# Dell 2209WA Monitor -- IPS for less than $300?



## icassell (Jan 24, 2009)

OK, I've been monitor shopping.  Was looking at the new Dell S2209w which is a high res HD monitor, but is a TN panel.  In my hunt, I came across the Dell 2209WA and I am getting conflicting info.  Somewhere I saw that it is an IPS panel. If that's true, it would be the least expensive IPS screen I've ever heard of .  Does anyone know anything about this monitor.  Specifically, has anyone actually seen one?  Thoughts?

Ian


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## frXnz kafka (Jan 24, 2009)

According to this it's an IPS panel. It seems strange for a $300 display to have even a PVA panel, let alone IPS.

Looks like you'll have to order through the Business section of the Dell website though. Not sure if they actually check you out on that.


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## icassell (Jan 24, 2009)

frXnz kafka said:


> According to this it's an IPS panel. It seems strange for a $300 display to have even a PVA panel, let alone IPS.
> 
> Looks like you'll have to order through the Business section of the Dell website though. Not sure if they actually check you out on that.



Hmmm ... yes it does say IPS
OK, since I'm not very knowledgeable about these things -- does IPS automatically make it better for photo editing or are there lousy IPS panels?  Photography will be the primary use -- I'm not a gamer at all. This price seems awfully good.  My experience with Dell monitors (I use them all the time at work, but not for color-critical applications) has been great and I came close to buying the $100 cheaper s2209w which is a 21.5" TN panel (and actually claims a higher resolution), but then I saw a reference to this one and this sounds superior.  Does anyone out there have any direct experience or has anyone heard any pluses or minuses about this beast?


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## Garbz (Jan 25, 2009)

IPS means that there will be no chroma shift with changing viewing angles. This is very important for consistency whenediting photos, but as always there are different quality screens. The dell for instance will lack the colour accuracy, backlight consistency, or features such as colour lookup tables that are found in expensive monitors.

That said Dell make some of the cheapest IPS screens in the industry and they are still eons better than editing on a TN or PVA pannel


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## icassell (Jan 26, 2009)

Well, I am having our IT guys at work see if they can get me a deal on it.  I am part of the Dell Employee Purchase Plan (our hospital is 100% Dell), but this one is not offered to EPP members at discount.  On the other hand, since we buy a gazillion dollars of Dell annually, they have come through for me in the past on oddball items.

The IPS panel is so appealing, but I can't justify spending alot of $$ on a monitor right now.  I'll probably buy it anyway, discount or not.  I'll let you folks know what happens.  I must say that the S2209WA (a consumer TN panel, but full 1080i)  sure was attractive too, but that TN designation scared me off.

Ian


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## epp_b (Jan 26, 2009)

Definitely do not buy a monitor developed with the TN process.  I bought a Dell E228WFP and it could _not_ display greys properly, no matter what settings I changed.  Everything had a mushy reddish-yellowish tint and the colour rendition was generally terrible.


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## icassell (Jan 26, 2009)

Well I bit the bullet and ordered the 2209WA -- total price including tax and shipping was $299.20 with my 7% employee discount (if you are at a place that uses alot of Dell equipment, look into this).  List price if you don't have the plan is $299 with free shipping at the moment ... you then need to add tax. If the IPS panel is good, it is by far the cheapest I've encountered.

I'll let you know how it works out ... It has great reviews, but it is still new without a significant user base.


http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=04&sku=320-7825

Dell 2209WA Review - Monitors


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## icassell (Jan 29, 2009)

Wooo haaaa! I got a notice from Dell that it shipped today and should be here next week.  I'll keep you folks posted.  I hope the review is accurate.

Ian


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## kalmkidd (May 5, 2009)

so was it good?


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## icassell (May 5, 2009)

Yes, I like it very much.  Bright and color reproduction seems quite good.  I have never used another monitor except the WUXGA+  on my Dell Latitude 830 laptop, but I am very happy. I do want to buy a calibrator and that's my next step.

Ian


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## Garbz (May 6, 2009)

I suggest an iOne Display 2 calibrator unit. Works well with the NEC IPS display. (in fact that's what they bundle with their spectraview units).

Good to hear it's worked out.


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## johngpt (May 22, 2009)

Ian, I saw your post in the meet-up thread, saw that you were going to the zoo, and started to look at the threads you've recently posted. Saw this one and had to laugh.

