Buying a New Monitor

This document provides basic information on purchasing a new monitor.  For typical users, we recommend a 17� monitor with a dot pitch of .27 or less and a refresh rate (at 1024x768 resolution) of 75MHz or higher.

Monitors are one of the most important components of your computer system.  If you have any doubts ask yourself what other thing is this world do you stare at more.  Unless you say your spouse's eyes, the answer is probably nothing.  

A good monitor can help you work more productively by improving visual access to your work and perhaps more importantly, by improving visual and even physical comfort.  It's also a very good investment.  Unlike most other computer components, the monitor will likely last a number of years without becoming obsolete.  Thus, it's usually worth spending a few extra dollars to get a quality monitor.

What to Look For

Health Considerations
Before purchasing a new monitor you should make sure that your current setup is ergonomically healthy.  It is often said, "the eyes lead the body" and as we continue to stare at our monitors for much of the day, it is important to think about the impact this has on our bodies.  When viewing a poorly positioned monitor the necessity to see clearly will force your body to adjust, which creates significant strain and often results in headaches, back pain and eye problems.  Ideally, the screen of your monitor will be just below eye level and directly in front of you, about 20-24 inches away.  It is also recommended to limit glare and to keep your screen free of dust.  Additional computer related health information can be found here.

Technology
Monitors come in 2 general flavors, CRT and LCD.  The CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) is the most common and has been available for years.  The television-like screen you're looking at now is a CRT. Essentially it shoots electrons at a special screen, which responds with the orderly light that forms the images we see.  An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) uses a completely different technology involving electrical current through a liquid crystal solution.  As seen in notebook computers, LCD's take up less space and are lighter than traditional CRT displays.  They also consume less energy and do not emit any potentially harmful radiation.  However, the desktop LCD monitor costs about five times as much as a comparable CRT and has several performance limitations including a small viewing area and limited resolution options.  For a detailed comparison see http://www.touchscreens.com/compare_lcd_crt.shtml.

There are also two sub-flavors to choose from.  Some monitors, often labeled "multimedia", have integrated speakers and microphones.  While this approach does save space, it is generally not a good idea.  The audio components are usually of poor quality and should you require service the entire monitor will have to be shipped to the manufacturer.  We recommend retaining the flexibility of independent components.  

Size
Screen size is probably the most important feature to consider when buying a new monitor.   While a quality 15" monitor will suffice for many users, a larger viewing window means less scrolling and less squinting.  A 17" monitor tends to make the standard office user quite happy, and with good 17" monitors around $250, they have become the standard for most new systems.  Graphics and design work represent high-end needs and such users will receive greater benefit from the larger workspace provided by a 19" or 21" monitor. 

Resolution
Directly related to the size of the monitor is resolution.  Resolution is a measurement of the size of the picture displayed on the screen, measured in number of dots or pixels.  A big monitor is not only capable of a higher resolution, but displays lower resolutions in a bigger, more clear picture.  For example, a 15" monitor might be capable of a 1024x768 resolution, but any given image will take up much more of the screen (and be less comfortable to look at) than if it were displayed on a 17" monitor at the same resolution.

Refresh Rate
Directly related to resolution is refresh rate, which is essentially the rate at which images on the screen are recreated.  Increasing the resolution or size of the image makes it harder to recreate that image.  Thus it is recreated slower, causing the screen to flicker or tremble.  So, in order to display a high resolution you need an appropriately high refresh rate.  Generally, your monitor should display your target resolution at a refresh rate of at least 75MHz.  Anything lower will appear to flicker and cause perceptible eye strain.

Dot Pitch
Dot pitch is the distance between dots of the same type,  measured in millimeters.  The smaller the dot pitch the closer the dots are together, thus the finer the detail.   Any new monitor purchased should have a dot pitch of .27 or lower.

It is also important to consider features like screen treatments to reduce glare, warranties and how easy it is to make adjustments to the picture.

Video/Graphics Card
Having a great monitor on your desk is almost worthless if the picture it's being sent is poor.  The  images that the monitor displays come from the video card.  So, it is important to make sure that your video card will support the features of your new monitor.  Generally speaking, you'll be fine with the one that came with you computer.  However, if you're planning to buy a new monitor for a five year old machine, you may be disappointed.  If this is the case, a good video card can be purchased for about $70. 

Summary

Having said all of the above, your purchase will probably boil down to good old fashioned American values�size and money.  How big a monitor can you buy within your budget?  That's not to say however, that bigger is always better.  A 21" monitor is quite large and can fill�or even break�many small desks.  Generally, your choice will be between 17" and 19" monitors and the associated image quality that you can afford.    We recommend going to an actual, physical store where they sell monitors, and looking at a few.  Compare the images of monitors of different sizes (but at the same resolution), refresh rates and dot pitches.  Watch for flicker and eye strain.  Pick the combination of features that suites your needs and tastes, then shop around.  

These days you can get a quality monitor for under $400 and many online stores offer some great options for as little as $200.  We've had good experiences with Viewsonic and Sony, even at the low end.  For example the Viewsonic E771 is a 17" monitor that costs about $220 and works quite well.

If you're buying a new system, you can be reasonably assured that top-tier retailers such as Dell and Gateway, will provide monitors of good quality at a reasonable price.  However, you may want to be more critical of smaller manufacturers, whose prices and quality will vary widely.

Additional Information

For specific monitor reviews and specifications go to http://www.cnet.com.

Try these online retailers for good deals:  http://www.buycomp.com, http://www.outpost.com and http://www.cdw.com.

A great vision resource:  http://www.cvconsulting.com/eyestrain.htm

IBM's Healthy Computing: http://www.pc.ibm.com/ww/healthycomputing/

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