Hey OCNers,
I'm looking for your feedback/suggestions/experience here.
I bought a new Dell P2414H a couple of weeks back. Initially I thought it looked great, especially compared to the Samsung SyncMaster 206BW with progressively worsening banding issues I'm currently using. Until I noticed some backlight bleed issues while playing STALKER CoP. I also tested with a Penumbra game and the BLB was noticeable during gameplay there as well. On the lower left side there's a big bright blotch that at first made me think there was light coming from somewhere behind me (which happens occasionally with sunlight during the day) which wasn't the case since this was night time and the only light that was on can be seen in the picture below (and with all lights off the BLB is the same). And on the bottom right there's also a small but clearly visible bright spot. On the top and right hand side there is also some BLB but that didn't bother me since it's only visible with a completely black background (I tend to limit my time staring at black screens) and I realize that some BLB is to be expected. Other than the BLB I was really happy with the improvements of the Dell over my previous monitor.
Now I've already sent this monitor back but I'm still wondering what you guys think. Is it too much BLB for you as well or would you consider it acceptable? I used the LCD monitor test images at lagom to calibrate the monitor (didn't need much of it) and ended up with a brightness setting of 35 iirc (no higher in any case).
Before I sent it back to the webshop I received very specific instructions to make sure the monitor was re-packaged as it originally had been (understandable and not a problem since I tend to keep the original packaging for a year or more just in case), to not tape anything to the original box and to then package the original box in another box so not even the original box can be damaged during the return shipping. I'm cool with that and have plenty of spare boxes lying around so complied with their instructions.
After a week and a half I hadn't heard anything so sent them an email with a request for some sort of ETA. They replied that the monitor was with Dell so they didn't have an ETA but would send Dell an email reminder. A day later I received a notice that my product had shipped and this afternoon I received...it.
I've never had to return many items and when I did I always received a well packaged new product back so I don't have any experience with refurbished products. And certainly not with this sort of packaging. I'm not going to say they (whomever that may have been) dumped the monitor into the box but as far as I'm concerned they came pretty close. When I removed the brown tape from the top of the box the flaps sort of opened by themselves because the spring loaded monitor stand pushed itself upward. Besides then opening the flaps a bit more myself I haven't touched anything else in those first two pictures. I then pulled out the monitor by the stand, leaned it against the box as it was sitting in the box and took the last picture. I don't really want to touch it any more than that. One corner of the monitor was resting on the bottom of the box with just a thin layer of that foam cover protecting it from bumps (I have subsequently checked and there is absolutely no visible damage anywhere on the monitor). I find it absolutely ridiculous that you could send a monitor to a customer this way, even if it's a refurbished model.
Just for reference here's an unboxing video for a new Dell P2414H. I actually used this video two weeks ago to make sure I had re-packaged the original monitor properly.
So what do you guys think? Should I even hook this thing up tonight to see if it's working? Is it acceptable that they even sent me a refurbished model? How ridiculous do you find the manner in which they packaged this thing? Am I overreacting and whiney? Looking for some 0.02 cents, thanks.
I'm looking for your feedback/suggestions/experience here.
I bought a new Dell P2414H a couple of weeks back. Initially I thought it looked great, especially compared to the Samsung SyncMaster 206BW with progressively worsening banding issues I'm currently using. Until I noticed some backlight bleed issues while playing STALKER CoP. I also tested with a Penumbra game and the BLB was noticeable during gameplay there as well. On the lower left side there's a big bright blotch that at first made me think there was light coming from somewhere behind me (which happens occasionally with sunlight during the day) which wasn't the case since this was night time and the only light that was on can be seen in the picture below (and with all lights off the BLB is the same). And on the bottom right there's also a small but clearly visible bright spot. On the top and right hand side there is also some BLB but that didn't bother me since it's only visible with a completely black background (I tend to limit my time staring at black screens) and I realize that some BLB is to be expected. Other than the BLB I was really happy with the improvements of the Dell over my previous monitor.
Now I've already sent this monitor back but I'm still wondering what you guys think. Is it too much BLB for you as well or would you consider it acceptable? I used the LCD monitor test images at lagom to calibrate the monitor (didn't need much of it) and ended up with a brightness setting of 35 iirc (no higher in any case).
Before I sent it back to the webshop I received very specific instructions to make sure the monitor was re-packaged as it originally had been (understandable and not a problem since I tend to keep the original packaging for a year or more just in case), to not tape anything to the original box and to then package the original box in another box so not even the original box can be damaged during the return shipping. I'm cool with that and have plenty of spare boxes lying around so complied with their instructions.
After a week and a half I hadn't heard anything so sent them an email with a request for some sort of ETA. They replied that the monitor was with Dell so they didn't have an ETA but would send Dell an email reminder. A day later I received a notice that my product had shipped and this afternoon I received...it.
I've never had to return many items and when I did I always received a well packaged new product back so I don't have any experience with refurbished products. And certainly not with this sort of packaging. I'm not going to say they (whomever that may have been) dumped the monitor into the box but as far as I'm concerned they came pretty close. When I removed the brown tape from the top of the box the flaps sort of opened by themselves because the spring loaded monitor stand pushed itself upward. Besides then opening the flaps a bit more myself I haven't touched anything else in those first two pictures. I then pulled out the monitor by the stand, leaned it against the box as it was sitting in the box and took the last picture. I don't really want to touch it any more than that. One corner of the monitor was resting on the bottom of the box with just a thin layer of that foam cover protecting it from bumps (I have subsequently checked and there is absolutely no visible damage anywhere on the monitor). I find it absolutely ridiculous that you could send a monitor to a customer this way, even if it's a refurbished model.
Just for reference here's an unboxing video for a new Dell P2414H. I actually used this video two weeks ago to make sure I had re-packaged the original monitor properly.
So what do you guys think? Should I even hook this thing up tonight to see if it's working? Is it acceptable that they even sent me a refurbished model? How ridiculous do you find the manner in which they packaged this thing? Am I overreacting and whiney? Looking for some 0.02 cents, thanks.
