Tech Guide: Monitor buying guide
With so many monitors to choose from, before you buy, it pays to figure out which specs and features will be most important to you.
With so many monitors to choose from, before you buy, it pays to figure out which specs and features will be most important to you. These user profiles will start you off in the right direction.
Match your needs to one of these user profiles:
Home user |
Business user | Student |
Digital photographer/graphic artist |
Gamer |
Video editor/movie buff
Home user 
Home users need to balance price and performance. Extra features such as speakers or USB ports are an important consideration, and depending on where the computer is located, aesthetics may matter as well.
KEY FEATURES:
| Price |
| Good colour performance |
| Sharp text |
| Design/appearance |
| Video input |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Businesses need some bang for the buck, but they are willing to pay for productivity. Bells and whistles are not as important as good image quality and adjustability for viewing comfortably for long stretches.
KEY FEATURES:
| Large image area to display more information |
| Adjustability |
| Energy efficiency |
| Compact form factor |
| Reliability |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Academic life often means cramped quarters, with a budget to match. Students need a lightweight, portable design, a small
footprint, and image quality good enough for both work and play.
KEY FEATURES:
| Low cost |
| Small form factor |
| Easy to move |
| Video input optional, but handy |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
With too many monitors, what you see onscreen is not what you get from your printer. People working with digital images need excellent colour fidelity and consistent results, and CRTs are generally superior in these areas.
KEY FEATURES:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
In recent years, CRT technology has advanced to the point where there is very little difference in performance among brands. In other words, unless you buy the absolute cheapest CRT, you should be happy with whatever you choose. Read more about CRTs.
It's all about speed for serious game players. Eye-popping image quality is essential, but a lightning-fast pixel-response time is the key to keeping images sharp when the action starts. Although LCDs are making strides, CRTs currently offer the best performance for gaming.
KEY FEATURES:
| Pixel-response time |
| Colour accuracy |
| Large image area to display more of the action |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
In recent years, CRT technology has advanced to the point where there is very little difference in performance among brands. In other words, unless you buy the absolute cheapest CRT, you should be happy with whatever you choose. Read more about CRTs.
When digital DeMilles edit the key close-up in their masterwork, they want total artistic control, and they need crisp, accurate images. Movie buffs watching at home will want the same. At this point, CRTs are superior for displaying video.
KEY FEATURES:
| Pixel-response time |
| Colour accuracy |
| Large display area |
| Alternate signal inputs a plus |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
In recent years, CRT technology has advanced to the point where there is very little difference in performance among brands. In other words, unless you buy the absolute cheapest CRT, you should be happy with whatever you choose. Read more about CRTs.
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