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recommend a 27" 120hz display

great_big_abyss

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Oct 3, 2011
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2,571
Location
Winnipeg
I'm looking to upgrade my display.

Specifically, I'm looking for a 27" 2560x1440 monitor with a 120hz refresh rate.

Alternatively, if a 27" display is too expensive, I can bump down to a 24" 1920x1200 display, but I definitely want a 120hz display.

I would prefer to buy from Memory Express, as they are local to me and I could avoid the shipping charge involved with shipping a large display.

Also, what is 'lightboost'. I mean, I googled it, so I know what the definition is, but is this a technology that is worth looking for in a new display?
 

mdrejhon

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Joined
Nov 23, 2012
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45
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I'm looking to upgrade my display.

Specifically, I'm looking for a 27" 2560x1440 monitor with a 120hz refresh rate.

Alternatively, if a 27" display is too expensive, I can bump down to a 24" 1920x1200 display, but I definitely want a 120hz display.

I would prefer to buy from Memory Express, as they are local to me and I could avoid the shipping charge involved with shipping a large display.

Also, what is 'lightboost'. I mean, I googled it, so I know what the definition is, but is this a technology that is worth looking for in a new display?
There are people who just love it -- see LightBoost testimonials.
LightBoost can be used for 2D, not just 3D. LightBoost also eliminates motion blur, even if you're not interested in 3D.

LightBoost gives you true CRT-sharp motion on LCD, which improves gaming quality for many people. Some people don't like the loss of brightness though. However, the gamma can easily be fixed if you take the time (_lower_ your nVidia Control Panel Gamma by about 0.15 to approximately 0.85 if you enable LightBoost, to fix the LightBoost gamma effect if the colors look washed out).

People whose gaming styles depend on tracking eyes all over the screen during fast motion (e.g. tracking eyes on moving objects during fast panning motions, turns, strafes), will greatly benefit from LightBoost motion blur elimination, as it now becomes easier/faster to identify moving objects without the motion blur. It's worth having, since you can turn the LightBoost feature on/off.

-- Displays with LightBoost are currently all 1920x1080
-- If you want 2560x1440p, you need one of the overclockables such as the Korean imports.
-- There is no 120Hz 1920x1200 flat panel displays, except for certain speciality high-priced science displays (e.g. Viewpixx LCD)

Canada Computers and Memory Express sells several 120Hz monitors with LightBoost, but none of the overclockables, so if you want something local, the models with LightBoost are the cheapest/easiest to get (e.g. VG248QE for less than $300 CAD, and they also sell several of the BENQ's such as the XL2420T).

There's a good list of overclockable 120Hz, and lightboost 120Hz displays at:
List of 120Hz Monitors

Hope this helps!

motion-blur-graph.png

From Photos: 60Hz vs 120Hz vs LightBoost
 
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great_big_abyss

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Oct 3, 2011
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Winnipeg
I'm disappointed that 120Hz is only available in a 1920x1080 display...specifically they samsung models available in a 23" display vs a 24" display...that is a bit of a downgrade sizewise relative to what I have now (24", 1920x1200 Syncmaster 2443bw)

I've always been a fan of Samsung over other display manufacturers, and would have liked to remain faithful to them if possible...
 

mdrejhon

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Nov 23, 2012
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Location
Toronto, Ontario
It's a tough decision when sidegrading from 1200p -> 120Hz.

-- Do you go to a 27" 2560x1440 monitor (and overclock)? ~50% less motion blur.
-- Do you downgrade size-wise (to get official 120Hz support)? ~90% less motion blur with LightBoost.

My previous monitor was a 1920x1200 Samsung 245BW, I decided to give up vertical resolution to get 120Hz+LightBoost. If you want to stick to Samsung, they come in both 23" and 27" variants, but are limited to 1920x1080.
 
Last edited:

great_big_abyss

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Oct 3, 2011
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Winnipeg
It's a tough decision when sidegrading from 1200p -> 120Hz.

-- Do you go to a 27" 2560x1440 monitor (and overclock)? ~50% less motion blur.
-- Do you downgrade size-wise (to get official 120Hz support)? ~90% less motion blur with LightBoost.

