Computer Screens: How to Choose a PC Monitor
Considering the amount of time that you spend looking at your computer monitor, it is only fair that you get the most of out of the display. These devices come in different sizes and features such as built-in speakers, touchscreens, multiple inputs, and many others.
How can I choose based on my usage?
- Basic tasks - You do not need a pumped-up computer monitor if your main work revolves around e-mails, word processing, web surfing, and social media.
- Intermediate tasks - You should scale up the features when you need a quality display for other functions like photo sharing, streaming videos, and web conferencing.
- Advanced tasks - Advanced computing functions feature graphics intensive environments such as photography, gaming, video production, and graphic design. A screen that can serve in these functions should have full HD capability or higher.
How many types of monitors are available?
- Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) - They use liquid crystals to formulate the colors. The crystals do not light up on their own and rely on fluorescent backlight technology.
- In-plane switching (IPS) screens - IPS reinforces color accuracy and offers better viewing angles. The display units are highly suitable for PC gaming, graphics, and image editing.
- Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) - The screen powers up using small LEDs in the panels, which are also responsible for producing individual color pigments. They consume very little power making them great for use on smartphone screens.
- Thin-film transistors (TFTs) - A TFT screen is essentially an LCD. It uses transistors to power up the circuitry responsible for showing the pixels.
- Touchscreen monitors - A touchscreen monitor uses a high-sensitivity panel that responds to swiping or touching just like the smartphone screen. Touchscreens are a common feature on all-in-one PCs. Highly repetitive tasks like touch-based games and point-of-sale functions work better on touchscreen monitors.
What factors should I consider?
- Screen size - You measure the size of a screen diagonally. Finding the right size will depend on your budget and other needs like the available space on your desk and your desired viewing experience. Monitor sizes start from around 17 inches all the way up to 34 inches and even higher. Regular monitors sit in the range of 21-26 inches.
- Resolution - It measures the number of vertical and horizontal pixels that the monitor can show. Pixels look like little squares when magnified on the screen. Image sharpness increases as the resolution rises, but then you will need a bigger screen to enjoy the quality. HD screens have 1366 x 768 resolution while Full HD screens have 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution. 4K resolution doubles up the 1080p experience on both sides.
- Aspect ratio - The aspect ratio describes the shape of the monitor while basing on its length and height. Widescreen computer monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:9 while the square types have an aspect ratio of 4:3.
- Connection ports - You will need to check your PC to confirm the output before selecting a monitor. A high-definition media interface (HDMI) can transmit audio and video signals on one cable. The other standard inputs include the DVI and VGA connectors.