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New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 5:34 pm
by Tao
I am shopping for a new monitor and am looking for suggestions/feedback. I have tentatively narrowed my search to the

ASUS ROG PG279Q (2560x1440 165Hz) and the Acer predator xb3 (xb273k) (3840x2160 120Hz)

There are apparently 3 versions of the exact same model of Acer, the one I am looking at is around $900, the ASUS is about $250 less but it's not 4K. I am still running a GTX 1080 so not exactly optimized for 4K but I was using a Dell U3219Q for a few months and it worked pretty well. I don't typically watch movies or videos on my monitor, I have a nice OLED TV for that so this is pretty much just for gaming.

Anyone have experience with either of these monitors or have some other similar model/brand they would suggest. The $900 is absolutely the ceiling on my budget, I just don't game enough anymore to justify spending over $1K on a monitor.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 5:53 pm
by wonderpug
After a lot of comparison shopping, I bought that exact Asus monitor last summer for $580. I've been really happy with it so far, no complaints at all. I ruled 4k out right away for my needs -- 1440p already looks plenty great to me and I'd rather have higher framerates without having to upgrade my graphics card along with the monitor.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:13 pm
by Victoria Raverna
If you are okay with G-SYNC Compatible monitor instead of a G-SYNC monitor then maybe TUF Gaming VG27AQ?

27" IPS 2560x1440 48-144Hz plus minimum/fake HDR. Also have extreme low motion blur that can be enabled with G-SYNC Compatible mode.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:17 am
by Kasey Chang
If you don't care about G-SYNC Monoprice monitors are cheap for the price.

https://www.monoprice.com/category/comp ... p-monitors

35 inch curved 3440x1440 21:9 4ms is $360.

27 inch 2560x1440 144 Hz 1ms for $225.

------

I have one of the cheapest G-SYNC monitors on the market... Acer XFA240... 24 inch, 1080P only, but it's 1 ms and I bought it for 155, IIRC. It's now $170 on Amazon. But I don't use it on G-SYNC mode because it keeps falling out of it for some reason. Then I get no video. So I left G-Sync off. My RTX can definitely drive it at 120 Hz, but didn't feel like doing so.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:38 pm
by Tao
Thanks for the suggestions. I am leaning heavily toward the ASUS at the moment. Planning to read a few more reviews this weekend. I don't mind spending the extra money on a quality monitor, I think it's important based on the number of hours I stare at it, I just wanted to keep it below $1,000.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:20 pm
by Zitterbacke
Kasey Chang wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:17 am If you don't care about G-SYNC Monoprice monitors are cheap for the price.

https://www.monoprice.com/category/comp ... p-monitors

35 inch curved 3440x1440 21:9 4ms is $360.

27 inch 2560x1440 144 Hz 1ms for $225.

------

I have one of the cheapest G-SYNC monitors on the market... Acer XFA240... 24 inch, 1080P only, but it's 1 ms and I bought it for 155, IIRC. It's now $170 on Amazon. But I don't use it on G-SYNC mode because it keeps falling out of it for some reason. Then I get no video. So I left G-Sync off. My RTX can definitely drive it at 120 Hz, but didn't feel like doing so.
They do deliver to Germany, but wouldn't take my address (or any other alternative I tried), so couldn't give me a quote for the postage.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:34 pm
by Kasey Chang
Apparently you need to go through Amazon Germany to get them, according to their website:

https://www.monoprice.com/international/index

But you can always ask them direct, I guess.

https://www.monoprice.com/help?pn=contact

Wait, they have an EU website! Monoprice.eu (EDIT: They don't have the 35 incher... and prices feels much higher)

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:40 am
by Zitterbacke
Ok, thank you! I went here: https://monopricesupport.kayako.com/art ... ly-ship-to and that didn't work. No Monoprice monitors on Amazon.de at all :/ Prices include taxes on their EU-Site.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 6:50 pm
by Tao
So I pretty much settled on the ASUS monitor and was planning to purchase from Amazon for $624, oddly however the official ASUS website had the MSRP for the monitor as $580. I considered buying it directly from ASUS but would have had to pay shipping and it would have taken much longer than Amazon so I figured I would pay the extra up-front and it would be a wash in the end. I did a quick search to check one last review and surprisingly Micro-Center popped up as a seller with a price of $580. Just got back from my (not so) local store with my new monitor. So far looks great. Only complaint is I somehow turned on a screen timer and don't see how to turn it off, hoping it disappears once the timer runs down. :)

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 4:33 pm
by Kraken
Wife just got a new 24" Dell office monitor to use with her older Toshiba laptop. The monitor has a DP cable; the laptop has an HDMI port. DP to HDMI adapter looks simple and straightforward.

Now, she wants to use her older external monitor with her Macbook Pro. That monitor has an HDMI cable. I'm not sure what I need to make it work with the Mac, which only has four tiny ports -- two on each side, all identical. The interwebs tell me that those are either USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 ports. IDK what the difference is, or if there is a difference, or how I would tell. The Macbook is employer-provided and a few years old.

I *think* she needs an HDMI to USB-C adapter. That would be a female HDMI and male USB-C to use the monitor's output cable, or male HDMI and male USB-C to replace the monitor's cable entirely. Is this what I'm looking for? I always get lost quickly when I have to visit the Apple universe.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 4:37 pm
by Daehawk
I didn't even know USB did video.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 6:16 pm
by Tao
I am not overly familiar with Mac's, but yes, it sounds like USB-C (Thunderbolt 3 is a type of USB-C). You can purchase a USB-C to Display Port adapter on Amazon for about $15.00. Not sure which monitor you have but I believe the Dell Ultra's (U24xxx) support both HDMI or Display Port, I think the P series does as well, not sure about the others. In either case whichever cable you use HDMI or Display Port you can purchase a USB-C adapter and pretty sure both standards no longer have male/female, the connectors are the same on both ends.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 10:52 pm
by hitbyambulance
Kraken wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 4:33 pm Is this what I'm looking for?
yes

MacBooks have been using 'Thunderbolt' for video for yeeeears now, but Thunderbolt 3 changed the form factor of the port to be compatible with USB-C shaped plugs. Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C cables are interchangeable (for the most part).

see here for more info: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/usb-type-c- ... -them-all/

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 1:04 am
by Kraken
hitbyambulance wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 10:52 pm
Kraken wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 4:33 pm Is this what I'm looking for?
yes

MacBooks have been using 'Thunderbolt' for video for yeeeears now, but Thunderbolt 3 changed the form factor of the port to be compatible with USB-C shaped plugs. Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C cables are interchangeable (for the most part).

see here for more info: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/usb-type-c- ... -them-all/
Then that's what I'll buy, thanks. If it doesn't work, I know where you live.

Re: New Monitor Shopping

Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 10:18 am
by coopasonic
Kraken wrote: Mon May 18, 2020 1:04 am
hitbyambulance wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 10:52 pm
Kraken wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 4:33 pm Is this what I'm looking for?
yes

MacBooks have been using 'Thunderbolt' for video for yeeeears now, but Thunderbolt 3 changed the form factor of the port to be compatible with USB-C shaped plugs. Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C cables are interchangeable (for the most part).

see here for more info: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/usb-type-c- ... -them-all/
Then that's what I'll buy, thanks. If it doesn't work, I know where you live.


That's what I have been using since I started working form home in March so I know it works.