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Contents

Monitor types

You took a long time to decide to take this step, saved up money, chose the right model and finally decided to buy a new monitor. Buying a monitor for a computer is a very responsible and serious step. After all, having chosen it once, in six months it will not be possible for you to say “Something does not work well!” and improve its performance, such as improving the characteristics of the computer itself, simply by changing some of the components in it. The monitor usually lasts not a year or two, and not only your productivity and convenience of work, but also your health directly depends on it.

The time of CRT monitors (with a cathode ray tube) has long passed, and they are not only on sale, but also among the most “non-advanced” users.

And although they boasted excellent color reproduction and viewing angles, but power consumption, size and impact on health left much to be desired. Therefore, we will consider only LCD monitors that are now offered by computer stores.

At the moment, manufacturers offer a huge range of monitors, which differ not only in size and image quality, but also in design. At the same time, it often happens that outwardly almost identical models at times differ from each other in cost. Keep in mind that choosing an LCD monitor that is perfect for every task is next to impossible. Therefore, a monitor that is suitable for gaming is not suitable for processing photos and graphics, and models with excellent color reproduction are unlikely to be suitable for fast-paced games.

Manufacturers

The monitors of Chinese and some European manufacturers are most available for sale:

• AOC
• Aser
• BenQ

Lenovo

• LG
• Packard Bell
• Philips
• ViewSonic

As well as simple models of well-known brands Iiyama and Samsung. Due to their relatively low cost, monitors can be made of flimsy plastic with unreliable stands. In the corners of the monitors, there may be light at the corners of the screen. In any case, monitors from the budget group require manual adjustment of the parameters: brightness and contrast. These monitors are perfect for daily tasks such as Internet surfing, office programs and applications.

Higher quality and, accordingly, more expensive products from Asus, NEC, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Neonovo and other brands, as well as expensive Iiyama and Samsung, boast a more detailed, bright and contrast image with a uniform screen backlight. The monitors of these brands are made of high quality materials and on good matrices. In addition, all these companies provide their customers with excellent service support for several years. These monitors are great for gaming, graphics work, watching movies in Full HD, and other tasks where image quality is of fundamental importance.

Monitors of the well-known Apple company can be attributed to a separate group. They are much more expensive than most models — at the level of professional NEC and Samsung monitors. But this does not mean that they are better in quality. It often happens just the opposite, and the technical characteristics can be compared with the average price segment of other manufacturers. Part of the cost of Apple monitors is just a tribute to the fashion and popularity of this company, although their design and appearance are always “on top”. But whether it is worth overpaying only for a popular brand is up to you to decide.

If you have already decided on the tasks for which your new monitor is intended, it is worth understanding in detail the main characteristics of modern LCD monitors in order to determine whether this or that model is right for you, or you forgot to take something into account. This is, first of all, the type of matrix, monitor size and resolution, aspect ratio and interface.

Monitor resolution and diagonal

The first thing you pay attention to when buying a monitor is its size, which is indicated in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm). On a large monitor, it is convenient to watch movies, play games with good graphics or work in several windows at the same time. It is only important to remember that the larger the monitor, the more powerful the video card must be, otherwise the image will slow down during operation.

For comfortable work, all manufacturers adhere to approximately the same standards, and a certain resolution corresponds to different monitor sizes. It is quite obvious that the higher the resolution, the clearer the picture on the screen will be. Modern manufacturers offer more than a dozen different options, the main ones of which we will consider.

• 1280×1024 pixels — the optimal resolution for a 19-21 inch monitor to work with office applications and documents.
• 1920×1080 (Full HD) or 1920×1200 pixels is a good resolution for medium and large monitors with a diagonal of 21-24 inches. It is convenient to play games, watch movies and work with high-quality graphics in Full HD format.
• 2560×1440 (2K QHD) is the standard resolution for monitors larger than 24 inches diagonally. Although, often, even in such large monitors, a smaller value is used — 1920×1080 pixels. On such monitors, due to the large amount of information displayed on the screen, you can work with video and graphics, play high-quality games or work simultaneously in several windows.
• 3840×2160 (4K Ultra HD) is the latest format that is four times the popular Full HD resolution. With such an incredibly high pixel density (more than 8 million), even the smallest details will be perfectly distinguishable. But it’s not worth buying monitors with such a resolution yet, because there isn’t even suitable content for it. So far, this is a promising resolution, so to speak, «a reserve for the future», and they are significantly more expensive than their counterparts with a lower resolution.

Note that now you can hardly find a monitor with a diagonal of 17 inches on sale, and therefore a monitor with a diagonal of 19-20 inches can be considered the minimum reasonable size.

Aspect ratio

The classic screen width to height ratio was 4:3. But most modern monitors have a so-called «wide» aspect ratio — like a screen in a movie theater or video shot with a DVD camcorder:

• 16:9
• 16:10
• 21:9

The choice of this aspect ratio is not accidental — it most accurately reflects the viewing angles of the human eye, so working with monitors with this aspect ratio is most comfortable.

4:3 ( 5:4 ) — classic monitor aspect ratio. Such, almost square, were the screens of CRT monitors and televisions, and the very first 17-19 inch monitors. Most TV programs are broadcast in this format. Now models with an aspect ratio of 4:3 are almost never found. After all, if it is also suitable for office use or Internet surfing, then it will be inconvenient to play, watch movies and fully work on a computer with such a monitor.

16:9 ( 16:10 ) is the most popular aspect ratio for which the vast majority of computer games and high definition movies are made. It is very convenient to work behind such a monitor in the office and on the Internet — a wide screen allows you to open several documents or windows at the same time, and office work often involves multitasking

21:9 is the aspect ratio of some professional widescreen monitors. So far, they are specific and very expensive devices.

Monitor specifications

Color rendering is the color gamut, the number of colors and shades that an LCD monitor can display and how similar they are to natural colors. Any deviations from the norm can be easily noticed when viewing ordinary objects: people’s faces, the sky, grass, and others. And if for an ordinary user this parameter is not particularly important, then for a designer or any designer, the results of his work will depend on this.

Screen response time is the minimum time in milliseconds that a pixel needs to change its brightness. This setting is important when viewing dynamic scenes in games or movies. If the response time is too long, the image of moving objects is blurred. A response time of 3 to 5 ms is considered normal. Gamers and fans of action movies should choose monitors with a rate of less than 3ms. Just keep in mind that by setting the screen contrast to the maximum, you will increase the response time.

Screen brightness is the maximum brightness of white color in the center of the screen. This is a pretty important indicator if your monitor will, for example, stand near a window.

Screen Contrast is the ratio of the color of the brightest point of the screen to the darkest. Different manufacturers evaluate this criterion differently, but in any case, the higher this parameter, the darker darkened and black images appear on the screen. The minimum contrast ratio is 300:1, 600:1 is considered average, 1000:1 is good, and anything above is excellent. For those who work with images, the best option would be a value above 5000:1. Some manufacturers, to attract customers, go to the trick and indicate a “dynamic contrast ratio”, which allows you to improve the quality of the picture. But this indicator has nothing to do with the actual screen contrast. Therefore, if you see unrealistic numbers of 10,000:1 or higher, understand that this is just a marketing ploy, and the desire of the manufacturer to sell you his product.

