Chapter 16: Monitors and Displays^369
The PC Monitor
With personal computer technology advancing as fast as it is, it is hard to believe that any
part of a PC could be considered an investment. However, the PC monitor is the only part
of the personal computer that actually holds its value and has some durability. A good
quality monitor will last for years through several generations of PC systems. When mak-
ing a decision about investing in a PC monitor, a number of things should be considered.
Although this entire chapter is about the technologies used in PC displays, here is a quick
overview of the decisions you must make: Type Although there are variations within each type of monitor, such as color
versus monochrome, resolutions, dot pitch, etc., the basic choice is between the
more traditional CRT display and the state-of-the-art digital flat-panel LCD
(liquid crystal display) display.
Size Size has a lot to do with the monitor’s capability, but more importantly,
it impacts your comfort in working with it. As is true in many things, bigger
is better when it comes to monitors. Many experts recommend that with
technology where it is today that you should never use a CRT monitor smaller
than 17 inches or an LCD monitor with a resolution lower than 1024 × 768
(more on this later).Figure 16-2. A flat-panel PC display. Photo courtesy of ViewSonic Corporation