CRT or LCD?

[Breanainn]

Please, help me! I can't decide on a monitor. I know CRTs are the standard for playing games because they stream better and don't blur. Then again LCDs produce a much crisper image. I know I want to go with NEC but from there it's a crapshoot. I also know most of the pros and cons but I'd rather hear it from you guys. Tell me how FFXI looks on your monitor. I've also posted a poll. Reply if you're up to snuf on computers. The more info the better. Thanks in advance.

[Daede]

Honestly, plasma is the best of all worlds (except for the fact that it is new technology and has only limitly been consumer tested). Projection (such as on your wall with an InFocus projector) is nice... at night or in a dark room. Huge picture, some image quality loss, etc...

CRT would be my vote if you really are restricting yourself to CRT vs. LCD simply because of the blurring of the LCD. In my opinion, I don't think LCD is much clearer (if you compare it with a Trinitron CRT). I have a Sony 19" CPD-E440 and it has very clear very nice color. The good news about CRT is that the technology has just about reached it peak. So if you by a good one, you know you'll have it for a long time.

Advice: Don't waste your money on a cheaper brand.

[Breanainn]

Thanks. I'm probably going to get a CRT because they don't blur the image.

[lieb39]

Hmm well I could choose a CRT if I had the desk space, but right now if I could choose I'd choose a LCD in a second, better for your eyes and so much smaller, right now I have a huge 17" CRT Monitor sittin on my desk for my desktop and all I use it for is playing music because its on the side, and its such a pain to try to play games with.

Oh well,

lieb39

[ShakyJake42]

Also, keep in mind that LCDs have fixed resolutions. They typically go in the order of 800x600 -> 1024x768 -> 1280x1024 -> 1600x1800 and nothing inbetween. Personally, I run some games at 1152x864 for performance reasons and no LCD can display this properly.

Also, to get to those higher resolutions (1280 and above) requires a 17 or 19" LCD which is starting to be some big bucks. You could buy a 21" Sony Trinitron CRT for about the price of a quality 17" LCD and that 21" CRT is a bigger picture and will do crazy high resolutions.

[Breanainn]

Originally posted by ShakyJake42
Also, keep in mind that LCDs have fixed resolutions. They typically go in the order of 800x600 -> 1024x768 -> 1280x1024 -> 1600x1800 and nothing inbetween. Personally, I run some games at 1152x864 for performance reasons and no LCD can display this properly.

Also, to get to those higher resolutions (1280 and above) requires a 17 or 19" LCD which is starting to be some big bucks. You could buy a 21" Sony Trinitron CRT for about the price of a quality 17" LCD and that 21" CRT is a bigger picture and will do crazy high resolutions.

I like what you say..... I already knew about the fixed resolutions but the way you said it put me over the edge. I think I'm going to get a CRT (NEC of course).

[Doppelganger]

Originally posted by ShakyJake42
Also, keep in mind that LCDs have fixed resolutions. They typically go in the order of 800x600 -> 1024x768 -> 1280x1024 -> 1600x1800 and nothing inbetween. Personally, I run some games at 1152x864 for performance reasons and no LCD can display this properly.

Also, to get to those higher resolutions (1280 and above) requires a 17 or 19" LCD which is starting to be some big bucks. You could buy a 21" Sony Trinitron CRT for about the price of a quality 17" LCD and that 21" CRT is a bigger picture and will do crazy high resolutions.

one thing to say.. BS

lcd screens allow for any screen size from 800x600 to 1280 perfectly (1600x1280 for 21" models). i have a dell lcd, 17", 75hz refresh, .25 dp, 25ms response, and ffxi looks great on it(the monitor i have now costs 500). the new fd trinitron p1100 (i think that is the number), has 85hz refresh, 1600x1280 max res (my monitor has 1280x1024 max, but i prefer 1024x768 because wallpapers are easier to find), and .24 dp. that monitor also costs 650 w/o a bundle (bundles reduce the price, but that price is by getting it NEW at a TRUSTIBLE site). it's also deeper than it's screen size (i believe that the specs leave it at about 24" deep). lets see most people fit that on their desks.

lcd=some ghosting when playing games at >60 fps, a lot smaller, NO HARMFUL RADIATION , very good energy usage (that 15min UPS can actually last >10min with a 17"screen) and just plain sexy

ctr= high refresh rates, huge size, really heavy (my other comp has an fd trinitron p990 [19" version that is already 5 years old], and it weighs 75lb), and GIVES YOU CANCER BEFORE AGE 30

[Jaggers]

CRT is the way to go for gaming. If you want info on displays, or pretty much anything computer related, I'd recommend http://www.tomshardware.com/. Here's a good article to read about CRT and LCD displays: http://www.tomshardware.com/display/20011128/index.html. Be sure to read the TFT guide too. Particularly part 1.

As for companies, besides NEC, I'd also recommend Mitsubishi (Mitsubishi Electronics actually owns NEC, so they're the same company), and Veiwsonic. Viewsonic's P (Pro) serires, NEC's FE series, and especially Mitsubishi's Diamond Pro series are all quality products. Sony's Trinitron series is worth a look too.

[RaGe]

I don't know about FFXI, but when I play some FPS games on LCD monitors, I get some bad shading in some areas. For example Counter-strike.. maps there are awful when it comes to LCDs. CRT has always been the best for me in all games, despite it's size.