Filed in archive Did you know on March 1, 2011

How to Shop for an Affordable Computer Monitor

New LCD 22" computer monitor (Photo credit: freefotouk)

Buying a computer monitor is like buying a high-end television. The difference between the two is that you sit much closer to a monitor and need to make out details such as text when viewing a monitor.
You need a monitor that can produce extremely fine definition while providing you with a stable image on the screen to save your eyes from strain. People spend a good deal of time staring at computer screens so it is imperative that it be not too cheap.

Resolution Details

Resolution refers to the number of pixels the screen can display. If your screen is set at 1024 x 768 there are 1024 pixels across the top of your screen. To compare this to an image, suppose your picture had 1000 pixels across the top of it; you could view this picture without zooming out and experience no image degradation.

When shopping for an affordable computer monitor you want to ensure that if the monitor is 15 inches it should have a resolution of at least 1024 x 768. When things appear too small you have the option of lowering the resolution to 800 x 600. You can possibly increase the resolution but that lowers the vertical refresh rate.

Vertical Refresh Rate

The vertical refresh rate refers to the monitor's speed at drawing an entire screen. This rate is measured by hertz (Hz).
Your best bet when searching for the right monitor is to find one with a resolution rate of at least 85Hz. This rate ensures a stable image, and anything lower and the image appears to flicker. Even if you don't notice this flaw you will notice the headache you get after looking at the screen for an hour at such a low refresh rate.

Typically as the resolution of a monitor increases the vertical refresh rate decreases. Before buying your monitor verify that the resolution is at 85 vHz. This will indicate the optimum resolution for your monitor.

Monitor Size

The bigger the monitor the higher the resolution you can have without losing detail when your text is enlarged. This saves your eyes, so if you can afford it, bigger is better. Many of the 17-inch monitors available now are sold at a reasonable price.

Dot Pitch

Dot pitch refers to the size of the dots that make up the image. In general, smaller is better when it comes to dot pitch. What makes this confusing is that it is often measured in different ways making it difficult to fully understand what it means when buying a monitor. But you will want to remember lower is better.

Conclusion

It is important to take the appropriate amount of time when searching for an affordable monitor. There are bargains out there and even with the higher standards detailed above.