The viewing angle of the is more important for user comfort. This is the minimum level of deviation from the screen, both vertically and horizontally, at which image distortion, color inversion (when black becomes light and vice versa) and change in contrast will be noticeable. With a small viewing angle, the image looks natural and without color distortion, only if you are directly in front of the screen.

Most manufacturers have dealt with this problem well, but for inexpensive LCD monitors, this problem is still present. Viewing angles of 160/170 degrees are considered optimal, and it is quite obvious that the higher this figure, the better.

Before starting a review of the main types of monitor matrices, it is necessary to clarify the terms used. LCD (liquid crystal display) and TFT (Thin Film Transistor) monitor are the same thing, and it is a kind of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) — liquid crystal displays. And TN + Film (Twist Nematic) and IPS (In-Plane Switching) matrices are varieties of TFT monitors. Well, now let’s talk, in fact, about the matrices, because not only the image quality depends on them, but also to a greater extent the cost of the monitor.

Sensor type

TN+Film (TN) sensor

Monitors made on the basis of this, one of the very first technologies, are quite widespread and most affordable, therefore they are most often used in budget models.

The main advantage of such monitors is the use of crystals coated with a special film, which provides wide horizontal viewing angles.

The main technical advantage of monitors with a TN matrix is ​​the minimum response time and very low power consumption. Another undoubted plus of monitors with such a matrix is ​​a rather low cost. But this, perhaps, is all the pluses.

The disadvantages include a smaller viewing angle vertically than horizontally, and low contrast due to the low black level. In addition, the color reproduction quality is also not at the highest level, and it is better not to work with photographs or images on such a monitor — the output color will differ significantly from the original. The last thing you should pay attention to is that TN monitors may develop «broken pixels» over time.

Summing up, we can say that monitors of this type are perfect for office work and home use. But only if the quality of color reproduction is not of fundamental importance to you, and the decisive argument is the price and response speed.

IPS matrix

At the moment, the IPS matrix is ​​\u200b\u200bthe most popular not only for monitors, but also for tablets, smartphones and TVs.

Matrices of this type are manufactured by Hitachi, LG, NEC (under the name SFT) and Philips. In this type of TFT display, liquid crystals are arranged in such a way that they provide its main advantage — wide viewing angles both vertically and horizontally.

In other words, no matter what angle you look at the monitor, the image will be clear, contrast and without color distortion. By the way, IPS-monitors have excellent contrast, the most natural color reproduction and perfect blacks.

Therefore, if image quality and color matching is of great importance to you, if you work with graphics or image correction, then this monitor will be the best choice for you.

Of course, not everything can be 100% perfect, so keep in mind that IPS monitors are an order of magnitude more expensive than TN. In addition, they have a longer response time, and it will not be very comfortable to play dynamic games on such a monitor. To minimize the disadvantages of IPS technology, manufacturers are constantly improving the matrix, improving its technical characteristics. Therefore, you can meet how many of its modifications:

• S-IPS — unlike the standard matrix, viewing angles are increased and response time is reduced;
• H-IPS — in this modification of the matrix, the image contrast is increased and the shades are stabilized at different viewing angles;
• UH-IPS is an improvement on the previous version with 18% more light transmission;
• E-IPS is another upgraded IPS panel with faster response time, lower power consumption and increased viewing angles;
• P-IPS is a special design for professional monitors with excellent color reproduction, in which the color depth is extended to 30 bits and 1. 07 billion colors;
• AH-IPS — This option increases image brightness, reduces power consumption, and improves color reproduction.

MVA/PVA Matrix

An attempt to combine the qualities of TN and IPS technologies led to the emergence of the MVA / PVA matrix, which, in terms of price and characteristics, has become an intermediate option between them. In terms of response speed, this one is similar to TN, in terms of viewing angles it is close to IPS, and black transmission is perhaps the best among all types of matrices.

AOC M2470SWDA2 Monitor with MVA

MVA/PVA are characterized by high contrast, although color reproduction depends on the viewing angle. Although this is not critical, even when the gaze deviates from the perpendicular by 5-10 degrees, slight distortions in semitones are noticeable.

We can say that monitors with this type of matrix are most suitable for a home computer — they are suitable for watching movies, and for games, and for work.

PLS Matrix

Samsung has developed its technology similar to IPS, but with slightly improved characteristics. Their matrix was called PLS and differs from IPS, first of all, in a higher pixel density, with approximately the same response time. In addition, it has improved color reproduction, increased viewing angles and brightness. At the same time, the price and energy consumption are lower.

Illumination type

CCFL backlight (cold cathode) is a technology that is becoming less popular and less common. Since LCD monitor pixels do not emit light themselves, they need a backlight that is always on. In CCFL monitors, the light source is thin cold cathode daylight fluorescent lamps, which are located either on the sides or behind the monitor. The advantages of this technology include uniform illumination, and good color reproduction. The eyes are less tired when working with such a monitor, since the light wave range of CCF lamps is well suited to the human eye. But, nevertheless, at the moment, CCFL backlight technology has become obsolete, because in addition to environmentally hazardous and not very economical lamps, monitors are noticeably thicker and fail more often.

LED backlight uses more economical and durable LEDs instead of fluorescent lamps. Therefore, the main advantages of this backlight are lower power consumption, sometimes up to 50%, and an almost doubled service life. In turn, there are several options for LED-backlighting.

EDGE (side, end, edge) — the most popular and affordable LED backlight. Instead of CCF lamps, these monitors use a series of white LEDs that are similar in shape and size. The advantages of this solution include low power consumption, and the ability to make the monitor as thin as possible. But in this case, the color reproduction will depend on the type of monitor matrix (which we will talk about later).

It is worth saying that even closed liquid crystals transmit light, so it is impossible to achieve high contrast in monitors with this type of backlight, however, as with CCF lamps.

Full-LED (matrix, carpet, Direct-LED, LED Pro) is a more complex and expensive backlight option. In such monitors, the LED backlight goes over the entire screen area, due to which it is possible to achieve local dimming of certain areas of the screen, which means greater contrast when the black color is truly black. But it is quite obvious that due to the large number of diodes, the power consumption of such monitors is higher, and the thickness is greater.

If instead of white (White LED) colored LEDs are used, assembled in the so-called «triads», the technology is called RGB LED. In this case, each cell contains three LEDs of different colors, and depending on the displayed image, the LED of the desired color turns on.

On such monitors, you can achieve the greatest color gamut, color accuracy and contrast. But this technology is very expensive and difficult to manufacture, so it is used only in some models of professional monitors.

Recently, manufacturers have begun to use edge-lighting technology with local dimming. This is how LG called its development LED plus, but according to experts, such monitors are still inferior in image quality to models with a full-fledged Full-LED backlight.

It should be borne in mind that if you decide to buy an inexpensive monitor with LED backlighting, then in terms of image quality it will be worse than a monitor with CCFL backlighting at the same price.

