Choosing and Buying Components - Display
(Page 12 of 22 )
You’ll spend a lot of time looking at your display, so it’s worth devoting some time and effort to choosing a good one. The first decision to make when you choose a display is whether to buy a traditional “glass bottle” CRT monitor or an LCD flat-panel display (FPD).
FPDs have several advantages over CRT monitors. FPDs are brighter than CRTs and have better contrast. Short of direct sunlight impinging on the screen, a good FPD provides excellent images under any lighting conditions. FPDs are much lighter than CRTs and are only a few inches deep, which makes them more convenient when space is limited. Finally, FPDs consume only 20% to 60% as much power as typical CRTs.
FPDs also have many drawbacks relative to CRTs. Not all FPDs suffer from all of these flaws—newer models are less likely than older models to suffer from any particular flaw, and inexpensive models are more likely than premium models to suffer from these flaws, both in number and in degree.
The primary drawback of FPDs is their hideously high price, literally two to three times as much as comparable CRTs. FPDs are optimized for one resolution, usually 1024 × 768 for 14" and 15" FPDs, and 1280 × 1024 for 17", 18", and 19" FPDs. FPDs backlight the image with an array of cold cathode ray tubes (CCRTs), which are similar to fluorescent tubes and are subject to failure. An out-of-warranty CCRT failure means you might as well buy a new FPD, because it’s very costly to repair.
FPDs have other drawbacks as well. Even the best FPD is marginal for displaying fast-motion video and games because the image smears and ghosts. FPDs have a limited viewing angle. Most graphic artists we’ve spoken to refuse to use FPDs because the appearance of colors and the relationship between colors change depending on the viewing angle. FPDs provide less vibrant color than a good CRT monitor. This is particularly evident in the darkest and lightest ranges, where the tones seem to be compressed; this limits subtle gradations between light tones or dark tones that are readily evident on a good CRT. Also, many FPDs add a color cast to what should be neutral light or dark tones. FPDs, particularly inexpensive models, suffer from image persistence, which causes temporary “ghost images.”
Finally, most FPDs have one or more defective pixels. These defective pixels may be always-on (white), always-off (black), or a color. People vary in their reaction to defective pixels. Many people won’t even notice a few defective pixels, while others, once they notice a defective pixel, seem to be drawn to that pixel to the exclusion of everything else. Most manufacturer warranties specifically exclude some number of defective pixels, typically between five and ten, although the number may vary with display size and, sometimes, with the location of the defective pixels and how closely they are clustered. As long as the display meets those requirements, the manufacturer considers the display to be acceptable. You may or may not find it so.
Our opinion is that FPDs should be used only if their size, weight, low power consumption, or portability outweighs their much higher cost and other disadvantages. Otherwise, we recommend you choose a good CRT and allocate the money you save to other system components.
Use the following guidelines when choosing a CRT monitor:
- A good monitor is a long-term purchase. Even with heavy use, a good monitor should last five years or more, whereas inexpensive monitors often fail within a year or two.
- Check physical dimensions and weight carefully before you buy, and verify that the monitor fits your desk or workstation furniture. Large monitors may weigh 50 lbs. or more, and some exceed 100 lbs. That said, if you find yourself debating between one size and the next size up, go with the larger monitor. But if your decision is between a low-end larger monitor and a high-end smaller one for about the same price, you may be happier with the smaller monitor.
- Avoid reduced-depth monitors whenever possible. Space constraints may force you to choose a short-neck model, but be aware that you will pay more for such a monitor, and its image quality will be lower.
- Stick with good name brands. Doing so won’t guarantee that you’ll get a good monitor, but it does increase your chances. The monitor market is extremely competitive. If two similar models differ greatly in price, the cheaper one likely has significantly worse specs. If the specs are similar, the maker of the cheaper model has cut corners somewhere.
Good Name Brands
Deciding which are the “good” name brands is a matter of spirited debate. We consider NEC-Mitsubishi, Samsung, and ViewSonic to be the “Big Three” CRT monitor makers. Their monitors, particularly midrange and better models, provide excellent image quality and are quite reliable. Many people also think highly of EIZO/Nanao monitors. You’re likely to be happy with a monitor from any of these manufacturers, although we buy only NEC-Mitsubishi monitors for our systems.
