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Are LCD Displays Ready For Gaming?
Player issues this query: "Since the holiday season is rolling around, I've been contemplating shelling out the big bucks for a nice LCD display. I'm a die-hard gamer, with several choices of monitors in the market today, it can get a little confusing. Ghosting seemed to be a problem with intense games, but with displays reaching 8ms-16ms response time, is it really an issue anymore? Is it time for this gamer to move on to greener pastures, or stay the course with my trusty CRT?"
I'm not a die-hard gamer, but I play the latest RTS games with regularity and go on the occasional FPS binge. I have a Dell 2001FP 20" 16ms( or was it 20?) response time LCD. Doesn't bother me any while gameing and I don't notice any tearing or screen door effects. I think they can be had for about 620$ shipped.
1000/60 = 16.66666
Therefore 16ms response time ~= 60 frames/second is the maximum framerate you can expect to acheive without seeing the effects of the LCD lag. That's too close for comfort in my book, especially since that 16ms number might've be kinda whacked (like, taken at a very warm temperature or some crap).
If they advertised 8ms max, and the manufacturer was reputable, I would consider it.
11*43+456^2
Just keep in mind that 16ms is 60Hz refresh (i.e. 1/60 = 0.016). If you're a hard core gamer with whom frames matter, you'd probably want an LCD a 12ms (~75Hz) refresh.
.. that with LCD's the viewable range is larger then the equivilant CRT. I just picked up a Samsung 172X screen which about equal to an 18'.
I game a decent amount and I must say for my LCD which is 12ms I don't have any problems with ghosting. Also, I find it's significatly easier on my eyes when I'm looking at it. I'll never be able to go back to a CRT now.
Also, most LCD's only support up to 1280x1024. You'll have to spend big bucks to get higher resolutions.
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Slightly off topic, is Apple the only ones producing cheap widescreen standalone LCDs these days? I'm thinking of upgrading my CRT, but after getting used the PowerBook's 15" widescreen, that's the kind of aspect ratio I would want. Minimum 1600 pixels horizontal resolution. Any recommendations?
I'm one of these people that get severe headaches from 60Hz...not sure what it is, but used to get headaches all the time, until I tried 100Hz+...was in heaven! Have a Viewsonic P95F+B and run it at 1024x768 w/ 120Hz. Found that my eyes don't hurt if viewing an LCD (60Hz) however...go figure :D
Actually, 16ms is old news, they passed 12ms, and ar e now two levels down at 8ms.
Everybody has 16ms now.
That said, I have a 25ms LCD on my laptop. Is there ghosting? Yes. Is it so bad I can't play? No. I get used to it. The only place I really notice it is in Counter-Strike Source in de:dust, it has some rather high contrast points, the eges of those very well lit areas blurs a bit. Looks kind of cool, however, and I've grown use to it all.
This is a distinction that many people don't even know exists, but it is an important one. When someone says LCD these days, they almost never distinguish between flat panel and rear projection (not tube-based rear projection that's been around a long time, but LCD-based rear projection which is fairly new).
I have a 50" Panasonic rear-projection HDTV that I play games on all of the time (both console and PC games). It is fucking awesome and the response times are as good as any CRT. This type of set isn't as small as a flat panel setup (nor as expensive), but it is still WAY SMALLER than old-school rear projection systems. It weighs only 90 lbs, and is only 19" deep, and is only about 8" taller than the screen. It basically looks like flat panel or plasma, but it's actually neither (it is very much like the newer DLP or LCoS TV's).
Anyway, gaming is pure heaven on these things, not to mention getting the widescreen advantage (I will be actually able to SEE MORE in Halo 2 multiplayer than most of my 4:3 brethren) -- feel my wrath you fraggers...