Regardless of the type of backlight, the image quality largely depends on the type of monitor matrix, that is, the technology by which it is made. There are currently three basic types of matrices: TN+Film, IPS and MVA(PVA) with various modifications of the underlying technology. Monitors of any manufacturer have the same quality characteristics, the level of which differs significantly depending on the type of matrix.

Interfaces

The more different connectors a monitor has, the more options for connecting and using the monitor. Consider the most necessary and popular options for connecting the monitor to external devices.

VGA is a standard analog interface for connecting a monitor to a computer, which, although morally obsolete, will be used for a long time, since even the oldest computers are equipped with this connector.

DVI-D The is a widely used digital connector that allows you to output digital video without audio from a graphics card without converting it to analog. Thanks to this, on monitors, especially with a large diagonal, a clearer and sharper image is obtained.

DVI-I The is an updated version of the DVI-D connector that is increasingly found in the latest monitors. Supports 2 types of signals: both analog and digital.

HDMI is the most popular interface today due to its versatility and ability to transmit video and multi-channel audio in digital format.

Display Port — also designed to transmit video and audio signals in digital format, but unlike DVI and HDMI, it has a wider data channel and a longer cable length.

USB — in addition to standard connectors, some manufacturers equip their monitors with this interface. The latest models can play multimedia content (photos, music and videos) directly from a flash drive, without the need to connect it to a computer.

Scart, S-Video, AV — analog connectors that can be equipped with monitors with a TV tuner and built-in speakers. They are commonly used to connect cassette camcorders, tuners, basic DVD players, and other outdated audio and video equipment that does not have modern video outputs.

We analyzed the main characteristics of monitors in some detail, but for the most comfortable use of them, some more nuances should be taken into account.

Today on stock in imarket >

Additional features

3D support — allows you to view three-dimensional graphics, pictures, games and movies in three-dimensional image. But this requires special glasses and a compatible graphics card.

Built-in speakers in the frame of the monitor will save space on your desktop and enjoy surround sound without the use of external speakers, although the sound quality will be slightly worse. Built-in speakers are usually equipped with monitors with a TV tuner.

TV tuner turns your monitor into a full-fledged TV. In this case, the computer is not used and can be used, for example, to install a game or program while you are watching a movie or TV show. Such monitors come with a remote control and are equipped with connectors for connecting external sources — a DVD player, a flash drive, and others.

Height adjustment and tilt angle — will allow you to most conveniently adjust the monitor «for yourself» for more comfortable work.

The finish of the monitor is available in matt and glossy finishes. In the first case, there will be no glare on the screen even in bright light in a sunny room, and the image will be softer and more even. Glossy coating, in turn, has better color reproduction and contrast.

PIVOT — Using this function, you can rotate the monitor 90 degrees to portrait mode. It can be useful when working with large text documents, images, or browsing sites with infinite scrolling.

Bracket , if necessary, allows you to fix the monitor on the wall.

Choose a monitor >

14 March 2022

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What features of a gaming monitor really matter?

Acer

There’s only one thing the gaming world loves more than games, and that’s incomprehensible terminology. “Yes, my display has G-Sync, 1ms GTG, 16:9 aspect ratio, plus HDR of course. God, you won’t see any ghosts on this child.

If these few sentences were a bunch of nonsense words for you, this article is designed to decipher all those specialized terms and help you figure out what is most important to your gaming experience. There are many unique terms for PC components, including processors, graphics cards, and motherboards. Many of these terms can be ignored and get what is considered the best for your price range.

Monitors are slightly different. They are visual, and everyone has their own opinion about what looks good — on which monitor the colors are too washed out, and on which there is not enough visual «population». Even the type of graphics card you have can influence your choice of monitor.

With that in mind, let’s dive into the wild world of monitor technology.

Update frequency

The refresh rate is the rate at which your monitor can change an image.

Yes, even in this technological age, video is still a collection of still images that change at an ultra-fast pace. The rate at which the display changes is measured in hertz (Hz). For example, if you have a 120Hz display, it might update 120 times per second. A 60Hz monitor does half that, at 60 times per second, and

Refresh rate 144Hz

means it can change 144 times per second.

Most monitors in the world today have a standard 60Hz refresh rate. However, more expensive gaming monitors come with 120Hz and 144Hz refresh rates. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the game appears on the screen if your graphics card is up to the task.

RELATED:

What is monitor refresh rate and how to change it?

G-Sync and FreeSync

Goes hand in hand with refresh rate.

Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync

. Each graphics card manufacturer supports its own version of variable refresh rate technology (also called adaptive sync). This is when your graphics card and monitor synchronize their refresh rate to provide a more consistent and smooth image.

When the graphics card pushes more frames than the monitor can display, you get screen tearing. This is when parts of the current and next image are displayed on the screen at the same time.

Screen break example.

AMD

Not only does this result in ugly gameplay, but it can also give you a headache or even nausea if you’re sensitive to it.

So, adaptive sync is great, but in order for it to work, you need a graphics card that supports this technology. Generally, this means that anyone with an Nvidia GeForce card gets a G-Sync monitor, and anyone with an AMD Radeon graphics card uses FreeSync.

However, there is one caveat here:

some FreeSync monitors also support G-Sync

. This is great news as FreeSync monitors tend to be cheaper than their G-Sync counterparts. However, there are only a few FreeSync monitors that are compatible with G-Sync, so be sure to check reviews to see how well G-Sync on FreeSync performs before you buy.

RELATED:

How to Enable G-SYNC on FreeSync Monitors: NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatibility Explained

Input delay

Refresh rate is only part of a very big equation. Another issue to consider is input lag, for which there are two definitions that further confuse. The good news is that both meanings are simple ideas.

When most people talk about input lag, they mean the time between pressing a key on the keyboard, clicking the mouse, or moving the controller and the action is displayed on the screen. If there is no noticeable delay, then keystrokes, mouse clicks, and other actions will seem instantaneous. If there is a delay, you can fire your pistol, and then it will take half a second or more before this action happens on the screen. This is bad while playing, especially if you are trying to jump over another human player in a game like

Fortnite

.

The second definition is related to the image. There is always a slight delay between the moment the video signal hits the monitor and when it appears on the screen. These few milliseconds are sometimes called

input delay

but it’s better to call

display delay

.

Whatever you call it, the result is that when you play a fast-paced game, the bad guys can attack before you even know they’re there, or your character is moved to a place they shouldn’t be before you know it. and eventually die. .

Controller input lag or display lag degrades the appearance of the monitor, which is why you won’t find these numbers on Amazon’s product page. Also, input lag isn’t just a matter of your monitor’s capabilities. This may be affected by your system or in-game graphics settings such as V-Sync.

To find out if your upcoming monitor has a serious input or display lag issue, check reviews with a simple web search such as «input lag [Monitor X]». Most monitors will be fine for most purposes, but if you’re playing a competitive game like

CS:GO,

then reducing any input lag matters.

Response time

We got

nice, long explanation of response times

for those who want to read about its intricacies. In short, response time is the time it takes for pixels on a monitor to change color from one color to another and is measured in milliseconds. Often this is measured by the time it takes to go from black to white and back again. However, sometimes you can see a response time of approximately 4ms (GTG). This means from gray to gray; the monitor starts off gray and then goes through a whole bunch of other shades of gray.

