Hi Everyone,I would appreciate if I could get some help and suggestions on what LCDMonitor to pick. Currently I use a 19" Nec FE991 CRT Monitor, but its isnow over 3 years old and started to flicker and other weird problems. So rather than fixing it ($130+) I am thinking of going the LCD route.I have a P4 2.8, 1.5 GB ram, pluse a ATI9800 pro 128MB Video card.I checked out a few Lcd monitors at a local Monitor depot and here is a list of the ones I could be interested in. I am willing to spend $400-600 bucks. I use it strictly for Fs9, the web,and a few other things.Viewsonic VP2030P 8ms 20"Viewsonic VX 2025WM 20"Viewsonic 930B 8ms 19"Samsung 204B 5ms 20"Acer 2416WD 24" on special right now, few hundred cheaper than normal.If anyone has one of the above listed, I would apprec. your opinionon the performance of these in fs9. Or recommend any other brand.I have searched the forums but was unable to find a proper answer.Thanks Helmut

I think the widescreen Gateway 21" is a pretty good LCD monitor for the price. It's resolution is 1680 X 1050, It is HD-ready with DCDi by Faroudja video processig. Has integrated powered 4 port USB 2.0 hubs VGA, component, S0Video and compositie video inputs. It's height-adjustable stand with eztune control software and has a EZPivot auto screen otation which means you can move it 90 degrees and the picture automatically adjusts to right side up...It's priced at $ 599.00 at any bestbuy or circuit city or their website...I love mine.Regards & good luck.jack

Thanks, I live in Canada, don't know any dealerships that sell GatewayMonitors.Would anyone be able to let me know how a 24" wideview monitor performs with Fs9 and a Ati 9800Pro (old I know, but still going strong). I could get an Acer 2416WD at a reduced price, or point me to a wep page I might have missed.Thanks, Helmut

Hi Helmut,I am currently running a Samsung 213T at its native resolution of 1600 x 1200 on a Radeon 9800 Pro.To be honest with you, the high resolution is pushing the 9800 past its limits. I am actually shopping around right now for a new video card, but it's not easy to find any AGP solutions anymore! The rest of my machine is still good (A64 3500+ winchester) so I don't want to do the PCI-E thing yet.IMHO if you want to stick with your current video card, I would stay around the 20" mark for the LCD. 21" is just ok for me. I would say that the 24" would be pushing it way too far without a new video card as well.Good luck,Glenn

Hi Glen,I am in the same boat as you, ATI 9800 Pro AGP, but I will not upgradewith another APG card, there is no selection anyway.Will upgrade mysystem in the next six month and then go with the new PCI-E cards.I will most likely stick to a 20" LCD monitor, If I can find a good one.Read the reviews on some models and none is without flaws. Thanks, Helmut

Hi Helmut,One monitor that gets consistently good reviews here in England is the Viewsonic VX924. Whether it has the same model number in Canada is debatable but Viewsonic could probably help you.I also have a 9800 Pro and I run at a res of 1280*1024. I don't think this card could perform well at higher resolutions and especially not with the widescreen displays which have the highest resolution of all. I'd love the Dell 24" widescreen but until I can get a fasr PCI-E card it's a non-starter.Try the Viewsonic. It's only 19" but is a high-quality display.Cheers,

Thanks Ray,The Viewsonic VX924 is available in canada, but there is also the Viewsonic VP930b 19" with very good specs. If you fly at night do you see backlight bleeding or gosting which seems to be a problem with somelcd's. Its is very confusing what size to get, some recommend the larger 20-21" models. But yes your statement makes sense, the 9800pro is taxed to the limit at 1280x1024 with add on's. Might have to wait until after an upgrade to get into the wide view lcd.s.Helmut

