Need a new monitor

I have a HPLP2475w that I have never been happy with as my main monitor, it has never impressed me and I always felt like for $600 it is a piece of crap. I just replaced one of my secondary monitors with a Dell 2209WA and wow for $200 it looks a lot better than my HP.

I've been wanting to get the NEC PA271W-BK-SV but I am just not sure I want to spend $1600 on a single monitor after being porked on this HP one. I was tempted in getting an Apple display but with Thunderport now they don't work on PC's anymore and I don't want to buy the older model.

Any suggestions on something that is excellent but cheaper than $1600. I know there is a 24" version of the NEC that is cheaper, but I wanted to go for a 27" if I am buying a super high end monitor as the 27" has better resolution and if I remember correctly has better IQ.

The HP always has a color cast, never calibrates well, and is not very sharp. Side by side with the 2209WA, images just look soft. I've been wanting to do this for a long time now, but after dropping in a 2209WA on my PC, it just confirms how bad the monitor is. I thought about a bigger higher end version of the 2209WA.

I've been debating about just getting an iMac 27" for photography and other stuff, but I not a big mac fan.

Any suggestions would be helpful. I am willing to spend some money on a good monitor, but not sure I want to drop $1,600 on just a monitor right now.

I really like the idea of NEC's integrated calibration system and I know their monitors are amazing from what I hear.

LCD technology has improved quite dramatically in the last few years, the new Dell and HP models are very good, almost as good as the NEC and Eizo's.

I recently got a Dell 2711 (27inch) and it's fantastic.
You do need a displayport connection to get the most out of it and it is wide gamut, but I've been impressed with the image quality.
It calibrated very well too.

It's cheaper than NEC, about half the price.
The NEC is the better monitor, it will calibrate slightly better and you'll see more details in the blacks, but the difference is small, not enough for me to justify the extra cost.

Moppie wrote in post #13652787
LCD technology has improved quite dramatically in the last few years, the new Dell and HP models are very good, almost as good as the NEC and Eizo's.

I recently got a Dell 2711 (27inch) and it's fantastic.
You do need a displayport connection to get the most out of it and it is wide gamut, but I've been impressed with the image quality.
It calibrated very well too.

It's cheaper than NEC, about half the price.
The NEC is the better monitor, it will calibrate slightly better and you'll see more details in the blacks, but the difference is small, not enough for me to justify the extra cost.

What you use to calibrate your Dell?

Just a Spyder 2, which works very well.
The newer 3 apparently works better and there is a version 4 on it's way as well.

Anyone know how the newer Apple Displays compare to the NEC & Dell monitors?

Moppie wrote in post #13652787
LCD technology has improved quite dramatically in the last few years, the new Dell and HP models are very good, almost as good as the NEC and Eizo's.

I recently got a Dell 2711 (27inch) and it's fantastic.
You do need a displayport connection to get the most out of it and it is wide gamut, but I've been impressed with the image quality.
It calibrated very well too.

It's cheaper than NEC, about half the price.
The NEC is the better monitor, it will calibrate slightly better and you'll see more details in the blacks, but the difference is small, not enough for me to justify the extra cost.

Why do you need a display port to make it work better? Using DVI won't take full advantage of the monitor?

Saxi wrote in post #13654381
Anyone know how the newer Apple Displays compare to the NEC & Dell monitors?

From the reviews I've seen it's no better than the older one it replaces (uses the same panel) but being thunderbolt, will only work on thunderbolt enabled computers (which currently means only current generation Macs).

Compared to the Dell it's almost as good, but not quite and neither are quite as good as the NEC.

Saxi wrote in post #13654386
Why do you need a display port to make it work better? Using DVI won't take full advantage of the monitor?

Most panels are only 6bit, or 8bit, the 2711 is 10bit which means smaller graduations in areas of tonal change.
It's a small difference, but to see it you need a full 10bit workflow, which means a 10bit graphics card display port.

I'd rather use a good 24" + a cheap 20" then one good 27"…

On the display port: You need windows7 (no 10bpc on OSX yet), a compatible graphics card and PSCS5 to be able to use 10bpc.
http://forums.adobe.co​m/message/3267860

René Damkot wrote in post #13662074
I'd rather use a good 24" + a cheap 20" then one good 27"…

On the display port: You need windows7 (no 10bpc on OSX yet), a compatible graphics card and PSCS5 to be able to use 10bpc.
http://forums.adobe.co​m/message/3267860

Yip, I did a little digging yesterday, it appears only the Firegl and some of the Cuda cards support it.

After doing some research I went with a Dell U2212HM, the color and overall image is good, once calibrated. I prefer 16:10 to the 16:9 I have, i'd actually rather have a square monitor but they don't make those.

I calibrated with a Spyder 3 express. A link to the pro edition is here, just because I have that link lying around. The 4 is out but not on amazon etc yet i'm told, personally i'd wait for the 4 given it's been released, or order it direct from the manufacturer.

I'm leaning towards this right now (HP HP ZR30w), but I am not a big fan of HP monitors after my HP LP2475W, but this seems like the best option right now (I am also a gamer, and low input latency is important).

Right now I am considering the following:

HP ZR30w 30"
NEC PA271W-BK-SV 27"
NEC PA241W-BK-SV 24"
Dell U2711 27"

I currently run a Dell 2209WA / HP LP2475W / Samsung 226CW setup.
I would scrap the Samsung, the HP will go to the left in portrait and the dell on the right in portrait.
I also considered just getting two NEC 24".

I'm leaning towards U3011 or the PA27 now.
I am not quite sure how the NEC will handle gaming where I know the Dell can handle it. I use this box for gaming as much as I do for photography so input lag (or lack thereof) is important.

I like the integrated calibration system of the NEC, although I have a Spyder 3 Elite, I hear it is a lot better calibration system. I just don't want to spend that much on a monitor to find out it doesn't handle gaming well.