As a general rule, the faster the response time, the better, because it means that the pixels on the screen can transition fast enough to move on to the next frame. This is very similar to refresh rate, and that’s because the two concepts are related. Refresh rate is a high-level concept that indicates how many frames of an image can be displayed on your monitor in one second. Response time is the low-level work that individual pixels do as they move from one frame to the next.

Dynamic multiplayer games, for example

Street Fighter

, benefit from low response time.

Steam

If the pixels do not advance to the next image quickly enough, visual artifacts called ghosting can appear on the screen. In this case, objects may look blurry, or you see a double image, or objects in the background may have a halo around them. Check out this short YouTube video

a really obvious example of a halo

.

Response time can be important, but unfortunately response time measurements are not standardized. This means that you should do a little research — read reviews and see if critics, customers or users of the gaming forum are complaining about ghosting on your particular monitor.

RELATED:

What is monitor response time and why does it matter?

TN and IPS

Typically, when buying a new monitor, you will come across two types of display panel technologies: twisted nematic (TN) and IPS (in-plane switching). We will not go into the details of what these terms mean and how they work. All you really need to know is that TN panels offer one of the best response times for gaming monitors. The tradeoff is that many people complain that colors on TN panels appear more washed out or «washed out».

TN displays also have lower viewing angles, so unless you’re sitting in the monitor’s sweet spot, you won’t see the same amount of detail, and some objects may not be as visible during dark scenes.

Opinions differ as to which type of panel is best. It is recommended that you go to the store and check them out so you can see for yourself the differences between TN and IPS.

HDR

Promotional image showing the impact of HDR on 4K TVs.

Samsung

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

this is a big feature of modern monitors. You’ll mostly find it on 4K UHD monitors, but HDR can be used at other resolutions as well. HDR allows a wider range of colors to be displayed on the display. As a result, the colors on the screen look more vibrant and the effect is amazing.

In many ways, HDR is even better than 4K. For example, if you’re looking for a 1080p monitor and come across an HDR capable monitor, this is worth considering. However, you should still double check the reviews to see if the feature is worth it. HDR is a premium feature, which means you have to pay more, and who wants to pay for bad HDR?

Quantum dot technology

quantum dots

use tiny crystalline semiconductors (no more than a few nanometers), each capable of emitting one very pure color. Monitor manufacturers take a bunch of red and green light quantum dots, stick them on top of a monitor layer, and then light them up with a blue LED backlight. The result is a brighter white that can be filtered to display a wider range of colors on the LCD.

This is a brief explanation of complex technology. The bottom line is that quantum dots are another technology that allows you to make colors more vivid and thereby improve the overall picture on the screen.

RELATED:

QLED Explained: What is a Quantum Dot TV?

color space

A color space or color profile is the potential range of colors that a monitor can display. It cannot display all the possible colors that we can see, so a predefined set of them is used, called the color space.

When considering monitor specifications, you come across several color spaces, including sRGB, AdobeRGB, and NTSC. All of these standards have their own way of defining the color tones that a monitor can display. For a detailed discussion of this, check out

our color profile tutorial

.

Monitor manufacturers typically claim that their monitor covers X percent of the sRGB color space (the most common color space), NTSC, or AdobeRGB. This means that if sRGB defines its color set to include a certain range of color shades, then the monitor you’re looking at can accurately reproduce X percent of the colors in that color space.

Again, monitor enthusiasts have strong opinions about color space. This is probably more information than most of us need (or want). As a general rule, remember that the higher the percentage for each color space standard, the more likely the monitor is to render good color.

Peak Brightness

Not all monitors include a brightness level in their specifications, but many do. These ratings refer to maximum brightness measured in candela per square meter (cd/m2). When an image is displayed on your screen, the brightest parts of the image may reach this maximum brightness value, while the darker parts will fall below this level.

A value between 250 and 350 cd/m2 is generally considered acceptable, and this is what most monitors offer. If you have an HDR monitor, you are usually looking at an image with at least 400 nits of brightness (1 nit equals 1 cd/m2).

The best estimate of monitor brightness is, again, in front of the beholder. Some people may like a 1000 nit PC monitor while others complain that it would be too much for their bad eyes.

Aspect Ratio

Ultra-wide monitor with 32:109 aspect ratio.

Samsung

Finally, there is the aspect ratio, such as 16:9, 21:9, or 32:10. The first number in the ratio represents the width of the display, and the second number represents the height. On a 16:9 display, this means that for every 16 units of width, there are nine units of height.

If you’ve ever seen the classic series

Hooray

or any other old TV show, you notice that it is in the square box in the middle of your modern TV screen. This is because old TV shows used a 4:3 aspect ratio. The average monitor and TV both have a 16:9 aspect ratio., and ultra-wide displays are usually 21:9, but there are many other ratios such as 32:10 and 32:9.

If you’re not looking for a regular 16:9 or 21:9 aspect ratio monitor, your best bet is to pop into the showroom to see what those other aspect ratios look like and if you like them.

So we did it! You now have ten explanations of monitor terminology and a better idea of ​​what you want. Go ahead and conquer the confusing world of computer displays, my friend.

What is monitor response time — what does it matter

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This material was written by a site visitor and rewarded.

Many users are extremely irresponsible when choosing a monitor, focusing their attention and budget only on the computer itself. This is strange, because high-quality gaming devices, including a monitor, make the gameplay much more comfortable, and sometimes even more effective. In this article, we will analyze many important aspects of gaming monitors and try to help you make the right choice.

Which diagonal, resolution and aspect ratio of the display is optimal?

Gaming monitors are currently available in sizes from 21″ to 27″. There is no objectively better matrix size — everything is subjective. The most popular choice among both casual users and professional gamers is the 24-inch diagonal. The resolution of the monitor must be at least 1920×1080 pixels — this is the indicator that will be optimal and most affordable. Models with Quad HD and even Ultra HD resolution are also available on the market, but you should remember that as the resolution increases, so does the load on the computer.

The most popular and universal aspect ratio is 16:9. It is suitable for both gaming and surfing the Internet. What can not be said about UltraWide monitors with an aspect ratio of 21:9. Ultrawide monitors are great for gaming as they greatly increase the viewing angle in games. However, any other use case will prove to be very inconvenient due to the low height of the display or large useless bezels on the sides. The choice of display format depends only on your own preferences. Remember that UltraWide monitors with the same display diagonal are significantly longer than standard 16:9options.

Brightness, contrast and sensor coverage

Choose a model with a minimum brightness of 250 cd/m2. During the game, you will be close to the monitor and, if necessary, you can reduce it. However, in a room with bright or natural light, high brightness will keep the picture on the screen well readable. The contrast must be at least 1000:1, otherwise the image will not look clear enough. We also advise you to pay special attention to the presence of modes for protecting your eyes: they will come in handy during a long game.

Screen finish can be glossy or matt. It is believed that the gloss makes the picture «juicier», but it glares a lot. The matte finish will not shine, but it will not embellish the picture either. If you play in the evenings, and there are no bright light sources and glare in your room, feel free to take a glossy monitor. If something shines on your screen all the time, it is better to choose a panel with a matte finish.

