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By: Robert Llarves | Date Posted: November 9, 2022
Computer monitors have come a long way since their early days. The monitors of today are sleek, and powerful and offer a variety of features that make them ideal for use in both the home and office.
And as gaming continues to grow in popularity, manufacturers are also offering models that are specifically designed for gamers.
When shopping for a computer monitor, there are a few basic specifications that you should keep in mind. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most important specs to keep in mind as well as some other features that you might want to look for.
Resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up an image on a monitor. The more pixels there are, the higher the resolution and the sharper the image will be.
A common resolution for monitors is 1920 x 1080, which means that there are 1920 horizontal pixels and 1080 vertical pixels. Resolution is important because it affects how clear and sharp an image appears on a monitor.
For example, a lower-resolution image will appear blurry and pixelated, while a higher-resolution image will be much clearer. So, it is important to consider the resolution that you need in order to get the best quality image possible.
There are also monitors with 1440p and 4K resolution, which offer even sharper and clearer images. However, these monitors are much more expensive than 1080p monitors.
Monitor size is measured in inches diagonally from corner to corner. The most common monitor sizes are 24 inches, 27 inches, and 32 inches. However, there are also smaller and larger monitors available.
When choosing a monitor size, it is important to consider the resolution as well. For example, a 27-inch monitor with a 1080p resolution will have a lower pixel density than a 24-inch monitor with the same resolution. This means that the 27-inch monitor will not be as sharp or clear as the 24-inch monitor.
It is also important to consider the size of your desk when choosing a monitor size. A larger monitor will take up more desk space than a smaller one.
There are three main types of panels used in monitors: TN, IPS, and VA.
TN (Twisted Nematic) panels are the most common type of panel used in monitors. They offer good image quality and fast response times, making them ideal for gaming. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as poor viewing angles and limited color reproduction.
IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels are more expensive than TN panels but offer better image quality. They have wider viewing angles and better color reproduction than TN panels. However, they also have slower response times, which can be an issue for gamers.
Note: IPS panels today are getting faster, there is an IPS monitor now that offers a 1ms response time and a high refresh rate, but most of the time they come with a high price tag.
VA (Vertical Alignment) panels are somewhere in between TN and IPS panels in terms of price and performance. They offer good image quality and wide viewing angles, but not as wide as IPS panels. They also have slower response times than TN panels, but not as slow as IPS panels.
The refresh rate is the number of times that a monitor can refresh the image on the screen in one second.
The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image will appear. Most monitors have a refresh rate of 60Hz, which means that they can refresh the image on the screen 60 times per second. However, there are some gaming monitors that have a higher refresh rate of 144Hz or even 240Hz. These higher refresh rates make for a smoother and more immersive gaming experience.
The response time is the amount of time that it takes for a pixel to change color from black to white (or from one color to another). The lower the response time, the better.
A lower response time means that there is less “ghosting” or blurring of images. Most monitors have a response time of 5ms or less. However, there are some gaming monitors that have a response time of 1ms.
This is important for gamers because a lower response time means that there is less lag and more precise image quality.
The aspect ratio is the ratio of the width of a screen to the height of a screen. The most common aspect ratio for monitors is 16:9. This means that for every 16 units of width, there are 9 units of height. Other common aspect ratios for monitors are 4:3 and 21:9.
4:3 is the standard aspect ratio for CRT monitors. It is also the aspect ratio used by some older laptops and projectors. However, it is not as commonly used in monitors today because it does not make full use of widescreen resolutions.
21:9 is a widescreen aspect ratio that is becoming more popular in monitors today. It offers a wider field of view than 16:9, making it ideal for gaming and movies. However, it is not as common as 16:9, so there are not as many 21:9 monitors on the market.
The connectivity of a monitor refers to the input/output ports that it has. The most common input port is HDMI, which is used to connect the monitor to a computer.
Other input ports include DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA.
Other output ports on monitors are generally used for connecting headphones or speakers.
Most monitors will have at least one HDMI port and one DisplayPort. However, some monitors may only have one or the other.
It is important to check the connectivity of a monitor before purchasing it to make sure that it has the ports that you need.
For many years, flat monitors have been the standard, but more recently, curved monitors have become increasingly popular.
There are several advantages to choosing a curved monitor. First, they provide a wider field of view than flat monitors, making them ideal for gamers and movie buffs. Second, they offer a more immersive experience, as the curve helps to draw you into the action. Finally, they tend to be more ergonomic, as they put less strain on your eyes and neck.
Adaptive sync is a feature that synchronizes the refresh rate of a monitor with the frames per second (FPS) of a computer’s graphics card. This can help to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering.
Adaptive sync is available on both AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards and is compatible with most monitors.
FreeSync is an AMD technology that allows for adaptive sync between a monitor and an AMD graphics card. G-Sync is a similar technology to NVIDIA. Both technologies are proprietary and only work with specific monitors and graphics cards.
HDR is a display technology that offers better image quality than standard dynamic range (SDR). HDR displays have a wider range of colors and can reproduce more shades of colors than SDR displays. HDR also has a higher contrast ratio, which means that there is a greater difference between the darkest and lightest colors.
HDR is becoming increasingly common on TVs and monitors. Many gaming monitors now support HDR, as it can offer a more immersive gaming experience.
It is definitely important to have a little bit of knowledge about the specifications of a monitor before you purchase one. When you know what you need, makes choosing the right model is much easier.
Every monitor is individual, with a unique set of specifications that enables it to serve a specific purpose. A gaming monitor for example will have different specs from a business monitor. It is important to know what you need before you purchase a monitor so that you don’t regret your decision later on.
There you go, a basic guide on monitor specifications. I hope this article has helped you in some way.
