Budget twin 24" monitor set up recommendations?

AMcUK

AMcUK

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I work from home on an old low spec machine i3-2130 Intel HD Graphics 2000 using office and web based tools - not photography!

It would be handy for work to add a second screen, which the motherboard will support.
I have this LG which I bought because it was recommended for good colour rendition and wasn't much more expensive than any other 1920x1080 monitor.
https://www.lg.com/uk/monitors/lg-IPS235V-led-monitor
In an ideal world I'd just buy another but it's several years old so that's not an option.

I use Lightroom 6.14 now and then, this is very much a hobby and no more than a couple of hours a week.
I print once or twice a year using an online service so I'm not going to be calibrating.
I want my new monitors to be at least as good as the LG :).

I'm thinking of adding a pair of Dell U2412M monitors (£180 each) or perhaps Dell P2419H (£140) on a clamp stand.

Does anyone have any other recommendations in the same ball park that will be as good or better for colour rendition?

Many thanks for reading :)

[Edit links added for the monitors]
 
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I run 2 Dell's a 2515 H and a 2311H without any problem, personally I would go for the 2*24's , if they are going side by side they will match and will make life a lot easier, I certainly would not go back to one monitor now.
 
If it helps at all, I have a 2719D, and really like it, although not the same spec as you are after. But I would go with the 2419H.
 
Faldrax said:
The U2412M is cheaper at EBuyer (but in white) - £144.48
https://www.ebuyer.com/752331-dell-u2412m-ultrasharp-24-full-hd-monitor-u2412mwh-white

or the newer version (U2419H) is also on Ebuyer without stand - which is not a problem if you're intending to use a different stand anyway (but check it's compatible with your older PC as it only has HDMI and Display Port inputs) - £168.89
https://www.ebuyer.com/862203-dell-u2419h-ultrasharp-23-8-full-hd-monitor-dell-u2419hwos
Click to expand...

Thanks again - you were helping me over at AVF too and were responsible for me considering the U2412M.

At the moment I have only the motherboard graphics - so a VGA and DVI-D outut - I've spent too much time this morning to get an old NVIDIA GT 620 reinstalled to get an HDMI port so I can use a screen with no VGA adapter - one direct on HDMI and the other DVI-D>HDMI adapter

troutfisher said:
I run 2 Dell's a 2515 H and a 2311H without any problem, personally I would go for the 2*24's , if they are going side by side they will match and will make life a lot easier, I certainly would not go back to one monitor now.
Click to expand...

A long time ago I had 2 CRT monitors - one beautiful Sony Trinitron and one standard fishbowl Dell. I loved having 2 screens but wouldn't do mixed sizes again.
Thanks for the reminder :)!

Paulie-W said:
If it helps at all, I have a 2719D, and really like it, although not the same spec as you are after. But I would go with the 2419H.
Click to expand...

Cheers - the thinner bezel looks like it would suit a multimonitor set up better but I've no real need for the USB Hub - let alone two of them :)



I see everyone is recommending the Ultrasharp U series over the P (Professional?) - has anyone seen the two lines side by side.
I'm curious if they're that different in the flesh

Many thanks for your help!
 
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AMcUK said:
I see everyone is recommending the Ultrasharp U series over the P (Professional?) - has anyone seen the two lines side by side.
I'm curious if they're that different in the flesh
Click to expand...

Glad to help, Dell do seem to try and make their product names and pricing as complex as possible!

I have dual Dell 23" Ultrasharps, which I got several years back and have performed faultlessly, which is why I recommend them.
I think when I got mine the advantage of the Ultrasharps was greater (I'm sure it was only Ultrasharps that were IPS when I got the, for example).
I think the monitors I have at work must be P series - and they are pretty good for work (software development / design), but I've not tried photo editing on them, and haven't used them side by side for comparison.

BTW, the width of bezel on my Dells is ~ 35mm combined where they meet, and I don't find that a problem - I have them in a slight 'V', so they are both angled towards me.

 
Faldrax said:
Glad to help, Dell do seem to try and make their product names and pricing as complex as possible!

I have dual Dell 23" Ultrasharps, which I got several years back and have performed faultlessly, which is why I recommend them.
I think when I got mine the advantage of the Ultrasharps was greater (I'm sure it was only Ultrasharps that were IPS when I got the, for example).
I think the monitors I have at work must be P series - and they are pretty good for work (software development / design), but I've not tried photo editing on them, and haven't used them side by side for comparison.

