PCs are each a passion of mine and my literal job, so I’m fortunate sufficient to spend time with a number of the newest and biggest {hardware} on the earth. And but sitting alongside my VR PC with a Radeon 6950XT and my check bench with an RTX 4090 and Core i9-13900K in it, I even have a 14-year-old Dell monitor. It’s the oldest piece of on a regular basis know-how I personal, and I don’t plan to exchange it any time quickly.
Right here’s why I’m nonetheless utilizing my beloved Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP in spite of everything this time.
It was rattling good in its day
No piece of know-how can survive so long as this one can, with out having a agency basis. Launched in 2008, the UltraSharp 2408WFP is a 24-inch, Full HD (1920 x 1200) monitor with a (then) “quick” response time of 6ms, a 60Hz refresh price, and a sturdy and versatile stand. It has HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, S-Video, Element, and Composite inputs, it’s rated for 400 cd/m2 brightness, and has a USB 2.0 hub, in addition to a card reader.
None of that will seem to be a lot now, however this was a reasonably top-spec monitor for its time, and you’ll nonetheless see all of the glowing critiques at CNet, PCMag, and PCWorld — amongst others. The web site I purchased it from even has the unique product itemizing web page nonetheless up. It’s not in inventory, although, I’m afraid, although you possibly can all the time ask to be notified if extra are available when you’re feeling optimistic.
The $600 or so I paid for it was nicely value it on the time, and contemplating what I’ve put it by way of through the years, I say I’ve had my cash’s value.
I’ve used it for every part
You’ll be able to chart my use of this monitor by way of its varied connector choices. Once I first began utilizing it as my primary gaming show, I used to be nonetheless utilizing DVI-D connections to my then-blazing Intel Q6600 gaming PC. Over time, it transitioned to enjoying second fiddle to extra gaming-focused primary shows, however I continued to DVI-D for a while — even swapping over to a DVI-D to DisplayPort converter partway by way of the early 2010s to increase that cable’s utilization that bit longer.
I’ve used it to play Monster Hunter Tri on the Wii, utilizing the Composite connection, Xbox 360 video games over element, used an HDMI cable to make it an exterior show for my spouse’s gaming laptop computer, and most just lately used it for some 3DMark runs whereas testing the RTX 4090.
I’ve strapped this monitor right into a automobile seat to take it to LAN events and picked dried paint off its display screen when a twig can misbehaved throughout some overzealous Warhammer portray. I’ve dropped it, banged it, scratched it, it takes some time to start out up, there are coloration band traces that seem on it no less than as soon as per week, and the ability cable falls out when you a lot as have a look at it.
But it surely’s nonetheless a stable show. And I nonetheless use it day by day.
It’s ok
We do a lot of critiques right here at Digital Developments. Numerous monitor and show critiques, particularly. We’re fortunate sufficient to get to see all the most recent and most fun applied sciences, from QD-OLED to mini-LEDs, to ultra-high refresh charges. However as thrilling as all that’s, as a lot as I need a few of it for my primary gaming show, for the secondary monitor? None of that actually issues.
Yea, my UltraSharp 2408WFP isn’t the identical measurement or decision as my 27-inch primary gaming show, so my mouse jumps up once I transition between screens. It’s comparatively sluggish, not that colourful, and it’s beginning to break down in a couple of locations. However as a secondary show for net searching, checking emails, having a YouTube video enjoying whereas I work, and operating benchmarks whereas I write, it’s completely ample.
I, like I’m positive a lot of you, typically get wrapped up within the concept of the following nice innovation over the horizon. I’ve cherished enjoying round with the newest GPUs and CPUs from all the main firms these components few months. I’m desperately making an attempt to not purchase one of many new QD-OLED TVs that my colleagues have been testing.
However I don’t want to exchange the previous Dell. I managed to check the 4090 on it this final week. And it’s acquired my headphone hook glued to its prime nook. I can’t do away with that.
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