Flat Screen Computer Monitor Buying Guide

One of the main reasons most people want a flat screen computer monitor is that it will take up less desk space, but there are a few other benefits you may not be aware of. You may not know that a LCD computer monitor also uses less energy and generates less heat than the old style CRT(Cathode Ray Tube) monitors. Another benefit of using an LCD monitor is less eye fatigue. If you spend much time at the computer, this is very important.

Flat screen computer monitors have been around for several years and are standard with a new computer. Even so, there are still many of the clunky old CRT monitors around. If you are the owner of one of those CRT's and are looking to replace it with an updated model there are a few things you need to keep in mind when you are ready to make your purchase.

CRT's display through an analog signal and connect to the computer through the use of a VGA(Video Graphics Display) connector. If you are replacing the monitor on an older computer your video graphics card may have a VGA connector which is the standard type of connector for a CRT monitor.

Most LCD screen computer monitors have the capability of displaying both analog and digital signals and the standard connector for a digital signal is a DVI(Digital Visual Interface) connector. Most LCD monitors will have both VGA and DVI connectors, but it is best to check before you purchase. If the monitor only has a DVI connector you can update your video graphics card or purchase an adapter to enable the DVI connector to connect to your VGA plug.  

One of the best things about a flat screen computer monitor is that you can have a very large screen size without sacrificing your entire desktop to hold it. Even a very large flat screen computer monitor won't measure much more than six inches wide. With the old style CRT's the larger the screen was the larger the monitor box was, making a very large screen size almost impossible due to the space that would be needed.

The most popular sizes are the 20 and the 22 inch monitors. These are also very reasonably priced at around two to three hundred dollars for a good quality monitor. There are larger and smaller sizes available and if you want to go really large you can also use a flat screen TV for a monitor.

You need to be aware that the screen resolution on a LCD flat screen computer monitor can basically not be changed. These monitors have what is known as native resolution and trying to change the screen resolution can result in a distorted or fuzzy image on the screen. You need to know what screen resolution your current graphics card supports if you intend to use it with your new monitor.

The response rate is measured in milliseconds and refers to the amount of time it takes for a pixel to change colors. When it comes to response rates, faster is better. They were not so good with early LCD monitors, but today most monitors have a response rate that is fast enough that you will never notice ghosting or distortion. 

Up until a few years ago the aspect ratio of all computer monitors was a standard format of 4:3. Today you will find some monitors offered in the widescreen format which has usually has an aspect ration of 16:9. If you want to watch movies, work with video or need the ability to display more than one document page on the screen, you may prefer the widescreen format.

For the average computer user, these are the basics you need to know about a flat screen computer monitor. Now you can be informed when you shop and find the monitor that fits your needs and budget.