How to: Buy a Monitor

Monitors are to computing as Rodney Dangerfield is to comedy: They just don't get any respect. Too often the few seconds it takes to read the phrase "monitor included" is all the time that goes into choosing the display. But a poor monitor can turn a
well-configured PC into a visual nightmare.

You don't need to be a certified geek to get a good monitor. Once you're familiar with three terms -- dot pitch, resolution, and refresh rate -- and understand how your PC's graphics card affects your display, you can begin to think about what size monitor you want.

Dot Pitch: Look for a dot pitch of 0.28 mm or less. The smaller the dot pitch, the sharper the image you'll see on the display.

Resolution: The display resolution indicates the number of pixels both horizontally and vertically; the higher the better.

Refresh Rate: The refresh rate, which is measured in hertz (Hz), refers to the number of times per second the monitor redraws an image on the screen. The higher the refresh rate, the less flicker you'll see, and the less you'll deal with monitor-induced eyestrain or headaches.

The quality of your PC's graphics card also directly affects your monitor's display quality. Most new systems come with at least 2MB of video memory (4MB or more is better for 3-D gaming). The amount of graphics memory determines the maximum number of colors your monitor can display and what resolutions the card can support.

Your final decision is a big one. Choosing the right size monitor depends mainly on your budget and how much space you have. Some of the sub-$1000 systems come bundled with 14-inch monitors, but if you can afford it, upgrade to at least a 15-inch model. A 17-inch display offers extra room if you play lots of games or work with more than one application open on your desktop. You'll find that 19-inch monitors offer even more screen real estate. If you're looking for a great gaming arena, the big-screen monitors are what you want.

And if space is at a premium in your house, companies such as Viewsonic and Hyundai offer small-footprint monitors for folks who long for a bigger view of the PC world. Referred to as short-neck or short-depth monitors, these 17-inch displays fit into the same space as a 14-inch monitor.

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