Further down the ladder are “value” brands like Mag Innovision, Princeton, and Optiquest. Our experience with value brands has not been good. Their display quality is mediocre, and they tend not to last long.
- Buy the monitor locally if possible. You’ll save on shipping costs, of course, but that is not the main reason why it’s a good idea. Buying locally gives you the opportunity to examine the exact monitor you are buying. Monitors vary more between samples than other computer components. Also, monitors are sometimes damaged in shipping, often without any external evidence on the monitor itself or even the box. Damaged monitors may arrive DOA, but more frequently they have been jolted severely enough to cause display problems and perhaps reduced service life, but not complete failure. Buying locally allows you to eliminate a “dud” before you buy it, rather than having to deal with shipping it back to the vendor or manufacturer.
- Most monitor manufacturers produce no 15" models (there’s no profit in them), and usually three—Good, Better, and Best—models in 17", 19", and 21". In general, the Good model from a first-tier maker corresponds roughly in features, specifications, and price to the Better or Best models from lower-tier makers. For casual use, choose a first-tier Good model, most of which are very good indeed. If you work with graphics, the Better model from a first-tier maker is usually the best choice. The Best models from first-tier makers are usually overkill, although they may be necessary if you use the monitor for CAD/CAM or other demanding tasks.
- Choose the specific monitor you buy based on how it looks to you. Comparing specifications helps narrow the list of candidates, but nothing substitutes for actually looking at the image displayed by the monitor. For example, monitors with Sony Trinitron tubes have one or two fine horizontal internal wires whose shadows appear on the screen. Most people don’t even notice the shadow, but some find it intolerable.
- Make sure the monitor has sufficient reserve brightness. Monitors dim as they age, and one of the most common flaws in new monitors, particularly those from second- and third-tier manufacturers, is inadequate brightness. A monitor that is barely bright enough when new may dim enough to become unusable after a year or two. A new monitor should provide a good image with the brightness set no higher than 50%.
RECOMMENDATIONS
CRT Monitor
We do not recommend buying any 15” CRT monitor. A 17” model costs only a few dollars more and provides a much larger display area. If for some reason you must have a 15” CRT monitor, choose the NEC AS500 (http://www.necmitsubishi.com).
For a budget 17” CRT monitor, choose the NEC AS700. The AS700 is the best inexpensive 17” monitor we have used. It supports 1024 × 768 resolution at 85 Hz, which is more than adequate, and provides NEC’s typical high display quality. It’d be hard to find a better 17” budget monitor. One good indication of monitor quality is the length of the warranty. The NEC AccuSync AS700 has a three-year parts and labor warranty, which is extraordinary for an inexpensive 17” monitor. Many competing models have only a one-year parts and labor warranty, and some have only a one-year parts/90-days labor warranty.
Do not buy a premium 17” CRT monitor. Although high-end 17” monitors are available, we see no point in paying $175 or more for a 17” monitor. For little or no more than the cost of a premium 17” monitor, you can instead buy an entry-level 19” monitor from a first-tier maker. That 19” monitor supports the same or higher resolutions as the premium 17” monitor. The image scale at those resolutions will actually be large enough to use, and the image quality of the entry-level 19” will be more than good enough for general use.
For a budget 19” CRT monitor, choose the NEC AS900. The AS900 is a superb entry-level model. It supports 85 Hz refresh at 1280 × 1024, which is perfectly adequate for normal use. It can also run 76 Hz at 1600 × 1200, which may come in handy for special purposes. Like the other AccuSync monitors, the AS900 has a three-year warranty, which is much better than the warranties on most no-name displays.
For a mainstream 19” CRT monitor, the NEC FE991SB is hard to beat. It supports 1280 × 1024 resolution at 89 Hz, 1600 × 1200 at 76 Hz, and (rather uselessly, we think) 1792 × 1344 at 68 Hz. The images are extremely bright and have the trademark NEC crispness and contrast.
 | If you've enjoyed what you've seen here, or to get more information, click on the "Buy the book!" graphic. Pick up a copy today!
Visit the O'Reilly Network http://www.oreillynet.com for more online content. |
Next: FPD Monitors >>
More Computer Systems Articles
More By O'Reilly Media
