Another Perspective on Monitor Specifications
Feb 14 '00
Over the past several years, monitor prices have really fallen, making larger monitors with increasingly advanced features more accessible to the average PC consumer. But monitor specifications havent gotten any easier to follow. So, for the average consumer, the number of choices has increased, but the ability to make an informed decision hasnt become any easier.
Samsonite1023 has written the first part of a review that breaks down these mysterious and confusing specifications. And although I admire his efforts, and while his definitions of the specs are accurate, I cannot agree with his conclusions about what these specs mean to you as you attempt to make a decision about your monitor purchase.
I wont go over each of the technologies and specifications again in this review, as Samsonite1023 has done that quite well in his article. But I will give you my take on what many of the nebulous little numbers and acronyms mean in terms of what monitor will work best for you.
Trinitron vs. CRT
Trinitron technology, developed some years ago by Sony for use in their higher-end televisions, has revolutionized the monitor industry. Most Trinitron monitors offer a flatter, less distorted picture than a standard CRT. And most Trinitrons also offer a brighter image, and often a sharper, more vivid, and more realistic picture than their distant CRT cousins.
Dot-Pitch
Trinitron monitors are available in .25 or .22 dp (or dot-pitch, a measurement of the space between each pixel, or dot, on the screen). Honestly, except in a few rare cases, I have been unable to see the difference. CRTs, on the other hand, are usually available in .28 or .26 dp. There are lower dot-pitches available for CRTs, though these will generally drive the price up by 60% or more. Monitors with a .26 dp will usually have a much sharper image than those with a higher dot-pitch, as you will see when doing a side-by-side comparison.
Sizes
Monitor sizes range from the tiny 14 to the mighty 21, including sizes of 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, and 21.
Finding a 14 monitor these days is like trying to find honest man in Washington, but there are still a few manufacturers pumping these things out. But with the cost of a 14 monitor being generally $10 to $20 less than a comparable 15, the only reason to buy one of these tiny screens is if a larger monitor simply wont fit into the space you have available.
The days of 15 monitors are quickly coming to a close. Many large electronics stores have abandoned them altogether. Price differences between 15 monitors and 17 screens usually run less than $30, making the 15 a seldom-chosen option--unless, again, space dictates otherwise. But even space is becoming less of a consideration these days, as cabinets for 17 monitors decrease in size and their footprint (the amount of space they take on your desktop) becomes smaller.
17 monitors have become the de facto standard in the industry; most new computers now come bundled with these little jewels. A 17 monitor takes up little desktop space, displays generally clear and precise images, and costs half what they did three years ago.
19 monitors have also fallen in price, costing less than half their price of three years ago. You can find them starting in the range of $350, and can get a good one for $450. 19 monitors do not, as previously stated, promote eye creep across the screen. But there are a few things to watch out for when purchasing a 19 monitor: First, as screen sizes go up, image and text quality generally decrease; so for a 17 monitor and a 19 with identical features, the 17 will generally have a better picture. Second, some 19 monitors have a tendency to distort the screen image towards the edges of the screen; be careful to not get stuck with one of these, as it will make your screen look like its leaning in from the sides. Third, you must have a decent video card to get the proper use out of a 19 monitor, one that supports at least 1024x768 resolution at 24- or 32-bit color depth with a refresh rate of 70 Hertz minimum (anything lower will most likely cause eye-strain with any extended use). Generally, this will mean an 8 or 16 MB video card.
20 and 21 monitors are still considered ultra-high-end, and are priced accordingly. They are wonderful for multimedia and high-end graphics editing, but graphics card requirements and desktop space consumption are high. And the price is still too much for most casual users, and even for most power users.
General Recommendations
There are, of course, disparities from one manufacturer and model to the other. Some Trinitron technology-based monitors offer little, if any, benefit over standard CRTs. But many have differences as vast as those between night and day. Some .26 dp monitors arent as vivid as their .28 dp counterparts. For all its worth, these specifications and numbers mean nothing in comparison to how bright, clear, and vivid a monitor looks to you when using it. The best advice I can give in this area is to look, very closely, at the monitors available. Have the associate at your local computer/electronics store display different images, texts, and graphics on their monitors so that you can get a feel for which ones have the best picture. It is important to look at both graphics and text when comparing monitors, as some will excel in one area and look horrible in the other. And never, ever, buy a monitor based purely on specifications without sampling it with your own eyes first.
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misterME
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Member: Michael E. Hopkins
Location: Columia, SC
Reviews written: 34
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