitors, don't even have real brightness control. you also run a significantly higher risk of getting dead or struck pixels vs going with a known brand that only uses A+ grade panels, and it's much harder to find in-depth critical reviews and calibration reports like the ones from prad.de or tftcentral.

huge step up from crappy TN displays for sure, but i wouldn't trust them for professional use.

ZacD

Those Korean monitors are really just good for getting a 2560x1440 ips display for cheap, Monoprice.com has the same panel (I think) for $400 with a 5 dead pixel policy, but still the same cheap stand issues. Some sellers with those panels are starting to show up on Amazon.

Rwolf

I can vouch for the Dell Ultrasharps (I have a older 27" but does 100% srbg and 99% Adobe RGB), but recommend a colour calibrator as well. I picked up a Spyder4 pro as well, and used them on over half a dozen monitors, and all of them were off abit.

Snacuum

I have an dell ultrasharp u2410 and a Spyder4 Express and I'm no end of trouble trying to calibrate it. My delta E is still like over 8 and I would like to reap the benefits of wide-gamut (I do some stuff for print)

Knowing the popularity of my equipment I'm annoyed that nobody who has expert knowledge has created a guide that would help for my monitor.

Bruno Afonseca

ZacD wrote: »

If you want a really nice high resolution high quality panel, and are willing to risk getting a cheap stand and possible dead pixels, try getting a 27" Inch Crossover 27Q from ebay. They are around $380, 2560x1440.

I have one of those and it's great for working, but don't bother with the one with speakers. They're terrible, and it flickers badly when I hook my PS3 on them. I had to put a fan behind the monitor to keep it from flickering. Really good otherwise

huffer

I have a U2711, 27 inch from Dell, extended gamut. I bought it so I wouldn't have to use two monitors, but now I kinda want two small ones instead, and definitely with glossy displays (the matte is kinda grainy, you get used to it but sometimes it bothers me). Also, it's a beast, consumes a lot of power and warms up the room.

Now, I would either buy two cheap 21 inch 1080p displays from dell, one in portrait split in two, the other landscape, until cheap 4K displays arrive, or, buy a couple of USB monitors, full HD at 15.6 inch, retina, light, portable, 5W power usage.

Alemja

Supposedly there are a few places on eBay that sell the Korean monitors with 100% prefect pixel guarantee, no speakers and better stand.

There is an overclock thread that has a wealth of information about them:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1332252/review-crossover-led-p-2560x1440p-monitors

ysalex

Figured I would resurrect this instead of a new thread.

I'm in the market for a new monitor, but having trouble finding info about how a monitor might affect a linear workflow, or if there is anything I should know about it color wise. I have been working a linear workflow in vray, but am unsure how monitor technology might affect this.

AlecMoody

ysalex: you want a monitor that isn't wide gamut or that has a high quality sRGB gamut emulation mode. Strictly speaking, this is unrelated to linear workflow (as all monitors will be targeting gamma 2.2, regardless of color space size) but if you are concerned about linear workflow accuracy than you will certainly not want your monitor over saturating all your games.

Alphavader

Just wanted to pump this thread - cause ill buy a new workstation soon.
Any new suggestions you have on a monitor ? I use my pc for modeling/design
but also for gaming.

Some advice would be nice - cheers

Currentliy thinking about this one:

[ame="http://www.amazon.de/Dell-LED-Monitor-Reaktionszeit-hhenverstellbar-schwarz/dp/B005JN9310/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410794403&sr=8-1&keywords=Dell+UltraSharp+U2412M+24-Inch+Screen+LED-lit+Monitor"]Dell U2412M 61 cm LED-Monitor schwarz: Amazon.de: Computer & Zubehör[/ame]

Will Faucher

Dell currently has sales going on, got this one for 250$

http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=ca&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&sku=860-bbcg