On Wed, 24 Dec 2014 23:09:18 -0800, Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote:

>On 12/24/2014 11:51 AM PT, Rin Stowleigh typed:
>
>>>> Right now you don't want to buy anything other than a G-SYNC monitor
>>>> for action gaming unless you want hard regrets a year from now, or
>>>> just want something cheap to get by until you have more time to
>>>> research it.
>>>
>>> Well, I don't want to spend a lot of money. $200-300 is OK, but nothing
>>> more!
>>
>> I understand the purpose of spending limitations, but a monitor is
>> usually a long-term piece of equipment that greatly impacts your
>> overall gaming experience. Some hardware purchases are expenditure
>> overkill, but with these monitors you really get what you pay for. If
>> you went from something like the 19" Samsung you have now to the Acer
>> XB270H, you would be floored.
>
>How long do new monitors last these days? According to past experiences
>like in http://zimage.com/~ant/antfarm/about/toys.html history, my new
>monitors only lasted several years (e.g., five/5). I'd hate to buy
>something expensive and then it didn't last long. :/

I typically get a lot more more than 5 years out of monitors. It's
hard for me to say how long they typically last because of how I tend
to repurpose old hardware or sell it or give it away in some cases.
Sometimes a previously primary monitor might become a secondary
monitor in a dual screen setup if I upgrade. I have not yet had to
toss one out simply because it stopped working. I have a Viewsonic
that I bought around '05-'06 that had a power supply die after 2 years
- it was still under warranty so I sent it in for PS replacement and
it has worked fine ever since. It is starting to exhibit some burn-in
problems but since I'm no longer using it as a primary monitor.

I suspect monitor and TV longevity is like a lot of things, how well
they hold up will depend on the environmental conditions around them,
and I'm diligent about temp/humidity levels so maybe I get more life
out of electronics than average.

One way or the other I see a monitor as a long-term use item, maybe
7-8 years on average?

>
>> On the other hand if you are already used to tearing, input lag,
>> microstutter and all the other problems inherent to non G-SYNC LCD
>> monitors, staying with something no worse than what you have is not
>> going to feel like a downgrade.
>
>With CRTs and my current LCD monitor, I have not noticed that. The only
>thing is colors, small size, and the power issues.

You probably wouldn't see stutter/input lag much on a CRT, and you'd
be unlikely to see tearing if you tend to sync to the refresh rate of
the monitor (and since CRTs have a variety of refresh rates available,
it tends to not be as much of an issue in most games). As far as the
current LCD monitor, I have no experience with the model you have but
most of the LCDs I've tried prior to this one bothered me in some way,
whether blurring or whatever.

Blur Busters is a decent website to learn about some of the issues
that are inherent to LCDs (most of which BTW are solved, at least to
acceptable levels, with GSYNC). http://www.blurbusters.com/

>>
>> What I would do if I really wanted to save money is just buy something
>> like the 931bf Monitor repair Kit (new capacitors) for your existing
>> monitor for ten bucks off Amazon and be done with it. I wouldn't look
>> to upgrade until I was ready to do it right, but to each his own I
>> guess.
>
>Nah. I am ready to toss this old monitor and get some better and a
>little bigger. :)
>
>>>> The thing is right now there is G-SYNC monitors and there is
>>>> everything else. Eventually there may be a war between G-SYNC and
>>>> VESA adaptive sync technologies, but Nvidia isn't planning to support
>>>> the VESA standard, they already have a solution today that works
>>>> brilliantly and probably always will work better than results that are
>>>> dependent on compatibility with open standards, and since they make
>>>> the best video cards (and have for many years now), that position is
>>>> not likely to change any time soon.
>>>
>>> G-SYNC is new to me. Do monitor specifications will say this on their
>>> descriptions? I have not seen any of these so far. I saw IPS, LED, etc.
>>> We still use VESA today? I remember VESA from DOS days! Wow.
>>
>> They are very new in general. Yes the monitor specs and advertisement
>> should list them specifically as a 144hz GSYNC monitor, or they do not
>> have the required hardware inside the monitor. There is a 24" ASUS
>> that you can buy which can be retrofitted with the G SYNC kit later.
>> http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/g-sync/diy
>
>It's new? Hmm, I think I will wait then. I don't game that much these
>days too. I do game once in a while.

I think that kit has been out for close to a year, but G-SYNC in
general is a new technology. I wouldn't let that be a turn off,
Nvidia is very good about not releasing things that are half-baked and
they are second-to-none with regard to working with outside vendors to
be sure things are done right.

I have heard zero complaints about G-SYNC itself as a technology. Some
folks have expressed concerns about certain monitors (like some folks
think the menus on the ASUS monitors are screwy) but that's a vendor
specific niggle that comes down to individual preferences for
monitors.

