I'm looking for a new LCD monitor that's as easy as possible on my eyes.

A

andrewanimation

New Member
Hello,

My current Acer AL2423W monitor is very hard on my eyes and I notice flickering horizontal lines on the screen sometimes. I'm looking to get a new LCD that's as easy as possible on the eyes, and preferably at least 22", (mine is 24", 1920x1200) as well as preferably between $100-300, if possible.

From what I've researched in regards to LCDs being easy on the eyes, I'm assuming that Refresh Rate and especially Response Time are most related to my needs, as well as possibly the Contrast Ratio, but perhaps Response Time is my only concern, I'm not sure. Depending on that, I may be looking for stats like these:

A low Response Time, such as 2ms
A high Refresh Rate, such as 85Hz
A high Contrast Ratio, such as 1200:1

I hope someone can suggest a model name for me, and then I could use my favorite shopping resources to pin the best deal myself. I favor the 'Viewsonic' name, because of how it sounds like it might be the easiest on my 'view,' but the brand doesn't matter to me so long as the stats are there, unless of course it should. Info as to what I should or shouldn't be looking for would be appreciated as well.
Thanks
 
An LCD monitor should not flicker. if it is, it could be a faulty screen or the refresh rate could be out of whack. Is it possible to RMA this sucker, providing the limited warranty is still up? It would be terrible to have to buy a new piece of hardware because the current is broken.

You could try updating your VGA drivers, first. Might solve something.
 
Hmmm I think LCDs do flicker, though, but maybe I'm not using the right word. It gets faint lines going down it sometimes, especially noticeable on a flat color, and only sometimes, not always, and I'm not talking about the entire screen, just parts of it, such as on those flat colors. As for RMA, I bought it a few months ago but don't know where I ordered it from, and I need it for my work. I just updated my NVIDIA to the latest driver, but it didn't open the option for the Refresh Rate to be anything above 60Hz, unfortunately. So I think the monitor is stuck at 60Hz. I think Acer's just crappy. Then is Refresh Rate the only stat I need to look at, or does Response Time matter too?
 
Response time matters more in LCD than refresh rates. However a high response time should not yield "flickers" or lines. It should just look like you're dragging things around when you move your mouse or a window too fast.
 
I just got a new Samsung LCD and had the problem with flickering. I only noticed it on text and the edges of small photos. It was almost like the everything was on water, with waves. I proceeded to download the latest driver for my video card. My old driver only gave me the option of 60 for a refresh rate. The new driver allowed me to change the refresh rate to 72. This took care of my problem, for the most part. However, sometimes when opening a new folder or program, the waves will start rolling in again, but shortly subside.
 
And refresh rates don't really change much with LCD's, unlike CRT monitors (CRT refresh rates were high only to combat flicker). 60hz is generally the norm for all LCD monitors. A higher refresh rate will allow the frame buffer to render more frames to the screen, but this isn't altogether advantageous; human eye restrictions. Low response time is useful, but sometimes specifications are misleading (2ms), and not conclusively better than a higher timing (5ms). A high contrast ratio is helpful as well, but as above, many times misleading. It's hard to know what you're buying these days.

As it is, I'd rather leave the recommending up to someone else. I hear LG's a good all-around brand. Samsung have several different types of screens, you'll not know which one you'll end up with, and some supposedly suck balls..
 
mnshutterbug said:
I just got a new Samsung LCD and had the problem with flickering. I only noticed it on text and the edges of small photos. It was almost like the everything was on water, with waves. I proceeded to download the latest driver for my video card. My old driver only gave me the option of 60 for a refresh rate. The new driver allowed me to change the refresh rate to 72. This took care of my problem, for the most part. However, sometimes when opening a new folder or program, the waves will start rolling in again, but shortly subside.
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It sounds like a problem with the screen to me. Most LCD's operate fine on 60hz VRR's. My old as ass one does.
 
yeah lcd's dont really need refresh rates as already stated, because they do not go black in between screens. instead they merge from one screen into another. the only thing that would make them flicker is a bad screen or a video card problem
 
Hermeslyre is right, LCD monitors don't flicker as a cause of refresh rates. They do flicker, but this is a minor problem related to voltages. Here's a good example: http://www.techmind.org/lcd/. Try all the inversion tests if you want to see your LCD flicker.

But the point is, don't shop for an LCD based on refresh rates. Anything that isn't 60Hz natively is funky. Basically, the light behind each pixel in an LCD remains as is until it receives new instructions. In a CRT, the entire "screen" must receive instructions constantly (60+ times per second) to create an image.

Contrast ratio is an attempt to measure the difference between the darkest and brightest color the monitor can display (the closest to true black and true white it can get). It's written A:B (1000:1, 3000:1, etc.) where A is a measurement of the bright color (higher numbers are brighter), and B is the dark color, always 1. In theory, then, if the contrast ratio is 3000:1, the white is 3000 times brighter than the black. Keep in mind that there are no official standards for this measurement which allows companies to bend rules and put just about whatever they like on there. High contrast ratios don't have a lot to do with eye strain though, you may even prefer a lower one.

