# Best 2560x1600 Monitor for Gaming



## DanishDevil (Aug 16, 2011)

I've tried to do some research, and what I'm coming up with looks like the Dell U3011, and the HP ZR30w. Gaming is what I primarily use my desktop for, and will be playing everything from Starcraft 2 to Diablo 3 and Battlefield 3. I have been a competitive gamer in the past, and performance is paramount. I can definitely sense a lag under 60FPS, so input lag may be a crucial factor in determining the best choice. 

Thank you in advance for your expertise, TPU! 

Side note: is the 27" Dell's 2560x1440 compatible with most games? I'm assuming x1600 is compatible with every current title. 

P.S.: Will be driving this with an ASUS GTX 570 Direct CU II, and may upgrade to a 580 or better if needed.


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## qubit (Aug 16, 2011)

The resolution or ratio of the monitor doesn't affect gaming compatibility. Personally, I prefer a 16:10 ratio monitor.

What _is_ important, is the input lag and response time. This is where cheaper TN displays win hands down for gaming.


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## DanishDevil (Aug 16, 2011)

I already know I want a bump in resolution from my 1920x1200 monitor, and I don't want to spend $400 on a monitor with the same resolution. Go big or go home! Many people rave about IPS displays vs. TN panels, so I'm going to give IPS a shot. I've pretty much already decided on that much.


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## xenocide (Aug 16, 2011)

Generally speaking, IPS panels have a lot more input lag than TN Panels.


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## Anusha (Aug 16, 2011)

what exactly is this input lag? is it same as response time?


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## ivicagmc (Aug 16, 2011)

Input lag is difference between the time a signal is input into a display and the time it is shown by the display. Response time is the time that takes for pixel to change state, and than goes back again.On larger moniotrs is usaly higher input lag. On my Dell U2311h eIPS is very, very low. There are some 2ms response time TN monitors that are slower then my 8ms IPS...
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2311h.htm


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## qubit (Aug 16, 2011)

DanishDevil said:


> I already know I want a bump in resolution from my 1920x1200 monitor, and I don't want to spend $400 on a monitor with the same resolution. Go big or go home! Many people rave about IPS displays vs. TN panels, so I'm going to give IPS a shot. I've pretty much already decided on that much.



IPS does indeed have a much improved picture, but as you want a monitor specifically for gaming, you might regret it, as the input lag and motion smear is much worse on these. I strongly suggest you buy it online so that you can return it if you don't like it.


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## MatTheCat (Aug 16, 2011)

DanishDevil said:


> I already know I want a bump in resolution from my 1920x1200 monitor, and I don't want to spend $400 on a monitor with the same resolution. Go big or go home! Many people rave about IPS displays vs. TN panels, so I'm going to give IPS a shot. I've pretty much already decided on that much.



Is there actually anything wrong with your current monitor other than it is old and you want a new one?

This may be obvious, but by upping your resolution (from an already very high resolution), I would wager that you will have real trouble maintaining a maxed out 60FPS in games such as BF3 when they come out, unless you wanted to to do a Crossfire/SLI on the top line of the next generation GPU's when they come (another £600 / $1000).

But seeing some guy whine about his 1920x1200 monitor not being crisp enough just makes me think of starving brown people in Africa, and how much importance they would place on this purchase.


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## DanishDevil (Aug 16, 2011)

Guys, please. I turned to TPU for high-end expertise. You're making me feel like I should go post this as XS. If anybody mentions a TN panel again, I'm just going to ignore the thread. I also don't want to hear about starving kids in Africa, or graphics cards. Look at my post count. If I need more GPU power I'll get some. 

IF I AM GOING TO BUY A 2560x1600 IPS PANEL, which is the best for gaming (has the lowest input lag)?


