Choose from a wide range of Monitors at Computer Warehouse, from 17 inch standard screen monitors perfect for the office to 22 inch widescreen monitors for the ultimate in home pc entertainment. Before you purchase a new monitor, there are a few things you need to know to make sure that you get the monitor which is best for you.

So that you can fully understand the specs of a new monitor, we have explained what the different terms mean and what you should look for.

Native Resolution:

Because an LCD uses a matrix of pixels to display its image, it has a fixed (or native) resolution at which the display looks best. Different screen sizes have different native resolutions which you cannot exceed. If you lower the resolution of a monitor, the text and images will become distorted although displays now cope better with this problem with the advent of Windows Vista’s vector graphics.

The greatest advantage of a high resolution is that you can see more on screen, meaning that you can view 2 or 3 widows simultaneously with ease. Furthermore, high resolution LCDs result in the sharp, clear, and photo-like screen images required for applications such as digital imaging, multimedia presentations, and mapping programs. However the text will appear to be smaller, although Windows does allow you to increase the text size. Therefore, you must make sure that you are comfortable using the native resolution of a particular screen for all the applications that you are using.

Aspect Ratio:

Most LCDs have a screen aspect ratio of about 4:3. However, widescreen monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:9 which is very useful for working in programs that contain many toolbars or palettes, examples being Photoshop and Dreamweaver. This is also excellent for watching DVDs like with Widescreen TVs as opposed to Standard TVs.

The perfect monitor for the office at Computer Warehouse is the ASUS VB191T 19" LCD Monitor. Get a High Quality Image with this Highly Competitively Priced ASUS LCD Monitor. Or if you’re looking for a widescreen monitor for the workplace, check out the HP w1907v 19-inch Widescreen Flat-Panel Monitor which comes with BrightView Technology which delivers a sharper image, richer colours, and a superb viewing experience, all at a great price.

Because the size of a screen is measured diagonally, the area of a wide-screen monitor display is smaller than that of a regular-format display of the same size. Therefore a 19-inch wide-screen monitor shows about as many pixels as a 17 inch standard monitor. So if you’re upgrading from a 17 inch standard screen for a larger screen size, we advise that you go for at least a 21 inch monitor.

Viewing Angle:

An LCD’s viewing angle indicates from how many degrees spanning from the centre of the display it is possible to view it before the image quality deteriorates to unacceptable levels. This means that if you view an LCD with a viewing angle of 120 degrees for example, from about 70 degrees to the left, the colours you will see will not be the true colours. This effect is more visible on mobile phones. However, even a small change in colour makes a big difference when working with graphical work or editing photos. So if colour is an important factor in your use of your computer, Computer Warehouse recommends that you aim for a viewing angle of at least 160 degrees. All the computer monitors that we sell have a viewing angle of 160 degrees or more.

Contrast Ratio:

The contrast ratio of a LCD is the difference in light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black that an LCD can produce. This is more relevant to Designers who aim for pitch perfect colours. This is also useful for watching DVDs, although altogether contrast ratio is not a big issue when purchasing a new monitor. All the monitors sold at Computer Warehouse have a contrast ratio of 1000:1 or above and since a contrast ratio above 600:1 doesn’t have much of a difference, Computer Warehouse recommends that you concentrate on the viewing angle and the resolution of the screen you are buying as these factors have a much bigger impact on the quality of the image.

When purchasing a LCD monitor, you will come across 2 different connections by which you can attach your monitor to your computer. A VGA connection is an analogue connection whereas a DVI is a digital connection. If you have a graphics card with digital video out and if your computer is less than two years old, you probably do choose an LCD that has DVI digital input. Because the image won’t have to convert from analog to digital and back again, it will be clearer. Even if your computer does not support a digital connection, you should still purchase a monitor which does as DVI digital monitors normally have a VGA connection and your next computer will most definitely allow for a digital connection.

Response Time:

When reading the specs of a monitor, you will come across the response time which is measured in milliseconds. This measurement is the time required for a pixel to change. Therefore a display with a higher response time is important if you play games or watch DVDs on your pc as in these applications, the images are constantly changing at a high rate, especially in action scenes or levels. Therefore to avoid ghosting, in such applications, Computer Warehouse recommends that you go for a monitor with a response rate of 2ms.

At Computer Warehouse we have a good range of monitors for gaming. One monitor which meets the needs of gamers is the ASUS MW221U 22" Widescreen Monitor which has a high resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels and a wide viewing angle which make it the LCD monitor perfect for viewing high-quality games and DVD images. The ASUS PG221 22" Gaming LCD Monitor is a better choice for serious gamers as it is made to meet gamers´ demand on the best in audio/video capabilities and rich connections. The monitor delivers powerful sound with the help of the built-in subwoofer as well as crispy images and real-time communications to bring your games to life. The gaming monitor also has the exclusive Light-in-Motion scenario lighting effects which match sound preset modes to enhance your viewing pleasure, making it a must-have for all us gamers.

Screen Size:

Although a large screen may look attractive especially now that monitor prices have come down, bear in mind the space you have on your desk for the monitor and also the height of your desk. A large screen requires a shorter desk with a longer width so that you are sitting at eye level to the monitor and at a right distance away so that you can see it properly.

Physical Adjustments:

Almost all monitors come with tilt adjustment. If you spend a great deal of time in front of your monitor, you may want to find one that lets you adjust the height of the screen as well. If you want a monitor for your workplace, then a monitor with side-to-side swivel adjustment is recommended by Computer Warehouse as this makes it easier to show your screen to a nearby customer or coworker.