The Basics:  Computer Monitors

Your computer monitor is perhaps the most important element of your computer setup, other than the CPU itself. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most overlooked, and the monitor is often considered an afterthought when buying a new computer. While you use your keyboard, mouse and other devices to interact with your applications and the internet, you are always looking at your monitor, and an upgraded monitor can greatly enhance your computing experience.

Computer monitors are available in two common formats, CRT and LCD. CRT is yesterday's technology, but this design still provides the best color fidelity, making it a good choice for professionals who deal with color production, including print media, photography and video.

LCD is the most popular format, and for good reason. An LCD monitor at any given size takes up less space, weighs less and uses less energy than an equivalent CRT. Prices for LCD monitors have fallen tremendously in the recent past. Only a couple of years ago, a 21-inch widescreen display cost upward of $1,000. Today, you can find one for well under $300.

LCD monitors are available in two common formats (aspect ratios). The standard format (4:3) is the most familiar. Widescreen (16:9 or 16:10) monitors mimic the aspect ratio of the HDTV format and are an ideal choice for viewing and editing video. In addition, widescreens can easily display multiple documents side by side, so you can work in two or more applications simultaneously.

Perhaps the two most notable negative attributes of LCD monitors are a reduced viewing angle when compared to CRT, and the inability of some LCD monitors to correctly display fast motion. Because of the relatively slow response time of an LCD panel (i.e., how fast a pixel can turn on and off), fast motion can appear blurred or leave trails. Higher-performance LCD monitors tend to reduce, if not eliminate, this problem, although bargain-basement models are all but guaranteed to suffer from it.

LCD's reduced viewing angle makes the stand an important consideration, and a good stand will provide a number of adjustment options. Tilt and swivel should be the minimum capabilities, while a better stand will also allow height adjustment. Some stands even let you switch between landscape and portrait modes.

Manufacturers add bells and whistles to differentiate their products from that of the competition. Some features, such as media card readers and USB hubs, are nice to have but not always necessary. Other features, like multiple video inputs, can be more of a necessity.

Monitor inputs range from basic, such as a single analog VGA-style connection, to advanced, such as an HDMI connection that fully supports HDCP copy protection. In between are an array of analog connections (composite video, S-video and component) and digital connections (DVI).

Five Questions

Answering these five key questions should help guide you to a monitor that will best fit your needs.

What do I do with my computer?

This is the all-important question, because the answer will help determine your minimum requirements. If you only use your computer for basic tasks such as browsing websites, reading and writing e-mail, word processing and some basic financial management, then your main concern is monitor size and whether you want to be able to view multiple windows simultaneously.

If you use your computer for multimedia tasks, such as games, video editing, retouching photos or any other specialized category, then you will need a monitor that is capable of above-average image quality and good color fidelity.

Do I need multiple inputs?

Most monitors have at least two video inputs, usually a VGA-style  (analog) connection and a DVI (digital) connection. These two connections meet the needs of a majority of users, although other inputs may be required for specific tasks. For example, you can use S-video and composite video inputs to connect analog video sources, such as VCRs and older video cameras. A component video connection lets you connect DVD players, new video game systems like Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 and other high-fidelity analog video sources.

Digital connections are made primarily through DVI, although some monitors support the newer HDMI connection. If you plan to watch HD content, make sure that the DVI and/or HDMI connections on your target monitor are HDCP-compliant.

Do I need all the bells and whistles?

The more, the merrier -- within reason. Many extras, such as USB ports and media card readers, are not high-cost add-ons. You can easily purchase these extras as needed later, and for very little money. If desktop space is limited, then a monitor that incorporates these features may be a good choice, even if the overall cost is a bit higher.

Of more fundamental importance are features such as a fully adjustable stand and software to help set up or control the monitor.

Do I play fast-action games or like to watch movies?

This is actually a trick question. No matter how you answer it, you will want a monitor with a fast response time. The speed that an LCD monitor can turn pixels on, then off, then on again is called the response time. Response time can also be measured by how fast a pixel changes from gray to gray. Older and budget LCD monitors have slow response times, resulting in blurry motion or trails behind moving objects. This may not be a problem for reading e-mail or browsing the internet, but it will affect other tasks like watching an embedded video feed on your favorite news site or playing a game that includes fast motion.

For general-purpose use, we recommend a monitor up to 24 inches in size that has a response time of 16 milliseconds or less, with less being better. For gamers, multimedia enthusiasts and color professionals, a response time of 12 milliseconds or less is best. Hard-core gamers and video professionals should look for a response time of 8 milliseconds or less.

Which format is best for me, standard or widescreen?

This can be a personal choice, but if you don't have a strong preference, we recommend considering a widescreen monitor. The widescreen format allows you to view multiple windows side by side, so you can work in more than one application.

Another reason to buy a widescreen display is multimedia. You may not have an HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc player today, but you will probably upgrade or replace your computer long before you need to retire the display. A widescreen display is a better match for both HD DVD and Blu-ray than a standard display.

How to Shop

Watch out for bundled computer deals that include a monitor. While some of these systems include a quality model, the majority of such deals we see do not. Most often, the monitor is whatever is left over in stock, last year's model, or a no-name loss-leader brand with poor specifications.

If you're shopping for a computer as well as a display, it may be better to shop for them as separate items. Once you make your decision, ask the retailer for a package deal on the items you want.

When buying a new monitor independent of a computer purchase, find out what capabilities your current graphics card can support. Of most importance is the type of connection used, usually D-sub (VGA-style) or DVI. The type of connection the display uses must match what your graphics card can handle. Be sure to also check the resolutions your graphics card supports. LCD monitors are best run at their native resolution, so if your graphics card doesn't support the display's native resolution, you may get poor-quality images or no images at all.

Most graphics cards sold in the past few years can easily drive a 19-inch standard or widescreen display, and many can also operate a 20- or 21-inch display. Some older graphics card may have trouble reaching the 1,900X1,200 resolution of a 24-inch widescreen display, or the 2,560X1,600 resolution of a 30-inch display. If your graphics card doesn't measure up, you won't be happy with your new display.

Don't be dazzled by extras, such as USB cards and built-in speakers. While they can break a tie between two otherwise similar monitors, the most important aspect of a monitor is its image quality. You can always add extras, but you can't increase performance.