Monitor recommendation, please.

[spilok 1,133]

I currently have a 27"4K monitor and it works beautifully.  It' an LG 27-UL600.  It is a 60hz unit and it also is 3840x2160 resolution.  I am looking for a 27" 4K monitor with a faster Hz than 60.  In the last week, I bought AND RETURNED to Best Buy a Dell, Samsung, and Omen monitor....all exceptional gaming monitors with 144hz, 165hz, and higher.  They worked beautifully with P3d and MSFS.  HOWEVER, they did not have the clarity of 4K.  Once you have 4K there is no going back!  The text and even the superb scenery in MSFS did not look nearly as clear and detailed as it did on my LG 4K monitor.  So I'm back with my LG as of now.

Could you recommend a 27" 4K monitor with a higher refresh rate than 60hz?  I have been researching this over a week and watching YouTube video reviews every day.  I've checked Amazon, and Best Buy, but I can't come up with the exact monitor that gives me the refresh rate, the 4K and a few other amenities like vertical adjustment of the stand, and even a Display port higher than 1.2.  I could live with the display port version, but I really need the resolution and refresh rate increase.

Much appreciated for any suggestions.

Stan

ps. Ray Proudfoot....this is the result of our conversation earlier.

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by spilok

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Stan, I only came across this by chance. Any reason you can't go larger than 27"? There are very few models of that size. 32" will broaden your choice immensly. Good luck.

[spilok 1,133]

7 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan, I only came across this by chance. Any reason you can't go larger than 27"? There are very few models of that size. 32" will broaden your choice immensly. Good luck.

I can absolutely do 32" monitor.  No problem.  I did find a Samsung 32" curved monitor 4K with a VA panel.  Good reviews. It's the LU 32R590.   It's about $449.  

What other 32" would you recommend?

Stan

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Stan, with my hand on my heart I’d recommend my BenQ PD3200U. It’s reassuringly heavy stand supports an IPS display (the highest quality). It can rotate through 90° making access to rear terminals easy. And of course you can display photos in portrait and landscape modes.

It has a couple of USB3 ports. The colour accuracy is excellent. The only drawback for you is it doesn’t go higher than 60Hz. But crucially it can run 3840*2160 at 30Hz making flight sim incredibly smooth.

It has DP v1.2. Not sure if any go higher than that. I don’t honestly think you need higher than 60Hz if you only use flight sim. Perhaps you can remind me.

I’ve had mine 2 years and still love it.

https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/designer/pd3200u.html

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Stan, as a follow-up I watched a YT video by @Rob_Ainscoughwhere he was flying P3Dv5 and had the frame rate locked to 30 - the refresh rate of his display.

It was silky smooth. The only reason you would want a 120Hz monitor is if your hardware was capable of delivering 120 fps. I doubt any system could deliver that.

30Hz monitors are ideal for flight sim. I’ve been running mine at that for a few months now and it’s excellent.

[spilok 1,133]

15 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan, with my hand on my heart I’d recommend my BenQ PD3200U. It’s reassuringly heavy stand supports an IPS display (the highest quality). It can rotate through 90° making access to rear terminals easy. And of course you can display photos in portrait and landscape modes.

It has a couple of USB3 ports. The colour accuracy is excellent. The only drawback for you is it doesn’t go higher than 60Hz. But crucially it can run 3840*2160 at 30Hz making flight sim incredibly smooth.

It has DP v1.2. Not sure if any go higher than that. I don’t honestly think you need higher than 60Hz if you only use flight sim. Perhaps you can remind me.

I’ve had mine 2 years and still love it.

https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/designer/pd3200u.html

Thanks for the recommendation, Ray.   I will research this monitor and check it out on YouTube.  Most appreciated.  

Stan.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Stan, I remembered one other thing when installing a new monitor. I had a CD supplied by BenQ which contained drivers. It’s important those are installed so the monitor is correctly identified by Windows.

Without those drivers Windows wouldn’t know what resolutions and critically, refresh rates the display can support. It would use generic generic settings which may explain why you had problems with some of those other displays.

Just something else to factor into buying a new monitor.

[spilok 1,133]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan, I remembered one other thing when installing a new monitor. I had a CD supplied by BenQ which contained drivers. It’s important those are installed so the monitor is correctly identified by Windows.

Without those drivers Windows wouldn’t know what resolutions and critically, refresh rates the display can support. It would use generic generic settings which may explain why you had problems with some of those other displays.

Just something else to factor into buying a new monitor.

Those other displays I tried out were NOT 4K monitors.  I tried 3 monitors that had high refresh rates. However, I could not live with the text resolution or the scenery resolution in MSFS because compared to my 4K LG, the text and scenery looked blurry.  As I've said, once you've had 4K resolution, you cannot go back.

Stan

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Stan, yes, I know they weren’t but the resolution of a 2560*1440 monitor is hardly shabby. Also, there are settings in Windows that allow you to increase the size of text.

I have a 27” 2560*1440 display next to my BenQ which shows maps. That is certainly sharp enough for my oldish eyes.

[spilok 1,133]

21 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan, yes, I know they weren’t but the resolution of a 2560*1440 monitor is hardly shabby. Also, there are settings in Windows that allow you to increase the size of text.

I have a 27” 2560*1440 display next to my BenQ which shows maps. That is certainly sharp enough for my oldish eyes.

I agree.  But one flight in MSFS showed by scenery extremely different from my 4K resolution.  To me, it makes a significant difference - enough to want to stay with 4K as I move forward.  4K wasn't as important to me in P3d.  The scenery in MSFS was the deciding factor for me to stay with 4K.

Edited September 27, 2020 by spilok

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Stan, I’m surprised you see such a difference between 4K and 2560*1440. Anyway, that’s academic. You want a 4K monitor so should consider the BenQ.

[spilok 1,133]

18 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan, I’m surprised you see such a difference between 4K and 2560*1440. Anyway, that’s academic. You want a 4K monitor so should consider the BenQ.

I sure didn't want to see a difference, but flying low and slow in MSFS showed a big difference in building clarity and cockpit clarity.  When I re-installed my LG 4K (my current monitor), the clarity of cockpit and scenery was distinctly apparent. I do like the reviews on your BenQ.  I also like the fact that it can be vertically adjusted.  I just may give that monitor a try.

Stan

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

7 minutes ago, spilok said:

I do like the reviews on your BenQ.  I also like the fact that it can be vertically adjusted.  I just may give that monitor a try.

Stan

I’d be amazed if you returned it. It’s a quality display as the reviews clearly show. 👍

[spilok 1,133]

22 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I’d be amazed if you returned it. It’s a quality display as the reviews clearly show. 👍

I noticed, Ray, that this Monitor, the BenQ is 4 years old (2016).  Wonder if BenQ will be coming out with something newer?  Not that it matters because the specs are the specs!  Awesome specs.  Just a thought though about technology changes.

Stan

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

There is a newer model - PD3220U - but the price is over 1000GBP. It supports HDR10 but other than that it's much the same albeit with a slimmer bezel.

https://www.benq.com/en-ap/monitor/designer/pd3220u.html