Contrast/Colors issue with the new UltraSharp 2208WFP

Hi carish. I'm affraid that your observations are totally true: the new 2208WFP uses a cheap TN panel instead of the high efficiency S-IPS or S-PVA on the 2007WFP. Actual TN panels are a lot better than previous years, their specs are getting close to the ones on professional oriented and much more expensive technologies such a those, and that's why brands are starting to migrate to TN technolgy on their expensive models too. Still, for a pro (and you prove to have a good eye!), TN has still too many faults to be usable.

On Dell side, things are a bit confusing, because customers associates the Ultrasharp line to IPS or PVA/MVA panels. But in this case Dell uses the word Ultrasharp to define the ergonomic stand and additional ports and inputs. Perhaps CrhisM can explain it better.

My recommendation is to get rid of it and buy a 2007WFP or a 2407WFP instead.

Somnio thanks for clearing something up for me. I have been going crazy trying to figure out the new dell monitors. I currently have a 2007fp, about 1.5 years old that I love. I need to replace an old 19inch monitor and wanted to buy another 2007fp. Cant find it on the site anymore and going over the specs of the new monitors was making me think I was crazy. Now you have confirmed for me that yes indeed they have changed the meaning of Ultrashrap to be "ergonomic stand and additional ports and inputs" I did find the 2007wfp on the small business site and ordered that crossing my fingers since it has a 6 week wait for delivery. I hope they have a few left. A few weeks ago I got a TN panel at work, its just not as nice. To bad dell has messed with one of its finest products.

hi Thank you. I am already in the process of returning the screen to Dell. Got a return from them and currently trying to get a 22" and up monitor that is equivalent to the 20" i got as far as contrast. Is the 2407 as good as my 20"? If so, i know that there are different versions, how do i know which to get? which is better. I am so ignorant at those things and don't want to get one, specially since now it will have to be eBay or something... and returning there isn't as easy. I see that Dell doesn't have the 2407 anymore and has this one: UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC 24-inch. Is this one also a "word that was screened" new version or does it actually have the same good quality of the 20"? Should i go with the 22" silver one? Any recommendations are welcome. IMPORTANT: What's most important to me is to have the same view on both because i do graphics and photography which involves a lot of comparison between images on two different screens. Thanks people

The 2407WFP-HC is supposed to be better than its predecessor-the 2407WFP and in fact it is ! You will not regret if you buy an UltraSharp, let alone a high-color one ! This monitor uses only one panel module, for your information, so don't worry about the panel kind of things. The 2208WFP ( without the SP ) is an UltraSharp. Unfortunately, it has a TN panel which is never as good as an S-IPS or S-PVA. The SP2008WFP is not even an UltraSharp. I am still waiting for an official successor of the 2007WFP.

well first of all, thank you. I think I want to stick to a 20 or 22 inches for the purpose of staying on 1650x1080 native resolution. Works better when I remote desktop and use other features frequently. So if I want to get a 22", which will give me same contrast (again, not specs but actual looks) as my 2007WFP UltraSharp? If the 2208WFP isn't good, will the SP2208WFP give me the quality and contrast i need? Does it use the right panel? Thanks again.

Hi carish1. First of all, to find a model that behave exactly the same os your actual 2007WFP can be problematic, because those panels are not longer on production, so lets assume that you MUST do some color correction to get the two of them working together. That said, what you need then is a monitor that can match most of the sRGB gamma without loosing any tones.

As HiLine wrote, Dell is offering now an "enhanced" version of the 2407WFP called HC (for high color). This panel is supposed to match 90% of Adobe Color Space, that is a 25% more than sRGB.


Dell 2407WFP-HC gamut (BeHardware)

The downside is called color saturation: in comparison to your 2007WFP they will look too saturated. That means that perhaps can be a problematic to have the two side by side, BUT the high color stuff seems a good idea for photo or video.


Photo: user SAL.

