TFT - ok for a Gamer?

[johnny5alv]

Hi

After finally deciding on which monitor to buy -

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=150699

I've since read several posts with people saying things like, 'get a CRT if you play games' and 'don't sell TFT's to gamers'...

I'm not a hardcore gamer or anything, but I play a lot of them... This TFT will be ok won't it?

Thanks for any info

Jon

[ThreeOnTheTree]

Actually, TFTs have come a long way for gaming. They probably still don't beat CRTs in response time, but I've found that newer models with lower response times do very well. I think the one you chose will be pretty good to you. You'll appreciate the space and energy savings and the reduced heat output of the TFT.

[johnny5alv]

Thanks for the reply

Thanks good to know... But the one thing I was concerned about was it's refresh rate... At the moment the CRT I use is set to 85Hz..

But TFT's are generally lower.. I can't work out what refresh rate I'll get from this one... I think I could live with 75Hz but any lower and it would be hard on the eyes wouldn't it?

Thanks again

Jon

[Sentinel]

Switching between different resolution will be your trouble, not the refresh rate. TFT is not blinking as CRT, refresh rate 25 could be used

[johnny5alv]

I did wonder about this... TFT's are a different technology to CRT's. So a refresh rate of 60Hz on a CRT is not the same as 60Hz on a TFT...

Exactly how much trouble is changing resolutions?

I plan on keeping it in 1280x1024 in Windows and I think most of my games use this resolution... The odd one might use 1024x768 - Would this be a problem?

Thanks
Jon

[Sentinel]

I personally dislike this 5:4 form. You'll find anything exept native 1280x1024 will look ugly... Better find a way to try it before you buy.

[ThreeOnTheTree]

Hmm, I've never minded gaming at reduced res's on a TFT. It does a little free FSAA blurring for you. It is true, however, that TFTs are only clear at the optimized resolution or half of the optimized res. It's just the way pixels work on them. Anything else leaves the edges blurred. In games, this has never bothered me.

As for refresh rates, I'm like you, 60hz on a CRT is a fast way to get a headache. However, 60hz on a TFT is much easier on the eyes, and 75hz is really nice. My last notebook only did 60hz at it's native res, and that never bothered me.

[Martin_89]

going from 60Hz to 75Hz on this TFT doesnt make a difference as far as i can see.

also in windows as long as you stick to the native res then it looks great, in games as said above it doesnt bother me.

i play alot of games and this £180 Budget LG keeps up fine.

[Sentinel]

Originally posted by Martin_89
also in windows as long as you stick to the native res then it looks great, in games as said above it doesnt bother me.

Good, but... it depends on what games you play. I guess it won't make difference in the Doom, wouln't bet something like Settlers4 looks good.

[johnny5alv]

Settlers 4?

Do you mean because it's an old game that doesn't even go near 1024x768?

[Sentinel]

S4 gets 1280, but due to the pixel nature of TFT you are stuck with the native res, this game has many little details and would look very ugly with lower res. Not the case with first shooters. (My wife has 19" LCD - because its trendy - never tried to run a game on this though.)

Edit: My wife's LCD was not cheapest and had best price/quality ratio. I spent a lot of time to get right color balance for photo viewing, only to find out the color is out of balance in darker areas if I get it right for brighter areas and vice versa ... I feel happy with my CRT ...

[Martin_89]

well if setlers 4 runs at 1280 then you can run it at 1280 and it will look fine.

[johnny5alv]

Ok I got the monitor

Deffinitely an improvement ...

Though there is a noticable 'fuzzy' effect on the mouse cursor when it moves.. and the graphics on web pages tend to 'dim' when scrolling...

At first the colour on some things looked a little washed out but some adjustment has helped. But 'black' is more grey.. Anyone have any tips on how to adjust colour better?

Other than that it's great.. Played a couple of games and they run fine

Jon