Before You Buy a Computer Monitor there are several questions you need to know the answers to. Computer monitors are expensive and if you buy the wrong one for your needs you could be potentially wasting hundreds of dollars. The answers to the questions below will give you what you need to know before you buy a computer monitor.

What will you use the monitor for?

Gamers will need a monitor with different specifications than a person who does not game. Gamers who opt for LCD monitors will want to buy the monitor with the fastest average gray-to-gray response time. The faster the gray-to-gray response time the less ghosting is noticed on the display. This measurement is really only important to gamers, most users will not notice the difference in response times, unless you do a lot of scrolling.

What size should you get?

Typically the larger the image the more appealing to most computer users. However, there is a point when a monitor is too large for practical use in a normal desktop environment (think 42" plasma on your desk 3 feet in front of you). If you plan to use dual monitors to extend your desktop, purchase monitors accordingly. CRT monitor buyers will also want to consider weight in addition to available desk space. Large size CRT monitors can be very heavy, be sure your desk is up to the task.

What about multifunction monitors?

Multifunction monitors are great for use in areas where you want a TV but need a monitor for your computer as well. There are many LCD monitors with built in TV tuners as well as Plasma TVs and monitors that will function as computer monitors. Multifunction monitors are ideal for use with media PCs.

What resolution do you need for your monitor?

Resolution is dependent on your video or graphics card as well as your monitors display capability. It does no good to spend extra on a monitor that can display a resolution of 1920 x 1200 if your graphics card tops out at 1280 x 1024. Also the higher you set your resolution, the smaller things on screen will appear. If you plan to run higher resolutions larger screen sizes are better.