Thanks for the reply, tetsuo. I tried using a different D-sub cable, no difference. I don't think the graphics card (actually onboard) is the problem, as the image quality is fine with the Iiyama CRT. Unless some cards have problems with TFT displays?
I looked at some of the same test images & pages today on a friend's Samsung 913N, connected to his Mac mini. Different computer, room & lighting, so not a direct comparison, but they all looked better on the Samsung than on the Dell. The Samsung reproduced a wider range of grays on my grayscale test page (which has 256 shades), only losing the lightest 2-3 shades as white whereas the Dell loses the lightest 8-12, depending on gamma. Grayscale images maintained subtle shading on highlights that were bleached out on the Dell. No minty tinges! Pretty good subtlety of skin tones on highlights where the Dell was burnt out and oversaturated.
In general images on the Samsung looked more like those on my Iiyama CRT. I was surprised by how good the tonal range and colours were, considering that it has, I believe, a 6-bit panel. I'd like to evaluate it more carefully in better lighting conditions and side-by-side with the Dell, but first impressions were favourable.
I found a review of an Iiyama TFT where image quality in general, and tonal range in particular, was said to be much better with DVI than with D-sub:
- Follow link "CRT v LCD". Maybe I'll try the Dell on the DVI connection on my friends Mac. Perhaps, as you say, I just got a sub-standard unit.
Thanks for the Eizo recommendation, sadly these are out of my price range unless I find a secondhand bargain. Bit wary of those now, though!
Re eye strain, I haven't noticed the Dell being any better than my Iiyama CRT. I run the latter at 85Hz and don't see any flicker.
Thanks again for your response.