Monitor

Important Features of a Computer Monitor

• Screen size

  The right screen size for you will depend on how much space you have available and what you plan to use the monitor for. The smallest screens are 15-inches from corner to corner and can be stored away when not required. Standard monitors of 22-inches or 24-inches provide cinematic benefits and make text easy to read, but also sit comfortably on the average desk. Large ultra-wide monitors dominate a room and cost more, but make gaming and detailed work a more epic experience.

• Resolution

  This refers to the number of pixels used to create an image, choose a higher resolution for sharper, crisper visuals. Pick at least Full HD (1920x1080) panels for clear home computing graphics on large or small screens. A higher resolution 4K monitor (3840 x 2160) is ideal for professionals and serious gamers, but always check you have a powerful graphics card to match the screen’s capabilities.

• Type of Panel

  Monitors usually have one of three different types of LCD (liquid crystal display) panels. If you have a limited budget, cheap TN (twisted nematic) screens are ideal, but the contrast, colour and viewing angles are limited. With fast response times and good motion handling, a high-end TN screen makes a solid gaming monitor. VA (vertical alignment) screens are suitable to use as work monitors. They offer a wide range of viewing angles and provide great contrast. If you need a panel to suit the whole family, go for an IPS (in-plane switching) version. These all-rounders tend to cost more, but deliver great graphics and colour accuracy.

• Touchscreen

  You can give your computer the intuitive feel of a phone or tablet with a touchscreen. Gamers and cinema fans may not feel the benefits, but for family computing and professional art or design work, they could be a worthwhile buy.

• Refresh Rate

  Refresh rates are quantified in hertz, the number refers to the times per second an image is refreshed. Higher refresh rates mean clearer images of moving objects and generally sharper visuals. For modest work and media use, 60Hz will give an excellent experience. To avoid lag and make for smoother visuals, gamers tend to prefer higher refresh rates of up to 144Hz and even 240Hz.

• Ports Available

  Check which ports you need the monitor to be compatible with before you buy, as they don’t all have the same connections. On cheaper models, you can expect DVI, VGA and HDMI ports, which are fine for older computers and devices. If you have a newer, thinner computer with USB-C ports, look for a monitor with that option or buy an adaptor.

• Aspect Ratio

  To watch films or video in a widescreen or ultrawide screen format, you’ll need a newer panel with 16:9 (widescreen) or 21:9 (ultra-wide screen) ratios. These will create a vivid display with no distortion of the image. The older 4:3 ratio monitors will cope well with basic computing but aren’t ideal for viewing video.