Extreme gamers are a special breed. Not only do they require a steady diet of the latest and most demanding games, they demand (or more often, desire) the latest piece of hot hardware that is available in the market.

                                     The PC is there, somewhere...

A clarification is in order though: “Extreme gamers” aren’t necessarily persons who play games at max resolutions and at the highest settings. I have met gamers who have systems that rival only their grandmother’s email-box for speed, yet they still enjoy their chosen passion of gaming to the fullest. Granted, special hardware means better performance in newer games, but the gamers who really appreciate games for what they can do for an entertainment-starved mind don’t mind old hardware, as long as it works.

Then there’s the extreme gamer who doesn’t necessarily “game” on their computers, they make their games “go fast” on their computers – prime examples would be the tech guy who downloads and runs 3DMark 2006 every time they install a new component into their system – before they load the latest game. I am frankly a “gamer” of this variety, for want of a better description.

                                      ViewSonic = Finches?

One piece of hot hardware that will be a Godsend for either type of gamer is the ViewSonic VX1932wm. This sweet 19” widescreen LCD from ViewSonic boasts primarily of one thing: its 2ms response time. This is not “only” a black-to-white transition number (explanation in a moment) - it describes the speed the LCD can transition from gray through its whole color spectrum, and back to gray. Black to white transition describes how fast the LCD can change from darkest to lightest, and has been used for years as an LCD specification, mainly due to its capacity for misinterpretation, and thus capacity for marketing hype. Gray-to-gray (GTG from here onwards) is a fixed specification, and is easier to use for comparison between different LCD panels.

                                        Mr. Bean would love this monitor...

In other words, GTG transition is a more accurate indication of how fast an LCD panel can react to changes in video input, which is all-important in fast moving games. Thus ViewSonic’s focus on the gamer’s market for its 2ms LCD. To call this extreme is almost an understatement – for comparison, a blink of the eye takes from 300 to 400 milliseconds – which means anywhere from 150 to 200 subtle changes on this LCD would have come and gone from the time a gamer blinked!

                                       This is definitely not a mugshot...

The VX1932wm is a widescreen panel running at 1440x900 native resolution. Connectivity is adequate, a DVI and a D-Sub connector for both digital and analogue inputs is provided, as well as an audio-in and the requisite power socket. The panel looks “suspended” courtesy of a base that connects to the main display from the rear and holds it forward of the base. “Piano black” is how the fascia is described, and it sure looks shiny enough – just watch out for fingerprints as the finish is susceptible to you “leaving your mark” on it.

These specifications will definitely please any kind of gamer plus their grandmothers, though I doubt anyone can type e-mail fast enough to see the advantage of a 2ms screen. For “extreme gamers” who benchmark and want to see their games go fast, the 2ms response time coupled with precise color renditions will make their Displaymate testing sessions happy affairs, while the “gaming gamer” will appreciate that no ghosting will appear in fast games, and there will be enough screen space to fit in all their DOTA shortcuts.

For any type of computer user who just want to treat their eyes to something special, the VX1932wm will surely give them an eyeful – just make sure you don’t blink while you use it.

                                        It's true! Some grandmas are gamers...

Credits:

http://www.nerve.com/regulars/lifeswork/grandmahardcore/ - Not all grandmas only know how to use email...

http://www.dotcomedy.com/bean/ - there was a better pic of him "keeping his eyes peeled" - but I couldn't find it... - the one when he was driving overnight...