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## qubit (Aug 16, 2011)

DanishDevil said:


> Guys, please. I turned to TPU for high-end expertise. You're making me feel like I should go post this as XS. If anybody mentions a TN panel again, I'm just going to ignore the thread. I also don't want to hear about starving kids in Africa, or graphics cards. Look at my post count. If I need more GPU power I'll get some.
> 
> IF I AM GOING TO BUY A 2560x1600 IPS PANEL, which is the best for gaming (has the lowest input lag)?



Well, I'm afraid I don't know a specific model good for input lag and checking out reviews is always a good idea.

Also, it's not one forum or another. I see nothing wrong with posting the same question to three or four forums. The more places you post your question, the more likely you're to get different viewpoints and great answers. 

Finally the advice I gave before still stands:



qubit said:


> IPS does indeed have a much improved picture, but as you want a monitor specifically for gaming, you might regret it, as the input lag and motion smear is much worse on these. I strongly suggest you buy it online so that you can return it if you don't like it.


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## ivicagmc (Aug 16, 2011)

According to this
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_3008wfp.htm
and:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2711.htm
27 inch is 5ms faster than 30 inch, and only this old Hazro is very fast if you can find it
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hazro_hz30w.htm
and here is recent review at tom's
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ultrasharp-u2711-ds-277w-multisync-pa271w,2968-14.html
which says that  lowest total input lag is with
http://www.doublesight.com/shop/product.asp?idx=79


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## monitorgeek (Aug 18, 2011)

ivicagmc said:


> Input lag is difference between the time a signal is input into a display and the time it is shown by the display. Response time is the time that takes for pixel to change state, and than goes back again.On larger moniotrs is usaly higher input lag. On my Dell U2311h eIPS is very, very low. There are some 2ms response time TN monitors that are slower then my 8ms IPS...
> http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2311h.htm



 I Agree with him. Because my LG IPS monitor (http://www.lg.com/uk/it-products/monitors/LG-lcd-monitor-W3000H.jsp)shows excellent performance when I playing Starcraft2 at highest video quailty. It has 5ms response time so it is better than dell.


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## Gallus (Oct 14, 2011)

TN panels are much better for gaming then IPS.  IPS, Beside feeling slightly sluggish when compared side by side with TN panels, they show ghosting a lot more then i'd ever be happy with.

the TN 3D monitors in 2D mode do ghost-free gaming at 120+ FPS with vsync on(many with crisp 2ms response timings).  Plus have the added bonus of 3D capability if you ever want to mess around with that, all for around the same price or less.

I was in the market for a IPS panel for a long time because so many people rave about the way they look.  Honestly their screen quality isn't THAT much better then the TNs, but when you see the image smearing and semi-slow response time combined with their price and it's completely apparent that IPS panels are for professional applications, NOT GAMING.

If you're a gamer, get a TN.


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## Jmatt110 (Oct 14, 2011)

I have 3 Dell U3011's in Eyefinity. The only thing I would ever trade them for is one of these.


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## TIGR (Oct 14, 2011)

DanishDevil said:


> Guys, please. I turned to TPU for high-end expertise. You're making me feel like I should go post this as XS. If anybody mentions a TN panel again, I'm just going to ignore the thread. I also don't want to hear about starving kids in Africa, or graphics cards. Look at my post count. If I need more GPU power I'll get some.
> 
> IF I AM GOING TO BUY A 2560x1600 IPS PANEL, which is the best for gaming (has the lowest input lag)?



I am as frustrated as you are when I see people getting answers that don't address the questions they asked in the way they requested. However, sometimes those answers really are appropriate and this is one of those cases. The reason you've seen people talk up IPS is that IPS panels can offer superb image quality (color fidelity, gamut, etc.). However they generally do so at the sacrifice of input lag. TN panels, on the other hand, typically can perform more responsively at the sacrifice of image quality (as well as viewing angle). So IPS panels may be fantastic but you have to ask yourself "for what?" And the answer, generally speaking, is graphics design, photo editing, and other things of that nature.

