Things You'll Need:
- Computer
- Video card with VGA, DVI or HDMI inputs
- Internet connection
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Step 1
Examine what you need. Do you mostly use your computer for browsing the web or schoolwork? If so, you would be satisfied with a standard LCD. Do you play lots of games? Gaming at high resolutions calls for bigger monitors. Do you use your computer for graphic design or building websites? You might be interested in a monitor with excellent color accuracy, so that what you see on screen matches what comes out of your printer.
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Step 2
Look at the options. Firstly, LCDs are the standard for everyone except high-level graphic designers. CRTs, the older option, are harder to find, take up much more real estate on your workspace, and are very heavy. LCDs are further broken down by the type of screen they utilize. TN screens are perfectly fine for everyone except graphic designers, who, again, require extra-fine color accuracy for their work.
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Step 3
Decide on a size. As with TVs, computer monitors have gotten larger and cheaper, to the point where a 19-inch LCD is considered average. Many LCDs are also widescreen, which means they are wider than they are tall, allowing for the viewing of widescreen movies in their original format. Widescreen LCDs also provide more room for your Windows desktop, and present a bigger field of view in games. Aside from 19 inches, standard sizes are 17 inches, 20.1 inches, 21 inches and 22 inches. Anything bigger that 22 inches will likely be too large for everyday computing, as you would have to sit back very far from the monitor to view it properly.
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Step 4
Match what you want to what your computer can handle. Larger monitors run at higher resolutions, which means they have more pixels to light up. Higher resolutions can equal crisper images, but they require more expensive video cards. Additionally, LCD monitors are different from CRTs in that they have a "native resolution," a particular resolution they are built to handle. While LCDs can display higher or lower resolutions than intended, the images on the screen will always be compressed or stretched.
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Step 5
Once you've got the size and type picked out, head online to price out your monitor. Specialty websites will offer the cheapest prices, and the big box outlets often sell monitors cheaper online than they do at their physical locations.