Game monitor refresh rate

Frame rate is the most important parameter when choosing a gaming monitor. It displays the maximum possible number of image changes per second. Office monitors have a refresh rate of 60 to 75 hertz. With this figure, you will not notice visual differences between 80 and 150 FPS, since the monitor is not physically capable of displaying more than 60 or 75 images per second. Moreover, if the frames per second are significantly higher than the screen refresh rate, visual tearing of frames may also be observed. This is due to the fact that the monitor starts to display the next frame even before the previous one has ended.

Game matrices have a refresh rate of 120 to 240 hertz. In this case, in a second you see no longer the standard 60 frames, but all 120, 144 or 240 frames. The image on the gaming monitor updates faster and noticeably smoother, which has a positive effect on the quality and level of the game.

The benefits of a gaming monitor are revealed only if your computer is capable of consistently delivering the required number of frames per second — the FPS in games must be at least as high as the refresh rate of the monitor.

What is the response time for monitors?

Response time for monitors is the time required to change from one color to another. This is usually the time it takes to go from black to white back to black, expressed in milliseconds (ms). Sometimes the rate of transition from gray to gray (GtG) is estimated, and sometimes even just from black to white.

10ms is the average value for black-white-black. But, to give you another point of reference, LCD screens have a response time of less than 10ms. The lower the response time in milliseconds, the better the image quality and motion display. However, some types of panels are more responsive than others, with TN panels traditionally much more responsive than IPS panels. But things are changing, especially with the advent of nano IPS.

Black to White — White to Black

Standard Response Time Indicator — Black to White to Black. It is measured by the time during which a fully active (white) pixel becomes inactive (black) and becomes active again. With this time measurement, you can determine how long it takes for a pixel to change color. In an LCD display, for example, the total time is determined by the rate at which the liquid crystal rises and falls.

The response time from black to white to black is usually slower, which means they change more slowly. This type of response time is better for general computer users who are more interested in monitor ergonomics.

Grey-to-Gray (GTG)

Grey-to-Grey (GtG) works in medium gradation, i.e. these pixels do not become completely inactive. GtG LCD TVs have approximately 256 shades of gray. The gray to gray response time is much faster and is great for those looking to improve their gaming and video experience.

It is also important to note how it is measured. While black to white to black determines the total round-trip time, gray to gray is measured by taking several selected time series and then taking an average. This is the total time in milliseconds it takes for a pixel to change color.

What should be the response time of a gaming monitor?

Response time — the time required for a pixel to change color. This parameter is also very important in choosing a monitor. Most conventional monitors take between 5 milliseconds to transition to a new color. This figure is acceptable, however, in the most dynamic games, you may notice blurry images.

Pixels on many gaming monitors take only 1 millisecond to change colors, minimizing any delays in rendering dynamic objects. But those who want to purchase a monitor with minimal delays will have to compromise — often the response time directly depends on the type of matrix used.

Reasons for motion blur

One of the effects of a slow refresh rate or pixel response time is that the image may look blurry. This happens for several reasons.

The first has to do with the response time. When slow, it takes some time to completely move from its previous state to a new one. This results in a hidden or ghost image behind the new one. The slower the pixels react, the longer the trace and the less clear the picture. The parameter, which is the best pixel response time on the TV, depends on the technical characteristics of the model.

The second reason is eye tracking. The brain may perceive the image as blurry. The eyes naturally track the image on the screen, but because it is static, even for a fraction of a second, the eyes feel the perception as the gaze slides across the screen.

Motion blur is created by several parameters:

1. Response time — the parameter indicates how long it takes for the TV pixels to transition to a new state. Longer times mean longer blurry trails on moving subjects. Gamers want to know in advance what is the best pixel response time on a TV when switching from one color to another.
2. Frame time — the amount of time a frame is displayed on the screen. The longer the frame time, the more blur is captured.
3. Blurring within the video itself. This is due to the action of the camera exceeding the shutter speed. Filmmakers usually take this kind of blur into account when planning filming for a movie or show.
4. Any delay may occur due to the use of the wireless keyboard, mouse and the Internet.

If the display is primarily used for video, audio, or gaming, which requires accurate pixel response time (ms), consider testing the input lag setting.

How to choose the type of matrix and coating?

Three types of matrix are currently used in gaming monitors: TN, MVA/VA or IPS. The best choice exclusively for gaming is a TN matrix. It has the smallest response time — 1 millisecond, is capable of operating at a frame refresh rate of over 200 hertz and is quite cheap to manufacture, which affects the final cost. The disadvantages of this matrix are low brightness and mediocre color reproduction. This type is suitable only for active gamers or professional players.

The next type, MVA or VA, is an intermediate solution between TN and IPS. Compared to TN, these matrices have excellent viewing angles and high-quality color reproduction. The response time is also higher — from 4 milliseconds. This can negatively affect games with very dynamic gameplay. The cost of MVA/VA is slightly higher, but still cheaper than IPS. Such matrices are suitable for users who use a computer not only for games, but also for work or viewing content.

IPS is the best and most expensive option. These matrices have perfect color reproduction, which will allow you to work comfortably with image processing even on a gaming monitor. In addition, IPS has the highest contrast ratio, viewing angles and brightness among other competitors. Of the minuses, you can highlight the response time — 4-5 milliseconds, as well as the highest cost. If you are considering buying a gaming monitor as the main one and plan to use the computer not only in games, you should pay attention first of all to IPS matrices.

There are also two types of sensor coating: matte and glossy. The first option is endowed with an anti-reflective coating, which eliminates the sunlight falling on the display during daylight hours. The second option perfectly conveys bright and saturated colors. Thus, the choice of coverage should be approached in advance, having decided on the location of the monitor.

How to choose a gaming monitor?

Disputes about the quality of components in the gaming community do not stop for a second. Some measure the amount of video memory, others parry the frequency of the processor, others, at every opportunity, mention a terabyte SSD, RGB backlighting in their system unit, a pleasant clatter of a mechanical keyboard and trump 16,000 DPI on a mouse for distributing headshots. In rare cases, the turn comes to the discussion of monitors. And absolutely in vain. The monitor in this bundle is an eternally underestimated intermediary who rarely gets laurels, although he deserves them no less than his colleagues.

Choosing a monitor is a crucial step that should be approached in the same way as the assembly of components. The wrong choice of output device can nullify the power of the configuration due to the inability to realize the potential of the equipment. So that you do not get into trouble, and the system opens up to the full, we, together with professionals from the hypermarket for gamers OGO! and partnered with AOC to provide you with a guide to choosing a gaming monitor.

Diagonal

Gone is the era when 17 inches was the norm for the gaming industry. Today, there is no need to hide the imperfection of graphics behind small screens. The optimal choice of gaming monitor in 2021 ranges from 24 to 27 inches.

Monitors of this format are comfortable for the average gamer’s room, in which the screen is located in front of the eyes. If you need a monitor over 27 inches, then do not forget that a larger diagonal requires more distance. Otherwise, you will have to constantly run your eyes, which causes discomfort. We also recommend choosing monitors with a diagonal of 24 to 27 inches for fans of games with a third-person view, like GTA 5, PUBG or World of Tanks, due to the comfortable scaling of objects on the screen.

