Author Topic: Which Monitor is best?  (Read 1840 times)

2023-07-01, 01:42:41

dfcorona

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 292
    • View Profile
I've been looking at new monitor for one of he main systems.  We have a few Dell U3415W monitors, and they had good color accuracy and worked well.  I was looking at ordering either a Dell U4924DW or the Samsung Odyssey Ark.  The Ark is a VA panel though and not sure how accurate the colors will be vs the Dell.  It is nice and big and has great HDR though. The Dell might be a better option because it will probably match the other monitors in the studio better, and it's IPS.  What do you think? Is 4k still an issue? We had know issues with our 1440p Dell Screens.

2023-07-01, 12:41:07
Reply #1

Juraj

  • Moderator
  • Active Users
  • ***
  • Posts: 4761
    • View Profile
    • studio website
In terms of 3dsMax having issues with scaling, I have find this to be still true even in 2023 (not on 20214 yet) if following conditions are met:

- Multiple monitors use different scaling factors (for example middle 4K monitor is using 150perc. scaling and side 2560px is using 125perc. scaling).
- You are at full-screen mode (resetting from full-screen to in-screen will enable you to pick menus correctly)

It's the reason I use 3x 32" 4K monitors for home, and connect identical resolution portable monitors when using laptop.

For Samsung VA monitor panels, they can have great accuracy and color gamut, but still suffer from VA issues, like hue & gamma shift off-angle. I find it personally off-putting for work.
There is also the issue of Samsung monitor VA panels not being that much better than IPS in terms of static contrast (i.e 1:3000 vs 1:1000 is not 3x times better because we perceive not linearly, so it's more like 30-40perc. better only. This is in big contrast to Samsung TV VA panels, that have 1:8000 static contrast and much better angles.. and are not curved.

For dynamic contrast, VA is better choice for Mini-Led treatment since the difference between static (not using local dimming) and dynamic (using it) is not so dramatic as for IPS Mini-Led panels.

But following issues still exist:

1) Ark is 55" ultra-wide with only 80 PPI. That is very, very bad. Extremely bad. Like 27" Full-HD effectively. Or did you mean Oddysey Neo G9 (there is one 49" 5K and one 57" 8K that is just coming not sure).
2) Samsung poor quality control. Just have a look at r/monitors subreddit. Samsung is somewhat equivalent with poor sampling. I would not like to take my chances for professional monitor to just stop working correctly
3) 1000R Curve. To me that's just absurd level of curving for architectural work :- ). 1800R and larger radius is preferrable for work.

Dell U4924DW is interesting choice, since it has ok-ish PPI of 110, and IPS-Black, which means 1:2000. Again, not to be confused, 1:2000 is roughly 20perc. better than usual 1:1000 IPS panels. The numbers don't really describe the reality well. But LG IPS-Black panels are as good as IPS panels get right now for professional work.

Following issues for the Dell:
- 60 HZ, not Mini-Led, thus not HDR. Both kind of regrettable at this price point but this is the state of monitor market right now. Poor quality gaming monitors with amazing features and high-quality professional monitor with absolutely no progress in terms of technology and features. Really really not great choice to be made, so many compromises.

My opinion in general for Mini-LED displays right now:

- It works amazingly for movies, kinda good for some games, absolutely terrible for work. Even 2000 zones are not enough for decent photography work, but line-work just looks absurd. So you have to turn the local dimming off for regular work.
- BUT when you turn local dimming off, you will be surprised that grey uniformity is even worse than edge-lit displays. This is because the mini LEDs aren't very calibrated themselves.
- Also, Mini-LED when fully on (local dimming off) create this barn-door effect, sort of off-axis brightness shift when you look side-to-side panning. Not like VA monitors, different, but just as annoying. I've seen this personally on few Asus high-end mini-led displays I tested and I really disliked it.. I haven't seen this in the Apple ProDisplay which has only 512 or how little zones, so this might be based on individual panel types but, all the Asus mini-leds had it, so I presume majority of gaming panels from AU-Optronics will have that.


If this post makes it sound like there is not a single good monitor on market, that is honestly my opinion :- ). I just wouldn't waste money of the mediocrity right now being sold. 1500 Euro for pro-monitors with 60HZ, 300 Nits Brightness, no FALD or 1500 Euro Gaming monitors with poor calibration, poor quality control, firmware issues, the FALD not working properly in SDR space, etc..

Personally, I am just waiting for more affordable 4K OLEDs. Fuck the Mini-LED, and both VA and IPS.

Which of the ultra-wides is best choice right now I can't say, my most favourite choice is Dell U4021QW but it has no mini-led, is 60HZ only, not even LG-IPS-Black panels and costs more than OLED C1 42" TV. But for purely SDR work, it's the best. Otherwise the C1 OLED TV.
Please follow my new Instagram for latest projects, tips&tricks, short video tutorials and free models
Behance  Probably best updated portfolio of my work
lysfaere.com Please check the new stuff!

