Ok I'm getting a bit fed up using my laptop monitor for gaming and my wife gets pissed when I hump our main 42" Toshiba through from the living room. Also I can't get the toshiba to run 1900 x 1200 anyway. (It is 1080 HD)

So can anyone recommend me a gaming monitor, I do NOT want to do graphical work, photography, video, watch movies get it to make a cup of tea, open my beer or connect it to anything else other than my laptop for gaming, mainly LFS and other driving sims.

I have roughly around £500 to spend, although spending less would be nice of course.

I have searched around a bit and Dell ultra 24" thingy looks quite tasty, but really there are too many on the market and have no idea which is best.

I don't know my TFT's from my LCD's, CRT's, VD's or STD's so please no techy info I just want it to look good when gaming.

Don't know if it makes any difference but my laptop is XPS M170 with nVidia 6800 Ultra video card. Oh and another thing of topic, is it possible to upgrade my laptop CPU or video card? I did call Dell support but the technician there couldn't tell me one way or the other (oh what a a surprise) and it took about 40 minutes for him to tell me that....meh I give up.

Thanks for any help chaps.

Edit: Or would I be better with 3 cheaper, smaller monitors maybe? i've been looking at some set ups on you are a tube, some of these set ups with 3 monitors look very bloody marvelous.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/141323 maybe?

You could get 3 of http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135667, or 3 20".
They seem to have very thin edges so would be good for SoftTH.

Imo 3 smaller desktops is much better for desktop management, and having 3 in a 'curved' surround would be more immersive than 1 big screen.

The laptop 6800 Ultra will have enough trouble running a single 1900*1200 (2,280,000 pixels) display, let alone 3840*1024 (3,932,160 pixels).

SoftTH isn't an option as its a laptop, and so you'd need a TripleHead2Go as well (£150-ish).

If it were me i'd get a Budget Rig (ie a £220-£230 eBay built overclocked Core 2 machine) and then either a £230 24" panel (can't find the link atm) or a £133 22" Fujitsu monitor, and then a second (cheap-o) graphics card and 2 more monitors. Should come in under £500 - crazy price for 3 monitors!

One of these should do the job.

LG Electronics Flatron L245WP
Hyundai W241D (240 is TN)
Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP
BenQ FP241W (Z model is better I guess)


If u can spend more cash go for the Dell 30"though http://accessories.euro.dell.c ... ;cs=bedhs1&sku=142643
...costs a good bit more but imo it's hands down the best gaming monitor on the market right now. Don't need a triple monitor setup with 30 inches of single screen either.
If u use it for 10 years it's worth it's price.

Quote from Jakg :

The laptop 6800 Ultra will have enough trouble running a single 1900*1200 (2,280,000 pixels) display

Very true Jack, unfortunately . Trouble is at other un-natural resolutions the screen is to put it bluntly, crap!

The new desk top solution, as you suggest, would probably be the better option for me, but oh no, I know what I'm like, I'll end up buying some super duper system that I can't really afford.

Jack I've read your other usefull posts on PC systems, maybe I should build my own. (I can see everyone running and hiding right now).

That's it I've decided, my daughters always moaning at me for a laptop for her school work (whats wrong with a slate and abacus these days....bloody youths), so I can use that as a valid excuse with my wife to give her this laptop leaving me computerless. she may feel sorry for me and let me build my own?? hmm!

Ok done deal, thanks for the advice guys. I just new you were going to cost me money

Edit @Noccy and Ross, thanks for taking the time to post, that Dell 30" screen looks very nice, just a tad outside my budget.