I'm looking to upgrade my monitor in the next couple of days and I've been looking at a 24" Phillips with 1920x1200 res. It looks a nice monitor but is a DVI port only, no HDMI. I'm running an ATI 4870x2 at the moment (but will probably be upgrading to a 580 at the start of the year as the 4870 is playing up a bit these days,) so would be using a DVI port anyway. My question is this: I won't be using the monitor for consoles, or for hooking up to my Blu-ray (my TV is great as it is,) so am I safe to just ignore the lack of an HDMI port? I won't be upgrading my monitor again for several years and am a bit concerned in terms of future-proofing. I can't seem to find any monitors in the price bracket and with a 16:10 ratio that have both.

In the future you could run from a console HDMI-out to the DVI-in of the monitor. Since the monitor has no speaker, you'd have to run sound through a receiver anyway or have another way to output the audio.

Normally, HDMI is not needed for gaming purposes. Its only value for a gamer is to pass Audio to the monitor (if the monitor has speakers). But, monitor Audio is so substandard few would use it. HDMI or DVI is required to play protected content with Windows Media Center.

What's needed firstly is DVI -- it works for all purposes (including Windows Media Center). Does not transmit Audio to monitor.

Secondly, Displayport is useful for AMD Eyefinity setups (need at least one Displayport monitor). A Displayport connection will NOT display protected content in Media Center. Displayport will play Audio -- with the same issue as HDMI.

If the rumors are true, the HD7970 will be out in late January (delayed many times this year due to the manufacturer's inability to get the 28nm manufacturing process running right -- rumored no defects in the HD7970 itself). On paper HD7970 should crush GTX580 at about the same price. And, HD7970 allows for easy transition to 3 monitor Eyefinity gaming -- just plug in the next two monitors when one gets them. Something to consider. If one went that way, DVI should still be usable (two out of the three Eyefinty monitors can be DVI).

I'm not bothered by having the sound from my monitor - perfectly happy running it from my computer via speakers. I hadn't really thought about eyefinity set ups. I don't have the space anyway for multi-monitor set ups let alone the cash but I guess that's a consideration.

well, hmm, I might just buy it then. Thanks guys, buying a monitor has become something of a bugbear. I've never had this much trouble deciding on any other component before!

Just for the record DVI and HDMI both carry the same exact signals with the exception that DVI does not handle audio. There is no loss of quality by going DVI instead of HDMI, and HDMI to DVI adapters do nothing besides moving the correct wire to the correct terminal.

In layman's terms - the only difference between the two (besides the loss of audio with DVI) is the physical connector.

Because of course both DVI and HDMI are digital.



The Jedi Master

Well, I went for a 1920x1080 instead that features both types of ports. In the end it came down to something very simple - it had an adjustable stand!

My desk set up is a bit wonky so it's kind of essential be able to adjust the height of the monitor. Thanks for everyones help. Monitors aren't something I've paid much attention to over the years and I was going around in circles trying to work stuff out.

Should come tomorrow - along with a brand new TM Warthog. Christmas has come two weeks early!