Monitor recommendation, please.

[spilok 1,136]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

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

Wow. $1200 for improvements that do not justify the price IMO for flight simulation. Perhaps for graphic design, those color enhancements might be worth it. 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

31 minutes ago, spilok said:

Wow. $1200 for improvements that do not justify the price IMO for flight simulation. Perhaps for graphic design, those color enhancements might be worth it. 

It's primarily a monitor for photographers and video editors. Hence the HDR option.

But as flight sim doesn't need 150Hz displays the 60Hz and 30Hz options suit flight sim perfectly. Two years after buying it I'm still perfectly happy with it.

[spilok 1,136]

7 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

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

Ray,

One last question about the BenQ.  How would you rate the level of CONTRAST and BRIGHTNESS?  Most monitors I tried didn't have the blackness of text that I like (don't like grey text).  I know you can adjust the text in Windows 10, but the deep black text that I get from my LG is good.  Secondly, how do you like the brightness level in the BenQ?  Both contrast and brightness are qualities I want in my next monitor.  Going to a 32" is something I've wanted to do for a long time.

Stan

[spilok 1,136]

Ray,

Just found this today.  This monitor was just released on August 21, 2020. It has IPS, HDR10, Gsync capable, 32", adjustable height, and excellent contrast and brightness.  What do you think?

LG Rolls Out the 32UN650-W 4K UHD Monitor

by 

btarunr

 Aug 21st, 2020 02:40 Discuss (22 Comments)

LG today rolled out the 32UN650-W, a 31.5-inch monitor targeted general use, including gaming. Based on an LG Display IPS panel, the monitor offers 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution, 95% DCI-P3 wide color gamut, 1.07 billion colors (10 bpc), and HDR10. On the gaming side of things, you get AMD FreeSync support, a black stabilizing function, and dynamic action sync. For use in long hours, the monitor offers blue light reduction, and flicker-free brightness adjustment. Other vital panel specs include 5 ms (GTG) response time, 178°/178° viewing angles, 350 cd/m² maximum brightness, 1000:1 static contrast ratio. The monitor takes in DisplayPort 1.2a and HDMI connectors. 5 W stereo speakers make for the rest of it. Availability is slated for the last week of August, 2020.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

Stan,

The LG is so new there are no independent reviews for it. Hard to recommend in those circumstances. It looks a decent enough monitor but I'm not a reviewer. I'm not sure if it can support 30Hz at 3840*2160. The BenQ can at 30Hz, 25Hz and 24Hz.

AMD Freesync is of no use if you don't have an AMD graphics card. I'm not sure DisplayPort 1.2a is useful for flight simming.

I'd still recommend the BenQ as I have personal experience of it. Brightness and contrast is fine and so is sharpness. Remember this is a monitor designed for professional video and photographic use and comes calibrated. There is a user option to set brightness and contrast should any of the presets not be to your liking.

[spilok 1,136]

5 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan,

The LG is so new there are no independent reviews for it. Hard to recommend in those circumstances. It looks a decent enough monitor but I'm not a reviewer. I'm not sure if it can support 30Hz at 3840*2160. The BenQ can at 30Hz, 25Hz and 24Hz.

AMD Freesync is of no use if you don't have an AMD graphics card. I'm not sure DisplayPort 1.2a is useful for flight simming.

I'd still recommend the BenQ as I have personal experience of it. Brightness and contrast is fine and so is sharpness. Remember this is a monitor designed for professional video and photographic use and comes calibrated. There is a user option to set brightness and contrast should any of the presets not be to your liking.

All reviews and specs in other sources say it's Display Port 1.4.  Don't know if that makes a difference or not.

 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

6 minutes ago, spilok said:

All reviews and specs in other sources say it's Display Port 1.4.  Don't know if that makes a difference or not.

Don't get hung up on DP. It covers data rates you'll never see in flight sim. 1.2 is fine.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

Stan, anything to report?

[spilok 1,136]

6 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Stan, anything to report?

