Flat Screen Monitor

[em111111]

I am looking to buy a 15 inch flat screen monitor for use at home. There seem to be quite a few cheap ones about for approx. �136.00 but are names that I have never heard of like Proview and Acer....are these any good?or am I better off paying �199.00 for a well known make i.e. Sony, Dell, HP etc etc.  I would like to get a monitor that you just plug in and it works  - is there a technical name for this feature? I don't want to have to run driver programs etc.

[smudge]

Our daughter has only just bought & set up a new Cybercom PC with 17" TFT monitor. The sound coming from the inset monitor speakers is absolutely awful & very tinny. If after trying separate speakers it isn't much better, it will be going back to the shop in exchange for the same make as ours, an HP, which is excellent. I know you are only looking for a monitor, but you get what you pay for, so it may be worth going for a brand name. Sony seem to be the most expensive, but is one of the best. Good luck.

[cyprus1]

I have a 15" Proview and I've had no problems with it. The technical name is Plug and Play.

[Oneeyedvic]

Personally, I have a AOC display - not a brand name but am more than happy with it.

 

If you prefer to stick with big brands go for it - you will pay more, and like smudge you may think you are getting more. Personally I think you are paying for the name.

 

Really depends on what you want. A Skoda has a high build quality, is very similar to VW, and is far cheaper. But it is still a Skoda and people think that it can't be any good as it is cheap!

 

Also bear in mind that a lot of big name companies do not manufacture the goods themselves but buy the equipment and rebadge it - a few years ago one of my Compaq Laptops broke and the replacement screen was actually made by Toshiba.

 

Also (I maybe wrong) but I don't think you will have to run driver programs for the monitor - but you will have to for your graphics card.

[corganiser]

I'm looking at a 15 inch proview at the moment and it is fine. The 17 inch siemens on my other pc is better but the proview is good value for money and has given no problems at all.

[smudge]

Oneeyedvic has got a point. There's not much difference between Kellogs & Sainsburys Corn Flakes. Mind you there is between Walkers & Sainsburys Crisps! It's all down to personal taste. Good luck. 

[Cetti]

We had a good look at many different monitors  for some months before deciding on a IIyama Prolite E4315. This one was �330 and is a 17in, but the same  company do a considerably cheaper 15in - and it's a Plug and Play with no hassle, and a brilliant picture.

[Kev_UK]

I have a 19" CRT proview monitor that I bought from pc world about 3 years ago and I've never had any problems with it. Proview has a website where you can download the latest drivers.  The only downside to CRT monitors is they take up more space than the LCD ones, but they do offer very good value for money, You can use the mic built into the monitor but I use an external one.. and you can buy the matching speakers for the monitor, but I bought my own.

[Kev_UK]

Acer also make motherboards and that brand has been around for a few years. Look on www.dabs.com