Many people do not consider the importance of a good computer monitor, they are simply looking for a new system or an upgrade to do a specific task such as office work or gaming. But have you ever thought about how the monitor you use affects the overall experience of using the computer?

A high number of people when buying a new PC tend to stick with their old monitor to save on the cost of the overall system.
Going down this route certainly does save you some money but overall it can detract from long term enjoyment of a system. Not just for things like playing games or watching a film but can even affect productivity.

Think about it.

The last time you bought a new TV, which for many of us would have been within the last few years due to 4k becoming cheaper than ever before, did you save a few pounds and get the cheaper model or did you spend a little extra for an improved picture and quality?
It’s the same when it comes to a PC screen.

The part of any PC you use the most is the monitor and usually it is also the part which gets the least amount of attention when it comes to an upgrade or a new purchase.
A good quality monitor is a joy to use, rich and vibrant colours with a high response time allows your eyes to truly appreciate the time and money you have spent on picking the right PC.
I’m not talking about the old tales of TV shops selling you an expensive cable compared to the standard one that comes with the TV, that makes almost no difference over the 2ft or so the cable usually runs.

This is about allowing your eyes to focus in a proper and comfortable manner, not having to put up with a slightly fuzzy image while typing or a movie/game that looks as if the main character has a shadowy ghost following them. A good monitor should allow you to see what you are doing without having to strain your eyes or tilt your head to get to the best viewing angle.

The AOC Agon AG352UCG6 is on the higher end of the scale but is a good example.

So what should you be looking for when you start to consider a new screen?

Size:
These days a 27″ monitor seems to be the sweet spot as far as size versus cost, there are certainly larger ones available but after 27″ the price starts to climb steeply.

Resolution:
Most if not all will support 1080p high definition resolution, if they do not then it’s a god idea to look at something that does do this as it is the standard these days.

Response Time:
Response time is also a factor when choosing a monitor, 5ms (Milli seconds) is about as high as they come these days and for normal office tasks this is perfectly fine. However for games or movies, fast moving images in general, then the lower the better. Generally 2ms is preferred for gaming.

Brightness:
The brightness of a monitor is something that regularly gets overlooked. For a standard monitor aiming for a 3-5000:1 static ratio is about right, anything lower than this and you may find that colours appear washed out or if you have a sunny day then the screen may become hard to see. Many newer screens have a a dynamic ratio however (typically LED screens) which can vary from 5000 up to 5 million.

Generally the higher the better is a good rule of thumb although for specific tasks such as photo editing it is best to refer to the software manual you are using to see if you will get a true representation of the colour displayed on the screen.

Now you know what to look for in a monitor the next time you are buying and hopefully now have a good understanding of why.
There are other considerations such as mounting, physical size, connections and warranty but for the most part these are personal preference and won’t affect the quality of the screen itself.

So next time you are buying a new PC or simply upgrading an older one, consider how a new quality monitor can affect the overall usage of the system.

If you are thinking about a new monitor then please feel free to call and get in store prices on 0131 6629955 where we hold a large range of new and refurbished monitors.

Author: Alexander Wright