2023-07-01, 18:20:12
Reply #2

dfcorona

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 292
    • View Profile
Thanks for the info bud,  I hear what your saying.  Feel like we are getting jipped no matter the direction we look.  Good gaming with nothing else, or good color accuracy with nothing else.  I like the Dell, they served me well and have good color accuracy but 60hrz no HDR is a joke. I do get ghosting on the IPS though after a while of static image. Here is another monitor I was looking at because it's OLED with good features. Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240

2023-07-01, 18:55:02
Reply #3

Juraj

  • Moderator
  • Active Users
  • ***
  • Posts: 4761
    • View Profile
    • studio website
The 84 PPI is no-go to me. The current viable OLED monitors are:

1) The ones based on LG 27" QHD panel (like LG 27GR95QE-B itself, but Asus and other brands have their own model of this panel) for those who want high-refresh rate, since the panel is 240HZ, but don't mind lower 109 PPI (this is minimal level of PPI I would expect from sitting distance behind desktop) and the text fringing from the inverted sub-pixel layout.

2) The ones based on JOLED 27"/32" 4K for those who need higher brightness (on average the JOLED inked panels are 100 NITs brighter than the LG WOLED or Samsung QD-OLED, but are ok with mere 60HZ and higher pricetag (but I have seen these monitors on discount as low as 2000 Euro, which is almost steal). LG 27EP950 and 2EP950

3) The 42" 4K LG TV for those who don't mind aggressive brightness dimming and lower overall desktop brightness (this can be as low as 100 NITs for white background...). Best price-tag, best glossy finish coating, 120HZ, good-enough 104 PPI.
Please follow my new Instagram for latest projects, tips&tricks, short video tutorials and free models
Behance  Probably best updated portfolio of my work
lysfaere.com Please check the new stuff!

2023-07-12, 21:33:28
Reply #4

mraw

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 162
    • View Profile
Juraj, what do you think of the newer C2 OLED TV(42")? Thank you.

2023-07-13, 00:16:05
Reply #5

Juraj

  • Moderator
  • Active Users
  • ***
  • Posts: 4761
    • View Profile
    • studio website
What I write above in 3 :- ). Just swap C1 to C2, I used that by accident. Only change was the BVE (Evo panel) but only in 2023 version. You would have to trust the serial number you got recent panel.

I have no further opinion on it. I considered buying one to try using it as monitor myself, but I work in bright daylight (better for my eyes, better for my mental health/mood) so it's not ideal.
Please follow my new Instagram for latest projects, tips&tricks, short video tutorials and free models
Behance  Probably best updated portfolio of my work
lysfaere.com Please check the new stuff!

2023-07-13, 01:43:55
Reply #6

dfcorona

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 292
    • View Profile
I purchased the Dell U4924DW because it's 32:9 and I'd like to try using it as a dual monitor.  It's very accurate in Color and good blacks and IPS.

Another monitor that's really good is the Dell U4021QW. It's 21:9, 40", and 5kby2k 140 ppi. It's also IPS with 100% sRGB, 100% Rec. 709 and 98% DCI-P3.  I'd probably go with this monitor if I didn't want to try 32:9.

If I end up not liking the Dell U4924DW I might send it back for the U4021QW.

Samsung is coming out with a 8k 32:9 57" Odyssey Neo G9. Uses dual UHD mini-LED, I don't expect it to be as accurate as the Dells.  Also the more I read the more I don't like what I'm seeing on all the Samsung monitors, which is a shame because I'm a fan of Samsung and own a lot of there tech.

2023-07-13, 09:52:00
Reply #7

Aram Avetisyan

  • Corona Team
  • Active Users
  • ****
  • Posts: 561
    • View Profile
What I write above in 3 :- ). Just swap C1 to C2, I used that by accident. Only change was the BVE (Evo panel) but only in 2023 version. You would have to trust the serial number you got recent panel.

I have no further opinion on it. I considered buying one to try using it as monitor myself, but I work in bright daylight (better for my eyes, better for my mental health/mood) so it's not ideal.

Have been using the C2 Evo for 5-6 months now. The resolution, DPI, contrast, refresh rate and everything is great, the only drawback is maybe the text/border clarity seen in specific cases, due to the RGBA technology used for OLEDs. After setting it properly up as a monitor (turning off dimming, which works with HDR off, wake-on-lan and some others), which is quite some hassle, I have never been this happy with a monitor.

If coming from a curved display, it may first seem odd, but you quickly get used to it. Also use PowerToys for windows and fancy zones, as it is really a productivity booster for such big monitors.
Aram Avetisyan | chaos-corona.com
Chaos Corona Support Representative | contact us

2023-07-13, 22:44:30
Reply #8

dfcorona

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 292
    • View Profile
Well I tried the Dell UltraSharp U4924DW 49" 32:9 monitor for about 2hrs, it was terrible.  Already back in the box and ready to ship back.  Nothing fits it correctly, it's either all the way to your left or all the way to your right.  For the hell of it I even tried hooking it up to a system for gaming.  No game would fit it correctly.  Color accuracy and contrast was great though, like all UltraSharps.  But it's so wide that if you need to see something all the way to the left or right the hue would change because it's at such and angle.  21:9 seems to be the real sweet spot.