Input lag is no joke. On my Samsung 275T (which is S-PVA, different from IPS or TN), input lag is so bad that if you try to play a fast-paced twitch game on it, you may well end up feeling nauseous from the delay between when you move your mouse and when your character moves. It's like playing drunk. The 275T's image quality is awesome and man do games every look _beautiful_ on it—but using it for anything like multiplayer CoD4 = getting your ass kicked. It's just not meant for that.

If you posted on an automotive forum asking whether you should buy a Lamborghini or a Ferrari for hauling firewood, I'd hope someone would help you to see that neither is really appropriate. Likewise, you may benefit from considering non-IPS displays.


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## stinger608 (Oct 14, 2011)

DanishDevil said:
			
		

> If anybody mentions a TN panel again, I'm just going to ignore the thread. I also don't want to hear about starving kids in Africa, or graphics cards.



Hey Danish, TN panel, TN panel, TN panel!! Also did you hear about the kids in Africa starving yet? And you really really need about a dozen or more new graphics cards............

Ah man J/K

One thing that I am pretty sure of is that the Dell monitors are some awesome units man. As I believe Qubit stated, be sure to purchase online and new in case you find that it is not your cup of tea. At least you can always send it back within 30 days or so. 

Good luck my friend


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## Black Panther (Oct 14, 2011)

Gallus said:


> TN panels are much better for gaming then IPS.  IPS, Beside feeling slightly sluggish when compared side by side with TN panels, they show ghosting a lot more then i'd ever be happy with.



I've used CRT, TN panels and IPS.

To be honest I never noticed any ghosting or input lag with my IPS. And the color fidelity and viewing angles are as good as a CRT.


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## digibucc (Oct 14, 2011)

DanishDevil said:


> Look at my post count.





TIGR said:


> I am as frustrated as you are when I see people getting answers that don't address the questions they asked in the way they requested. However, sometimes those answers really are appropriate and this is one of those cases.  ... If you posted on an automotive forum asking whether you should buy a Lamborghini or a Ferrari for hauling firewood, I'd hope someone would help you to see that neither is really appropriate. Likewise, you may benefit from considering non-IPS displays.



I would have thought with his post count he would have recognized this. 

what you are basically saying Danish is give me your advice, but only if it aligns with what i want to hear.


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## qubit (Oct 14, 2011)

TIGR said:


> I am as frustrated as you are when I see people getting answers that don't address the questions they asked in the way they requested. However, sometimes those answers really are appropriate and this is one of those cases. The reason you've seen people talk up IPS is that IPS panels can offer superb image quality (color fidelity, gamut, etc.). However they generally do so at the sacrifice of input lag. TN panels, on the other hand, typically can perform more responsively at the sacrifice of image quality (as well as viewing angle). So IPS panels may be fantastic but you have to ask yourself "for what?" And the answer, generally speaking, is graphics design, photo editing, and other things of that nature.
> 
> *Input lag is no joke. On my Samsung 275T (which is S-PVA, different from IPS or TN), input lag is so bad that if you try to play a fast-paced twitch game on it, you may well end up feeling nauseous from the delay between when you move your mouse and when your character moves. It's like playing drunk. The 275T's image quality is awesome and man do games every look beautiful on it—but using it for anything like multiplayer CoD4 = getting your ass kicked. It's just not meant for that.*
> 
> If you posted on an automotive forum asking whether you should buy a Lamborghini or a Ferrari for hauling firewood, I'd hope someone would help you to see that neither is really appropriate. Likewise, you may benefit from considering non-IPS displays.



Excellent post, especially the bold bit, is so true. 



stinger608 said:


> Hey Danish, TN panel, TN panel, TN panel!! Also did you hear about the kids in Africa starving yet? And you really really need about a dozen or more new graphics cards............
> 
> Ah man J/K
> 
> ...



Yup, the power of distance selling is awesome for this, lol.




