A few years ago, the biggest decision you needed to make when choosing the best gaming monitor was whether to get an LCD or CRT monitor. Nowadays, that argument is dead. CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors have been around for a very long time, and were once the standard displays for desktop computers.
When LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors entered the desktop computer world, they were very expensive. LCD monitors have many advantages over their CRT counterparts, and these days they have totally taken over the desktop display market, and their prices have plummeted over recent years to become affordable to everyone.
Here are the advantages of LCD monitors over the old-style CRT monitors, in case you wanted to know:
* Less power usage – An LCD monitor require less power than a CRT model, although CRT power usage is steadily coming down after lots of improvement from manufacturers.
* Smaller and lighter – LCD monitors are much thinner and lighter than CRTs, and they weigh less. This makes LCDs easier to move around, and they take up less room on your desk.
* Easier on the eyes – Because of the way LCD displays work, they don’t flicker like CRT monitors and so they reduce eyestrain and headaches. Also, LCDs tend to display text better since they can produce sharper images than CRTs.
What To Look For In An LCD Monitor
Let’s take a look at some of the more important factors you need to look out for in LCD screens when choosing the best gaming monitor.
Native Resolution
Each LCD monitor is designed for a certain resolution, known as the native resolution. If you change the resolution on an LCD screen, the image will be scaled and the quality won’t be as good as with the native resolution. The native resolution of an LCD depends on the size. Here are the typical native resolutions for common sizes:
* 17 inch: 1024×768
* 19 inch: 1280×1024
* 20 inch: 1600×1200
Viewing Angle
If you look at an LCD monitor from an angle, you will notice that the image appears dimmer and the colors can look weird. At extreme angles the entire image can even disappear. The viewing angle of an LCD monitor is the angle at which you can still view the screen clearly.
So, the greater the viewing angle, the better. Manufacturers are known to exaggerate their specifications, so be sure to evaluate the viewing angle yourself before buying an LCD monitor. Also, keep in mind how you will eventually use the monitor. If you need to show presentations with your LCD, the viewing angle will be a critical factor.
Response Rate
The response rate of an LCD monitor refers to how quickly each pixel on the screen can change color. The faster the response rate, the less ghosting you will experience. Ghosting is when the previous image displayed on the screen can still be seen as a blur for moments after the image has changed. Ghosting can be seen in fast-paced graphical applications such as games and videos.
When choosing an LCD monitor for gaming, the response rate is perhaps the single most important factor to consider. If you’re playing a fast-paced action game such as a first person shooter, when you look around quickly you will experience ghosting. This can ruin your overall gaming experience, depending on how severe the ghosting is. The faster the response rate, the less ghosting you will see.
CRT monitors don’t suffer from ghosting and blurring effects, and this is the reason they have historically been recommended as the best gaming monitors. The trick with buying an LCD monitor for gaming is finding one with a fast enough response rate.
I would say that an LCD with a response rate of 8ms (milliseconds) is the minimum for good gaming. Lower than 8ms is better of course. The very best gaming monitors on the market have extremely fast response rates (even as low as 2ms), completely avoiding ghosting altogether.
Manufacturers are continually producing LCDs with faster response rates, so soon they will all be amazingly fast and you won’t need to even worry about checking the response rate.
What Size Should You Buy?
Choosing the size of your gaming monitor depends on your needs, and your budget. Sizes for LCD monitors range from 15 inches up to 23 inches and even larger. Prices vary greatly between sizes, so choose a size that you can afford and that is big enough for you.
17 inches is a common size and is big enough for most people, but if you’re a hardcore gamer or you plan to watch lots of videos or TV on your monitor, you should go for something bigger as it will increase your viewing experience.
I highly recommend TigerDirect.com to find the best gaming monitors at the lowest prices. They have a huge range of products and are a trusted name for selling quality computer parts online.
Conclusion
This article has explained the important factors you should consider when buying the best gaming monitor for your needs. With this information you are in a good position to make a wiser purchase on your gaming monitor.
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