[PCM2]

I had assumed you’d meant the X2472HD as the ’82’ doesn’t exist. I’ll edit that for you in your post.

Sorry about the confusion with the link to a non-existent thread. That thread got very long and confusing and the most useful information had been repeated elsewhere on the forum. So I decided to delete it a few months back. This post from page 2 of this thread may be useful when it comes to trying to understand a bit more about VA panel responsiveness limitations.

[Tuilalcaron]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to say I absolutely love the site. The reviews are amongst the best, most detailed I can find anywhere on the the internet.

I’ve been contemplating a new monitor for a while and so finally persuaded the missus to get me one for Christmas.

– Ideal size would be 24″
– Budget around £150
– Main use is probably for doing uni work but I also game quite a bit and watch TV/Movies.

I was contemplating getting an IPS Panel but having done quite a bit of research I’m worried I won’t like the IPS glow you get from them. That led me to looking at VA Panels but I’m worried about trailing with them in gaming and to be honest I am going round in circles with no real answers.

Monitors I have been looking at include:
– BenQ EW2440L
– Samsung S24D390HL
– LG 23MP65HQ-P

If I’m honest I am probably veering towards the BenQ one but ther doesn’t seem to be too much online about it so anyone got any ideas or thoughts or opinions?

Thanks very much in advance

Gordon

[PCM2]

Hi Gordon and a warm welcome to the forum.

It’s great to hear that you’re a big fan of the website – that’s what I like to hear! 🙂

I’ve merged your thread into this one as it seems to boil down to the unenviable choice between VA and IPS-type panels. The really difficult thing is that it is definitely not a case of ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to different monitors and subjective preferences for one panel type over the other. This is likely why you have been going around in circles. A lot of users are hesitant to buy IPS monitors because they fear they will dislike the glow. More often than not they find it tolerable and love the colour reproduction of the monitor. Likewise a lot of users are put off VA panels because they fear the pixel responsiveness will be too slow – again, this is usually something many users tolerate just fine. In fact you’re already ahead of ‘most users’ in that you clearly understand the drawbacks and advantages of the different panel types.

Whilst I can’t give you a definite direction to go in, I can share some thoughts on the BenQ EW2440L and other 24″ VA panels in general. The 27″ models offer a few advantages, namely having a lighter matte (‘semi-glossy’) screen surface and broader colour gamut. This helps them achieve slightly more vibrant-looking colours and gives the image a relatively ‘clean’ look compared to ‘regular’ matte surfaces. The 24″ models have a screen surface that’s very much comparable to modern AH-IPS/AD-PLS models so it is something many users find just fine. These 24″ models still offer the exceptional contrast of their larger bretheren and tend to have good even backlights when displaying dark content (without ‘IPS glow’ to worry about either). This also helps light shades stand out really nicely against dark backgrounds and makes them, in my opinion, the best panel type for movies and (provided you’re OK with the pixel responsiveness) for dark gaming scenes as well.

There are some advantages to the IPS/PLS choices, as summarised earlier in the thread. It’s also worth looking at some thoughts early on in this thread on the responsiveness of VA. I’m sure you’ve already come across those points (mainly about colour consistency, lack of gamma shift and of course better pixel responsiveness). Ultimately it comes down to personal preferences. Taking the punt for one from somewhere with a good returns policy and returning it if you’re really not satisfied is always an option. It’s what some people end up having to do to break through the understandable confusion.

[shinoda]

Hello there !

I’m digging this topic up because I’m also looking for an IPS or VA screen for gaming. I already have a Iiyama Prolite GB2488HSU for fast paced games (FPS mostly) but it haves a large amount of banding/dithering on black gradients, see for yourself in these screens :

– http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=367145195
– http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=367145283

These are in HDMI with the full range tweak, so I did everything I could.
I’m interested in some screens you mentioned, I’m looking for a VA / IPS screen with a great color performance balance that I will use for less demanding games in terms of responsiveness. So the BenQ EW2440L could but the right choice for that ?

[PCM2]

Hi shinoda and welcome!

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it appears that you’ve posted screenshots that clearly show a banding issue, rather than taking photographs of the monitor? In that case the banding is caused by the source (game), there is no influence of your monitor at all – only the GPU and the monitor used to view the images (Dell P2415Q in this case). With smoke or fog effects in games they don’t always appear as a smooth gradient, again not because of the monitor but simply because the source material doesn’t have it coded in that way. It is computationally far more expensive to render smoke in a smooth way than to show it with distinct segments as appears to be the case here.

