I’m building a new computer in a few days. The parts are all ordered, and now we play the waiting game (which I’ll admit is not nearly as fun as Hungry, Hungry Hippos).
I have a crummy old 17" CRT that I’m using for now, but I intend to purchase a sexy flatscreen LCD soon and keep my old computer on as a spare in my living room. I spent about $800 on the computer and I’m willing to go as high as about $350 to get a really nice monitor.
I originally wanted to get a widescreen monitor, especially since they appear to be gaining much popularity and support, but one of my friends said that if a game can’t support a widescreen resolution, it will display improperly and possibly in such a way that it can’t be played. Another friend said that is simply a risk with older games. I do enjoy replaying older games, so this is still a concern for me, but not a dealbreaker if I find out that it only applies to old games. Does this sound familiar to anyone or is it just a cruel rumor?
Additionally, I’m trying to figure out which monitor to get. I want to get a trustworthy monitor, and I was considering getting it off of Amazon or Newegg. Newegg apparently has a harsh return policy (8 dead pixels minimum), and apparently Samsung requires 17 dead pixels before they’ll take a monitor back.
I’m considering just spending the extra money and getting a monitor at Best Buy or Circuit City just for the easier return policy, but I’m still not sure which monitor to get. I’d like to do 20" minimum, either widescreen or regular, with a decently fast response time (like 5 ms).
I’ve checked reviews but what scares me is that there always seems to be something negative (some Samsungs with supposedly great response time and picture still get backlight bleeding or make irritating buzzing sounds). Any Dopers have a miracle monitor that won’t break the bank?