Resolution

Monitor resolution is responsible for the clarity of the picture. The higher the pixel density, the easier it is to see the details of the equipment in any The Division. The standard resolution for most gaming monitors today is 1920×1080 or Full HD. However, with an increase in the diagonal, the inevitable “blurring” of the picture also increases. If you have a powerful graphics card, we recommend 2560×1440 or Quad HD monitors.

Pixel density will increase significantly and detail will improve. Considering a 3840×2160 or 4K resolution option today makes sense if you are the owner of a top-end configuration and you have an unlimited budget. These monitors cost decently, and there is little content that would honestly use 4K.

Matrix type

We have reached the first category, where the first serious considerations begin before buying. The matrices of most modern monitors are divided into three types: TN, IPS and MVA / VA.

TN matrix

The oldest and most common type of matrix today. Differs moderately contrasting picture and a short response time among colleagues. An ideal option for a moderately limited budget and a love of online shooters.

IPS-matrix

A reference matrix in terms of color reproduction, contrast and viewing angle, which can often be found on the tables of illustrators or photographers. Less often — on the tables of gamers because of the high cost.

MVA/VA Matrix

Midway between TN and IPS. From TN, the matrix got a high response speed and a reasonable price, from IPS — color reproduction, contrast and wide viewing angles. A decent choice if you’re looking for bright colors in games.

Response time

Launch any shooter and quickly move the mouse from side to side. Did you notice the loop? It is this loophole that reduces the number of frags. Loop occurs in case of high monitor response time. On average, an acceptable indicator for games fluctuates around 5 ms. Monitors with such a response time are suitable for games where accuracy and speed of reactions are not important. However, if you are determined to conquer the tournament tables in CS: GO or Overwatch, then your choice is monitors with a response time of 1 ms.

Refresh rate

Another key parameter for a monitor that can completely transform the gaming experience. The screen refresh rate indicates how many times the monitor redraws and displays an image in one second. In games, the effect is expressed in the smoothness of what is happening on the screen.

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It is important to note that the refresh rate is directly related to the maximum FPS in games. For example, a monitor with a refresh rate of 60 Hz will never deliver more than 60 FPS, which greatly limits the potential of the system. For gaming monitors, the average is 144 Hz, at which you can comfortably play any modern single and network games. We recommend taking a monitor with a frequency above 144 Hz for those who have set their sights on a career in eSports.

G-SYNC and FreeSync

In-house technologies from NVIDIA and AMD change the refresh rate based on frame rate rendering. Visually, we get a smoother picture without image tearing at a rendering speed of 30 — 60 frames per second or lower. To work, you need the appropriate video card from the manufacturer.

Screen finish

There are two types of finish: glossy and matte. Glossy has rich colors and provides high-quality color reproduction, but it glares strongly in the light and reflects everything in itself, as in a mirror. The matte finish is less saturated, but with an anti-reflective coating, which eliminates sun spots and reflections.

Connection interfaces

Gaming monitors in 2021 are equipped with HDMI and DisplayPort. The former has a 144Hz refresh rate limit, while the latter lets you get the most out of your system.

As a rule, gaming monitors above 144 Hz are a priori equipped with DisplayPort. Please note that your video card must support this connection interface.

Theory in practice

Together with the hypermarket for gamers OGO! and AOC have prepared for you a selection of gaming monitors, each of which is the best solution for its price segment.

Basic gaming monitors

AOC G2590FX

Models AOC G2460PF and AOC G2590FX are entry-level gaming monitors that are suitable for low-key online battles and casual battles. A diagonal of 24 and 25 inches with a base resolution of 1920 × 1080 will provide a wide view, and a refresh rate of 144 Hz, coupled with a response time of 1 ms, provides a smooth picture without delays and loops, which guarantees a comfortable distribution of headshots in CS: GO.

Advanced gaming monitors

AOC G2790PX

Models AOC G2790PX and AOC C27G1 catch the eye at first sight with their size. A 27-inch diagonal with a base resolution of 1920×1080 will appeal to fans of third-person games and will allow you to spot an enemy tank from afar. The models have a refresh rate of 144 Hz and a response time of 1 ms, which is comfortable for semi-professional network running. Special mention deserves a curved screen AOC C27G1, which ensures maximum immersion in the gaming process.

Professional gaming monitors

AOC AG251FZ

In terms of diagonal and resolution, everything is pretty standard here — 24 and 25 inches and 1920 × 1080. But attitudes change when it comes to refresh rates. Regular 240 Hz and a response time of 1 ms allow you to literally live in the game. Needless to say what advantage it gives in online battles.

AOC AGON AG241QX

Models AOC AGON AG241QX and AOC AG241QG different case. With a standard diagonal of 24 inches, they have a resolution of 2560 × 1440, which automatically improves the quality of the picture detail on the screen. The monitors will excel in single-player games with a well-developed world, as well as in network projects — the screen refresh rate of 144 Hz and 165 Hz, coupled with a response time of 1 ms, speaks for itself.

When choosing a gaming monitor, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions: what games do I need it for, what I’m willing to sacrifice, and how much I’m willing to pay. Speed ​​and fluidity are important — look for models with a high screen refresh rate. Detail is important — pay attention to the resolution. And, of course, don’t forget to choose the right components, because a stable system is the key to gaming longevity.* We hope that this guide was helpful and will help you choose a monitor that will unleash your system to the fullest.

Is it too much or too little, and what is the best monitor response time?

1. If the time is long, then with sharp changes in the scene, artifacts will appear — where the matrix is ​​already black, but still shows white. Or, an object that has already disappeared from the camera’s field of view is displayed.
2. When fuzzy pictures are shown to the human eye, visual fatigue increases, headaches may appear, and fatigue may increase. This is due to the visual tract — the brain is constantly interpolating information coming from the retina, and the eye itself is busy with a continuous change of focus.

Less is more. Especially if you have to spend most of your time at the computer. The older generation remembers how hard it was to sit in front of the CRT eight-hour work day — and they provided 60 Hz and more.

How can I know and check the response time?

Although they are milliseconds in Africa, milliseconds, but for sure many people have come across the fact that different monitors with the same indicators form an image of different quality. This situation has developed due to different methods for determining the response of the matrix. And it is hardly possible to find out what method of measurement the manufacturer used in each specific case.

There are three main methods for measuring the response of monitors:

1. BWB, aka BtB is an abbreviation of the English phrase «Black to Back» and «Black-White-Black». Shows the time it takes for a pixel to switch from black to white and back to black. The most honest indicator.
2. BtW stands for «Black to White». Turning on from an inactive state to one hundred percent luminosity.
3. GtG is short for «Grey to Grey». How many points does it take to change the brightness of gray from ninety percent to ten. Usually is about 1-2 ms.

And it turns out that checking the response time of the monitor by the third method will show a much better and more attractive result for the consumer than checking by the second. But you won’t find fault — they will write that 2 ms and so it will be. Yes, only in fact on the monitor and artifacts climb, and the picture goes in a loop. And all from the fact that the true state of affairs is shown only by the BWB method — the first method, it is he who indicates the time required for a pixel to complete a full working cycle in all possible states.

