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Samsung's 17" LCD Gaming Monitor Rated

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the window-to-the-game-world dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A year ago gaming on LCD monitors was laughed at, now days it's becoming much more practical thanks to more responsive LCDs like Samsung's SyncMaster 172X, reviewed over at OverClocker's Club. The 172X is a 17" monitor, with a very important feature for us gamers and hardcore computer geeks, a 12ms response time. A 12ms response time literally means zero ghosting in games and in fast action movies."

20 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. I use a 25ms 19'' monitor for gaming... by Dot.Com.CEO · · Score: 3, Informative

    And I haven't had a problem with it. Granted, I'm not a "pro" gamer, and I don't really like FPS games, but gaming on an LCD monitor is more than OK for me. I haven't really noticed any "ghosting" as such, except on games set on dark areas (Half Life and Halo were noticeable in a couple of areas, and that's it). I realise that, in effect, I am playing the game at more or less 25fps (my calculations might be off, I apologise in advance), but the motion blur - if that is the correct term - actually makes games more enjoyable. Also, for strategy / games, playing on my 191T is an absolute dream...

    --
    Mother is the best bet and don't let Satan draw you too fast.
    1. Re:I use a 25ms 19'' monitor for gaming... by ERJ · · Score: 2, Informative

      I believe the calculation would go as following:

      1000 / 25ms = 40 pixel changes per second. Since your refresh rate is probably 60hz or 75hz you might get ghosting under certain conditions...

  2. Correct me if I'm wrong... by ERJ · · Score: 4, Informative

    A 12ms means that you should be able to handle a 83.3ish refresh without any ghosting (1000 / 12). Not too shabby. Oh course, this is an average, but if you run it at 60hz it should probably be fine under worst case. Of course games are then limited to 60fps, which is fine for me, but some people claim to be able to feel the difference.

    1. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong... by jiffah · · Score: 1, Informative

      Of course games are then limited to 60fps, which is fine for me, but some people claim to be able to feel the difference. turn of vSync in opengl setting on your video card.

    2. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong... by ERJ · · Score: 3, Informative

      Turning off vsync allows the video card to produce more frames per second. However, the limiting factor is still your monitor. If your card produces 600 fps in quake 3 but your refresh rate is 85hz, the most frames you will ever see is 85.

      Disabling vsync is really only useful for benchmarks because it shows how many frames per second the card could create. However, for actual game play you might then experience "tearing" where you get half of one frame and half of the next because the video buffer is being written while the monitor refresh is happening.

  3. Dot pitch incorrect in article? by Emnar · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article says the dot pitch is 0.294mm, and specifically knocks the 172X for it. However, Samsung's US product page claims 0.264mm.

    Either the article is wrong, or Samsung updated their specs!

    1. Re:Dot pitch incorrect in article? by Merlin42 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Assuming it is exactly 17inch diagonal, then it is 431.8mm diagonal
      dot pitch is usually defined as the digonal distance between pixels so the monitor has sqrt(1280*1280+1024*1024) ~= 1639.2 pixels along the diagonal
      431.8/1639.2 ~= 0.2634mm

      --
      Thoughts on tech, Software Engineering, and stuff
  4. Re:Gaming on LCD Monitors by sammaffei · · Score: 2, Informative

    Have a Panasonic 17" LCD TV with 16ms response. The Xbox looks great at 480p. No ghosting that I can tell...

    --

    Political correctness is the newest form of slavery.

  5. I have one by Apreche · · Score: 4, Informative

    I recently bought one of these. I was in the market for a new monitor, and let me tell you, everything you hear about this monitor is true. You get what you pay for. And for the price newegg charges you are getting the best lcd monitor I have ever seen. When the price drops to the 300 area I'll probably buy another one and do dual screen with them. Check my slashjournal for the epic tale of my monitor purchase.

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    The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
  6. The 12ms response time is so much bullshit. by Sevn · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's the speed of a pixel going from off to on and back. BLACK AND WHITE. It doesn't actually measure the response for a specific color at the sub pixel level. For gaming there is ONE lcd panel that has consitantly done better than all others, and that's the HyDIS panels manufactured by Hyundai. It's very very hard to find an LCD monitor still made with one. The ONLY currently available LCD panel I know of with the HyDIS panel is the Hitachi CML174B featured here with the specs here. If you buy into the LG screen 16ms or 12ms aussie myth, hey, it's your money. Enjoy the ghosting.

    --
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    1. Re:The 12ms response time is so much bullshit. by whiteSanjuro · · Score: 3, Informative

      I own one (CML-174B) and A/B/C comparisons with CRT and other LCD are like night/day. It is on par w/ CRT in terms of ghosting and colors, not quite as bright. It *destroys* all other LCDs I have seen in terms of pixel response. Read a real, in depth technical review of this >1 year old display. The submitter of the article must have been living under a rock for the last year.

  7. Re:Fenol by suss · · Score: 3, Informative

    Do you have an article somewhere to point to? You have got me very curious now - if you're serious and not joking that is.

    No, i'm not joking...

    Dutch Article

  8. CDC Phenol FAQ by Miaowara_Tomokato · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts115.html

    According to the CDC, phenol is a manufactured substance that is used to manufacture nylon, as an antiseptic, or in mouthwash & throat lozenges.

    The effects of breathing airborne phenol (Which I assume is what would be coming out of the monitor) are unknown; additionally the CDC lists it as unclassifiable regarding carcinogenity. As such, I wouldn't recommend monitor testers run out looking for a new job, considering that you're likely to run into more heavy doses of carcinogens going to work.

  9. Re:Dual LCDs? by JustNiz · · Score: 2, Informative

    Wait for the new Nvidia 6800 ultra-based cards being released this month. (Nvidia 6800 is currently the fastest and "most features" 3D video chipset around). It supports 2 DVI connectors and has the processing power to make use of both with 3D. Nvidia also officially releases Linux drivers.

    Even though the imminent new ATI chipset will probably have better performance than the new Nvidia chipset (as ATI try to regain the performance crown) it is still unannounced and I also wouldn't reccomend ATI as they don't release Linux drivers.

  10. Re:Dual LCDs? by JustNiz · · Score: 2, Informative

    Woah I just checked the ATI website after writing the above and it turns out that they now DO have linux drivers for download. I think this is new.

  11. Re:Review? by Rhys · · Score: 5, Informative

    Toms Hardware's review was not nearly so glowing. I just happened to read it this morning and it's worth a look.

    http://www6.tomshardware.com/display/20040413/in de x.html

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  12. Re:Dual LCDs? by moreati · · Score: 2, Informative

    They've had them the last few months, unfortunately their 3D performance sucks (as compared to the Windows drivers) & updates are sporadic. I'd recommend you stick with Nividia for 3D on Linux (assuming of course you can bare to use closed source drivers).

    Regards

    Alex

    PS I'm not affiliated with Nvidia, ATI or Linus Torvalds. YMMV.

  13. Tweaknews has a better review by UnderScan · · Score: 4, Informative

    SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER 172X LCD at TweakNews.net, seems to he a more thorough review. Sounds like a great monitor, though too much for my wallet. $400 seems to be a viable price point for me.

  14. Re:Review? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    http://www6.tomshardware.com/display/20040413/inde x.html

  15. Re:Thanks, but no thanks... by BrookHarty · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'd love to upgrade to LCD, but when I have a 22inch CRT, nothing comes close yet. And 12ms isnt fast enough for 85hz refresh yet.

    Also, I like some of the features of LCD's,, Widescreen or even ones that rotate for 90 degrees. Sony's 24 inch LCD is nice, but almost 2K for it, and its 40ms.