Your Choice of Monitor Makes a Difference That’s Easy to See
When shopping for a PC, it’s easy to get caught up in the specifications of memory, CPU speed, video boards and all sorts of other technology. But the way I see it, the most important component is right before your eyes.
The monitor you choose for your PC can have an enormous effect on how you enjoy your system and even how you feel after hours of use. The good news is that you usually have a choice in monitors. Even if the computer you buy comes with a monitor, you can probably specify a different model.
Most PCs come with a cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor that is similar to a TV set. However, if you’re willing to spend a lot more money, you can now purchase a flat-panel liquid-crystal display, similar to the screens that come with laptop PCs.
Regardless of the type of monitor you choose, size is clearly a factor. There is a general wisdom that bigger is better, and to an extent, it’s true. Given a choice between a 15- and a 17-inch monitor, I’d go for the larger one, unless desktop space is a big issue.
Anyone who tends to use multiple programs at the same time--like a browser, a word processor and an e-mail program--can benefit from being able to see them all at a glance, each in its own window. That’s possible with any monitor, but larger monitors make it easier.
Also, a larger monitor lets you see more of your documents, which is especially important if you lay out pages and want to see how they’ll look when they’re printed. Serious desktop-publishing professionals often go for 19- or even 21-inch screens, but for the rest of us, 17 inches is plenty. Aside from being a lot more costly and bulkier, larger monitors can actually be a bit harder on the eyes because you’re looking at a larger light source, which can increase eyestrain.
There was a time when I had to warn people about the pitfalls of low-cost monitors, but these days it’s hard to find a monitor that’s really bad. Nevertheless, do make sure the monitor has a dot pitch of 0.28 millimeters or lower. The dot pitch refers to the distance between red, blue and green pixels--the lower the number, the better.
Also, when you look at a monitor in a store, don’t be dazzled by impressive videos, animations or color photos. Just about all decent monitors can display stunning graphics. The true test of a really good one is how well it displays fine lines and small text. If you plan to spend a lot of time looking at words and numbers, test the monitor by opening a text document with small type such as 10-point Times Roman.
Monitor specifications include maximum resolution. Typical business and consumer monitors usually max out at about 1,280 by 1,024 pixels. High-end monitors, designed for computer-aided design and graphics professionals, can display resolutions up to 1,800 by 1,400 pixels, but for most of us, that’s overkill.
If desk space is an issue, look for a monitor with a small footprint relative to the size of the screen. Panasonic and other companies are now offering wide deflection yoke monitors that have about 2 inches less depth than standard units.
Also, some newer monitors come with built-in universal serial bus ports that let you use the monitor as a hub to connect USB keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras and other peripherals. It’s definitely a convenience, but not that big a deal since you can purchase an external USB hub that will do the same thing.
Another option is to get a monitor with built-in speakers. While having the speakers in the monitor saves desk space and looks cool, it limits your choice of speakers. You have far greater flexibility if you buy your speakers separately.
With prices starting around $900 for a 14-inch model, flat-panel LCD screens are still quite a bit more expensive than CRTs, but they have distinct advantages. First, they take up a lot less desk space. Flat-panel displays are usually only about 3 inches deep, compared with about 20 inches for a typical 17-inch CRT. Another big advantage to LCD screens is that they have less flicker than standard tubes. Regular CRTs have a gun that scans up and down or left and right to refresh the screen. With an LCD panel, images are displayed and changed simply by turning pixels on and off. Most people can’t detect the flicker from regular monitors, but some experts say it contributes to eyestrain.
When LCD prices finally come down to Earth, they’ll be a good choice for mainstream users, but for now most of us will have to settle for a CRT. LCD monitors may put a bit less strain on our eyes, but they put a lot more strain on our budgets.
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Lawrence Magid can be reached at larry.magid@latimes.com. His Web page is at https://www.larrysworld.com or keyword LarryMagid on AOL.