My previous monitor was a 1920x1200 Samsung 245BW, I decided to give up vertical resolution to get 120Hz+LightBoost. If you want to stick to Samsung, they come in both 23" and 27" variants, but are limited to 1920x1080.

Ya, I don't really want to 'upsize' the pixels and move to a 1920x1080 27" display. If I move to a larger monitor it will be for higher resolution. But, I've had a few people tell me that 120hz is the be-all and end-all of gaming displays. Oh, what to do, what to do...

BTW, your name reminds me of Patrick Jane....if your name is based off what I think it is, you'll know who I mean. If not, then oh well.
Edit: NM, I googled your name, and found your website...so, my theory was wrong.
 

Dzzope

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Oct 15, 2010
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Irishman in Kiev, wOOoo, I'm an alien...
What I'm looking at is trying to find a 27" 1080 screen for games to go beside my U2713HM...
IPS for everything but fast games (tend to be FPS for me for fast games) so the 1080 with lightboost is actually good with a big screen.
 

lowfat

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Grande Prairie, AB
Unless you have 3 x GTX780 I'm afraid you don't have the GPU power to do 2560x1440 at 120Hz. 120Hz is mighty hard to maintain especially at that res. Overclocking an Overlord is your only choice for a 120Hz 2560x1440 display anyway.


I'd really suggest going with a 1080p Lightboost capable display. I moved from a U2711 to an 24" Asus 1080p Lightboost panel and the difference is ridiculous. If gaming is a high priority it is IMO the best pc upgrade since SSDs.
 

mdrejhon

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Nov 23, 2012
Messages
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Toronto, Ontario
Unless you have 3 x GTX780 I'm afraid you don't have the GPU power to do 2560x1440 at 120Hz. 120Hz is mighty hard to maintain especially at that res. Overclocking an Overlord is your only choice for a 120Hz 2560x1440 display anyway.
You can also overclock a QNIX QX2710 Evolution 2, as well as X-Star DP2710. There are now four overclockable 1440p monitors in the List of 120Hz Monitors.

Yes, I agree, LightBoost is usually the preferred 120Hz route, unless you are hell-bent on 1440p 120Hz if you need the extra pixels for other stuff (e.g. Photoshop, Visual Studio, Eclipse, etc). Just be prepared to re-calibrate your colors, and/or want to avoid downgrading relative to your current 1200p monitor.
 

10e

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Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
778
Location
Markham, Ontario
I'm looking to upgrade my display.

Specifically, I'm looking for a 27" 2560x1440 monitor with a 120hz refresh rate.

Alternatively, if a 27" display is too expensive, I can bump down to a 24" 1920x1200 display, but I definitely want a 120hz display.

I would prefer to buy from Memory Express, as they are local to me and I could avoid the shipping charge involved with shipping a large display.

Also, what is 'lightboost'. I mean, I googled it, so I know what the definition is, but is this a technology that is worth looking for in a new display?

The Lightboost thing is basically a flickering backlight that emulates the light pulse of CRT (though not intentionally) and gives massive motion blur reduction.

I never found 120hz overly impressive though noticeable, but the lightboost effect with proper GPU power backing it up is pretty darn good.

Unless you have 3 x GTX780 I'm afraid you don't have the GPU power to do 2560x1440 at 120Hz. 120Hz is mighty hard to maintain especially at that res. Overclocking an Overlord is your only choice for a 120Hz 2560x1440 display anyway.


I'd really suggest going with a 1080p Lightboost capable display. I moved from a U2711 to an 24" Asus 1080p Lightboost panel and the difference is ridiculous. If gaming is a high priority it is IMO the best pc upgrade since SSDs.

I was very disappointed in the Overlord screen I bought. Smoother mouse movement yes, but without a properly tuned overdrive I found it very blurry. And with dual GTX 680s at the time I was pushing half decent frames at that resolution, but it still didn't impress me much. YMMV though.

Compared to my BenQ XL2420T or my (now sold) Samsung S23A700D the difference was beyond night and day. I can't comment on the Qnix, but the Overlord is just OverPriced and UnderWhelming.
 

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