Display Devices

Overview Display systems not only include your PC’s monitor, but also the graphics card. Display quality is quite important to many computer users because the display is one of the most used devices in your computer system. 

General Information Although most commercial PC packages include both a monitor and a graphics card, many people choose to upgrade their display devices. Larger, higher quality screens can improve appearance, as well as increase the viewing area. Better graphics cards can improve the speed and visual quality of many graphics applications and games. There are many different monitors, LCD displays, and graphics cards available on the market today, prompting many to wonder which display devices are best for their needs. Visit www.pcmech.com/monitor.htm to read all about the different display designs and technologies that are currently available. Once you have developed a grasp of the basic design differences between monitors, go to this CNET Web page to view the editor’s top five CRT monitor choices or this CNET Web page to view the editor's top five LCD monitor choices.  Also, visit this CNET shopper page to see their 50 most popular monitors, complete with product information, prices, and reviews for each model. On the About.com  site is a list of the 10 most popular graphics cards. See this Web page for this information. Once you are ready to purchase a monitor or a graphics card, be sure to visit a large shopping portal such as shopping.yahoo.com.  

Graphics Cards The newest, most powerful, and fastest graphics cards are, for the most part, aimed towards gamers and users of graphics applications. Graphics applications such as photo editing, 3-D rendering, and graphic design all require fast graphics cards. Visit http://compreviews.about.com/cs/manvideo  to view a page of links, sorted by manufacturer, that pertain to graphics cards for PCs. Once you are aware of what is available, visit some graphics card review pages such as www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/hard6.htm. Both of these sites review the latest and greatest graphics cards, as well as provide links to the manufacturers’ home pages. 

CRT Monitors CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors are the most popular type of computer display for desktop and workstation computers. Although large and bulky, CRT monitors offer many positive features not found with LCD screens. Their relatively low cost, large viewable area, and high quality picture are the main reasons for this design’s popularity. To find out more about the latest CRT monitors (including prices, product specifications, and availability), visit www.cdw.com. This page also provides the same categories of information about other monitor designs such as touch screens, LCD screens, and plasma displays. You can read reviews about the most popular monitors on the market today at this PC World page. 

LCD Screens Until recently, LCD (liquid crystal display) screens were found almost exclusively on notebook computers. Now, LCD screens are being sold for use with desktop and workstation computers. Although relatively high in price, LCD displays are a compact and high-quality alternative to CRT monitors. Read about LCD technology, design, and resolution issues at www.computerhope.com/help/lcd.htm.You can also find links to their main page, which provides detailed information for different brands of LCD screens.  

Wikipedia.com's LCD page provides a wealth of information about LCD technology.  

Ready to shop for a new LCD screen for your desktop computer? If so, visit http://computing.kelkoo.co.uk  to find the latest LCD screens sorted by manufacturer. Product information, availability, price, and a purchasing system are all available at this site.