by You can prolong the life of your current desktop PC and increase productivity and fun with a new computer monitor. Everything you should consider when looking for a monitor is covered in our guide on buying monitors.
Five Things to Look for in a Computer Monitor
You must consider your demands before selecting a computer monitor. Features like resolution, refresh rate, size, and of course cost vary throughout monitors. You must be aware of your goals and financial constraints.
Price
Sort and Objective
Conclusion
Size of Monitor
Extra Elements
How Much Should You Pay for a Computer Monitor?
Prices for monitors vary nearly as much as those for PCs, but there’s always something to suit everyone thanks to the wide range of alternatives. For some reason, there are displays available for less than $100 if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a new one. However, these models are typically smaller than the suggested size, measuring only 20 inches or so. However, you may have to pay an MSRP of $6,000 or more if you choose the largest and most luxurious model.
What Will Be the Objective of Your Monitor?
Which kind of monitor—gaming, general, or professional—do you want?
While a professional display concentrates on color accuracy for imaging and office-related tasks, a gamer prioritizes low reaction times and quick refresh rates. Choose an IPS panel monitor if you intend to use it mostly for watching videos. These panels are great for streaming videos.
Observe the Resolutions
A sharper, more defined image requires a higher resolution. The cost rises in tandem with the resolution. The majority of displays available for purchase nowadays are HD monitors with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, or 1080p. We advise you to think about this as the bare minimal resolution. Additional alternatives for resolution comprise (but are not restricted to):
1024 x 1280
1365 by 768
900 x 1600
1080 x 1920
1200 x 1920
1440 x 2560
1440 × 3440
2160 x 3840
There are monitors that go up to 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) if you want anything more than Full High Definition (FHD). Resolutions of 3840 x 2160 and higher are possible with 4K monitors, but keep in mind that this increased visual quality comes at a significant additional cost.
How Do I Pick the Size of My Monitor?
For most users, a monitor between 24 and 30 inches is the perfect size.
The cost of a display rises with size, just like resolution does. There is no such thing as the optimal monitor size because only you know what you’ll put on the monitor, where you’ll place it, and how much it will cost. A 24-inch monitor should be more than plenty for the typical home user who reads email, surfs the web, etc. However, a larger, higher-resolution display might be more sensible if you were working in an office setting (think intricate spreadsheets).
The largest display isn’t necessarily the greatest option, unlike when selecting a TV. The clarity of what’s on the screen will diminish if the resolution doesn’t improve with the size. The larger display won’t look as sharp as the smaller one, for instance, if you have two monitors with the same resolution. Furthermore, even though the smaller display is sharper, it might be too small for your eyes to comfortably use.
For the average user, HP says a 24-to 30-inch monitor will do, and for gaming, a minimum of 25-inches or more for a 1080p monitor is what you’d want.
Extra Elements
Having USB ports on your display is convenient because it saves you time and effort when connecting a mouse, keyboard, or webcam. Take into account the monitor’s adaptability as well. Does it adjust to fit people of different sizes? If you’re the only one using it, this might not matter, but if you have a family or even just one other user, you might be astonished at how convenient it is to arrange the monitor exactly where you want it.
A few specialty monitors also come with extra HDMI cable connectors and mounting hardware, allowing you to mount the screen straight to the wall. Their very own “gaming hub,” which allows for more direct control over hardware, software, and live services, might even be included.
Variations in Computer Monitors
A lot of manufacturers sell monitors for everyday tasks like checking emails and spreadsheets, as well as more involved tasks like graphic design, photo editing, and video editing. Even displays designed especially for people who play a lot of video games exist.
Common Use
It’s possible that you are currently utilizing one of the “general use” monitors that you have already seen. You might know these kinds of computer monitors in an office. The sizes of monitors for general use vary from 21 to 41 inches. They can be used to browse social media, check emails, purchase online, and view quick videos, among other things.
Experienced
Professional monitors are typically used by creative professionals such as graphic designers. A creative professional’s monitor is capable of precisely displaying billions of colors. Professionals in the business now choose UHD because of its wide resolution range, which spans from 3840 x 2160 (4K) to 6016 by 3384 (6K). That is more than enough screen real estate for all kinds of tasks, including producing videos and building games. The sizes of these monitors will vary from 24 to 32 inches. When you start looking, you will notice larger displays, but not all of them will have very high resolutions or accurately represent colors.
Playing
Professional monitors serve distinct purposes than gaming monitors. Gaming displays require a fast refresh rate (how rapidly the screen can update the information) due to the fast, player-controlled activity. While high-end versions can reach 360 Hz, the lowest refresh rate (shown as Hz for Hertz) you’d want for gaming is 60 Hz. It’s advisable to look for a display designed specifically for gaming if you use your computer mostly for PC gaming.
incredibly broad
Ultrawide monitors are getting more and more popular, and they’re usually not as expensive as they used to be. Ultrawide monitors are significantly wider than standard monitors, with a greater width than height. Although everyone can use these displays, if your job is spread out horizontally, you should consider using an ultrawide monitor. Watching movies on these displays might also be beneficial. An ultrawide monitor would be our first choice if we were choosing a new monitor.
rounded
Curved monitors, though still very large, can give you the resolution of a larger panel without taking up as much desk space. They try to provide a more immersive experience, depending on what you are doing. You should be aware that some of these may be more reflective than you would like, and that you pay more for the curve.
Who Needs to Invest in a Computer Monitor?
Since not all desktop computers come with a monitor, anyone buying a desktop computer should at the very least think about shopping around for a monitor. Furthermore, a monitor may not meet your needs even if one is offered.
Since laptops typically come with built-in monitors, most users don’t need one.
Before you order, please carefully review the contents that come with your computer. Sometimes you can add a monitor to the set if it’s not already there; just make sure it’s the one you want. In addition, you should compare prices if you currently own a desktop setup and either need to replace your monitor or wish you had something larger or sharper.
What Comes Next After Purchasing a Monitor?
Make sure to give your new monitor a test run as soon as possible. Connect it to your computer to make sure everything functions properly and achieves your goals. Make sure it fits in the space if your main use for it will be to watch TV and movies. To compare the picture and sound quality to what you were getting from your prior display, start playing a familiar video.
Open some papers and applications if you wish to use it for work to see how readable everything is and how it might impact (positively or negatively) your workflow. If you plan to use it for gaming, try starting a graphically demanding game and seeing if it performs any better or has a quicker frame rate.
