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Thread: Recommend me a computer monitor (please)!

  1. #1
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Recommend me a computer monitor (please)!

    I've finally sorted out some home office space and now I need to invest in a monitor (to use with my basic work laptop).

    I just need it for emails, MS Office, zoom and the occasional movie (not any gaming or complex design tasks). Screen size 24 to 32 inches please.

    I'm hoping that there might be some Black Friday deals around?

    A curved screen would be nice but it's not essential.

    Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

  2. #2
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    I upgraded my monitors in June, and went for a pair of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    1920 resolution which I thought was enough, and might be all the resolution that your laptop can pump out. They are fairly fast response though.

    bear in mind that your laptop camera will be offset unless it is placed under the monitor.

  3. #3
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Man View Post
    I've finally sorted out some home office space and now I need to invest in a monitor (to use with my basic work laptop).

    I just need it for emails, MS Office, zoom and the occasional movie (not any gaming or complex design tasks). Screen size 24 to 32 inches please.

    I'm hoping that there might be some Black Friday deals around?

    A curved screen would be nice but it's not essential.

    Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

    If you go 27" - you want to go QHD - something like this: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/phi...-spain-3589814

  4. #4
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    Unless you;re going to go for 32" and sit close I wouldn;t bother much about curved screens

    IMO the sweet spot for you usage price-wise is 2560x1440 and 27".

    - Sensible size on a desktop
    - Office productivity is much higher on the larger screen thatn 1080
    - No need to mess with font sizes/scaling or checking if your laptop can drive a QHD/4k monitor adequately as most can do 1440p easily.
    - Will be decent for movies

    I'd try and pick up a higher refresh rate monitor - it's not just games that benefit, general usage is much nicer too.

    Depends on your budget though - assuming it's reasonable I'd go for the Asus ProArt display - higher refresh and adaptive sync which should help for non-Office use and VERY good office display:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Displa.../dp/B0886LBL8R

  5. #5
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Timely thread. I've hit a wall today and I'm sick to death of this 12" laptop. I need to get a monitor for me and maybe another for my wife. Will keep an eye on this thread and probably cave by Thursday.

  6. #6
    SydR
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    I bought a 24” Dell monitor off of eBay for £28 delivered. Now got a twin screen setup for my work laptop at home.

    Matches the one I paid over £200 for several years ago.

    There are some bargains out there.

  7. #7
    Master
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    I got a 34" Samsung screen a couple of weeks ago and its great. Its a flat one as I wasn't sure how it would be using documents on a curved screen (I also have a 24" monitor on each side, I like my screen real estate!). I'm typically using the big screen for Zoom, Excel and Power BI. It was about £350 i think, the curved ones were quite a bit more.

  8. #8
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    As you're not gaming you won't be interested in input lag, or FPS, so I would 100% make sure it's an IPS panel (not TN) which will give you better blacks, viewing angle and colours.

    Resolution - 1440p (or above) for 27inch, ideally 4k if you go above 27inch. You'd need a fairly beefy graphics card to drive 4k if you're doing any graphically intensive stuff - which it sounds like you're not but though I'd add.

    As long as it's an IPS panel and 1440p/4k I wouldn't worry too much about other specs other than to say try to get slow response time as some high response monitors can cause 'ghosting' in fast scenes. Any 1ms response will be great. I think AOC have some good deals on 4k monitors - used to have one and it was great (sold it for a 144Hz panel though)

  9. #9
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Chuck all that blurry windows stuff in the bin and get a Mac.

    I know, I know, but honestly the resolution is worth it.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  10. #10
    Craftsman jonasy's Avatar
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    I had a curved screen at my old job and preferred that over the dual screen solution I used to have. It came with a software to organise your screens into virtual compartments.

  11. #11
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Curved really comes into play if you have an ultra-wide monitor - I have a 34" monitor and it makes a difference.

  12. #12
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    If you are staying with one monitor - consider a hi res extra-wide monitor.

    I have one that came into its own, when working on several documents at once - as it has the ability to display 3 docs in useable size at once.

    I always thought that if I was to expand that display - I would purchase a similar one and stack it above/below. Reckon that arrangement would work well.