>
>>>> The probability of actually being able to your hands on one in person
>>>> at Costco or BestBuy or Frys is probably about the same as finding a
>>>> Costco or BestBuy clerk that is a knowledgeable PC gamer. No offense
>>>> but that plan of attack is barking up the wrong tree.
>>>>
>>>> As far as your VGA and DVI requirements, that can be handled with
>>>> adapters.
>>>
>>> Currently, my old video cards (GeForce 8800 GT and ATI Radeon 4870) use
>>> DVI ports and VGA adapters for VGA cables to my KVM to my old monitor. I
>>> also have a direct DVI cable from one of my computers to the old monitor
>>> so I can have low native non-stretched low screen resolutions for old
>>> stuff like MAME.
>>
>> I also generally don't care for non-native resolutions, but I should
>> also point something out: This monitor was my upgrade from a CRT.
>
>Ha, I couldn't find good new CRT monitors before I bought this Samsung
>931BF monitor. :O

They went the way of the dinosaurs.

>> Yep -- even in the year 2014, despite buying many LCD monitors over
>> the years for non-gaming purposes, I refused to deal with all of the
>> horrible limitations and side effects of modern LCDs (most of which
>> are particularly pronounced with fast paced action games). Native vs
>> non-native resolutions were one of the reasons I held out for so long.
>> It was bad enough that I had a stash of two more spare 22" 1600x1200
>> CRTs for when my primary one died (it was still going strong when I
>> retired it). I was unwilling to deal with blur/input
>> lag/tearing/stuttering etc. caused by monitor technology that was
>> designed to enhance text and be more energy efficient, but was never
>> designed to facilitate action gaming.
>
>Yep. I still prefer CRTs. Heh!
>
>> So, the fact that I can say this monitor is a big upgrade over my CRTs
>> is a huge statement about the technology.
>
>Wow, that good eh?

Yes. I can honestly say I no longer miss my CRTs.

>
>> About MAME, I have only had this monitor a couple of months and have
>> only run a couple of MAME games so far to see how well it does as an
>> arcade replacement, but in the tests I've done were very impressed and
>> yes it was definitely an upgrade over my CRT (which ironically is what
>> arcade games were originally developed for). The increased brightness
>> and color richness of an LCD over an aging CRT (remember all monitors
>> lose their luster over time) for example makes Donkey Kong look much
>> more authentic in the sense of being reminiscent of a brand new game
>> cabinet from the 80's, as opposed to a cabinet that's been sitting in
>> a smoky bar for a decade or two. No, it's not running at native
>> resolution but the net effect isn't really that different than a low
>> resolution game running on a giant arcade monitor as it did back in
>> the day. In other words, don't worry, MAME and GSYNC make for good
>> bedfellows.
>
>Nice, but GSYNC is expensive and new. :/
>
>
>>>> Some say the ASUS ROG monitors have some sort of overagressive
>>>> anti-glare coating and don't like it because of it, but maybe that
>>>> would be a plus for you. Window glare specifically is usually easier
>>>> to manage with simple blinds/curtains or whatever than to buy a
>>>> monitor specifically to solve that issue, IMO.
>>>
>>> Well, my window rolling blinds do not do well to block a lot of sun in
>>> the mornings and afternoon hours. I have to turn my monitor around a
>>> little to avoid the glares on my old non-glossy monitor. :(
>>
>> Cheap curtain rod and a dark colored curtain would solve that one.
>
>And have to replace this a couple years old white blinds. :P
>
>
>>>> The one I have is the Acer XB270H which is 27", larger than what
>>>> you've specified, but I promise once you game at 27" you will never go
>>>> back. If it feels a little too in-your-face for gaming, just do what
>>>
>>> Small desk space and room are the problems, especially if I am going to
>>> turn my monitor around to avoid the sun from the room's closed window.
>>
>> The monitor itself won't be a problem there, the size of the stand you
>> put it on might though. I'm pretty sure you could work this one out
>> easily enough.
>
>How big is the stand?

Circular & a little under 10" diameter with the stem near the rear of
the stand.

You can see specs/pics pretty easily by looking a particular model
you're interest in on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AJ27R2744&cm_re=XB270H-_-24-009-657-_-Product

Although, above I was referring to the size of the stand you might
want to put the monitor on. You wouldn't have to, it's fully height
adjustable without any other stands, but the rubberized bottom of the
base would not slide closer or farther easily (as I was describing as
a nice-to-have, in case you like adjustable gaming and reading
distances). I guess you could put sliders on the bottom you get from
hardware stores for a buck or to, but by putting the monitor on
another stand you can also gain desk space (for example the type of
monitor stand that lets you slide the keyboard underneath it, or some
of them have small storage shelves in them). As I mentioned the big
advantage for me is that I can quickly adjust the viewing distance.

>
>>>> I do and put it on a stand which is easily slidable. I have mine set
>>>> up where I can easily slide the whole stand forward or back, usually
>>>> the distance range being about 3". Three inches is actually a lot of
>>>> viewing distance difference. I prefer it farther away for
>>>> reading/surfing/work and closer for gaming. It is incredibly
>>>> immersive when closer.
>>>
>>> I am near sighted so I will be close up. Currently, I am about 10 inches
>>> ("). from the screen. I don't wear eye glasses too.
>>
>> If small text is a problem for you, you'd love a 27" screen at 1080p.
>
>My old compound eyes seem OK for my old monitor. My elder parents don't
>like it. Haha. Another reason to replace it.