Your monitor can be the single most expensive component of your computer system. This means a lot of money can be either spent, or saved, on this purchase depending on the choice you make. You should keep in mind that there is a lot more to computer monitors than just the size of the screen. Familiarize yourself with the various aspects of computer monitors before you head out shopping for one to make sure you are making the best choice and getting the best deal.
A computer monitor is not much different from a high quality television. Of course, one obvious difference is that with a computer monitor, you sit very close and need to read fine detail such as words and numbers. This means that a computer monitor needs to have very fine definition and be able to keep images nice and stable on the screen so that you do not strain your eyes.
The first thing to consider is whether to go with CRT or LCD. If you are looking for a basic inexpensive model, a CRT (cathode-ray tube) would be the best choice. If your are short on space, you should consider a flat-panel LCD (liquid crystal display). The screen is very thin, which means you can get a larger screen in a small space. They look sleek and fashionable, and for image quality, a flat-panel cannot be beat. However, the LCD screens are more expensive than the CRT, so you will have to decide which suits your style and budget the best.
The resolution of the monitor is an important specification that tells you the number of pixels that can appear on the screen at one time. If your screen settings are set to 1024 by 768, this means there are 1024 pixels along the top of the screen and 768 along the side. Having higher numbers in the resolution means the monitor displays images and words with much finer detail. Many monitors will be described as having a maximum resolution. This refers to the highest resolution setting possible, and most likely the monitor will have an optimum setting that is slightly below this maximum resolution.
The higher resolutions are the best if you want to look at graphics because more of the picture will fit on the screen at once and in more detail. However, if you are looking at text and numbers this may not be the best. For instance if you were looking at a number that was 10 pixels high, it will get smaller and smaller as the resolution factor increases. If you have your screen settings set to a lower resolution so that the words and numbers are at a readable size, then you are wasting money on the higher resolution monitor.
Of course, the most obvious specification is the size, and size does matter when it comes to computer monitors. A bigger monitor can make the picture bigger, and allow for higher resolutions, without the text getting too small. It is best to buy as big as you can afford. With a larger monitor, you can always adjust the settings and resolution to suit your requirements. If you buy something too small, then you are stuck with the size limit.
There are some other important things to remember when selecting a monitor. For starters, your video card is crucial to the overall picture quality of your monitor. A monitor that has a resolution of 1280 by 1024 but is combined with a lower quality video card with a resolution of only 640 by 480, then the result is going to be a picture of 640 by 480. If you do not have a top-end video card, then you would be wasting your money to buy a top-end monitor. However, if you have already spent a lot of money on a high performance video card, you should get a high quality monitor to take advantage of the video card’s performance.
Also, remember that the monitors on the shelf are hooked up to different machines. So if you are comparing picture quality at the store, make sure each monitor has the same picture on it using machines with the same video cards. Also, make sure that each monitor is set to the same resolution so you are making fair comparisons. The computers at the store may have a much better video card than you have at home so the picture may look better in the store than it does when you get home.
The best way to select your computer monitor is to go to a few stores and take a look for yourself. You need to figure out what your needs are, find the monitors that will fit those needs, and then make your comparisons. Make sure the store lets you see both images and text on the screens and ask to see them at different resolutions. Most importantly, is to make sure you are happy with what you see, as you will be the one looking at that monitor for quite a while.