After talking about the things to know before buying a new computer, let's see now how to choose a monitor for the fixed PC and what technical parameters to consider to make a good purchase, depending on the price you are willing to pay. The most common monitors are LCDs, that is, liquid crystal flat screens.
At the same time that LCD monitors conquered the television market, they also became a standard in the world of monitors, quickly replacing the old CRT (cathode ray tube monitors).
In this guide we will see how to choose a new flat screen LCD monitor .
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How to choose the monitor for the desktop PC
LCD monitors also require less energy, emit far less radiation than cathode ray tube monitors and the technology allows for clearer images, higher resolutions and a flicker-free display, good for eye health.
Even though all monitors look the same, there are important features to keep in mind before purchasing.
1) Screen size
The screen size is measured in inches, in the diagonal distance from the lower left corner to the upper right corner of the screen.
The available sizes range from 15 to 30 inches (although over 32-inch super displays are available) but, generally, the most common format for a desktop monitor today is 19 "or, maximum, 22".
It is not wrong to focus on a large monitor but larger sizes require more desk space and the cost rises quite a bit.
Using the computer on a big screen is especially useful for those who work with graphics programs and those who have to keep several windows open in parallel.
2) Proportions
With the disappearance of CRT monitors, the most widespread proportion is certainly 16: 9, identical to that visible even on modern TVs.
Whatever the activity to be done (work, fun, games) the standard is now 16: 9 so even the programs are better exploited.
New elite types such as 21: 9 (Ultra Wide) or even 32: 9 are starting to spread on some elite monitors, which widen the horizontal space out of all proportion while keeping the vertical space intact: they are ideal for 4K games and for those who work a lot with graphs, tables and spreadsheets.
READ ALSO -> 21: 9 wide monitors (ultra wide screen): which ones to buy
3) Termination
Resolution is the number of pixels displayed horizontally and vertically.
Higher resolutions mean sharper images, greater clarity and more desktop space for icons and programs; on the other hand, at increasingly higher resolutions, the text becomes much smaller and more difficult to read.
So, before thinking that more pixels = more quality, it is better to reflect on how you use your computer, if you use it to work with text documents or if it is mainly used to watch videos and images.
The minimum resolution for all modern desktop PC monitors is Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), but monitors with 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels) are increasingly popular in order to obtain double the detail and resolution.
For further explanations we can read the guide here -> Meaning of screen resolution for TV and monitor and for photos
4) Contrast ratio
The contrast ratio describes the difference between the brightest white and the darkest black that the LCD monitor can display.
Higher contrast ratios show more defined black and white, thus improving the color rendering of the monitor in any scenario.
The best native contrast ratio you can get on a modern LCD panel is 1, 000: 1.
We can also not use this parameter to choose between two monitors, since dynamic contrast is often used (via software) to obtain a better contrast in an artificial way.
5) Brightness
LCD monitors have a large rear panel that provides all the light needed for the LCD panel; in the more recent models the backlight panel is equipped with LED bulbs, which consume much less and allow to obtain a good result in terms of brightness.
Brightness is measured in candles per square meter (cd / m2).
A value of at least 300 cd / m2, i.e. higher brightness, and is ideal for watching movies or playing games on the computer.
For office work and internet browsing, a ratio of 200 - 250 cd / m2 is more than good.
6) Viewing angle
For the viewing angle of the image, LCD technology has taken a sharp step backwards compared to cathode ray tubes, because the further we go from the center the more the colors fade and the image becomes much more charged with white.
This parameter is relative because if we use the monitor only with the PC, we will always look at it from the front and never from the side (which can happen with a TV).
Regarding this topic, we can mention the difference between TN and IPS monitors
TN technology is the most common and the cheapest of TFT screens and is characterized by a low viewing angle and a low contrast ratio.
The most expensive evolution is the IPS monitor with more vivid colors and a greater viewing angle.
READ ALSO: Better a curved monitor or one with a flat screen "> guide on cables, ports and connectors of the computer.
For a standard monitor we need to check that there are at least one HDMI port and one DisplayPort port, both well supported by dedicated video cards and integrated chips on the latest generation motherboards.
If the PC is a bit old, it is advisable to check that there is also an old-fashioned "backup" port, ie DVI and VGA (the latter having fallen almost completely out of use).
8) Integrated audio
Thanks to the HDMI and DisplayPort ports, PC audio can be carried on a single cable together with video, so many monitors have integrated audio speakers.
Our advice is to never rely too much on it: the speakers built into the monitors are really small and rarely sound so good that they can replace a small 2.1 sound system (practically never!).
So if there is little space we can consider a monitor with integrated audio, otherwise it is always advisable to focus on separate speakers.
8) Conclusions
In summary when you go to buy a new monitor for your computer you must first consider the size, the proportions and the resolution.
In the next phase you can compare all the models available in the shop to check the other features and, above all, look at the contrast ratio, the brightness, and the available ports.
Finally, of course, you look at the price and, in my opinion, for normal use of the computer (if you don't work with advanced graphics and video programs) it should not exceed 250 Euros for a high-level screen.
The best monitors we can buy with the recommended parameters are available in the following guide.
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