Looking for some tips on finding a good crt or lcd monitor for gaming

[Greenmachine]

I've been looking all over the internet for a good monitor to replace my 17 inch crt on a 7800GT graphics card.

After researching the pros and cons of lcd monitors I keep thinking that crt is the better way to go for gaming.  First of all it seems that most lcd's have a 5:4 aspect ratio but many games are optimized for a 4:3 aspect ratio, then if you are not running the lcd monitor at its native resolution then the picture quality suffers as well as not getting the correct ratio. 
That's a big problem for me because I run many games at different resolutions, Half-life2 at 1280-1040, Fear at 1024-768, for example.  The problem is some games don't run well on my system at higher settings, so if I got a lcd with a max res at 1600-1200 then many games I have would suffer from low fps.  With all these problems I don't really understand why lcd's have become so popular, yes you get more vibrant colors and a much sharper picture at its native res but any other res above or below would be crappier for the quality as well as giving you picture that's not scaled properly and I'm a perfectionist when it comes to having the proper ratio.

I'm hoping somebody with more knowledge on this could point me in the right direction of either a good crt monitor or lcd 20 inches and up.     

[Jess607]

I've been looking all over the internet for a good monitor to replace my 17 inch crt on a 7800GT graphics card.

The 7800 GT is probably the reason why you can't play games at 1600x1200. Upgrade it for better performance.

if you are not running the lcd monitor at its native resolution then the picture quality suffers

any other res above or below would be crappier for the quality as well as giving you picture that's not scaled properly

That's the first rookie mistake everyone makes when they think of upgrading to LCD.
NO, the picture quality does NOT suffer if you switch to another resolution. It suffers from sharpness, in the exact same way that it would on a CRT.
I want to make this very clear - there is NO difference between a CRT and an LCD in terms of resolutions. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't have both an LCD and a CRT.

With all these problems I don't really understand why lcd's have become so popular, yes you get more vibrant colors and a much sharper picture at its native res

What problems? The only thing that bothers you is that the resolution won't fit 100% perfect to the monitor.
And as I've said, not only is that not true, but the quality is going to be IDENTICAL to that on your CRT.
You want to run a game at 1280x1024 instead of the native resolution? It will look EXACTLY the same as it would on your CRT.

LCDs have much more than Vibrant Colors and Sharpness.
LCDs are the next generation of monitors. They have every possible pro and only a single con, which doesn't really exist anymore aswell.

I'm hoping somebody with more knowledge on this could point me in the right direction of either a good crt monitor or lcd 20 inches and up.     

Right now you can get a 22" LCD for around 250$. That's an amazing value, and around 24" in CRT size.

When you finally recieve it, make sure you don't look directly at it.. it will be too pretty. 

[2k_dummy]

Resolution and refresh rates are all that need to concern you. Make sure the card and monitor are capable of the resolution and refresh rate you want to use.

[deep]

Man just a buy 42" LCD TV and game on that, its the shiz I tell you!!  Plus I can download movies and watch them on my couch, not in my comp chair, you will be happier with that

[Chilly]

I've been looking all over the internet for a good monitor to replace my 17 inch crt on a 7800GT graphics card.

After researching the pros and cons of lcd monitors I keep thinking that crt is the better way to go for gaming.  First of all it seems that most lcd's have a 5:4 aspect ratio but many games are optimized for a 4:3 aspect ratio, then if you are not running the lcd monitor at its native resolution then the picture quality suffers as well as not getting the correct ratio. 
That's a big problem for me because I run many games at different resolutions, Half-life2 at 1280-1040, Fear at 1024-768, for example.  The problem is some games don't run well on my system at higher settings, so if I got a lcd with a max res at 1600-1200 then many games I have would suffer from low fps.  With all these problems I don't really understand why lcd's have become so popular, yes you get more vibrant colors and a much sharper picture at its native res but any other res above or below would be crappier for the quality as well as giving you picture that's not scaled properly and I'm a perfectionist when it comes to having the proper ratio.

I'm hoping somebody with more knowledge on this could point me in the right direction of either a good crt monitor or lcd 20 inches and up.     

Here is my future monitor when I get a job xD its the Samsung Widescreen 22" Monitor (Model name: 226BW) its a huge and wicked sick screen you should check it out.

[patio]

I want to make this very clear - there is NO difference between a CRT and an LCD in terms of resolutions. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't have both an LCD and a CRT.

Source ? ?

[Jess607]

I want to make this very clear - there is NO difference between a CRT and an LCD in terms of resolutions. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't have both an LCD and a CRT.

Source ? ?

My own eyes, patio.
I own 3 CRTs and 2 LCDs.

Please don't furhur the notion that LCDs aren't capable to supporting more than 1 resolution. Let it die.

[patio]

So that is your source ? ?
I own 3 convertibles and 2 hardtops... which ones get the best mileage ? ?

 

[GX1_Man]

His source is suspect. There is a difference between research and anecdotal stories.

[Jess607]

So that is your source ? ?
I own 3 convertibles and 2 hardtops... which ones get the best mileage ? ?

 

Please don't turn this discussion into a farse, patio.

Looking at two monitors and seeing that LCDs have the same picture quality as CRTs at multiple resolutions is something that can be done by anyone without research. It is no different then seeing wether my monitor has a silver outline or a dark outline.. no research needed.

[Deerpark]

Jess607 a LCD screen only have one native resolution. To display any other resolution it needs to use interpolation, which basically means it scales the number of dots used to display one pixel up or down. Some screens interpolate better than others, but the result is never perfect. The best image quality will always be at the native resolution of the screen, period. That you're not able to see the result of this interpolation is just your blessing (or curse).

Ohh and LCD monitors isn't t the next generation of monitors, it is the current generation. The next generation will be OLED or FED.

[Jess607]

Jess607 a LCD screen only have one native resolution. To display any other resolution it needs to use interpolation, which basically means it scales the number of dots used to display one pixel up or down. Some screens interpolate better than others, but the result is never perfect. The best image quality will always be at the native resolution of the screen, period. That you're not able to see the result of this interpolation is just your blessing (or curse).

Ohh and LCD monitors isn't t the next generation of monitors, it is the current generation. The next generation will be OLED or FED.

I only know what I can see, and that's that the quality of the picture is identical to that of a CRT. I have never used the native resolution of any of my LCDs, for anything.

And I believe that the next generation display panel technology will be SED.

[Deerpark]

Sony and Samsung calls it FED,
Canon and Toshiba uses SED,
and Motorola likes NED.

But it's basically the same thing.