When shopping for a new computer system, we tend to fret over things such as the CPU speed or hard disk size, but what about the monitor. Often referred to as a display screen, a video display terminal or visual display unit, the monitor is the component of your computer system that displays the messages and data being processed and utilized by the computer’s CPU.

The two types of monitor technologies available to consumers are available in CRT monitors and LCD monitors. There are big differences between LCD and CRT, and while LCD technology has advanced to the point where its viewing quality is comparable to CRTs, many people today still choose to purchase a CRT monitor. CRTs are bigger and bulkier than an LCD, they consume more power and are prone to screen flicker. lcd monitor tvs, however, are more expensive when compared to CRTs, they introduce the problem of viewing angles, and generally have less accurate color replication.

Sort for cathode-ray tubes, CRT monitors were the only choice consumers had for monitor technology for many years. A CRT works by moving an electron beam back and forth across the back of the screen. Each time the beam makes a pass across the screen, it lights up phosphor dots on the inside of the glass tube, illuminating the active portions of the screen.

Resolution on a CRT is flexible and a newer model will provide you with viewing resolutions of up to 1600 by 1200 and higher, whereas on an pc lcd monitor the resolution is fixed within each monitor. The resolution on an LCD can be changed, but if you’re running it at a resolution other than its native resolution you will notice a drop in performance or quality.

Both types of monitors provide bright and vibrant color display. However, LCDs cannot display the maximum color range that a CRT can. In terms of image sharpness, when an LCD is running at its native resolution the picture quality is perfectly sharp. On a CRT the sharpness of the picture can be blemished by soft edges or a flawed focus.

A CRT monitor can be viewed from almost any angle, but with an computer lcd monitor this is often a problem. When you use an LCD, your view changes as you move different angles and distances away from the monitor. At some odd angles, you may notice the picture fade, and possibly look as if it will disappear from view.