Liquid Crystal Display monitors are here to stay.
Switching over from a conventional CRT monitor to the new age LCD monitor has become more of a necessity than a need. Deciding upon the right monitor, for your computer, is a vital issue of key importance that ensures the perfect user-experience while using your computer.
CRT monitors still do posses an unbeaten level of colour fidelity that makes them an obvious choice of professionals who deal with issues linked with colour and design. CRT monitors are capable of handling an infinite number of colours on theirs screens. Whereas, LCD monitors can handle only a limited number of colours, - an average of 16 million, which is a reason for it practising a lesser degree of colour fidelity. This being one of the few advantages of CRT monitors over LCD monitors, the latter is fast becoming more popular, due its space saving capabilities. Emerging trends in LCD technology have made LCD monitors more affordable and future compatible.
Even though LCD monitors offer fewer viewing angles that its counterpart the CRT, LCD monitors are more relevant in today’s high-end, user experience driven, computing environment. Available in a wide range of sizes and prices, LCD monitors come in two basic formats. The standard 4: 3 format and the widescreen 16: 9 or 16:10 format. The widescreen format is a big hit with computer users of all ages because of its stylish and aesthetic appearance. The widescreen LCD monitor also gives you more screen real-estate, which allows you to access and run multiple operations side by side.
In accordance with changing market needs, LCD manufacturers are coming out with newer and improved models that are agile and power packed with performance features, which surpass even the best of CRT monitors as far as colour fidelity is concerned. A few key points that will help you decide upon the perfect LCD monitor that fulfils all your needs are listed below.
ASSESS YOUR NEED
If you are going to use your computer to send and receive email, browse the internet and type documents or do basic accounting, then the only point of concern is to decide upon the size or dimension of the monitor. Running and working with multimedia on your computer would require an LCD monitor that can give you the best in image quality and colour fidelity.
RESPOND TO THE RESPONSE TIME
The amount of time a pixel takes to change its colour is measured in milliseconds, and referred to as response rate or response time. A higher response time will result in the image, ghosting and streaking. An ideal response time for viewing images without distortion would be around 12 milliseconds. Of late manufacturers have been coming out with high speed response rate monitors whose response time is lesser that 3 milliseconds.
INTERROGATE THE INPUTS
LCD monitors need to convert analog signals into digital signals for displaying them, as the monitors cannot process analog signals. You don’t exactly need to have a digital connection, since a digital video interface [DVI] works is association with a graphic card to send all of the analog signals as digital signals and also mange to do a great job of it. If watching High Definition content on your LCD monitor is on your agenda then be sure to check whether the High Definition Multimedia Interface [HDMI] connection is compliant with HDCP standards.
THROW SOME LIGHT ON LUMINANCE
Check out the brightness of your target monitor, which is dependant on the amount of light a pixel is able to produce. Basic images on your monitor can look good with around 200 to 250 nits [unit for measuring brightness].Running graphics or movies would require an average brightness of 500 nits.
A few pointers that can help you get the best deal:
- Check for pixels that never illuminate it self. Monitors come with dead pixels which are not unusual for LCD monitors.
- Your graphics card is of key importance for getting great picture quality on your LCD monitor. Do not expect a brand new monitor to excel in its performance, if you are going to hook it on to an ancient CPU.
- Check for uniformity in the brightness of multiple images that are set contrastingly, on the same screen.
- Search for monitors that deliver clear and bright images on multiple viewing angles.
- The most important feature of an LCD monitor is its image quality. Do not compromise on image quality for upgradeable options like USB cards and built in high end speakers. As far as the dimensions or size of a monitor is concerned, go in for an average size of 22 inches to 24inches since, LCD monitors do not vary much in cost in relation to size. A bigger monitor will ensure a better user experience.
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