According to sociological studies, a significant part of the inhabitants of civilized countries spends up to 10 hours daily in front of the monitor. And people do it both at work and at home. This means that the quality of the monitors should be at their best, which will avoid vision problems and prevent the rapid fatigue of a PC user.
CRT options
Computer monitor - a device designed to visually display graphic and text information. For many decades, mainly versions with a kinescope (electron beam device, CRT) were produced. Those who have preserved such an old monitor know that they use a phosphor. Its grains glow under the influence of electron beams. 3 types of phosphor are used, separated by color on blue, red and green. Today, CRT monitors, characterized by a large body volume, are rarely used, and on sale they have not been seen for a long time.
LCD models
To create a monitor using this technology, fluorescent lamps are used. Liquid crystal (LCD) information display devices have a smaller enclosure volume. At the same time, the cost of powering the monitor is much lower than in the case of models of other types. In addition, compared with the options based on CRT, they have the ability to reproduce the picture better and do not allow distortion.
PDP
The action of plasma or PDP monitors is based on the phenomenon of luminosity of phosphor grains when ultraviolet rays incident upon an electric discharge in a plasma are incident on them. On such devices, the "picture" is bright and rich, and they themselves have a long service life of up to 30 years or more. The latter circumstance is the undoubted advantage of PDF-models over most competitors who lose their properties after 10 years.
LED monitors
The brightness of the backlight is one of the most important factors affecting eye fatigue. To reduce their fatigue, it is required to lower it to the minimum comfortable value. From this point of view, devices using LEDs exhibiting high efficiency are most preferred. The advantages of LED monitors include high quality (clarity) of the image, as well as compactness and durability. True, the budget options presented on the market may disappoint, since for the sake of economy, manufacturers use inexpensive pulse-width modulators in them, because of which a flashing effect appears, negating all the advantages of using LED backlighting.
OLED monitors
This is a rather rare type of information display device, which is based on the technology of organic light-emitting diodes. The main advantage of such monitors is the ability to create a flexible monitor screen. In addition, due to the peculiarities of the technologies used, when looking at such displays from any angle, the picture quality does not change.
Laser monitors
Such devices are still new. They are characterized by high contrast and brightness, and also have a very short response time and low power consumption.
Monitor: Key Features
Choosing a device to display information, you must first study its technical parameters. The main characteristics of monitors include:
- Contrast This parameter shows the difference between the lightest and darkest part of the display surface. The larger its value, the monitor is considered better.
- Brightness . The parameter determines the highest specific luminosity of the display surface, and its unit of measurement is 1 nit, equal to the ratio of 1 cd to 1 sq. m
- Permission . This is one of the most important parameters that people pay attention to when choosing a computer monitor. It determines the number of all pixels formed by the displayed image. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image displayed on the monitor screen.
- Horizontal Frequency This parameter is measured in hertz and shows the frequency of displaying the image on the monitor screen.
- Vertical frequency. The parameter characterizes the largest number of horizontal lines displayed by the electron beam on the screen per unit. time.
What to look for when choosing a monitor: size
As already mentioned, it is usually recommended to choose high-resolution models. However, people with visual problems should use the following recommendations: for FullHD (1920x1080), the optimal diagonal should be 23-24 inches, with a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels - 24 inches, for 1680 by 1050 pixels. - 22 inches, and for 2560 by 1440 - 27 inches. If these proportions are observed, the user will not be tired of eyes and there will be no problems with reading, as well as with viewing small icons and interface controls.
As for the aspect ratio of the monitor, the most popular and widespread at the moment: 4 by 3, 16 by 10 and 16 by 9. However, the square (4: 3) is actively being squeezed out of the market, as it does not allow you to watch movies in good quality that As a rule, they have a wide format, as close as possible to 16: 9. In addition, monitors of this form have poor visibility, making it difficult to get the most out of video games.
The best option for professionals
Those who do not need a monitor for entertainment should choose widescreen models with proportions of 16:10. They are great for working with 3D / 2D graphics and code in several windows at once. At the same time, such monitors are more familiar for viewing angles of human vision and are a compromise between variants with proportions of 4: 3 and 16: 9.
Tips for choosing (brightness and contrast)
Many people are familiar with the situation when in the daytime the “picture” on the monitor looks faded. In order not to inconvenience and not spoil your vision, you should choose models with high contrast. They better display black, midtones and shades. It is believed that a good indicator is a static contrast ratio of 1000 to 1 and above. It is calculated by the ratio of the maximum brightness (white) to the minimum.
In addition, some manufacturers indicate in the technical characteristics of the monitor its dynamic contrast. This is an indicator on which the ability of the monitor lamps to automatically adjust to certain parameters that are currently displayed on the screen depends.
For example, if a dark scene appears in a movie or game, the lamps begin to burn brighter, which increases the visibility and contrast. However, such a system rarely works correctly, and bright areas are usually very illuminated.
Communication ports
At the moment, monitors with an analog input D-Sub are still found in stores with a screen resolution of more than 1680 by 1050 pixels. The problem is that this interface is already outdated. It is not always able to provide the required information transfer rate for resolutions exceeding 1680 by 1050 pixels. As a result, the display appears blurred and cloudy areas.
