The Truth About Flat Panel LCD Screens
by Martin Coleman © 2006. The popular “box” or CRT monitor is in the danger! In danger of becoming a rarity. See, more and more people are purchasing LCD aka flat panel monitors with their computers or purchasing one as an upgrade from their older box monitor. There are so many advantages to using one, but it seems some people find the story behind them confusing, or are unsure as to what it is all about. Put your mind at ease, I am about to tell how great they are. LCD monitors are smaller. Much smaller, than your typical CRT box monitor. This is great for those who have smaller computer desks or space limitations where their computers are set up at home or work. This allows you to still use your computer in a space where you might not have otherwise with other monitor types. This saves you having to purchase a laptop, as combining your existing computer with an LCD screen is almost just like it! LCD screens also take up much less power. A room full of CRT monitors could potentially drive up your power bill, whereas with LCD screens, and efficient power saving options enabled in your computer, it could really help cut your electricity bill. LCD screens offer better clarity. Their picture is sharper, much clearer and much more defined. With CRT screens you are looking through the glass and at whatever resolution and update frequency your computer can throw out. With LCD screens, you will not have to look through the glass that can be full of glare and reflect light right back at you, which can make using a computer with a CRT screen in a brightly sunlight lit room extremely difficult. As more and more people are purchasing one, the demand increases, which equals lower and better prices for everyone. This means that what your CRT screen might have cost a few years ago, is now what the LCD monitors now cost. Once again, those much bigger screens still take up less than a 1/5 of the original space the larger monitors did. There is one drawback, which is games. They definitely support games, so software support isn't the problem. The possible problem is that the LCD screens have a slower screen refresh rate (the speed of the video signal being fed to it from your computer), which might penalise those exceptionally keen first person shooter gamers out there. However, if you are not a gamer or more of a casual gamer, this wont pose a major problem for you, so this should not affect you. After running some tests with basic shooters, I have not noticed any speed bumps in refresh rate. How about upgrades? Well, here is great news for you. You do not need to upgrade your computer to use one! I will repeat, you will not have to upgrade your desktop computer to be able to use an LCD monitor. You will be able to purchase one from your local computer retailer and connect it straight up to your existing computer which should already have a standard video adapter plug (ask your local computer specialist about this, they will be able to confirm this for you if you are unsure). So, if you can afford it, there really aren't any disadvantages to having one, but plenty of advantages through their space and energy saving features make them very cost effective. You will love their clarity and picture sharpness. You really wont go back to CRT box monitors after trying one. Martin Coleman is a freelancer writer and is obsessed with computing and the internet. More information about his services can be found at http://www.martincoleman.com Back to top
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