    I appreciate what others have said about the resolution, but I just looked at what I was happy with (1920) when coupled with the expense of a dual-display, dual-input KVM switch.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    Chuck all that blurry windows stuff in the bin and get a Mac.

    I know, I know, but honestly the resolution is worth it.
    Or just buy a high res monitor for your PC?

  14. #14
    Master
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    I got a large curved Samsung a few months ago. Very happy with it.

  15. #15
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    Check out Benq. Really nice monitors. Spec it out as req either 2K or 4K. A little expensive but for photography work it’s great.


    Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app

  16. #16
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackal View Post

    I always thought that if I was to expand that display - I would purchase a similar one and stack it above/below. Reckon that arrangement would work well.
    I stacked a standard ratio monitor for screen sharing as ultra-wide looks odd to other people...

  17. #17
    Master mindforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    I stacked a standard ratio monitor for screen sharing as ultra-wide looks odd to other people...
    Could you show a photo of that? I have a curved Samsung 32 inch one and wouldn't want to go wider than that as it spoils the stereo image of my near field speakers (which are more important!), but would like some more screen space.

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    I stacked a standard ratio monitor for screen sharing as ultra-wide looks odd to other people...
    I was envisaging this type of display:

  19. #19
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mindforge View Post
    Could you show a photo of that? I have a curved Samsung 32 inch one and wouldn't want to go wider than that as it spoils the stereo image of my near field speakers (which are more important!), but would like some more screen space.

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk
    That sounds like a good set up! Which Samsung monitor do you have?

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Master mindforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Man View Post
    That sounds like a good set up! Which Samsung monitor do you have?

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
    Samsung C32F391 32-Inch Curved LED Monitor.

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk

  21. #21
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    I bought a 4k Samsung 28" back in march & has been great, clarity is amazing & great for the PS4 too.

    Cannot see the point of going back to the office next year for a small monitor and rubbish chair!

    Only problem I have found using a webcam on top, is that if I am looking to the left / right of the screen, it looks like I am staring off into space vs being actively engaged.

  22. #22
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mindforge View Post
    Could you show a photo of that? I have a curved Samsung 32 inch one and wouldn't want to go wider than that as it spoils the stereo image of my near field speakers (which are more important!), but would like some more screen space.

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk
    Here you go - it is also handy for having the news on in the background...

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by damperman View Post
    Check out Benq. Really nice monitors. Spec it out as req either 2K or 4K. A little expensive but for photography work it’s great.


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    Can I ask which one you are using. I'm debating whether to pay the extra for the SW271 over the 270C

    Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk

  24. #24
    Master mindforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    Here you go - it is also handy for having the news on in the background...
    That is awesome, how do you mount the one above?

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk

  25. #25
    Master mindforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mj2k View Post
    I bought a 4k Samsung 28" back in march & has been great, clarity is amazing & great for the PS4 too.

    Cannot see the point of going back to the office next year for a small monitor and rubbish chair!

    Only problem I have found using a webcam on top, is that if I am looking to the left / right of the screen, it looks like I am staring off into space vs being actively engaged.
    Yup I have that problem. When I'm on a video call I put thumbnail videos at the top middle of the screen with work beneath so I am looking at the camera.

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk

  26. #26
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mindforge View Post
    Yup I have that problem. When I'm on a video call I put thumbnail videos at the top middle of the screen with work beneath so I am looking at the camera.

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk
    So if you notice in my set-up I have the camera between the two screens and I have the video just hoovering between the two screens so I always look straight ahead...

  27. #27
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mindforge View Post
    That is awesome, how do you mount the one above?

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk
    You can get stackable VESA dual-monitor arms or a single one should position that way.

  28. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Taxboy View Post
    Can I ask which one you are using. I'm debating whether to pay the extra for the SW271 over the 270C

    Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk
    I’m bought the SW271 2K 28inch. I calibrate using a Color munki and find it perfect for my photography work.


    Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app

  29. #29
    Master mindforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    So if you notice in my set-up I have the camera between the two screens and I have the video just hoovering between the two screens so I always look straight ahead...
    I did notice. Clever!

    Sent from my IN2023 using Tapatalk

  30. #30
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the helpful replies so far.

