Response time is for FPS players.
It is basically the delay on your screen from when the action happens to when you actually see it.

The BenQ XL2420TE is the best gaming monitor you can buy right now.

Below say... 10 ms, other features are much more important. If it's between an IPS panel with 7 ms response time and a TN panel with 2 ms, you'd be much happier with the former because you will appreciate the better image quality and viewing angles much more than the quicker response time (if you notice the difference at all).

If you're in the market for a 120/144 Hz panel, though, things are different, but you'd be looking at TN panels anyway.

There are a lot of things I'd look at before response time:

1. Resolution
2. Size
3. Finish (glossy, matte, semi-glossy, grainy)
4. Panel type (E-IPS, S-IPS, AH-IPS, VA, TN, PLS)
4. I/O
5. Refresh rate
6. Color look-up table
7. Stand
8. Options (Color adjustment, brightness levels, etc.)
9. PWM / non-PWM backlight
10. Build quality
11. Bezel
12. Warranty

Everyone who doesn't know much about monitors tries to pick apart this one spec that is almost always meaningless.

r00t wrote Below say... 10 ms, other features are much more important. If it's between an IPS panel with 7 ms response time and a TN panel with 2 ms, you'd be much happier with the former because you will appreciate the better image quality and viewing angles much more than the quicker response time (if you notice the difference at all).

If you're in the market for a 120/144 Hz panel, though, things are different, but you'd be looking at TN panels anyway.

There are a lot of things I'd look at before response time:

1. Resolution
2. Size
3. Finish (glossy, matte, semi-glossy, grainy)
4. Panel type (E-IPS, S-IPS, AH-IPS, VA, TN, PLS)
4. I/O
5. Refresh rate
6. Color look-up table
7. Stand
8. Options (Color adjustment, brightness levels, etc.)
9. PWM / non-PWM backlight
10. Build quality
11. Bezel
12. Warranty

Everyone who doesn't know much about monitors tries to pick apart this one spec that is almost always meaningless.

r00t, you're amazing.
these are the ones i was looking at
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
and the second one [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
i'll definitely be playing first person shooters but i'll also be using the for editing, so the representation of the image matters as well. the 5ms has a nice frameless design so multi monitors will look better.

$205 is a little high for a 23" consumer IPS. You're basically paying $50 for the difference between eIPS (economical IPS) and AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance IPS) and it's another thing you probably won't notice. I'd suggest one of these:

Gloss:
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Matte:
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

mxzd wrote

Click to View Content

r00t wrote $205 is a little high for a 23" consumer IPS. You're basically paying $50 for the difference between eIPS (economical IPS) and AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance IPS) and it's another thing you probably won't notice. I'd suggest one of these:

Gloss:
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Matte:
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

so you would say an ips is better than the other panel i posted?

Yes. It's 2014 now and you should really only be buying a TN panel if you're getting a 120+ Hz monitor or can't afford the ones I'm suggesting and need something very cheap.

r00t wrote

mxzd wrote

Click to View Content

r00t wrote $205 is a little high for a 23" consumer IPS. You're basically paying $50 for the difference between eIPS (economical IPS) and AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance IPS) and it's another thing you probably won't notice. I'd suggest one of these:

Gloss:
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Matte:
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

so you would say an ips is better than the other panel i posted?

Yes. It's 2014 now and you should really only be buying a TN panel if you're getting a 120+ Hz monitor or can't afford the ones I'm suggesting and need something very cheap.

alright. as you can tell from my questions, i'm new to looking at good monitors. so, tn panels and 120+ hz are the absolute best way to go? what about contrast? i always see xx,000,000+ : 1 ratios, but how important is that number? with my absent knowledge on monitors it seems like they just use it to display a big number haha.

Contrast ratio is irrelevant and used as a gimmick. 120+ Hz TN is the best for competitive gaming, but for other purposes, any kind of IPS with a lower refresh rate will be a much better choice.