LCD Monitor buying tips and a review
I wanted an LCD flat panel monitor for my home computer for a long time, after having a few of those clunky space-swallowing CRT's. Being that I'm a techie, I always have to look for the best specs at the best price.
There was a Samsung model that I always had my eyes on because you could use it for TV too, as it had inputs for cable and included a remote. That was a while ago though, and it was pretty pricey. I searched the tech-friendly sites like Zip Zoom Fly and New Egg, and Cnet.com for customer reviews.
**If you're ever going to buy any electronics, always find a site that has reviews from actual buyers. Even if the people writing them are complete morons, you might find the pieces of info you need to make your decision.**
I walked through a Best Buy store and didn't see anything I had to have yet, so I kept searching online. Shortly after, I went to the Best Buy website and found the monitor I have now.
The response time, simply put, is the amount of time it takes for the crystals in the display to change from an on and off state (change from one color to another, as in moving pictures or movies). Just like with Golf, the lower number means better performance and crisper images. This monitor has a lightning fast 2ms response time, which is the best I've seen available.
The contrast ratio is basically the difference between the whitest whites and the darkest darks. On a monitor with low contrast ratio, the dark colors will appear more washed out while a contrast ratio such as this monitor (3000:1), the different shades of color are very distinguishable and appear as they should.
One thing to watch out for is native resolution. Most monitors are set at 1280x1024 and that's a pretty good setting for easy viewing. Resolution is the physical number of pixels on the screen (horiz/vert). Many of the larger monitors, especially widescreens, are set at 1440x900, which is torture for your eyes. The problem comes when you adjust the resolution to your liking because the native resolution represents the best possible viewing of that monitor. In summary, just pick a monitor with a native resolution of 1280x1024 and you'll be fine.
**If you have a resolution of 1024x768 and use a desktop wallpaper that is lower in resolution (800x600) the screen will stretch out the image to make it fit the screen which is why it would look blurry.**
If you are shopping for an LCD monitor is highly impressive and worth its weight in gold.
The product page at best buy has all of the specifications in detail and a "so low you feel like you're stealing it" price of only $249. For that price, you cannot find a monitor with specs even close to this one; believe me, I looked. For those of you who are picky about colors, it may not match your old sun-faded beige tower. If that's the case you may want to give it a facelift with a new tower case to match the sophisticated style of this monitor with its ultra-thin silver bezel (the frame around the LCD screen) and black stand.
If you purchase this monitor and still need some kind of reassurance that you've made a good purchase (meaning you don't trust me), visit the Apple site for Hi-Def movie trailers. The animated movies work best, like Shrek The Third. Watch the large (720p) trailer (must have Quicktime installed on your computer). In seconds, your monitor will prove its worth.
If you have any more questions about this monitor or advice about another, leave some comments and an email address.
There was a Samsung model that I always had my eyes on because you could use it for TV too, as it had inputs for cable and included a remote. That was a while ago though, and it was pretty pricey. I searched the tech-friendly sites like Zip Zoom Fly and New Egg, and Cnet.com for customer reviews.
**If you're ever going to buy any electronics, always find a site that has reviews from actual buyers. Even if the people writing them are complete morons, you might find the pieces of info you need to make your decision.**
I walked through a Best Buy store and didn't see anything I had to have yet, so I kept searching online. Shortly after, I went to the Best Buy website and found the monitor I have now.
CLICK HERE for a well-written breakdown of the specs and features most desirable in a flat panel monitor.
A few of the specs that made this monitor stand out for me were the response time and the contrast ratio.The response time, simply put, is the amount of time it takes for the crystals in the display to change from an on and off state (change from one color to another, as in moving pictures or movies). Just like with Golf, the lower number means better performance and crisper images. This monitor has a lightning fast 2ms response time, which is the best I've seen available.
The contrast ratio is basically the difference between the whitest whites and the darkest darks. On a monitor with low contrast ratio, the dark colors will appear more washed out while a contrast ratio such as this monitor (3000:1), the different shades of color are very distinguishable and appear as they should.
One thing to watch out for is native resolution. Most monitors are set at 1280x1024 and that's a pretty good setting for easy viewing. Resolution is the physical number of pixels on the screen (horiz/vert). Many of the larger monitors, especially widescreens, are set at 1440x900, which is torture for your eyes. The problem comes when you adjust the resolution to your liking because the native resolution represents the best possible viewing of that monitor. In summary, just pick a monitor with a native resolution of 1280x1024 and you'll be fine.
**If you have a resolution of 1024x768 and use a desktop wallpaper that is lower in resolution (800x600) the screen will stretch out the image to make it fit the screen which is why it would look blurry.**
If you are shopping for an LCD monitor is highly impressive and worth its weight in gold.
The product page at best buy has all of the specifications in detail and a "so low you feel like you're stealing it" price of only $249. For that price, you cannot find a monitor with specs even close to this one; believe me, I looked. For those of you who are picky about colors, it may not match your old sun-faded beige tower. If that's the case you may want to give it a facelift with a new tower case to match the sophisticated style of this monitor with its ultra-thin silver bezel (the frame around the LCD screen) and black stand.
If you purchase this monitor and still need some kind of reassurance that you've made a good purchase (meaning you don't trust me), visit the Apple site for Hi-Def movie trailers. The animated movies work best, like Shrek The Third. Watch the large (720p) trailer (must have Quicktime installed on your computer). In seconds, your monitor will prove its worth.
If you have any more questions about this monitor or advice about another, leave some comments and an email address.
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