Black Panther said:


> I've used CRT, TN panels and IPS.
> 
> To be honest I never noticed any ghosting or input lag with my IPS. And the color fidelity and viewing angles are as good as a CRT.



BP & Danish, I can't stress enough how important lag is for fast games. Lag makes you stagger around like a drunk and ruins the experience for fast games. I recently bought a great 120Hz TN monitor for little money which has almost zero lag and reviewed it here, so you may want to consider that.


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## Black Panther (Oct 14, 2011)

Qubit, probably you're right. The 'fastest' game I played on this monitor was Fallout NV . I assume by fast games you mean shooters... The Dirt series play ok here, but that's not a FPS.


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## Robert-The-Rambler (Oct 14, 2011)

*I use the HP LP3065*

I know it has less input lag because it has no scaling chip onboard. The one I have seems to not have as uniform a backlight as I would like. The bottom right area is a bit brighter and the viewing angle is a little tougher to work with especially compared to my 42" HDTV but from straight on it really is an awesome gaming monitor. Maybe a used one at a discounted price would be worth it. Anyhow with its accurate fleshtones it is wonderful for watching instructional videos.


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## Disparia (Oct 14, 2011)

TIGR said:


> If you posted on an automotive forum asking whether you should buy a Lamborghini or a Ferrari for hauling firewood, I'd hope someone would help you to see that neither is really appropriate. Likewise, you may benefit from considering non-IPS displays.



This is why I ask few questions here or elsewhere 

If I'm asking between these two cars for this particular purpose it's because it's the last determining factor that I can I use to decide between them as they both meet my 200 other requirements for a vehicle.


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## qubit (Oct 14, 2011)

Robert-The-Rambler said:


> I know it has less input lag because it has no scaling chip onboard.



That must mean that non-native resolutions must show up nice and sharp with 1:1 mapping and simply look smaller than native? This is the way all LCD monitors should be by default.


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## Robert-The-Rambler (Oct 14, 2011)

*That is correct*



qubit said:


> That must mean that non-native resolutions must show up nice and sharp with 1:1 mapping and simply look smaller than native? This is the way all LCD monitors should be by default.



Just set the GPU settings accordingly.


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## Derek12 (Oct 14, 2011)

qubit said:


> That must mean that non-native resolutions must show up nice and sharp with 1:1 mapping and simply look smaller than native? This is the way all LCD monitors should be by default.



+1. I always set up using GPU scaling and centered timings to get that.  though in very low resolutions (800x600, 640x480) the image is so small as a 5" screen here lol


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## FordGT90Concept (Oct 14, 2011)

Ima just gonna throw this out there: Why not get a second 1920x1200 monitor and span it?  You get all the benefits of higher resolution with none of the latency downsides (not to mention the insane $1200+ price tag).


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## ivicagmc (Oct 14, 2011)

OK, check this input lag (almost none) in new Dell U2312HM, it is even better then my Dell U2311H, has much better uniformity and it is LED and it is cheaper... Excuse for gamers to go to TN is closing to none...
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2312hm.htm


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## qubit (Oct 14, 2011)

Robert-The-Rambler said:


> Just set the GPU settings accordingly.



Yes, that's good. Some monitors actually don't allow this and insist on scaling the pictures. Heck, even monitors with a 1:1 menu setting tend to default to scaling at every mode change.



Derek12 said:


> +1. I always set up using GPU scaling to get that.  though in very low resolutions (800x600, 640x480) the image is so small as a 5" screen here lol



Ah yes, postage stamp mode!


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## theeldest (Oct 14, 2011)

I get to play games here at work on an Alienware + U3011 sometimes. 

It looks beautiful. Friggin gorgeous, in fact.

I don't notice problems with lag of any sort.

A friend just set up 3 of the 24" ultrasharps for eyefinity. Those 3 IPS panels look quite good too. Again, haven't noticed any sort of lag. (maybe my eyes just aren't as discerning as those of other people)


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## n-ster (Oct 14, 2011)

I think he knows the risks of high response time and input lag. He also knows that it requires more GPU power. The only alternative that is worth mentioning is eye-infinity and such.

