I used to have one of those 6-bit LCD monitors. Now I have an 8-bit. My new monitor is amazingly better, but there are so many other differences (contrast ratio, response time, etc.) that I'd be hard pressed to tell you how much was due to the difference in bit-depth and dithering.

On the other hand, my opinion is that if you're getting a 6-bit monitor, it probably is cutting corners in other ways, too. You often see 300 cd/mm versus 400 cd/mm brightness, 700:1 instead of 20,000:1 contrast, 12 ms response versus 2 ms response. All these things add up to a vastly different experience.

I use my monitor more than any other device in my life - anywhere from 10 to 18 hours a day. My feeling is that of all the devices in your life, this is the LAST one you should cheap-out on. The next one is your mattress.

if you can afford it, spend $400-$500 on a 24" or bigger monitor. It is an amazing difference. I recommend Samsung.

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Renderosity forum reply notifications are wonky. If I read a follow-up in a thread, but I don't myself reply, then notifications no longer happen AT ALL on that thread. So if I seem to be ignoring a question, that's why. (Updated September 23, 2019)