Getting the Big Picture on PC Monitors

You’ve got the computer and all the software you need. But what about your monitor?

Large-screen monitors, or those greater than 17 inches, are no longer reserved for desktop publishers and graphics professionals. Whether you use your PC for business or pleasure, the increased viewing area is easier on your eyes and allows you to manipulate multiple open windows with greater efficiency.

You might think that because you have a 15-inch monitor, the viewing area is actually 15 inches. Wrong. You measure a monitor on the diagonal, not on the horizontal or vertical. On a 15-inch monitor, the viewing area is often only about 13.5 inches.

If you’re ready to step up to a larger monitor, be prepared to check out different models and various manufacturers’ claims. Monitors may look alike, but the images vary as much as those on different television sets.

You need to follow some basic guidelines when selecting a monitor. For starters, “dot pitch” is an important consideration. This refers to the distance between the dots, or pixels, that create the text or graphics on the screen.

Just remember this rule: The smaller the dot pitch number, the better the picture.

Dot pitches of 0.28 millimeter or less are good; avoid anything over 0.40 millimeter. As mentioned earlier, a monitor’s viewing area is not always the same as the monitor size advertised. This holds true for large monitors too.

Until recently, I had been using a Samsung SyncMaster 20GLsi with a retail price of about $1,389. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the 20 in the model number means screen real estate. The actual viewing area is 18.75 inches.

I now have ViewSonic’s new 21-inch monitor, the PT813, which sells for about $1,795. Call me spoiled, but the slight difference between the Samsung viewing area and the ViewSonic 20-inch viewing area is noticeable. And the ViewSonic’s sleek design takes up less space on my already cluttered desk.

Because the ViewSonic screen is flat and not bowed like the Samsung’s, the image quality is noticeably richer and brighter. Another reason for the improved image is linked to the monitor’s “refresh” rate, also known as the scanning frequency.

At a resolution of 1,600 by 1,200, the PT813 sports a refresh rate of 85 hertz, while the Samsung’s refresh rate is 66 hertz. Let me explain:

Monitors don’t work alone. Inside your PC, there is a video card. The more memory on the video card, the faster the screen can refresh, and the faster the graphics will appear.

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Kim Komando can be reached via e-mail at komando@komando.com