Very confused on new purchase

[topdownshot]

Recently upgraded my very old monitor -

From Envision EN-7100e 17" - 75hz and the response time is listed at 50ms
To Dell U2414h 24" - 60hz and the response time is listed at 8ms

The Dell is running at 74hz overclocked and passed the frame skipping test, but when in fast moving scenes it really strains my eyes. I can't play any fps games on it for more than an hour as my eyes become really heavy feeling, but my old monitor I can easily game a few hours with no issues. I've verified the games were running at the overclocked refresh rate by enabling v-sync and monitoring the lock being set at 74hz. Shouldn't the lower refresh rate of the new monitor be providing a better viewing experience? I looked for maybe a pixel override option on the Dell, but I don't see anything. I'm confused.

[Chief Blur Buster]

The Dell is running at 74hz overclocked and passed the frame skipping test, but when in fast moving scenes it really strains my eyes.

There are many reasons why it strains:
-- PWM dimming
-- Motion blur
-- Colors
-- Other motion artifacts

Can you try the TestUFO ghosting test at www.testufo.com/ghosting
And look at LCD Motion Artifacts 101; tell me if you see the jaggy multi-image artifact from PWM dimming?

I can't play any fps games on it for more than an hour as my eyes become really heavy feeling, but my old monitor I can easily game a few hours with no issues. I've verified the games were running at the overclocked refresh rate by enabling v-sync and monitoring the lock being set at 74hz. Shouldn't the lower refresh rate of the new monitor be providing a better viewing experience? I looked for maybe a pixel override option on the Dell, but I don't see anything. I'm confused.

I am almost certain it is not the refresh rate of your monitor, but some other artifact.

From what I'm reading so far, I highly recommend a PWM-free monitor with a strobe backlight option, found in Official 120Hz Monitor List.
That way, you have so many display settings in order to improve the motion:
-- Eliminating motion blur (if motion blur is cause of your eyestrain); this will often help if high-Hz CRTs had less eyestrain
-- Eliminating PWM (if PWM is cause of your eyestrain); the PWM free monitors reduce motion blur

It can also be a color interaction (e.g. if your colors get wrecked at 74Hz) or a strange PWM artifact (e.g. 180Hz PWM interacting with 74Hz overclock, causing beat-frequency effects in the form of quivery/udulating PWM artifacts at http://www.testufo.com/ghosting ...)

[topdownshot]

The Dell is running at 74hz overclocked and passed the frame skipping test, but when in fast moving scenes it really strains my eyes.

There are many reasons why it strains:
-- PWM dimming
-- Motion blur
-- Colors
-- Other motion artifacts

Can you try the TestUFO ghosting test at http://www.testufo.com/ghosting
And look at LCD Motion Artifacts 101; tell me if you see the jaggy multi-image artifact from PWM dimming?

I can't play any fps games on it for more than an hour as my eyes become really heavy feeling, but my old monitor I can easily game a few hours with no issues. I've verified the games were running at the overclocked refresh rate by enabling v-sync and monitoring the lock being set at 74hz. Shouldn't the lower refresh rate of the new monitor be providing a better viewing experience? I looked for maybe a pixel override option on the Dell, but I don't see anything. I'm confused.

I am almost certain it is not the refresh rate of your monitor, but some other artifact.

From what I'm reading so far, I highly recommend a PWM-free monitor with a strobe backlight option, found in Official 120Hz Monitor List.
That way, you have so many display settings in order to improve the motion:
-- Eliminating motion blur (if motion blur is cause of your eyestrain); this will often help if high-Hz CRTs had less eyestrain
-- Eliminating PWM (if PWM is cause of your eyestrain); the PWM free monitors reduce motion blur

It can also be a color interaction (e.g. if your colors get wrecked at 74Hz) or a strange PWM artifact (e.g. 180Hz PWM interacting with 74Hz overclock, causing beat-frequency effects in the form of quivery/udulating PWM artifacts at http://www.testufo.com/ghosting ...)

I think it's motion blur? I don't see any ghosting, artifacts, inverse ghosting, but just focusing on the UFO strains my eyes quickly. The weird thing is, I did the test on the older monitor and I can see some ghosting, but it doesn't hurt my eyes like the Dell, I can stare at it for a few minute and my eyes are fine. Also, according to reviews, this Dell monitor is suppose to be PWM free all the way down to 0 brightness.

[Chief Blur Buster]

-- Is the monitor bright? Maybe too bright for your eyes; try reducing brightness.

-- If it's only motion that strains your eyes, try getting a 120Hz monitor with a motion blur reduction feature such as LightBoost, Turbo240, BENQ Blur Reduction, or ULMB. Preferably the latter three, as LightBoost is the oldest (and causes some color quality degradation).

[topdownshot]

No, it's actually very low brightness at about 40%. And to be honest, I think 120hz monitor is overkill for me. My old monitor 75hz suited me very well, it's just very small and dated.

Here is a picture I took, I'm not sure if my camera settings effect the outcome, but this looks pretty bad http://i.imgur.com/BHvRx7D.jpg

And here is the same monitor from a review site:

[DICKTracy]

Here is a picture I took, I'm not sure if my camera settings effect the outcome, but this looks pretty bad http://i.imgur.com/BHvRx7D.jpg

And here is the same monitor from a review site:

You would need to make sure that you are using the same shutter speed, otherwise you cannot compare the photos.

[topdownshot]

Well I tweaked some settings and it comes out much better - http://i.imgur.com/kUGNxe4.jpg

I still don't get why I'm getting such bad eye strain when this newer monitor can match the specs and has a faster response time. Maybe I'm interpreting it wrong? 50ms vs 8ms G2G?

[DICKTracy]

Well I tweaked some settings and it comes out much better - http://i.imgur.com/kUGNxe4.jpg

I still don't get why I'm getting such bad eye strain when this newer monitor can match the specs and has a faster response time. Maybe I'm interpreting it wrong? 50ms vs 8ms G2G?

What is the ambient light like in the room? Also, how close are you sitting to the screen?

[topdownshot]

Sitting about 2.5 feet away and light is normal. There are 3 windows in the room and I use a desk lamp at night.

[Chief Blur Buster]

Another theory: Too much blue spectrum? Try testing a warm color temperature, either via monitor adjustments or via a software utility called "F.Lux". See if that makes your eyestrain disappear.