Expert: Bobbert - 7/29/2008

Question
How does my existing (Professional Series)Viesonic P815 Monitor compares with the New 22" VA2226w Viewsonic 22"
(TigerDirect V18-2214) Monitor?
Is it as good, or much better?
Thank you,   Bela

Answer
Very tough question, we're comparing a CRT to an LCD, so its hard to actually compare them, because they don't rely on the same technologies to provide a display. It is generally held that a CRT, regardless of brand, model, etc will have better black balance and higher contrast than an LCD, regardless of brand, model, etc. While an LCD is generally held to have a slightly "sharper" or "colder" look, as the CRT has a slightly "warmer" look, this translates into text being easier on the eyes for most users. The other factor is that LCDs will not flicker at any refresh rate, while CRTs need their refresh rate set to a sufficient level to mask the flickering.

There is a lot more information for either side of the CRT vs LCD debate, honestly it boils down to personal preference (actually it boils down to whats available, LCDs, because nobody makes CRTs anymore), personally I prefer to function of a CRT over an LCD, because of the higher black levels and better contrast ratios, although see the benefits of an LCD as a positive (its smaller, uses less energy to drive, doesn't flicker, etc).

The LCD in this comparison, against this CRT (which I might add is a nice premium model), would probably fall short of what you're used to, because even the best LCDs on the market cannot match the black balance and redraw rate of a CRT (input lag is prevalent on LCDs), so if you work with fast motion things (video, gaming, animation) or things that demand accurate color (animation, drafting, image and video editing) the LCD will seem much less impressive and much less capable of living up to the mantle of the P815.

In short, if you are satisfied with your current monitor, and it has no operational problems, I would not consider the upgrade, because in reality it will be a downgrade, quality wise, if the P815 is damaged or needs replacement, the VA2226w would not be a bad choice, although you will notice a drastic difference between the two.

-bob