Response time is unrelated to refresh rate. It's a measurement, in milliseconds, of how fast each pixel can change from one state to another, be it black to white, grey to grey, on to off, etc. High response times can result in "ghosting," where the pixels can't turn off fast enough to properly display a moving image on the screen. This isn't related to eye strain either, unless you play fast-moving games, in which case you may get dizzy or something. There's also no regulations on this measurement system, so again shady companies can advertise whatever they like.

In short, LCDs shouldn't be a cause of eye strain when functioning properly, ever, and work best at 60Hz. If I were you, I'd first check the cable, and maybe try a different cable. Then I'd call Acer and bitch. Their tech support isn't outsourced.
 
Thanks for the responses.

My LCD flickered during every test in the first group in that link under the line "Warning to anyone who suffers from epilepsy or other extreme flicker-sensitivity: one or more of the tests below is likely to make your LCD flicker at 30 to 40Hz." as well as with the "Crosstalk 3" and "4" tests.

So I think, according to the tests, my LCD uses "dot-inversion."

Do any of those results mean anything bad, or is an LCD supposed to flicker/strobe during them, or what?

So, basically what I'm getting from your responses is that no LCD (that isn't faulty) will strain my eyes? I had assumed that the fact that I sometimes see faint flickering/strobing might be related to why the monitor hurts my eyes (because it's like looking at a flickering screen for hours--ouch--even when the flickering is less consciously noticeable).

Then should I just call Acer and ask them?
Thanks
 
I guarentee any apple screen will be easy on the eye. The response times of 15ms are slow(ish), and the prices for their 20¨ and 23¨ are crazy next to every other screen, but somehow apple make it easy to view. If I was rich I'd have one - I can honestly see no difference in speed between my 20ms previous screen and my 5ms new screen - so the speed rating wouldn't bother me.

On the other hand the samsung screens are meant to be lovely, but I've never seen one in the flesh.
 
Although I'm far from being as savvy as most of you, I have to disagree about the refresh rate having nothing to do with flickering. After reading these posts, I went and changed the refresh on my PC from 72hz to 60hz. The text returned to the flickering and rolling on waves. I changed back to 72 and it's good again. I then set it to 70 and it still looks good. This is my current experience, anyway.
 
mnshutterbug said:
Although I'm far from being as savvy as most of you, I have to disagree about the refresh rate having nothing to do with flickering. After reading these posts, I went and changed the refresh on my PC from 72hz to 60hz. The text returned to the flickering and rolling on waves. I changed back to 72 and it's good again. I then set it to 70 and it still looks good. This is my current experience, anyway.
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That's nice, but this forum is for providing accurate advice to others, not confusing them with your own personal misconceptions.
 
fortyways said:
That's nice, but this forum is for providing accurate advice to others, not confusing them with your own personal misconceptions.
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Just what the heck is this suppose to mean? Misconceptions? All I did was tell about my own personal experience with my own monitor.

Evidentally, you are the type of person that just thinks you can never be wrong. I have a brother in law like that, and everyone avoids him like the plague. Get off your high horse.
 
mnshutterbug said:
Just what the heck is this suppose to mean? Misconceptions? All I did was tell about my own personal experience with my own monitor.

Evidentally, you are the type of person that just thinks you can never be wrong. I have a brother in law like that, and everyone avoids him like the plague. Get off your high horse.
Click to expand...

And you are the kind of person who cares more about who is right than what is right. What is right is, flicker is not related to refresh rates in properly functioning LCD monitors. This is irrefutable fact. If you want to start a thread to ask about your monitor's "rolling on waves" defect, do so, but this thread is about what to look for in a new LCD monitor.
 
fortyways said:
And you are the kind of person who cares more about who is right than what is right. What is right is, flicker is not related to refresh rates in properly functioning LCD monitors. This is irrefutable fact.
Click to expand...

I don't care who is right. I'm not attempting to be right about anything. I was just sharing my experience. If you don't agree with the results of my test, I really don't care. The downloading of a new video driver and changing the refresh rate, were the result of another member's advice. It worked for me, and may work for someone else.

I thought that was the purpose of online forums, to share experiences and debate differences of opinions. At least, that's the way other types of forums work. :confused:

Sorry to prove your "irrefutable fact" wrong. :rolleyes:

Well, time to go check out the friendly forums. :D
 
If you honestly think that your monitor making "waves" is related to it refreshing 60 times per second, you should see a doctor. You may be eligible to park in handicap spaces.

All intelligent people who acquaint themselves with computers and electronics know that LCD monitors don't flicker due to refresh rates.
 
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