Buying a new monitor, two to choose from

[Village]

Hey there,

Just trying to work out weather I would want to go for one of these two
monitors, the price difference is little (under $30) and the spec is
the same apart from the following:

Monitor A:
Contrast Ratio 500:1
Response Time 12ms
Brightness 300 cd/m2
Display Colours 16.2m

Monitor B:
Contrast Ratio 1000:1
Response Time 25ms
Brightness 280cd/m2
Display Colours 16.7m

Both are 17 in monitors

As well as general home office use they would also be used for games
and occasionally watching movies.

Any advice would be much appreciated,

Yours

Village

 

[chrisv]

Monitor A:
Contrast Ratio 500:1
Response Time 12ms
Brightness 300 cd/m2
Display Colours 16.2m

Monitor B:
Contrast Ratio 1000:1
Response Time 25ms
Brightness 280cd/m2
Display Colours 16.7m

Cripes, I suppose we're in for a never-ending string of these kinds of
questions, with people over-analyzing the specs on these damn LCD
monitors...

Probably you want to faster one, since you want to do movies and
games. The faster ones are usually the more modern designs...

 

[Village]

Thanks for all of that, I should have mentioned that both monitors came
as part of a deal (ordered though Dell). What was interesting was the
number of different view points, and the number of times that I read
here and on other websites that the specs are a little dubious. I
guess its a bit like 0-60 times for a new car, the times given by the
manufactuer are achived though useing the best conditions, for example
racing slick tires and hardly any extra weight in it.

In the end I chose monitor A as with the much higher response time it
should be able to cope in all situations, that and my current monitor
has a contrast ratio which is about 450:1 and I don't see much of a
problem with that, so a 1,000:1 would just be over doing it.

Thanks for explaning the different meanings behind the stats, I know
that its best to actually see them for yourself but these days when
ordering off the internet it can be a little difficult.

Village

 

[chrisv]

Thanks for all of that, I should have mentioned that both monitors came
as part of a deal (ordered though Dell). What was interesting was the
number of different view points, and the number of times that I read
here and on other websites that the specs are a little dubious.

They are very dubious.

In the end I chose monitor A as with the much higher response time it
should be able to cope in all situations, that and my current monitor
has a contrast ratio which is about 450:1 and I don't see much of a
problem with that, so a 1,000:1 would just be over doing it.

Even if the specs were accurate, you would not notice the difference
between 400:1 and 1000:1.

Thanks for explaning the different meanings behind the stats,

Did I do that? 8)

I know
that its best to actually see them for yourself but these days when
ordering off the internet it can be a little difficult.

I know... That's why people get so wound-up about the numbers, trying
to make the best decision sight-unseen. Too bad the numbers are not,
IMO, much help.