As above I haven’t tested the BenQ EW2440L myself, but feedback is largely positive on that model. It’s certainly one I’d strongly consider if you’re after a 24″ screen with excellent contrast and decent colours.

[GMTT]

I bought a Dell S2415H three months ago based on this website’s recommendation and wanted to get back to everyone about how it’s holding up.

I like it a lot. I got used to the slightly smaller size and resolution. The image looks really good. I play lots of games and it’s amazing how much better things look on the IPS compared to the old TN panel I had. Responsiveness it good too. I haven’t had any problems with the monitor and recommend it.

Thanks PCM2 for the help.

[PCM2]

That’s fantastic to hear, GMTT! 🙂

I’m personally quite a fan of glossy monitors and really wish they were more widespread. I have several users come to me in search of a glossy monitor, specifically, and have found the choice quite restrictive. The S2415H is one I happily recommend and will continue to do so! It’s a unique and very enjoyable monitor in my opinion.

[shinoda]

Thanks for your answer ! This banding effect is quite important is some other dark games (The Fall for example, with a giant halo replacing the greyscale gradients). My screen is not know for its colour accuracy (as its a TN panel) so I guess banding is pretty normal. But I’m not sure the game is entirely responsible. I’m gonna test this particular game on another computer with a PVA screen to check if it’s indeed the source or the screen.

[PCM2]

In this case it is clearly visible on a screenshot viewed on a nicely calibrated monitor with 10-bit colour processing (Dell P2415Q), so it is a problem with the source. I have no doubt that it is a source issue. That’s not to say your monitor wouldn’t display banding on elements that are supposed to be smooth gradient transitions, but in this case it’s a source issue and if a monitor displays the content correctly then it will be banded.

[mass85]

In the middle of November I finally decided to buy Iiyama XB2483HSU-B1, because it has adjustable stand (as opposed to Ben EW2440L) and good reviews. I was happy with its colors, deep blacks and nice whites. Motion blur seemed to be very similar to Dell U2414H. Unfortunately it had a dead green subpixel. Bearing in mind all the stories I read on the internet about Iiyama technical support (guys were replacing monitor 5 times without success) I had big doubts if using the manufacturer’s guarantee is a good idea. I did decide on that way of getting a better piece and that turned to be a big mistake. After a month(!!!) I received a replacement which also had a dead green subpixel, but also its white colour at low (20-30%) luminance level seemed very greyish. This piece also does not allow to adjust luminance in all preconfigured modes like text, unlike my first piece AFAIR (I am not so sure about that after reading manual to this monitor which mentiones that luminance adjustment is disabled for preconfigured modes). So now I am in the process of getting my money back. In a meantime I went to a nearby shop to check their piece and it had the same problem with white color.

I am puzzled now. I wish I could get the first piece of monitor and just forget about this one tiny dead subpixel which wasn’t annoying to me. I am starting to look for a different model than Iiyama’s, but this height adjustment feature (or at least a fixed, higgh stand) has become important to me and I cannot find anything in a reasonable price but Samsung S24C750 (there is a bargain in Media Markt and Saturn).

[b0uncyfr0]

Speaking of the s24c750, mine just arrived and so far I’m loving it. I don’t see what the fuss is about with the black crush. I can only notice it barely at extremely ridiculous angles just like an IPS. Colours are good, not as good as an IPS, but without any backlight glow or bleed, I’m loving it. Plus after calibration, the contrast on these VA monitors makes everything look freaking rich and punchy.

I should’ve gone to VA years ago. Its great for gaming. I’ve been playing far cry 4 and haven’t noticed anything weird (And I’m sensitive to these things). Watched Batman Dark Knight rises and it never looked better.

Get this monitor if you can, screw IPS’s theyre so over rated.

[PCM2]

That’s great to hear, I’m really glad you’re enjoying the experience. Black crush is actually an issue whereby some subtle detail is lost from a normal viewing angle and only revealed at a wider angle. I feel it is a fairly minor issue for most users and as I try to express in the reviews, more than made up for by the excellent black depth and strong dark shades and contrasting bright ones on VA models.

I couldn’t agree more about the rich and punchy look and I feel it is superb for movies, games and general use. I also feel that VA panels are vastly under-rated and I would love to see a wider spread of models from manufacturers. Actually I’m quite glad to see that for some of the larger and more expensive models VA is making a firm appearance. Models with 2560 x 1440, 3440 x 1440 and 3840 x 2160 resolutions in 32″, 34″ and 40″ sizes. I hope to see some invigoration of smaller panels, including new 24″ models – and also 27″ or smaller models with at least a 2560 x 1440 resolution. Vertical Alignment technology is certainly here to stay for LCDs and I urge anybody to give such monitors a chance and see for themselves.