BTW, the width of bezel on my Dells is ~ 35mm combined where they meet, and I don't find that a problem - I have them in a slight 'V', so they are both angled towards me.
Click to expand...

Cheers - I'm a little torn. I could go slightly cheaper with a bigger bezel, getting the 1920x1200 screen
Or a bit more money and get a slimmer bezel nut 1920x1080 or cheaper with the same thing on the P series.

I've wasted the whole morning attempting to reinstall my old GFX adapter - seems to have crossed with a Giant windows update and it's having a proper mard - like the bad old days of Windows,
If I can't get it to work then I'm stuffed for anything without a VGA input, so that's todays procrastination :(
 
My main screen is a U2518D and secondary screen a much older U2312HM. Once calibrated the two screen look very similar. While you could pay a lot more for apparently more accurate colour the overall result is dependent on your end-to-end process. I only use Raw and have calibration profiles for all my cameras which would make a lot more difference than say choosing a different monitor. I expect to print right first time and for the print to look very similar to the monitor. Both LR and PS are well suited to two monitors.

Dave
 
AMcUK said:
I've wasted the whole morning attempting to reinstall my old GFX adapter - seems to have crossed with a Giant windows update and it's having a proper mard - like the bad old days of Windows,
If I can't get it to work then I'm stuffed for anything without a VGA input, so that's today's procrastination :(
Click to expand...

So it turned out the GT 620 is probably dead. It works as a default microsoft VGA adapter but "code 43" fails when using nvidia drivers.
Luckily I have a passive ATi Radeon HD 4550 in my bits box that also works.

Looking online it seems that the nvidia had a higher G3D mark
G3D Mark - Nvidia 362 vs 236 Radeon
G2D Mark - Nvidia 203 vs 429 Radeon
Though the HD 2000 outranks them both for G2D with 456
https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/...Radeon-HD-4550-vs-Intel-HD-2000/1429vs5vs3264

Sheesh

So now I can potentially drive a twin HDMI monitor using an adapter on one screen - so to make a choice and make an order...
 
OK confirmed the 4550 will output on both DVI-D and HDMI by connecting both to the LG at the same time :)
PC thinks there are dual displays there and shows the extended or cloned desktop as expected.

I've placed an order for the 2xU2419H Dell, a DVI-D to HDMI lead and a dual mount stand.
I also ordered 16GB of DDR3 RAM as it was £10 cheaper than I've seen it before which should help the machine last longer.
My procrastination means I missed the 5pm deadline for delivery on Monday so it'll (probably) be Tuesday.

I kept dithering over the U2412M but when I added it to the basket they said 2 in stock vs >100 for the newer one.
Given people do report Ultrasharps that arrive in a mess and I didn't want to be in the position of having to return one monitor and not being able to get a matching replacement.

I suppose I'll have to break the habits of a lifetime and tidy my desk now :)
Cheers for all the help!
 
AMcUK said:
Ebuyer/Yodel have delivered the 2 monitors. Now waiting for Ebuyer/Yodel to deliver the stand and cables - it's torture :(
Click to expand...

Sods law, mate. Bit like a kid getting a new toy, without the batteries.....
 
Yodel driver #2 turned up late afternoon - I spent a "merry" few minutes constructing the Xenta monitor stand - I knew a £25 mount would be a PITA but as I'll only build and adjust it once there was no need to spend 3x as much on something posher.

Connected everything up and was greeted by twin displays showing about 15% border around the edges - underwhelming :(
That triggered a memory of having to reset underscan every time I messed with the drivers for the ATi HD 4550 on W7 as it defaults to a big fat border around each image.
Dig around and discover that ATi don't provide a driver for W10 - I know it's old so this isn't a massive surprise, but disappointing if I have to buy a new GFX card which I should have ordered already.
Dig a bit deeper and discover this guide to sorting it out.
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/26-h...ati-card-without-catalyst-control-center.html
A few minutes setting registry entries to zero and rebooting and both displays are filled.

Now I'm so busy with dull work I haven't got time to play in Lightroom.

First impressions they're very pretty.

Thanks for all the advice and help :)
 
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