    I'm currently looking at two Samsung models at around the same price, this curved white one looks great but has 1920x1080 resolution which may not be optimal on such a large screen:

    https://www.samsung.com/uk/monitors/...c32f391fwuxen/

    Or there is this 4K model, currently on sale but sadly out of stock:

    https://www.samsung.com/uk/monitors/...u32j590uquxen/

    Would the 4K model be a better buy?

  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Man View Post
    Thanks for all the helpful replies so far.

    I'm currently looking at two Samsung models at around the same price, this curved white one looks great but has 1920x1080 resolution which may not be optimal on such a large screen:

    https://www.samsung.com/uk/monitors/...c32f391fwuxen/

    Or there is this 4K model, currently on sale but sadly out of stock:

    https://www.samsung.com/uk/monitors/...u32j590uquxen/

    Would the 4K model be a better buy?
    Yes, by a long way. 1920 resolution over a 32" screen will be very grainy as the pixel-per-inch count is low. I wouldn't even buy a 27" if it was 1920 resolution.

  32. #32
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Pointy View Post
    Yes, by a long way. 1920 resolution over a 32" screen will be very grainy as the pixel-per-inch count is low. I wouldn't even buy a 27" if it was 1920 resolution.
    Thanks

    If I were to up the budget, would this be a good option?

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NP1DJ...32295594000-21

  33. #33
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    I was after a basic monitor for my mac with HDMI input. After reading reviews for all the sub-£100 budget monitors there seemed to be problems with many of them including poor viewing angles, rubbish colour reproduction and poor control panels. This IPS monitor seemed to get ok reviews for the price so I ordered it from Very on "take 3" interest free...so £30 per month for 3-months...

    https://www.very.co.uk/dell-d2421h-2...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

  34. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by damperman View Post
    I’m bought the SW271 2K 28inch. I calibrate using a Color munki and find it perfect for my photography work.


    Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app
    Many thanks

    Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

  35. #35
    I’m a big fan of dell. Very surprised by the poor quality of every aspect of an LG we got recently, was expecting a lot better of the brand.

  36. #36
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    I went for one of these:

    https://www.cyberport.de/pc-und-zube...-4ms-60hz.html

    My only regret is that I didn't buy a height-adjustable stand for it at the time but it's a minor oversight.
    In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.

  37. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Man View Post
    Thanks

    If I were to up the budget, would this be a good option?

    [URL="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NP1DJ1H]
    I've no experience of curved monitors but there are more to consider here - you can play with the filters more easily:
    https://www.ebuyer.com/store/Compute...k%7CUHD+%2F+4k

    Going curved does reduce the choice somewhat. I'd also caution against one issue with a 4k (3480x2160) screen in that the icons & text will be considerably smaller than on a 2560x1440 screen which may be fine if you have good eyesight. Personally I know I would struggle, although you can raise the display scaling in Windows to overcome the issue.

  38. #38
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Pointy View Post
    I'd also caution against one issue with a 4k (3480x2160) screen in that the icons & text will be considerably smaller than on a 2560x1440 screen which may be fine if you have good eyesight. Personally I know I would struggle, although you can raise the display scaling in Windows to overcome the issue.
    The other thing to remember is that, even if your eyesight is perfect, if you share your screen during a call no fecker will be able to read it. Sometimes this can be a good thing.
    In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.

  39. #39
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    Since March, and some home working I have completely revamped my office monitor setup. First up was replacing dual 27" Dell monitors with a single Samsung 49" ultrawide curved monitor - if you deal with large spreadsheets it's a Godsend. More recently I added a 24" Dell monitor for work that I have to keep on corporate IT (laptops) to give me additional real estate. Neither work laptop has powerful enough graphics to drive the 49" monitor though I can split it in software into two (and more) and then the laptops can cope with driving half the screen. I rarely bother doing this now though it can be convenient at times.

    Monitors have come a long way in the last few years and whilst a fair chunk of change, the ultrawide Samsung is fantastic. I appreciate it's not what you are looking for but hopefully useful for ideas in making your office setup as good for you as it can be.

    Last edited by Skier; 17th November 2020 at 22:24.

  40. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    The other thing to remember is that, even if your eyesight is perfect, if you share your screen during a call no fecker will be able to read it. Sometimes this can be a good thing.
    Was just about to say this - if it is a spreadsheet, I need to zoom into about 150% and then move a fair way from the monitor so we can all see it!

