A shiny new monitor makes it easy to see the big picture.

Bulky old CRT monitors have all but disappeared in favour of thin LCD screens. Professionals such as photographers held off due to CRT's superior colour accuracy and viewing angles, but today's LCD monitors have improved dramatically. They also come in sizes and resolutions to rival your television.

Just like televisions, large monitors tend be to be "widescreen" displays - which means they're shaped like a movie screen. This makes it easier to view two documents side by side, but it's also great for watching a DVD at the end of the day.

What to look for in Monitors

Choosing the right monitor for your office or home is an important decision for two reasons. 1) A poor choice can have a big impact on one of your most important senses - namely your eyes, and 2) monitors actually last a lot longer than computers.  For these reasons it is important to give careful consideration to what you buy.

Screen Size

Start with screen size, remembering screens are measured diagonally. LCD monitors start at around 15 inches and go up past 30 inches, where they start to become televisions and public displays. Some monitors have built-in speakers and even webcams. There are also monitors coming onto the market that have touch screens.

Display quality - resolution, brightness, contrast ratio...

Like LCD televisions, LCD monitors come with a spec sheet crammed with confusing numbers. They are rated for resolution (such as 1280x1024), brightness (measured in cd/m2), contrast (expressed as a ratio such as 500:1), response times (measured in milliseconds) and viewing angles (measured in degrees).

Gamers should place a high emphasis on resolutions and response times, while multimedia buffs should be more interested in contrast ratios and viewing angles. The bigger the monitor, the higher the resolution you want it to support in order for the picture to look its best (depending of course on the graphics capabilities of your computer).

Monitors generally look best running at their "native" resolution.

Display Technology

Most LCD monitors use cheap Twisted Nematic (TN) displays, which offer low response times (meaning less blur) but are still hampered by poor viewing angles and colour accuracy. Vertical Alignment (VA) displays are more expensive and offer better brightness and contrast, although the trade off is higher response times. In-Plane Switching (IPS) displays offer the most accurate colours and best viewing angles, but are the most expensive and offer the highest response times.

Input Connectors

As for inputs, you should consider VGA and DVI mandatory while DisplayPort is an emerging format found on some laptops. HDMI is useful if you want to connect up AV gear such as DVD and Blu-ray players, although you'll need to ensure the monitor supports Blu-ray's HDCP copyright protection. Some monitors also feature the component and composite video inputs found on home entertainment gear.

Monitor Stand

A good monitor stand is also important. Look for the ability to swivel, tilt, rotate and raise the screen.

USB and Memory Card Readers

Finally look for handy extras such as USB ports and memory card readers.