Monitor advice

[gmazz]

I'm looking to upgrade from my current monitor. I would like to keep it under $200 (although around $150 is preferred). I understand that anything is better than my cheap lcd. However, I would like to get the best quality I can. I'd like to buy from dell as I've bought from them before and have been happy with my purchase. I'm also willing to take suggestions on other brands as long as they ship to Canada. I will be using the monitor for some gaming and photo editing.

These are the two models I'm looking at:
Dell S2340L 23" Monitor with LED
Dell[SUP]TM[/SUP] UltraSharp[SUP]TM[/SUP] U2212HM 21.5" Monitor with LED

I don't know anything about monitors but I looked at the specs and I noticed they were mostly the same. Is the "Ultrasharp" actually ultra sharp? If it doesn't have better image quality(not sure if this is the proper term) then I wouldn't mind saving some money and getting a slightly larger monitor.

Thanks in advance

 

[TheLost]

In the '~$150' range it comes down to what type of connections are included and Panel Type..

For panel type... IPS is what you want.

Dell S2340L = VGA(DSUB) and HDMI
Dell S2213HM = DVI, VGA(DSUB) and DisplayPort

(Both are listed as IPS)

You'll get a better image with DVI or HDMI (or DisplayPort) then you will with VGA(DSUB).. So if you don't have an HDMI out on your computer and only have DVI... then your best option is the S2213HM. If you have an HDMI and want to save money then the S2340L is the way to go. If you have a MAC then S2213HM is the way to go.

LG and Samsung make great IPS monitors in your price range.. And in truth, some Dell monitors use LG or Samsung panels

You really have to go up in price to get a monitor that will stand out from the others.

 

[Big Mike]

When photo editing is a key factor, you really want an IPS type screen, as mentioned above. These types of screens have much less shift in how they look, based on your viewing angle. They look more consistent to you, thus you can edit your photos more accurately and consistently.

They may also be able to display a wider color gamut, but I'm not sure if that applies to all IPS screens or not.

Remember that for acurate photo editing, you need a calibration system (device and software). So if you don't have that already...try to figure that into your budget. (at least $100).