LCD flat panel and gaming?

[SHRED]

I am building a system for my friend and was wondering if the LCD monitors are gaming friendly. There are some LCD monitor reviews where people are happy with theirs and they claim there is no "ghosting".

I plan on building it with an ATI AIW 9800pro.
Is there an LCD spec that I should look for to enhance gaming?

Anyway I sure like how they look and hope they can be used for games.

thanks

[Maestro]

1. Yes

Look for native resolution and response time. Make sure the vid card is powerful enough for the native resolution however you will have no problem with that if you are going with the 9800. The response time needs to be below 16ms, but I would look for 12ms if you can. This cuts down on the blurriness in some games with a LCD monitor.

[Kellanved]

2. not really

The problem is that the ISO only asks for the black-to-white time, which is totally irrelevant in the real world. I.e. specs like "8ms" or "16ms" have no importance whatsoever, the interesting spec is the "grey-to-grey", but there is no usable ISO standard for measuring that one yet (the current is about as useless as the "black-to-white").

The other problem is that "fast" LCDs are always based on TN-panels (Twisted Nematics). Those panels tend to have poor colors that change with the angle you're looking on it. Few TN-based displays have a quality sufficient for photo work and larger screens (17"+) suffer from the viewing-angle-problem.

My tip: try out before buying.

[democracyindanger]

3. Almost as good

CRT still has the edge, but it's possible to get close--if you spend the money...

http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/system-guide-200411.ars/4

Two Dell 2001FP 20" LCDs
20" 16ms 24-bit LCDs are here. Dell's 2001FP, NEC's 2080UX+, and others lead the way.

While LCDs still are not perfect, with a 16ms response time and almost-as-low gray-to-gray response times, they become viable, legitimate alternatives for gaming. The God Box has demanded 20" LCDs for some time now, and the arrival of 24-bit 16ms LCDs is a welcome addition. Those seeking smaller or larger LCDs — such as the Samsung 213T or the Apple 23" Cinema Display on the large side, and the Samsung 710T and BenQ FP757-12 on the smaller side. You may still have to wait for 24-bit 16ms units, but 2004 looks like a good year for those looking for those kind of LCDs.

21", 23", and larger LCDs exist as well. Samsung's 213T and 243T in particular are excellent recommendations. Those of you who truly lust after screen real estate could look at Apple's new aluminum 30" LCD Cinema Display.

Gamers may wish to consider CRTs instead LCDs, such as the Sony GDM-FW900, Sony G520, Samsung 1200NF, etc. Do not limit yourself to LCD's— buy what suits your needs best!

Cost: US$799 each (11/22/2004)