Unfortunately, the documentation available to consumers does not clarify the picture and it is difficult to understand what is meant by, for example, 8 ms. Will it fit, will it work comfortably?

For laboratory research, a rather complex software and hardware complex is used, which is not available in every workshop. But what if you want to check the manufacturer?

Testing the response time of the monitor at home is carried out by the TFT Monitor Test program. Selecting the test icon in the software menu and specifying the native screen resolution, a picture with a rectangle scurrying back and forth is displayed on the display. At the same time, the program will proudly show the measured time!

We used version 1.52, checked several displays and concluded that the program shows something, and even in milliseconds. Moreover, the monitor of the worst quality showed the worst results. But since the time of extinguishing and igniting pixels is recorded only by a photo sensor, which was not in sight, then a purely software method can be recommended for a subjective comparative assessment — what the program measures is clear only to its developers.

How to choose a monitor for your computer. Top 9 monitors for work or play0001

A monitor is a necessary and important component of any computer. The quality of the image and your comfort during work, study or leisure depend on its characteristics. Monitors differ not only in size, but also in many other parameters that can be decisive when choosing the right model. Moreover, two monitors that are almost identical in appearance can differ significantly in price. How to choose the model that suits you, take into account all the necessary characteristics, we will tell in this review.

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing is the diagonal size of the monitor. This is a parameter on which the price of the model directly depends. It should be understood that the monitor is still not a TV, and you will sit almost closely in front of its screen, so there is no point in simply chasing a large diagonal. Keep in mind that the larger the size of the monitor, the higher not only the cost, but also the requirements for the video card.

Monitors with a diagonal of 19-19.5 inches — the working space is enough for solving common office tasks, studying, working in text documents, watching videos and photographs.

21″ to 24″ monitors are the best value for money for most buyers. They are perfect for work and play. On such a monitor, you can conveniently work in several dialog boxes at the same time or enjoy watching a widescreen movie.

An avid gamer or lover of quality cinema should take a closer look at monitors with a diagonal of 24 to 27 inches. This screen size will allow the player to immerse themselves in the virtual world, and the engineer or developer to examine in detail all the details of the image.

Monitors with a diagonal size above 27 inches can hardly be called ordinary devices — they are already bought for more specialized tasks, and they cost an order of magnitude higher than the popular 21-24-inch models. Large screen monitors are most often used by professional 3D graphics developers, designers and video editors.

Monitor resolution is the number of pixels that fit vertically and horizontally on the screen in numerical or alphabetic designation. Do not forget that monitors with different diagonals can have the same resolution, and the model with a smaller diagonal in this case will have a clearer image.

There are many different resolution options for monitors, but manufacturers have calculated only a few optimal combinations depending on the size of the monitor:

32″ — 45″ — More commonly used is QHD 2560×1440 or twice the resolution of standard Full HD, 4K Super HD resolution is 3840×2160 pixels. But it is worth saying that the last parameter is one of the newest and most promising, and a sufficient number of applications and films have not even been developed for it.

19″ monitors have a classic «square» aspect ratio of 4:3. It is quite convenient for working in text editors or for Internet surfing, where the pages are laid out vertically. This ratio was standard for early CRT monitors and televisions. But now the vast majority of monitors are produced in a format close to the real angles of the human field of view: 16:10 or 16:9. Moreover, the second ratio is more popular, since it uses the working area of ​​the monitor more efficiently, and, for example, when watching a widescreen movie, the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen will be narrower.

Widescreen 21:9 monitors are gaining popularity. With them it is convenient to edit video and watch movies, such a prospect also seems tempting for games: the bend of the screen creates an atmospheric panorama, the picture envelops the viewer and completely captures his attention.

Not only the cost of the monitor, but also its key technical characteristics depend on the type of matrix manufacturing:

Response time is the minimum time in milliseconds, from 2 to 8, which is required for a monitor pixel to change brightness. A long response time is manifested by blurring of the image during the image of dynamic scenes in games and films. It is of particular importance for gamers or lovers of quality cinema.

Brightness and contrast is the ratio between the brightest and darkest points on the monitor. The method of its measurement may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Dynamic contrast is of no practical importance — it’s more of a marketing move by manufacturers to draw attention to new monitor models.

Color rendering is the number of different colors and shades that a monitor can display and how they match the natural color gamut. With poor color reproduction, its shortcomings are especially acute when depicting objects familiar to us: the sky, people’s faces, grass. If for an ordinary user this parameter may not be particularly important, then for designers, decorators and everyone who works with color, it is of key importance.

Viewing angles — the maximum angles of deviation of the eye from the monitor vertically and horizontally, at which distortions in color and image, its contrast become noticeable. With good viewing angles, you can change your position relative to the monitor without experiencing discomfort. For a designer, webmaster, and anyone who cares about matching the color on the screen with the final output, viewing angles of 180 degrees vertically and horizontally are considered optimal. If the monitor is planned to be used more for working in standard office applications or for watching movies, viewing angles do not matter much.

All LCD monitors are manufactured according to one of three main technologies: TN + film, MVA / PVA or IPS, which also have their own modifications with minor changes in some parameters.

Until recently, all LCD monitors were with only one type of CCFL backlight — special fluorescent lamps. The main advantage is an affordable price. But at the same time, the lamps do not allow you to get a high level of brightness, they heat up, consume a relatively large amount of electricity and are short-lived.

The next generation of monitors features LED backlighting to achieve high levels of contrast and brightness. Such models cost a little more than those with CCFL backlighting, but are more economical, durable and smaller in thickness. There are several types of LED-backlight:

• W-LED — the most popular and inexpensive option, backlighting is carried out by white LEDs located around the screen perimeter,
• GB-LED — instead of white LEDs, green and blue are used for illumination,
• RGB-LED — the monitor is backlit throughout the matrix with LEDs of three colors — red, green and blue. The most expensive, but the highest quality option with the most natural color reproduction.

The surface of the monitor screen can be glossy or matte. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, and you should choose the right model depending on the conditions for the intended use of the monitor.

• The glossy screen is visually brighter. Color gamut, color reproduction and black look more saturated. But in a well-lit room, especially if there is a window at the side or back of your workplace, or in an office with bright fluorescent lights, such a screen will reflect. Glare on a monitor can seriously interfere with performance, especially if there is no way to remove the light source or rotate the monitor. Also keep in mind that a glossy screen can be made matte by sticking a special anti-reflective film on it.
• The matte screen looks a little faded, this is especially noticeable with TN matrices, and not everyone likes the “crystal effect”, but you can work behind such a monitor regardless of the location of the external light source. Even with prolonged use of an anti-glare monitor in a bright room, your eyes will get less tired than when using a model with a glossy screen.
• Compromise — «semi-gloss», in the English version — light coating and semigloss, which looks like a matte monitor when viewed directly, but when tilted to the side, it shows specular highlights.

Indicates the frame rate on the monitor. The minimum value is 60 Hz, the default is a refresh rate of 75 Hz. This value is quite enough for comfortable work in most programs, but gaming models need a frequency of 120–144 Hz, which will allow high-quality display of dynamic scenes. These monitors require a more powerful and expensive graphics card.

