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LCD monitors are rapidly replacing Cathode
Ray Tube (CRT) screens as the standard computer
display device. Unlike the old monitors,
which differ little from screens used for
decades for television sets, an LCD monitor
is a large array of silicon based components
that emit light when activated. LCD displays
are lighter, use much less energy, and are
far thinner than corresponding CRT displays,
especially as the screen size increases.
Compare these features when looking
for an
LCD monitor:
- Screen size for LCD monitors is measured diagonally
across the face of the screen from an upper
corner to the lower corner on the opposite
side. Unlike CRT's, LCD monitor sizes measure
only the viewing area and every inch of it
is fully usable, so an 18-inch LCD has roughly
the same surface area as a 19-inch CRT.
- Resolution is the number of pixels (active points)
on the screen that can display a dot of color,
and increases with the screen size. The higher
the resolution, the more information or more
detail you can view on the screen. However,
unlike CRT's, LCD monitors suffer serious
degradation in image quality when they are
run at a lower resolution than the specified
maximum because the size of the points of
light that make up the image are fixed. Consequently,
when all else is equal, a lower resolution
screen will actually be sharper when run
at it's maximum resolution than a higher
resolution screen run at the same resolution.
- Contrast ratio indicates the difference between the darkest
and lightest points the screen can display.
The higher the contrast ratio, the greater
the crispness of the display. Look for ratios
of at least 350:1; a ratio of 500:1 or better
produces a stunning image.
- Brightness is a simple measure of how much light the
screen can project, which may be very important
if you use the screen in areas where ambient
light might wash out the image display. Gamers
also prefer greater brightness to add snap
to game images, though other users, such
as professional artists, may prefer less
brightness to gain a more natural rendering
of visual works. Look for value of around
250 candles per square meter (cd/m2).
- Viewing angle tells you how far to the side of the screen
you can comfortably view it. The technology
of LCD displays tend to project the light
more directly forward than a CRT does so
that image fading is noticeable as you move
from directly in front of the screen to the
side. If you expect to use the display to
group viewing, or in combination with many
other displays, a wider viewing angle is
important.
- Response time is a measure of how quickly the individual
points of light that make up the screen can
change. Slow response times mean you may
see a blurry trace, known as ghosting, as
the cursor moves quickly across the screen.
Fast response times are essential for gaming
where high frame rates are a virtue and may
also be important if you use your monitor
for video. Response times of less than 25
ms mark the top end of the current range.
All screens should allow changing of the
screen color temperature to adjust the appearance
of colors under various lighting conditions,
have a Digital Video Input (DVI) connection
for high end video adapters in addition to
the older standard, and an energy saving
mode that shuts down the screen when it has
been inactive for a time. |
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