Computers Monitors & Displays

How To Find the Best Rate For a Monitor

Published at 02/15/2012 17:57:39

Introduction

To find the best monitor rate between price and quality need to know first a few things about monitors. In this article we will talk about important monitor features and best monitor rate between them and price.

Step 1

Measured in degrees, the viewing angle of an LCD tells you how much you can move left, right, up or down to the center of the screen before the picture will deteriorate seriously. The best way to judge the angle of view is to see the monitor yourself and decide the best price quality monitor rate. You can remove from the question some models, even if the manufacturer says that the angle is below a certain value.

Step 2

As the screen is bigger, the more important the viewing angle will be. A 15-inch model, for example, will probably be used by one person who will center the screen in front and it will see the edges at an angle rather small - so a viewing angle of 120 degrees or higher is sufficient. The 17 inch or larger monitors form an angle greater with the screen edges for someone that stands in front of the screen. In general, such monitors are used for group work or presentations. So the best would be an angle of 150 degrees for a good monitor rate.

Step 3

Contrast ratio: This term refers to the difference in intensity between the lightest white and darkest black of the LCD product in question. Find a monitor rate greater than or equal to 400:1. However, more is better, but only to a certain point. A monitor rate over 600:1 is hard to believe that it offers additional advantages, especially as vendors use a questionable math when calculating those values.

Step 4

Brightness: expressed in candelas per square meter (cd/m2) or NiTi, this specification measures the greatest amount of light coming from a screen displaying pure white. Almost all LCD have a brightness level of 250 cd/m2 or higher, which should be more than enough. (In comparison, CRTs provide, on average, 100 cd/m2 - although there are also bright CRTs.) Usually, vendors set on new monitors the brightness level to maximum to impress the customers. But after using the monitor for a while, you'll want to lower the brightness to protect your eyes and to make sure you have a good price/health monitor rate.

Step 5

Digital versus analog: if you have a video card with digital video output, choose an LCD that has a digital input. The image will be converted from analog to digital and vice versa, so it will be clearer. Even if you do not have a DVI port on your system, choosing a digital LCD makes sense because your next desktop PC probably will have a DVI port - and most monitors have digital and VGA connection (analog). The digital inputs are found on more expensive LCD but you can get a low money/quality monitor rate with them.

Tips

Resolution and refresh rate: a 17-inch CRT display with a maximum resolution of 1600 by 1200 may seem high-end, but if you can display that resolution at a refresh rate of 60 Hz you should not be impressed. A monitor's refresh rate indicates how many times the screen is redrawn in one second. At a lower refresh rate of 70Hz, your eye will detect a flicker of the screen. A higher resolution results in graphics more "smooth" and can cram more information on the screen at once. A good monitor rate between price and resolution would be a resolution of 1280 with 1024.

Sources and Citations

But even if the monitor supports a refresh speed, text and icons must be large enough. At a resolution of 1600 by 1200 on a 17 inch, the text is readable, but most people can work comfortably at that resolution on a 21-inch model.

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