To exclude this situation, you need to have a DVI port or DisplayPort on board the monitor. Their availability is the standard for modern monitors. It’s also good if you have an HDMI port that is suitable for watching HD video from a set-top box or from an external player. If it is, then it can be combined with DVI using the appropriate adapter for the monitor.
Matrix Types
There are several of them:
- TN , which is suitable for video game lovers, allows you to surf the Internet and use any programs. However, it is not the best choice for watching movies, as it has poor viewing angles and "weak" black.
- IPS-matrix, which is suitable for watching movies, working with color and photos, games, Internet surfing, using office programs. In other words, it is universal, therefore, monitors based on it are today the most popular. Judging by the reviews, such devices are most popular with buyers, they have large viewing angles and the best color rendering in the world among other models.
Among the shortcomings, it should be noted the large weight and dimensions, significant power consumption, low pixel response speed, etc. In addition, they are quite expensive, and they have a high input-lag.
Most popular monitors: reviews
Among the variety of offers on the market, it is difficult for buyers to make the right choice. Reviews that leave on specialized forums by those who use this or that monitor can help determine.
The main characteristics of specific models are put at the forefront by users, along with design and price. Based on these parameters, the best choice can be considered:
- DELL U2412M. The diagonal of the monitor in cm is 60.96, and in inches - 24. Resolution 1920 by 1200 pixels. It uses WLED backlight and TFT E-IPS matrix. Among other characteristics: brightness - 300 cd / sq. m, contrast ratio - 1000: 1, anti-glare coating available. The model is, in a sense, a veteran in the market and has collected a large number of positive reviews, including those that note the high build quality. The only drawback is the pixel response time of 8 ms.
- Samsung S24D590PL. This is a fairly inexpensive device that is very popular. Monitor specifications: diagonal - 23.6 inches and a resolution of FullHD 1920 by 1080 pixels. Used TFT matrix AD-PLS and Flicker-Free backlight. The contrast is 1000 to 1, and the brightness is 250 cd / sq. m. The monitor has excellent color reproduction, there are no angular highlights and a stylish and neat stand is provided. The disadvantages include the unevenness of the backlight.
- DELL U2414H. Great non-glare monitor. Main characteristics: display diagonal - 23.8 inches, brightness - 250 cd / sq m, contrast - 1000 to 1. The disadvantages of the monitor, judging by the reviews, include the uneven backlighting of the white field, which is especially noticeable in the area of the corners of the screen.
- ASUS MX279H. This is a fairly large and expensive high-end monitor. Key Features: Resolution 1920 by 1080 pixels, diagonal - 27 inches, brightness - 250 cd / sq. m, matrix TFT AH-IPS. The monitor has excellent picture and build quality. In addition, it is suitable for watching FullHD movies and games.
- BenQ BL2411PT. Judging by the reviews, this device is worth the money that you need to pay for it. Monitor specifications: the screen diagonal is 24 inches, the display brightness is 300 cd / sq. m. It is equipped with a TFT IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels. Disadvantages: there is no HDMI-adapter for the monitor, an uncomfortable menu.
- DELL P2414H. This rather cheap monitor for office and home use is based on a high-quality TFT IPS-matrix. The diagonal of the screen is 24 inches. Resolution - FullHD 1920 by 1080 pixels. Other parameters: contrast ratio 1000 to 1 and brightness 250 cd / sq. m. The main advantage is the excellent saturation of the picture and high build quality. Buyers note that when working with this monitor, your eyes get tired much less than when other models are used. However, the model is somewhat more expensive, which is its main drawback.
- AOC i2757Fm. Quite high-quality monitor with a screen diagonal of 27 inches. Resolution - FullHD 1920 by 1080 pixels. Used TFT AH-IPS matrix. There are built-in speakers. The monitor has a stylish design and soft backlight.
- ASUS PA238Q. This is a good monitor from ASUS, which costs $ 350. The screen size is 23 inches, and the resolution is FullHD. Among other characteristics, a brightness of 250 cd / sq. m and the response is 6 ms. The monitor is in demand due to its inexpensive price, wide viewing angles, high build quality and stylish design.
- ASUS PB278Q. This is a rather expensive model with a diagonal of 27 inches, with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels. As the reviews show, buyers give her preference because of the high-quality picture, the presence of built-in speakers and a quick response that allows you to play any video game. Among the shortcomings, the low build quality is noteworthy. In particular, according to customer reviews, during operation, the plastic frame "moves away" from the screen, and dust gets clogged there.
- AOC g2460Pqu. This 24-inch model is equipped with a TFT TN matrix. Resolution - 1920 by 1080 pixels. Brightness - 350 cd / sq. m, and the contrast is 1000: 1 with a response time of 1 ms. The monitor is perfect for those who can not imagine life without computer games. In addition, it has wide viewing angles and uniform illumination. It is also considered an excellent choice in terms of light eye strain.
If you want to change your old monitor, the tips presented above will help you decide which model is best for you.