[kontinos]

I think this is the correct topic for me to ask. I am in the searching of a new 27″ 1440p monitor, and i have considered the Dell U2715H. Coming from a budget monitor, the LG 23EA63V , i guess anything will be better than my current monitor.
The use will be general, browsing, movies, gaming, however i don’t care about the high Hz monitors for now, especially since they come with a TN panel.
What has bothered me with my current monitor, is that in dark movie/game scenes, i had struggle seeing the details, which seems an acknowledged problem of IPS panels.
Will this be the same case with the dell, or is it better than the LG?
Are there any other monitors with nice blacks you would recommend without having to sacrifice too much of what the dell offers?

[PCM2]

Hi Kontinos and welcome,

I do feel this is an appropriate topic for your predicament. Unfortunately what you are observing, ‘IPS glow’, is a typical characteristic of IPS-type panels. That includes the otherwise excellent Dell U2715H. If anything the effect can be more pronounced on larger monitors, in fact. As mentioned in this thread, VA panels can’t match IPS in the areas of colour consistency and the like nor responsiveness – but the overall experience can be very rewarding, especially if you’re looking for atmospheric-looking dark scenes.

Given your uses, desires and impressions of the LG I’d certainly consider a VA model. If you would like to maintain the 2560 x 1440 resolution and are happy with a large screen then I can recommend something like the BenQ BL3200PT. Otherwise, if you’re happy to stick with 1920 x 1080, the BenQ EW2740L is worth a look. Both models are featured in our recommendations section.

[kontinos]

Well, the thing is, i cannot handle a bigger screen (i have tried) and i don’t think a 27″screen with lower resolution would fit my preferences . I was looking for some alternative on a 27″ screen with 2560×1440 resolution with better blacks than the dell. The size and resolution are not on debate, but it seems ips in this size and resolution is the way to go, for now.

[PCM2]

In that case it rules out VA for you entirely. I’d consider the Samsung S27D850T, which several users have told me has relatively low levels of glow for a panel of its size and type. I haven’t tested this myself in a dark room to confirm, only in a bright showroom.

Some models also have something of a panel lottery going on, whereby some units have very low levels of glow. The AOC q2770Pqu, for example. There is no way I’m aware of to tell in advance whether you’ll get a unit with glow, however.

[Dicma]

Hello,

this is definitely the most useful VA vs IPS thread I have found online
so thanks for providing quality insight into pros and cons of both types of panels.

I am having a hard time choosing between Benq GW2760HS and Asus VX279H.
I am going for a budget 27″ 1080p monitor that will mostly be used for gaming.
It will also be used for everyday stuff like browsing the web.

Any advice is appreciated.

[PCM2]

I can’t really add much more to this, as it’s a very subjective thing and ultimately a choice you’d have to make yourself. Some users much prefer the ‘punchy’ high-contrast look to the image and usual relatively high levels of dark colour uniformity that you get on VA panels. Others prefer the consistently rich colours produced throughout the screen of IPS-type panels and also find the responsiveness of VA panels a little lacklustre in some cases.

It’s really something you’d have to see for yourself. I still maintain that VA panels are massively under-rated by many people (many users haven’t even seen or aren’t aware of such monitors) so if you have the opportunity to try one out then I’d go for it. Consumer protection throughout the EU allows you to return a product brought online if you aren’t satisfied with it once testing it out. You just have to take ‘reasonable care’ of the item.

[Dicma]

Thanks for your reply.

It does help a bit, you confirmed that I will simply have to go and take a look at both models in the stores.
One more thing, would you say that in general VA panels have a slower response time than IPS panels? According to the specs This Benq should be 1ms faster than Asus but i don’t know if it is really faster or is it the other way around.

[PCM2]

As noted in our review of the GW2760HS, you can safely ignore specified response times. There is massive variation in the speed of the response depending on the shades involved in the transition. ‘4ms’ represents one of the very fastest transitions that the monitor will perform using the highest level of acceleration (AMA Premium – which is full of inverse ghosting artifacts). Some transitions actually occur at closer to 40ms and the average grey to grey response time on such VA panels is typically around 10-12ms.

But don’t get too caught up with the figures. If you can see and experience the models for yourself then that is far more valuable. Because some people really aren’t bothered by the responsiveness of such monitors.

[Author]

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