Computer monitor buying guide

Looking to buy a monitor? Whether you own a desktop computer, want to upgrade your laptop viewing experience, or have specific graphics technology needs for either professional or casual undertakings, these monitor buying guide will show you what to look for when picking out the perfect monitor.

Screen Size

As you'll find in your monitor search, monitors come in many different sizes. This makes it a little easier to find one that's just right for you.

17- to 20-inch - Many 17-inch monitors have 4:3 aspect ratios, not a widescreen display. 19-inch screens often do have a widescreen display and 16:10 aspect ratio. 20-inch monitors then break into the realm of 16:9 aspect ratios, in line with the natural aspect ratio for HD movies but with a less-than-stellar resolution.

21.5- to 24-inch - Now into the world of 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolutions, these monitors will require a more robust port with which to connect your monitor.

27- to 30-inch - At 1,920 x 1,080- to 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution settings, monitors at this size will provide the greatest possible viewing experience, and are often chosen by professional gamers and design professionals.

Panel Type

Twisted Nematic (TN) - The most common and oldest panel type, these panels offer moderate response times, draw minimal power, and are generally less expensive.

Vertical Alignment (VA) - Offer better viewing angles and generally better blacks and contrast than TN but can often create viewing lag and ghosting effect.

In-plane Switching (IPS) - Offer good color reproduction and viewing angles, yet are generally more expensive than VA panels.

Super-IPS (S-IPS) - The most expensive option currently on the market, S-IPS monitors offer fast response times, superior color display, and the widest viewing angles. WQHD, also known as Quad HD, resolution is featured almost exclusively on S-IPS monitors and has four times as many pixels as the 720p HDTV video standard.

Backlight

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) - Using liquid crystals do express images onscreen, these types of monitors either allow light through to the user or shut it out, thereby displaying appropriate colors in the pixels.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) - Though commonly misconceived as an alternative to LCD, LED monitors are actually a type of LCD with a unique backlight technology.

White LED (WLED) - These monitors use a white backlight aligned along the edge of the monitor matrix and generally use the least amount of power among the backlit-monitor offerings.

RGB LED - These monitors use lights aligned throughout the monitor panel matrix, each of which is able to produce a red-, green- or blue-powered light. This technology is generally more expensive and results in a thicker monitor design.

Connections

Video Graphics Array (VGA) - The 15-pin VGA connector is found on many computer monitors and carries analog component RGBHV (red, green, blue, horizontal sync, vertical sync) video signals.

Digital Visual Interface (DVI) - Used to create the industry standard for the transfer of digital video content, this is a very common connection type that is limited to the RGB color space.

DisplayPort (DP) - Used in a growing number of monitors, this connection is high-bandwidth and supports the thinnest and lightest of monitors.

High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) - A newer interface, HDMI is very similar to a DVI connection but supports a color spectrum including YCbCr 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2, outside of the standard RGB. Primarily used on televisions, HDMI offers more versatile connectivity with other media devices such as cable boxes, blue-ray players and game consoles. While many PC devices do offer this port, it is key to double check as it is not an industry standard.