I purchased the same monitor! Had seen a thread about it at the Canon POTN forum, and splurged. I like it lots!

Okay, now I'm trying to find the button that lets me insert my photo. Things have changed here at TPF recently!

Ah, found it...

me and my new 2209wa


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## johngpt (May 22, 2009)

Oh, google for reviews of monitor calibration devices.

The newest Spyder 3 gets really so-so reviews when I looked it up at Amazon.

I've purchased the Pantone Huey, but still haven't had a chance to use it. Maybe this weekend.


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## johngpt (May 23, 2009)

I've just now been trying to calibrate with the Pantone Huey, without success.

The software installed on my mac without problem. The app guides you through the process simply, first measuring ambient light. That seems okay. Then it says to suction cup the sensor to the display. Seems to be attached firmly but a Warning comes on after a bit saying a measurement error occurs. Either the sensor usb disconnected or the wrong display type was chosen.

Etc, etc. No success.

I've registered with Pantone and sent a question in. Maybe hear next week.

So I'm relying, as usual, on Photoshop's info palette for assuring correct colour.


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## icassell (May 23, 2009)

Well I bought a like-new Spyder 3 on Amazon Marketplace a couple of weeks ago at a very good price.  It's easy to use and seems to work well.

Ian


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## johngpt (May 23, 2009)

icassell said:


> Well I bought a like-new Spyder 3 on Amazon Marketplace a couple of weeks ago at a very good price.  It's easy to use and seems to work well.
> 
> Ian



Might have to do that if the huey doesn't lift its load.


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## Garbz (May 24, 2009)

I have read more poor reviews from the Huey than positive reviews. You're not limited to just these two. There's also the iOne colourimeters which is basically what Greytag Macbeth call themselves now. 

The iOne Display 2 works flawlessly even on wide gamut screens where the Spyder 2 fails to get accurate colour at all.


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## johngpt (May 25, 2009)

Well, the problem with the Huey was user incompetence, not a problem with the device!  

When getting to a certain portion of the process, I was to adhere the sensor to the display. Well, it turned out that I needed to turn on "mirroring" so that the Huey application was on the display's screen. The sensor needed to be in an exact area that would change colour so it could sense the proper frequencies at the appropriate time. D--U--H!!!

So, now I'm calibrated. The colours seem okay, but more dim than previously.

Brightness is 93 and contrast is 55.

And color settings are 80 for R G and B.

So, who knows, maybe I'll end up resetting it manually for my cockeyed perspective!  :mrgreen:


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## RyanLilly (May 26, 2009)

Holy crap! I just got this monitor for $229 shipped. For some reason there is a $50 instant savings and free shipping! You have to buy it through the small business site though, doesn't seem to be any different from making a personal purchase though, other than requiring a business name, I usually ship things to work anyway so someone is there to sign for them.


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## icassell (May 26, 2009)

Yeah, I bought mine through the small business site too.  Sounds like you got a good deal there! I payed just under $300 for mine, if I remember correctly.  I think you're going to like it.

Ian


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## Francisol (May 26, 2009)

I'm not a gamer at all. This price seems awfully good. My experience with Dell monitors (I use them all the time at work, but not for color-critical applications) has been great and I came close to buying the $100 cheaper s2209w which is a 21.5" TN panel (and actually claims a higher resolution), but then I saw a reference to this one and this sounds superior.



*[FONT=&quot]coupons [/FONT]*


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## johngpt (May 26, 2009)

Francisol said:


> I'm not a gamer at all. This price seems awfully good. My experience with Dell monitors (I use them all the time at work, but not for color-critical applications) has been great and I came close to buying the $100 cheaper s2209w which is a 21.5" TN panel (and actually claims a higher resolution), but then I saw a reference to this one and this sounds superior.
> 
> 
> 
> *[FONT=&quot]coupons [/FONT]*


The s2209w isn't an IPS monitor, if I remember correctly.


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## TUX424 (May 26, 2009)

johngpt said:


> The s2209w isn't an IPS monitor, if I remember correctly.


They don't say that the s2209w is a IPS, they say it is a TN.
The 2209WA is the IPS.


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## johngpt (May 26, 2009)

TUX424 said:


> johngpt said:
> 
> 
> > The s2209w isn't an IPS monitor, if I remember correctly.
> ...


Exactly.


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