LCD digital vs analog: is DVI worth the extra cash?

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Brighter Hell

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I've had my eye on the 17" Samsung Syncmaster 740 LCD monitor. I can get the 740N (analog only) for about $65 cheaper than the 740B including a DVI cable. Is a digital connection really that much better? I've read comments in both camps - some say the difference is like night and day, others say signal conversion is now good enough that you can hardly tell the difference.

I use my computer for gaming and photography, but not DVDs (why bother when the video card is hooked up to the TV?). And the vid card has a DVI input. Any opinions? Thanks.
 
It is your eyes that will be looking at the picture..

Analog VGA over a long low quality cable can look very bad, but you may also not be able to tell the difference in better circumstances. The DAC in your video card may be really low quality, you may be using interference-prone resolutions, the ADC in the monitor may be pure crap.. there's a lot of variables.

The only way to be sure is to try :)
 
My suggestion would be to go for the DVI version. It might cost a bit more, but it will also ensure you don't get bad image quality, which could happen with the DSUB only.
And since this is the most important part of your computer, it is what you're going to be looking at for the next couple of years, spending a bit extra isn't a bad idea in my book.

Lastly, chances are you'll upgrade your videocard before you upgrade to another monitor. And the way things are looking now, analogue connectors are less and less common, and it would not be unlikely that you'll have a problem finding a gpu with a regular VGA out in a couple of years. Thus going with the DVI option makes the monitor somewhat more future proof (even though that is a contradiction in terms when it comes to computer hardware)...
 
$65 over a period of say.. 2-3 years that you will be keeping your monitor. id take the DVI anyday. thats like paying 8 cents a day for quality picture
 
i might not get the samsung after all. LG's new monitor, the 1732T, has a 4 ms response time, 1600:1 contrast, and DVI for the same price range as the samsung. it's brand new and untested though so i might wait a little longer to see it in person before i buy.

btw, my video card is a sapphire radeon 9600XT.
 
you should try and get a 19inch monitor. they are becoming the standard size for LCD monitors.
 
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