Hi Helmut,Here's a review of the VP930B...http://reviews.cnet.com/ViewSonic_VP930b/4...7-31517896.htmlAs you can see it doesn't get rated very highly and seems quite expensive whereas the VX924 on the same site... http://reviews.cnet.com/ViewSonic_VX924/45...7-31337356.html gets a slightly better review and seems more suited to games. Here in the UK it's rated very highly by PC Pro magazine and is on their A-List.I don't often fly at night but all TFT displays suffer from poor black levels compared to CRTs. That is the one downside you have to accept but bleeding and ghosting aren't evident on my modest 19" LG so I doubt they would be a problem on the more capable VX924.On the plus side you get superb definition with TFTs and panels have never looked better. You won't regret the change but limit yourself to a good 18" or 19" TFT and wait until you have a new PCI-E card before changing to a widescreen which is what I'm doing. It's tempting but I'd never be able to run at the native resolution so it's pointless buying one now.Hope that helps.

Thanks Ray,I checked out the reviews on those Viesonic monitor on Toms Hardware (very good side for reviews) and all indications are that the VP930Bcame out on top of all in the 2006 spring collection. The VX922 supposed to be the fasted gaming lcd at the moment. But I spend a considerable time in the net as well, so the 930b appears to be more suited for general use, but with good gaming peformance as well. Every reviewer gives you something different to consider. There is a Viewsoncic servicecenter very close to my home which helps. But I am still further investigating, will see what I end up with, will keep the price down this time.Thanks, Helmut

Helmut,All the monitors on your list are excellent monitors.I recently built a new system for a family member and they went with a Samsung 17" which was very impressive for not much money.I'm personally partial to Samsung and NEC myself. I think both have excellent features and quality with a wide price range - depending on what you want. NEC's are a bit on the higher end of the range but their 19" monitors have color and contrast that'll knock your socks off.I have also read the reviews for the Viewsonics and they are always consistently good. I have read some mixed reviews for their low end LCD's but nothing terrible.Your list of monitors are all 8ms or less which will be perfect for FlightSim and any other sims or gaming that you do.Good luck.Steve

I have a VP201b which has now been replaced by the VP2030. Its an awesome monitor, and I haven't regretted spending the extra on it one little bit. In fact, I'd love another. It hasn't skipped a beat since I bought it.

Got myself a Samsung 204b ... quite happy with it!

Thanks everyone for the i/p, I have had my eyes from the very beginning on a 20-21" Lcd, but I know with a ATI 9800Pro I would be pushing itto its limits with a 21". But how will it work with a 20"?? the bigger size is appealing to me, if only by 1". So if anyone has a 20" and thesame video card as me, please let me know how it goes, otherwise I will stick to a 19". I do plan on upgrade my PC later this year.Thanks,Helmut

1600x1200 is a standard 4:3 aspect ratio for a 20" that you will not find on a 19" ... they are pretty much 1280 x 1024 across the board.1600 x 1200 = 1024 x 784 = 800 x 600 = 1280 x 960 = normal application perspective (all 4:3)While this is fine for non-gamer use, that oddball aspect ratio sucks for anything else. Make sure you see the monitor in it's various aspect scaling modes, not just native resolution.The other big advantage of a 20" is if you ever do buy a 23"/24" which will be 1920 x 1200 ... the two monitors sit side by side and look good together as they are BOTH 1200 pixels high.I have both sitting together and looking from one to the other is just a continuation of the display due to this.Don't be fooled into thinking it is just an inch difference between a 19" and 20" ... it is 2,304,000 pixels vs 1,310,720 pixels.Now, in fairness, your video card will struggle to drive 1600x1200 with all the toys enabled, but you are likely to replace your video card twice in the lifetime of your monitor so you are buying for now and the future, not just now.Money spent on a 19" is pure throwaway ... if you want to go that path, buy the cheapest used thing you can get your hands on. You might even settle for a 17" since you are junking it later in the year.

Well I certainly realized that with my lowly Ati 9800 Pro, I had betterstick to a 19" LCD Monitor. I think my choice will be a Viewsonic VX922.Had good reviews on Toms Hardware. Like many others I will wait a wilebefore upgrading my system and GPU.Thanks everyoneHelmut