You could go with a cheap IPS (better than TN worse than true IPS) like the IPS236v in eye-infinity f you want IPS, you could also just add 2 of the same monitors.

27"/30" 2560x1440 is usually cheaper than the 30" 2560x1600 and might be more worth it. 27" has the benefit of having a higher pixel density and being able to sit close to it without problems. 30" you might need to move your head more.

The Dell monitors are usually good, only one I know is the U2711, it is H-IPS and has 8-bit + AFRC


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## Completely Bonkers (Oct 14, 2011)

Poor Danish. He wants an IPS because he spends a LOT of time at his PC, uses it for work, for development, for photo editing, etc. etc. A high res high pixel density IPS is so much better for working at than a TN, whether it is word, pdf files, internet, photoshop, whatever. He needs an IPS and is ready to pay for it.

*The IPS is given* due to what he does with this PC 90% of the time. He asks ONE SIMPLE QUESTION... IF I'm buying an IPS, is there a specific IPS that has better gaming credentials, or indeed one that should be avoided, for the 10% of the time I goofs around with games.

And people STILL GO ON about TN and that alternative views are still relevant to the discussion. But he wants a focused topical relevant knowledgeable comment on a specific issue. He doesnt want a debate about the pros and cons of wind farms and global warming!

And did anyone BOTHER to read his system specs? He already HAD a decent TN.

And did anyone BOTHER to read his NEW system specs? He has bought the HP ZR30W 30" 2650x1600.

Well Danish, if you are still alive and look at this threat, PLEASE COMMENT on your experience of the HP. I am in the same boat, tossing up between the HP, the Dell U30 and the Dell U27. Please report back!

Apologies for the red text, but this needs to stop!


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## n-ster (Oct 15, 2011)

GAHAHAHA noone noticed the 1 poster revived the thread from the grave lol.

How do you like your HP? Did you get a chance to compare it to the Dell?


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## Completely Bonkers (Oct 15, 2011)




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## Robert-The-Rambler (Oct 15, 2011)

The ability to learn is not limited to the original poster of the thread.


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## theeldest (Oct 15, 2011)

Well I feel foolish.


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## DanishDevil (Nov 2, 2011)

SO sorry for the late reply, guys.

This monitor is by far the best purchase I have ever made. My KDR in FPS games has actually gone up (hence, the response time of this panel is not detrimental to FPS gaming), and it look absolutely stunning. I am surprised that my single GTX 570 can push 4 million pixels at high details in BF3 and not break a sweat as well.

The monitor has been essential for working on documents, presentations and excel sheets as well. I sit about 4 feet from it, and absolutely love it. I'm not bothered by the color reproduction (8-bit consumer GPU pushing a 10-bit panel leads to slightly exaggerated colors on the extremes of the gamut) and the viewing angles are fantastic. This panel specifically in incredibly bright as well. I have it somewhere around 50% brightness, and displaying full-screen whites still practically burn my retinas, but blacks look almost as good as my phone's AMOLED display (not really comparable, but closer to AMOLED than my old TN panel). 

Unfortunately, the panel that I got from Craigslist does have a single stuck green pixel, but it is still under warranty and HP has a zero bright dot policy, and it qualifies for a next day on-site replacement. Fact is, *I have been enjoying the monitor so much, I haven't even bothered to call for a replacement yet*, even though the replacement is on-site. 

It would be nice to be able to hook up my laptop to this display and have it push full resolution, but in my eyes as a gamer, the tradeoff of including a scaler (and more than doubling the response time) wouldn't be worth it. Laptops will display at 1/4 resolution (1280x800) though.

If anybody has any questions that I could answer, please ask away. I probably won't get back to you right away, but if you send me a PM (thanks Completely Bonkers for doing so in the first place), I will be sure to reply here eventually.


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