A guide to buying a flat panel LCD monitor

If you're planning to buy a flat panel LCD monitor for your computer, then you need to consider several factors to ensure that you'll be getting the most out of your money. Features of LCD monitors vary even if they're made by the same company and you need to be aware of the differences and be informed of what qualities are favourable.

Resolution and size

Resolution Check if the LCD computer unit you are eyeing has a resolution of 1080p or 720p. The 'P' represents 'progressive', which pertains to the way an image is being recreated on the screen from your computer. An image that is produced on a 720p LCD screen contains 720 different lines that comprise its picture. Each image on an 1080p LCD screen on the other hand has 1080 different lines. Although the two resolutions provide video that is of high definition, only 1080p LCDs for computers can provide an uncompressed full quality video due to the high number of lines they are able to generate. Size Check the monitor's size. Similar to other computer monitors and cathode ray tube TV sets, an LCD monitor's size is measured diagonally. Using a tape measure, get the size of the monitor by measuring from the lower left edge of the monitor to the top right edge of the screen. Generally, LCD computer monitor sizes range from 13 inches to 30 inches.

Video inputs and contrast ratio

Video inputs Inspect the case to see what types of video inputs the monitor has. A regular LCD monitor will typically be equipped with a single video input for the computer. High quality LCD monitors on the other hand, come with numerous types of video inputs, which allows you to add many gadgets in your setup. Moreover, top quality LCD flat panels would have HDMI video inputs for communication with gadgets, as well as multiple component video inputs. Contrast ratio Check the LCD unit's contrast ratio. The contrast ratio would tell you how natural black would appear on a monitor when compared to white. On a perfect image, whites should be bright and blacks should be rich and dark. If the LCD monitor you are eyeing has a contrast ratio that is low (in the 10,000:1 range), black would not appear as dark as it should be. On the other hand, if your LCD unit has a contrast ratio in the 80,000:1 range, images would be appearing more natural.