VGA vs DVI connection to monitor

The stuff I find using Google doesn't seem to be authoritative in any
way on this question..

I am receiving a new monitor (Dell U2311h) next week, and it can be
connected by various types of cable. My graphics card can use VGA or
DVI. The question is, will I experience any benefit by paying for and
using a DVI connection over using the included VGA connection?

I'm interested specifically in responses relating to photo editing.

Dave S.

Dave,

Many Dell monitors are supplied with both VGA and DVI cables, so you may
be able to test for yourself with no extra cost. Here, I've not noticed
any significant difference - perhaps even /any/ difference - between VGA
and DVI cables. I have heard that some monitors don't allow control over
digital inputs, but I don't think that will apply to the Dell.

What I /would/ urge you to try is to clear some desk space and keep both
old /and/ new monitors, and using the two outputs on your graphics card to
create a two-monitor setup. Going from one monitor to two was one of the
most productive changes I made on my PC.

Cheers,
David

On Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:04:37 -0600, DaveS wrote:

On 1/21/2011 1:41 PM, David J Taylor wrote:
The stuff I find using Google doesn't seem to be authoritative in any
way on this question..

I am receiving a new monitor (Dell U2311h) next week, and it can be
connected by various types of cable. My graphics card can use VGA or
DVI. The question is, will I experience any benefit by paying for and
using a DVI connection over using the included VGA connection?

I'm interested specifically in responses relating to photo editing.

Dave S.

Dave,

Many Dell monitors are supplied with both VGA and DVI cables, so you may
be able to test for yourself with no extra cost. Here, I've not noticed
any significant difference - perhaps even /any/ difference - between VGA
and DVI cables. I have heard that some monitors don't allow control over
digital inputs, but I don't think that will apply to the Dell.

What I /would/ urge you to try is to clear some desk space and keep both
old /and/ new monitors, and using the two outputs on your graphics card
to create a two-monitor setup. Going from one monitor to two was one of
the most productive changes I made on my PC.

Cheers,
David

Thanks for the advice.

I'm afraid I'm far behind you on the second part of your message,
though. My previous (current, as of today) monitor is a CRT. I had
resisted replacing CRT with LCD because of reading that LCD were not as
colour accurate until this week when differences between my brother's
view of a photo varied so drastically with mine, that I checked a
calibration web site and found I was missing several distinctions at the
dark end.

One step at a time.

I'm now on my second Dell monitor using DVI and I wouldn't go back to
the less stable analogue connection.

What I would highly recommend is that if you are doing photo editing
you should invest in screen calibration equipment (I use Spyder).
Small and almost subtle changes in the screen can result in large
changes in what you print. Its highly frustrating when you can't get
the same print results as you did several months previously.



Eric Stevens