Ray,

I am trialing the LG 32" UN650.  This is the monitor that just came out in August of this year. It is a 4K IPS monitor with HDR10.  The stand is totally adjustable in height.  It does uses Display Port 1.4 and I must say that it is quite impressive. Resolution is 3840 x 2160.  I have been flying all the sims rather successfully and so far I'm very happy with it.  I still consider this a trial (Amazon return is possible for 30 days), and I am trying to be very critical with all sites that I regularly go to and all my flight sim demands.  I'm looking for a reason to NOT like it.  So far, it's the best I've tried (Samsung 28", Samsung 32" curved monitor with VA screen, Omen [HP] - non 4K). Yesterday, I flew from Goose Bay over the Pond, over Ireland and landed in Liverpool.  Absolutely no crashes or serious stutters (P3d 4.5).  P3dv5 is better...but still unreliable on a long flight.  Stutters ensue and the "word not allowed hits the fan".  

I will keep you informed.  The BenQ is next on my list if this one disappoints.

Stan

Edited October 6, 2020 by spilok

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

Stan,

Thanks for the feedback. If you want to test the monitor try night flights in a darkened room. That will tell you if there are any problems with backlighting which can occur with lesser displays. Sounds promising though.

[mpw8679 428]

On 9/28/2020 at 10:19 AM, Ray Proudfoot said:

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

Ray and I have some good discussions in the past about monitors.  Good and bad lol.  He has done his research and knows what he is talking about.

[spilok 1,136]

On 9/27/2020 at 1:06 PM, 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

Ray,

How are you?  I still haven't pulled the trigger on a 32" monitor.  Of course, my specific, non-negotiable specs must be the following:

• 32"
• IPS panel
• 4K
• Excellent color and clear text

I have not tried the BenQ PD3200U yet, but I have tried several LG's, a curved screen Dell S3220 (which had a VA panel and I didn't like it) and I keep going back to my 27" LG 4K IPS monitor.

What do you know of the  BenQ EW3280U 32 inch 4K Monitor?  I've been reading about it, and it gets good reviews.  It' a 2019 model as opposed to the 3200U which is a 2017 model.

I look forward to your opinion.

Stan

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

@spilok, Stan, you're a hard man to satisfy. 😉 The EW3280u is a newer model clearly but I wouldn't get hung up over a 3 year-old model. The best way to compare is via this link:-

https://www.displaydb.com/compare/benq-ew3280u/benq-pd3200u

The main differences to me are that the newer one doesn't have a height adjustable stand, it can't swivel through 90 degrees (which makes connections easier to get to), the PD3200U has extra USB ports but the EW3280u has Freesync and G-Sync support. I haven't found not having that an issue as I can run the PD3200U at 30Hz.

Either would be very good choices. Just read some reviews...

https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/reviews/benq-ew3280u

https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/benq-ew3280u

The biggest difference for me is that the PD3200U has height adjustment, the newer one doesn't. Panel quality is very similar.

[spilok 1,136]

6 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

@spilok, Stan, you're a hard man to satisfy. 😉 The EW3280u is a newer model clearly but I wouldn't get hung up over a 3 year-old model. The best way to compare is via this link:-

https://www.displaydb.com/compare/benq-ew3280u/benq-pd3200u

The main differences to me are that the newer one doesn't have a height adjustable stand, it can't swivel through 90 degrees (which makes connections easier to get to), the PD3200U has extra USB ports but the EW3280u has Freesync and G-Sync support. I haven't found not having that an issue as I can run the PD3200U at 30Hz.

Either would be very good choices. Just read some reviews...

https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/reviews/benq-ew3280u

https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/benq-ew3280u

The biggest difference for me is that the PD3200U has height adjustment, the newer one doesn't. Panel quality is very similar.

Thanks Ray.  You're very convincing.  Guess what I just ordered from Amazon?  

I was concerned about the monitor being introduced in 2016, but I'm going to look past that.  What I did notice about the 3200 is that its display is an IPS...but it's called AHVA IPS.  I'm not sure if that makes any difference in the clarity of the display, but I'll soon find out. I've tried VA monitors and I think they are not as clear as the pure IPS.  

Thanks again for the "prod".  Appreciated.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

@spilok, that may be due to the fact that the PD3200U is a designer / photographer monitor, not a gaming one. Rest assured the colours will be spot on since that is one of the main reasons I bought it. IPS is the highest quality and it shows.