Buying moniter advice

[shrimply]

Hi, following up from last post I'm looking to buy a monitor, for numerous reasons.

 

One being I can use it with my laptop once its screen becomes unusable, I also have an older computer with a crt monitor which I can throw out, and on top of that I'm toying with the idea of building my own system. This is something I really want to do, more for the experience than anything else but am put off by the fact that I'll probably end up exploding something and the whole thing costing any more money.

 

Anyway I know very little about moniters, or screens in general so was hoping for a bit of advice. To be perfectly honest I'm not a gamer, so imagine it doesn't really matter but I do watch DVDs and stuff on my computer so could do with the picture to be decent. What i don't want, or at least want to be protected against is needing to replace it in a year or so down the line. I'm still fuming about the laptop thats probably going to die before its two years old.

 

Anyway I started looking at this one that Aldi are offering next week, I've heard decent things about Medion and it does have a 3 year warranty. And Aldi's other electrical brand Tevion are brilliant at hounering these guerentee's. But you are ultimatly buying electrical goods from a supermarket. I also wondered why it was 16:10 rather then the usual 16:9 and if this would be an issue at all.

 

ALDI - Thursday Special Buys 23rd July 2009

 

I then looked on Ebuyer as I've always found that a good place to see what you can get for your money.

 

They have this samsung for around the same price and I'm tempted to get it, I've heard nothing but praise for sumsung screens lately, but maybe I haven't been reading the right sources.

 

Samsung SyncMaster SM923NW 19" TFT Monitor 1440x900 300cd/m2 1000:1 5ms 16:9 VGA Black 3 Years Warranty - Ebuyer

 

There's also an LG, I get the impression that they tend to be decent screens, but seem to fail quickly.

 

LG W1941S-PF 19" TFT Monitor 1366x768 300cd/m2 8000:1 (dynamic) 16:9 VGA Black - Ebuyer

 

or an Acer

 

Acer V193WBb 19" TFT Monitor 1440x900 300cd/m2 10000:1 (dynamic) 5ms 16:9 VGA Black - Ebuyer

 

or this cheap one

 

ViewSonic VA1926W 19" TFT Monitor 1440x900 300cd/m2 2000:1 (dynamic) 5ms 16:9 DVI-D/VGA Black/Silver - Ebuyer

 

So the question is which one;) Or any other suggstions very welcome.

[Plastic Nev]

It is basically a case of what you can afford against the companies reputation Shrimply mate, I recently bought a 22inch Delium and find it superb and great for video, and general surfing. Any reason you are looking at 19 inch in preference for a bigger size, other than financial?

[shrimply]

Hi, everything at the minute is purely financial. I haven't been able to get a job this summer but as of September can not be without some sort of computer.

 

Basically I can't really justify buying a monitor that's more than £90, and I'd rather that it was smaller in size and good quality and a reliable make, rather than larger and some unknown brand.

 

I've recently had a few cheap brands breakdown on me, TV, laptop etc and have made the decision not to skip on the technology I buy any longer. I don't mean buy the best of everything, but not to buy something just because it has the best specs at the lowest possible price as I'll only regret it a year or so down the line.

 

So yeah I'm basically trying to find the best thing to buy with my limited budget.

 

Hopefully a job will come along that fits in with my studies and I'll be able to buy a computer and monitor that I really want but for just now I'm having to make do with what I can afford.

 

Many thanks for taking the time to read my babbling.

[Plastic Nev]

Yep, I understand where you are at mate, so for my two pence worth give that Samsung a bit more attention, they do have a good reputation and service support.

Nev.

[shrimply]

Thank You, I'll hopefully order it at the end of this week, as I'm house (and dog)sitting for my parents and should get a couple of quid for my troubles. In the mean time I've taken the opportunity to borrow the monitor from their computer.