    4k 28" doesn't compete with a std / cheap laptop screen from the company!

  41. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skier View Post
    Since March, and some home working I have completely revamped my office monitor setup. First up was replacing dual 27" Dell monitors with a single Samsung 49" ultrawide curved monitor - if you deal with large spreadsheets it's a Godsend. More recently I added a 24" Dell monitor for work that I have to keep on corporate IT (laptops) to give me additional real estate. Neither work laptop has powerful enough graphics to drive the 49" monitor though I can split it in software into two (and more) and then the laptops can cope with driving half the screen. I rarely bother doing this now though it can be convenient at times.

    Monitors have come a long way in the last few years and whilst a fair chunk of change, the ultrawide Samsung is fantastic.

    Blimey! Wow!

    Please send a pic with a spreadsheet on that big screen. I have screen envy I must admit. I was fairly happy with my two screen setup but looks like I am behind the curve!!

    Would love to see how Excel looks on it.

  42. #42
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    The other thing to remember is that, even if your eyesight is perfect, if you share your screen during a call no fecker will be able to read it. Sometimes this can be a good thing.
    That is a really good point!

    I share screens a lot when presenting - so would it would a better idea not to go with 4K?!

  43. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Man View Post
    That is a really good point!

    I share screens a lot when presenting - so would it would a better idea not to go with 4K?!
    If you’re presenting in ppt using presenter mode, then you will be fine. It’s just if you have it open at a readable size in a spreadsheet that people struggle on calls with screen sharing.


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  44. #44
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Would a 32 inch screen viewed from a 2.5ft distance be too big?

    I 'm debating between 28" and 32" 4K screens.

    Thanks All.

  45. #45
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    My personal opinion. Go and see a 4k computer monitor before you buy one and when there ensure it's set to its native resolution with Windows set to 100% i.e. no magnification. The icons and text will be tiny and in order to read it you'll need to run it at a lower resolution or, far more likely, set Windows to 150% - so what's the point? I would go 32" 2560 x 1440.

  46. #46
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    There's something else confusing me. I've been looking at a Philips monitor that has either 4K or WQHD options. What are the differences, pros and cons please?

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01L1MNQ...983400-21&th=1

  47. #47
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skier View Post
    My personal opinion. Go and see a 4k computer monitor before you buy one and when there ensure it's set to its native resolution with Windows set to 100% i.e. no magnification. The icons and text will be tiny and in order to read it you'll need to run it at a lower resolution or, far more likely, set Windows to 150% - so what's the point? I would go 32" 2560 x 1440.
    That is very helpful, thank you.

    Can you recommend any suitable options please? I'm struggling to navigate all this choice!

  48. #48
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Man View Post
    That is a really good point!

    I share screens a lot when presenting - so would it would a better idea not to go with 4K?!
    Like most technology, you may not actually require the latest, most expensive version of it. If I really need to work on a large spreadsheet and see as much of it as possible at the same time then I'll switch to 4k @100% but I most often use it at a lower resolution. If price is a factor then you'll be fine with a lower resolution monitor. When I made the choice I decided that I wanted to future proof as much as possible and that I wanted the IPS technology (I'm afraid that I didn't research WQHD at the time).

    SWMBO, in my view, needs a new monitor at the moment and her oldish Macbook only supports 1920 - my inclination is to buy her a 4k model even though her hardware doesn't drive it at full resolution.
    Last edited by Carlton-Browne; 18th November 2020 at 10:52.
    In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.

  49. #49
    On the other end of the spectrum from that amazing looking set up above, I’ve found a 24 inch monitor absolutely fine for spreadsheets and PowerPoint. I had a bigger screen in the office but actually found it too big! I got this one and am really impressed with the picture:

    Dell P2419H 24 Inch LED-backlit, Anti-Glare


  50. #50
    Master Rocket Man's Avatar
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    Thanks to all who replied with advice.

    I went for a simpler model in the end, 27 inch, 2560x1440px resolution

    https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/accesso...rs/lenovoQ27q/

    Then changed my mind and ordered a Dell, still 27" and 2560x1440
    Last edited by Rocket Man; 19th November 2020 at 18:40.

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