If you're going to buy this panel, I suggest to start looking on photography forums, to get an insight about the color saturation problem, and how to correct it.

Finally, to simplify a bit all this mess, what you need is a IPS or PVA or MVA panel. To get a clue reading the specs: viewing angles must be 175 or more for both horizontal and vertical; contrast ratio between 800 and 2000; 16.7 million colors; speed never less than 5ms.

Message Edited by Somnio on 11-25-2007 08:32 AM

Thank you for the detailed reply. As i mentioned, i am less interested in a 24" due to the native resolution issue. I would rather stick to a 1650x1080 native resolution. Therefore i am either getting a second 2007WFP or a new 2008WFP but that will be better then the one i am returning. Question is, again, is the SP2208WFP considered the "better" as far as panel and components? if not, and i have to get a second 20" as the one i have and love, it would be a second 2007WFP Ultra Sharp. If i chose that second option, how do i make sure I get the same revision or the "better: revision? How do i check the revision on mine now? reminder, i have the 2007WFP UltraSharp now. Thank a lot!

As far as I know, SP2208WFP has a TN panel pretty similar to the one on the 2008WFP, and is considered "better" because the built in extras (webcam, etc).

I assume you are referring to the SP2008WFP. The SP2208WFP is predictably not as good as the UltraSharp 2208WFP in terms of image quality and features. The integrated webcam is an advantage of the SP2208WFP though.

UWPhotographer,

I gather that the new 22"2208WFP uses a TN panel
* Correct.

and underperforms the 2007WP
* Thats subjective. In gaming, it looks better than the 2007WFP.

which uses a PVA (?) panel.
* The 2007WFP used S-PVA and S-IPS panels.

However, I find that you can no longer find the 2007WFP on Dell's website either, it having been replaced by the new 2008WFP.
* There is no such thing as the 2008WFP.

Does anyone know if the latter (2008) still uses a PVA panel or have they resorted to a TN panel for this monitor as well?
* There is no such thing as the 2008WFP.

The SP2008WFP has a TN panel.

Thanks for posting your comments "carish1"; just wish I'd read your post before purchasing the 2208WFP. Like you, I have a couple of the 2007WFP (20" widescreen ultrasharp) LCDs and couldn't be happier with the quality; even more so now after seeing the inferior 2208WFP. I've read a few conflicting reviews about the 2208WFP, some indicating how happy they are with it (it sent me off scouring over the documentation and the box to find out if I had in fact received a 2208WFP).

 

I have to say, for me, it wasn't even necessary to set the two side-by-side to immediately see the difference? I couldn't help but think of dot matrix printing. What is the story with the colours? "too bright and too glowy" is a spot on description. The colours look un-natural and they don't seem to blend, it's like someone has reduced the number of colours on the display properties and is over compensating with the available palette. Mind you, this was after spending a good couple of hours using both the monitor controls and the nVidia control panel to make adjustments on three different graphics cards.

 

That brings me to the quality of text; the more I look at it, the more evident the greens and blues become around the edges (and I don't use drugs) - they're definitely not a distinctive black like on the Dell Inspiron 9400 I'm using now.

 

In general I could only describe the picture as washed out despite the almost flourescent colours, like a CRT from the 80's reaching it's 8 year life span. It kind of figures now, I purchased the 2208WFP for less than half the price of my lovely 2007WFP unit; it stands to reason that DELL have used cheaper components to bring the price down and it all made sense when I read "Somnio's" comment, "I'm affraid that your observations are totally true: the new 2208WFP uses a cheap TN panel instead of the high efficiency S-IPS or S-PVA on the 2007WFP"

 

Anyway, the 2007WFP resumes it's position on my desk and I have renewed appreciation for it. Had hoped to increase the size to 22" and assumed this is what I'd be getting with the purchase of the 2208WFP ULTRASHARP (I was misled into thinking a 22" inch ULTRASHARP would use the same technology as its 20" counterpart, just with a little extra). I'll be calling DELL very shortly to try and organise a return.