Hi Cort,
(My comments are purely subjective as I ain't no kind of
monitor expert.)
Understand your concern about second failing, and it very
well might, but like most everything you can't say for sure
statistically that since a similar unit failed the other one
you have will fail too. Doesn't work that way. Your odds are
higher it will though. So... If I had spare money and was
worried about failure in a contest where I was unable to
continue by rearranging things to fit on one monitor I would
buy two new monitors. Otherwise I would just buy one to
replace the failed unit.
As to what kind, I hear more and more people saying electronic
reliability is becoming more consistent across the board. I am
partial to Vizio, but have Dell, HP, AOC, and Sharp TV's and
monitors. I typically stick with a brand that has more name
recognition as I think, perhaps falsely, that they have more
experience making products that last than less familiar names.
I've never had a bad Vizio monitor and will usually pay a few
dollars more if one of them is available. But I have no qualms
about others. Saw a 24" in Wal-Mart a couple days ago for
around $125.
I have come to like the extra real estate room of at least
a 24" monitor. Another plus for that size is if your second
(or third like I have) fails you have more room to fit stuff
you want into the other one (or two).
Kevan
N4XL