2023-07-13, 23:10:41
Reply #9

Vuk

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 113
    • View Profile
I have the U4919dw for nearly 3 years now, I have been using it as a single monitor and I can state that for pure work (modeling and rendering, photoshop) it isn't that good.
On the other hand, for review work or any kind of work where you want to spread and compare images with markups next to each other this monitor is fantastic!

Color accuracy is great out of the box, I can also confirm that and lately this has not been the case with all the Ultra sharp monitors.

I think that a single 32inch 4k monitor is far superior for pure work in 3ds max due to its vertical pixel count than the 49 inch. The hassle begins when you start introducing a second monitor and to be honest a double 32 inch option is just too much screen for me. Going with a smaller second screen will create all kinds of issues with the UI, scaling, moving stuff from monitor to monitor and so on, and this can only be solved with some third party plugins or by playing with the display scaling and messing with more advanced windows settings.
This is my experience from Windows 10 that might be solved on Win 11, maybe somebody can shed some light on this?

Maybe the OLED 42 LG TV would make a nice experience but I also like to work in a light environment and the dimming would just drive me crazy after some time.

Another option that is maybe the best in my opinion for those who want to go single monitor, would be the 40 inch 5k Dell display. The only issue is that it costs quiet a lot or it used to cost quiet alot, haven't checked the prices for a long long time...
« Last Edit: 2023-07-13, 23:14:32 by Vuk »

2023-07-14, 11:45:09
Reply #10

Nejc Kilar

  • Corona Team
  • Active Users
  • ****
  • Posts: 1251
    • View Profile
    • My personal website
Well I tried the Dell UltraSharp U4924DW 49" 32:9 monitor for about 2hrs, it was terrible.  Already back in the box and ready to ship back.  Nothing fits it correctly, it's either all the way to your left or all the way to your right.  For the hell of it I even tried hooking it up to a system for gaming.  No game would fit it correctly.  Color accuracy and contrast was great though, like all UltraSharps.  But it's so wide that if you need to see something all the way to the left or right the hue would change because it's at such and angle.  21:9 seems to be the real sweet spot.

Heh, I guess this just proves we are all sooo different... in a good, fun way! :) I have a 49" from Samsung (CRG90) and I'm 100% sold on the experience, ha! My screen has more of a curve than the Dell and honestly I wouldn't mind it if the curve was even curvier. Before I bought it I was of course afraid the curve will be problematic but honestly, I never notice it getting in the way and if it was curvier I think it could actually be even better.

I surprisingly don't find the size to be a hinderance. I had to move my head left and right just as much when I had multiple displays side by side so in that regard I don't really notice much of a difference.

What does help me and I would recommend everyone does is to install PowerToys from MS or whatever screen snapping software you display comes with. This way you can split your screen into a 27" on the middle and then you have "half a 27" inch on the left and the right of it. So your 3ds Max, Cinema 4D or whatever will always start up right in front of you in the middle of the screen just like it would if you had it all set up on a single 27" screen. Definitely recommend it.

Things I would personally like to "upgrade" would be more vertical resolution (I think 32" would fit me better than 27") and more resolution in general. 5120x1440 is really good but I'm one of those people that really prefers full 4k or 5k resolution because of text rendering. Supposedly there is a faux 8k display coming from Samsung this year which will be 2x 32" instead of 2x27" but dang it, the price tag will probably be out of this world.

Hope you find your perfect screen!
Nejc Kilar | chaos-corona.com
Educational Content Creator | contact us

2024-03-15, 16:45:47
Reply #11

dfcorona

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 292
    • View Profile
Okay I'm reviving this thread again because one of my monitors just fell and broke, what a great day....ugh. I was looking at the two monitors below, which one do you think is good? I always had Dells 21:9 for quite some time.

Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor - U3423WE
or
ASUS ProArt Display PA348CGV


There is this dell also with a 120 HZ
Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderboltâ„¢ Hub Monitor - U3425WE

2024-03-15, 22:23:48
Reply #12

brr

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 101
    • View Profile
I am using an 27 inch Dell U2723QE with 125% scaling since one year and find it great.
There is also bigger one U3223QE avaliable:  https://tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell-ultrasharp-u3223qe

also, some great articles:
Monitor selection guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1illeNLsUfZ4KuJ9cIWKwTDUEXUVpplhUYHAiom-FaDo
Jonny Elwyn reviews and main concepts of choosing right display: https://jonnyelwyn.co.uk/film-and-video-editing/affordable-colour-grading-monitors-2/

just 2 cent. who knows, maybe it helps :)

« Last Edit: 2024-03-15, 22:30:00 by brr »