| General Considerations Color quality: Notice | | | | achieve the desired results; a rate less than |
| how accurately the monitor reproduces colors. | | | | 70Hz will result in obvious flicker and can |
| The weight given to this factor depends on | | | | lead to eyestrain and headaches. Some cards |
| the purpose for which the monitor is being | | | | support refresh rates of up to 120Hz; if you |
| used. If it is primarily used for word | | | | need this kind of rate to provide an |
| processing or similar functions, this factor | | | | extremely clear and stable image, make sure |
| may be relatively unimportant; if it is used | | | | that your monitor can support it. Before you |
| primarily for graphic design, this factor may | | | | rush to the store to buy a graphics |
| be relatively important. | | | | accelerator card, look carefully at your |
| | | | current system and how you use it. |
| Image quality: Observe whether the image | | | | |
| displayed on the monitor appears well | | | | Consider your color depth and resolution |
| focused. A distortion-free image is very | | | | requirements. If you have a 14- or 15-inch |
| important. | | | | monitor, you'll probably use 800x600 |
| | | | resolution; the preferred resolution for a |
| Ergonomics: Adjustment controls (such as the | | | | 17-inch monitor is 1024x768. Power users with |
| brightness and contrast buttons) should | | | | a 21-inch display will want 1280x1024. The |
| well-placed and easy to use. The monitor | | | | higher the resolution you want, the more |
| should have a range of motion that permits | | | | video memory you'll need. |
| relatively effortless tilting and swiveling. | | | | |
| Make sure that there is sufficient room | | | | When choosing a monitor, also make sure that |
| within your workspace to accommodate the | | | | it supports the same refresh rates as your |
| monitor and its base. | | | | video card. If your video card supports DPMS |
| | | | (Device Power Management Standard), look for |
| Power conservation: With the rising costs of | | | | a DPMS-compliant monitor (most monitors that |
| electricity, it is worth investigating how | | | | meet the EPA's Energy Star guidelines are |
| much power the unit consumes. | | | | DPMS-compliant.) When paired, the two will |
| | | | power down after a period of inactivity. |
| Size Cost, desk space, and type of use are | | | | |
| the most important factors in determining | | | | Color and Display: If possible, don't buy a |
| which size is best for you. Your choices for | | | | monitor sight unseen. Find a store where you |
| monitor size are generally 14, 15, 17, or | | | | can test and compare a number of models. |
| 21-inch. Bigger screens come in bigger boxes, | | | | Check for margins of black around the screen |
| so make sure you've got the desk space to | | | | edges. Ideally, the image should fill the |
| accommodate the size you choose. Another | | | | screen from top to bottom and left to right, |
| point to remember: while a monitor may be | | | | and should be adjustable. Also keep an eye |
| labeled a 15- or 17-inch unit, the actual | | | | out for bowed and pinched edges-see if you |
| image size ("viewable area") may be an inch | | | | can fix the problem by using the "pincushion" |
| or two smaller. | | | | or "barrel" controls. Check for color |
| | | | distortion and poor convergence on the edges |
| Make sure to note the "viewable screen area" | | | | of the screen, and see if the controls |
| measurement (which is the distance from the | | | | improve what you see. |
| top left corner to the bottom right corner of | | | | |
| the screen). | | | | You might try this little test: Fill the |
| | | | entire screen with many letter "E's." Check |
| Fourteen-inch monitors were the standard a | | | | to see that the image covers the entire area, |
| few years ago but the technology has advanced | | | | including the corners. Now make sure that the |
| (and the price has declined) so that your | | | | letters in the corners are as focused and |
| minimum purchase should probably be a 15-inch | | | | bright as the ones in the center. Also, put |
| monitor. If you spend most of your time | | | | up a white background on each monitor and |
| working at resolutions no higher than | | | | adjust the brightness and contrast. This will |
| 800x600, a 15-inch monitor should provide you | | | | help you judge each screens overall |
| with enough room for applications such as | | | | brightness. Pick one or two basic images and |
| word processing and database entry. If you | | | | put the same picture up on each monitor. |
| work at resolutions of 1024x768 or higher, | | | | Compare the color contrast, the brightness |
| you're probably better off with a 17-inch | | | | intensity, and the picture crispness and |
| monitor. A monitor of this size also offers | | | | quality. Finally, put up white text on a dark |
| advantages at lower resolutions-the extra | | | | screen from the C: prompt. Look at the text |
| screen real estate gives you more room to | | | | closely to make sure that the convergence |
| work with multiple windows, applications | | | | (when red, blue and green rays come together |
| minimized to icons, and large spreadsheets. | | | | to create white) is good and that no colors |
| If you use desktop publishing, graphics or | | | | are bleeding out at the characters' edges. |
| CAD applications, a top-of-the-line 17-inch | | | | |
| model offers a viable alternative to a | | | | Flat Panel Displays Today, the LCD (Liquid |
| 21-inch model. Also, working on a 21 inch | | | | Crystal Display) flat-panel display is |
| monitor at 1280x1024 will require a minimum | | | | gaining in popularity, though the |
| of 75Hz. | | | | traditional, CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display |
| | | | is still the most popular. Although there are |
| Display Quality Refresh rates: High refresh | | | | several advantages to the LCD of display, |
| rates help eliminate screen flicker. For most | | | | there are also some drawbacks. |
| people, a rate of 72Hz to 75Hz is enough to | | | | |