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Buying a Monitor with Maximum Brightness

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Buying a Monitor with Maximum Brightness

I have come to the decision that I need to acquire a new monitor after realizing how much brighter screens can be and how it would be beneficial for me to work during sunny days.

It took me some time to comprehend the characteristics and differences between the outdated TN and current VA and IPS technologies, as well as the upcoming MiniLED and exclusive OLED technologies.

  1. It must have a minimum brightness of 400 nits, as I require optimal lighting and contrast. Currently, I own an AOC monitor with a brightness of 250 nits and a contrast ratio of 1200:1, and I aim to upgrade to a monitor with 400 nits or higher. For comparison, Dell laptops have a brightness range of 300 to 350 nits, while the Apple M2 Air has a brightness of 500 nits. An average phone has an OLED display, with the Huawei Honor 50 having a brightness of 525 nits.

  2. A curved monitor is necessary if it utilizes VA technology, but it is not required for IPS monitors, which is why they are usually not curved. Curved monitors are also convenient as they minimize reflections.

  3. The screen must have a matte finish and not be glossy.

  4. The minimum vertical resolution should be 1440 pixels, as anything below this is nonsensical.

  5. Do not increase the resolution on the same size monitor, as I am already approaching the limits of my visual acuity. If you choose a larger monitor, only increase the resolution horizontally. Therefore, monitors with sizes of 27", 34", and 48" are being considered.

Candidates

Monitor Connectivity Ports

DisplayPort can achieve higher bandwidth than HDMI cables.

Display Technologies

Technology Brightness Contrast Viewing Angles Color Accuracy Main Issue Price
TFT Low Low Limited Limited Poor image quality 1
VA & MVA Medium High High Moderate Slow response time 4
IPS High High Wide High More expensive panels 6
QLED High High Wide High More expensive than IPS 7
Mini-LED High High Wide High Expensive panels 8
OLED High Infinite Wide High Prone to burn-in 9
  • TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) is old now so forget about it
  • VA (Vertical Alignment) or MVA (Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment) have good contrast and brightness but poor viewing angles and medium price.
  • IPS (In-Plane Switching) have wider viewing angles, lower contrast and brightness and little faster response times
  • QLED (Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode) is based on MVA plus backlight to improve brightness compared to VA
  • Mini-LED are expensive panels because it is IPS with added precise backlight in form of LEDs. Almost comparable to OLED, but not quite
  • OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) is still the king, but can be prone to burn-in. Infinite contrast, wide viewing angles, high color accuracy and highest price.

There are almost no MiniLED’s available in my country, such as the Cooler Master CMI-GP27-FQS-EK 27" monitor, which costs around €750.

More info on IPS vs TN vs VA

Definitive Decision on Size

Sizes are not always obvious and need to be compared. For example, the size 49" vs 34" is wider by exactly one-third: 32x9 vs 21x9.

The monitor I am currently using looks much larger despite having a smaller diagonal size 32" 16x9 vs 34" 21x9.

When choosing between 32" and 34", go with the latter because of 32” 1440p vs 34” 1440p Ultrawide.

Vertical 1440p Resolution and Required Cables

There are three practical resolutions in play: 2560x1440 (27", 16:9), 3440x1440 (34"), and 5120x1440 (7.37 megapixels, 44.5" or 48", 32∶9).

DisplayPort 1.4 is required to display 5120x1440px.

USB-C outputs DisplayPort natively and it is simpler than using a USB-C to HDMI 2.0 cable because the latter requires an active converter chip, which adds complexity.

Source: Guide to Display Cables

Decision Made: Samsung Odyssey CRG9 Series 49-Inch

The Samsung CRG9 from 2021 may not be the newest, but it is reasonably priced and boasts an excellent brightness of 600 nits.

The Samsung CRG9 has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which I have determined to be the minimum requirement. A good article on this topic is Sitting in Front of a Computer All Day? Go Easy on the Eyes!.

However, there are negative reviews and experiences as well - descended from a CRG9 to an AW3821DW. Best decision ever.

There is also a new and very beautiful monitor HP E45c G5 from 2023, but I am excluding it from consideration because, despite its size of 44.5", it is not comparable to a 48" monitor, and its price is in the same range. Let us compare the sizes of 34" 21:9 versus 44.5" 32:9.

Kupio sam na kraju:

  • Samsung Odyssey G9 C49RG94SSR Samsung Serie 9 124cm C49RG94SSR 32:9 (49") schwarz, osnosno to je CRG9 serija Samsung Odyssey Ultra Wide DQHD Gaming Monitor C49RG94SSR EAN: 8806092020702

    Manual: samsung-lc49rg90ssuxen.pdf

Samsung CRG9/CRG90/49RG90: Everything you need to know

date 20. Feb 2023 | modified 10. Jun 2024
filename: Buying » Monitor
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