In this section, we will talk about the things to take into account when buying a monitor. We will also talk about the different types and its distinctive features. This will be a brief guide on how to buy a monitor.

Size: it is measured in inches and it depends on length of the diagonal crossing the screen. Sizes vary between 15, 17, 19 and 21 inches (although there are bigger). The standard size is 15 inches although it is moving to 17. Bigger monitors, 19 and 21 inches, are targeted at people working with big documents such as designers, photographs working with billboards, CAD documents, etc. The bigger the monitor size, the better resolution we will achieve.

Tube: it is the essential component of the monitor. Knowing who makes the tube will tell us all we need to know about the monitor. Companies producing tubes are Sony, Mitsubishim Phillips, etc. Then, there are the companies selling monitors using the tubes from the previous companies. If two monitors have the same tube, the only thing supporting the difference in price will be the type of support the monitor has, digital controllers, etc.

Refresh frequency: the more the image on the screen “refreshes”, the less our vision will get tired. Tube monitors work by showing an image, again and again, at a speed giving us a feeling of stability. The more frequent the image is refreshed, the more our eye will rest.

We can also talk about LCD monitors. In recent years, these monitors have come out of their exorbitant prices and they are increasingly being used by domestic users. The great advantage of LCD is that they do not work by “refreshing” and they keep a constant image because they do not have a tube. The lack of tube makes them thinner than their predecessors; thus giving it more placing options and a particular elegance. Many of these monitors allow rotating modes unforeseen for tube monitors: they can rotate 360 degrees, making it possible to turn the image round to its original position, rotating them to the sides and turning them around. These movements are very useful for those working with image treatment. Finally, and as its more important feature, LCD monitors have a great color definition, so that this type of monitor is ideal for anybody working with professional image treatment, such as a graphic designer, a photographer, etc.