Looking at a monitor for a long time causes eye fatigue and threatens to deteriorate your eyesight. In addition to mandatory breaks of 10-15 minutes every hour, it is recommended to maintain the correct distance from the monitor. Unlike a TV, a monitor has a higher pixel density, and their physical size is smaller, so the optimal distance to the eyes is 19-21-inch models is 55-60 cm. If at the same time you can’t distinguish small details well, then you should work a little with the settings and increase the size of icons and fonts. The larger the diagonal of the monitor, the greater should be the distance to it. So, for a model with a diagonal of 24 inches or more, a distance of 90–120 cm will already be optimal. computers. Image quality deteriorates depending on the length and diameter of the cord, and when it is converted to digital format. The maximum supported image quality is 2048×1536 pixels at 85 Hz.

DVI — the most common connector in modern models for digital video signal transmission from a computer to a monitor. Provides high-quality video signal transmission with a resolution of up to 1920 × 1200 pixels and a frequency of 60 Hz for the DVI-I standard, and 2560 × 1600 pixels for DVI-D.

HDMI is a universal high definition digital signal connector. Unlike DVI, it transmits not only video, but also multi-channel audio. The maximum video resolution is 4K at 30Hz.

DisplayPort is the most advanced type of monitor-to-computer connection with maximum performance. Monitors with a high refresh rate and high resolution — up to 8K are connected to the computer only using this connector.

SCART, S-Video, AV — analog video connectors that can be found in monitor models with additional functions (built-in TV tuner, acoustics). Used to connect household audio-video equipment, DVD-players.

The USB connector allows you to connect a compatible device to the monitor, such as a USB flash drive without using a computer, and play media content — photos, videos.

3D support — allows you to play 3D graphics on the monitor: 3D movies, photos and games. But in this case, you need special glasses, a compatible video card in your computer, and the monitor itself must be characterized by a refresh rate of at least 120 Hz.

VESA Mount — Specialized slots for a standardized mount or bracket that can be used to place the monitor on a wall or suspended from a ceiling.

Stereo speakers built into the monitor, most commonly used in monitors with a TV tuner. They will allow you to do without additional acoustic systems and save space on your desktop. This option is especially convenient for voice communication in Skype, playing games or watching videos.

PIVOT — rotate the screen from landscape to portrait orientation, will be useful when working with documents of various formats, allowing you to make the most efficient use of the monitor’s working area.

Flicker free backlight allows you to work long hours at the monitor without feeling tired eyes. If the brightness is adjusted by increasing the voltage, and not by pulse-width modulation, there will be no flicker.

Curved screen allows you to fully immerse yourself in the virtual world, especially with a large monitor diagonal. The fact is that when working behind a flat analogue, the eye has to constantly refocus in order to view the image along the edges of the screen. It is much more comfortable to work with a curved model.

Height adjustment allows you to adjust the monitor to your personal requirements by choosing the most convenient position.

The touch screen allows you to use the monitor as a tablet computer with the hardware power of a desktop PC. By the way, the Windows 8 operating system is specially designed for touch control, including using monitors.

TV tuner allows you to combine the qualities of a TV and monitor, greatly expanding the functionality of the model.

Monitors with a built-in video camera are rare, but such models are on sale and will be very convenient for video calls.

For office or home use, a small, 19-22 inch, affordable TN monitor is enough for office applications, social media messaging, and displaying photos and videos. If you plan to watch movies at home, then you need a monitor with an IPS matrix, which will not only realistically display the color gamut, but also give you the freedom to move around the room — the image will not be distorted regardless of the angle of view.

If the monitor is more often used for cinema than for work, its diagonal should be 24-27 inches. A gamer will need a TN matrix, with a good response, or more expensive, but saturated in the H-IPS color palette. A professional designer, photographer or video editor will also like a monitor with such a diagonal, but the matrix should already be chosen by P-IPS so that the colors on the screen are as close to natural as possible.

Buy monitor

See also:
How to choose a laptop
How to choose a scanner
How to choose a printer and MFP
How to choose a computer

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How to choose the right monitor for your computer: expert advice

If you need to choose a PC monitor suitable for office tasks, study or leisure, we invite you to read our review, which discusses the parameters that directly affect image transmission and user comfort.

Monitors can differ not only in size, but also in a huge number of indicators that make up the final cost. We will consider them below.

Monitors for various applications

Users buy equipment depending on the destination. This could be gaming, reporting, or using devices with professional video editing software. Each task requires certain specifications.

Work and study

For such purposes, it is better to give preference to monitors with a diagonal of more than 21 inches. Since you will have to spend a lot of time at the computer, it is necessary to ensure the comfort of your eyesight. Compact monitors are cheaper. If you are a designer, designer or engineer, we recommend choosing devices that have normal color reproduction and a three-dimensional picture.

Home use

For watching movies, photos, working with texts, equipment with indicators from 24 to 27˝ inches is suitable. In this case, you need to consider the dimensions of the niche for the device. If it will stand on a pedestal, then you should calculate the distance to the place of work.

Image manipulation

The monitor is more demanding when it comes to graphics. It should not only display content normally, but also provide sufficient clarity for working with images. Often, monitors from 27˝ inches are purchased for such purposes. This allows the photographer or designer to open multiple windows and increase productivity, especially when using professional software.

Game monitors

In addition to the requirements for the technical data of the computer itself, there are certain parameters for visual perception. Monitors in the range of 21-27˝ inches are considered optimal. At the same time, the resolution should be 1920×1080, that is, Full HD, which will allow you to get the maximum pleasure from the gameplay without the risk of a fuzzy or blurry picture due to insufficient pixel density. Also for QHD values ​​2560×1440 are allowed.

What to look at first

Most buyers focus primarily on size. This is one of the main parameters, which not least affects the price. However, he is not the only one. It is worth paying attention to the aspect ratio, choosing the best option among many types of matrices, and calculating the required brightness and contrast that the monitor has.

Screen size

19 and 19.5˝ are rarely chosen. They are enough to work in the office with text documents. The popular category of monitors ranging from 21 to 24˝ is designed for the vast majority of buyers, as they allow you to watch widescreen movies, open multiple dialogs, view photos, and work on documents.

Gamers often prefer 24-27˝, which allows you to fully immerse yourself in the virtual world. They are also bought by developers and engineers to view the details of the pictures in detail. Monitors larger than 27˝ help solve narrower tasks. If you are a video editor, designer and 3D graphics specialist, this is the perfect option.

Aspect ratio

This selection criterion is no less important than the others. Many users are faced with a problem when the image cannot be stretched in width or height, which leaves a lot of free space. Previously, models with a classic aspect ratio were more popular — almost square. Today, more natural viewing angles for a person are being chosen, which allows using the entire working area of ​​the monitor.

• 16:9. This format is the most popular today. Typical standards of 1920×1080, 2560×1440 and 3840×2160 pixels are optimal for it.
• 5:4. These options are less common. They are not suitable for watching movies as the viewer will see horizontal stripes. But for surfing the Internet or working in text editors, it is quite consistent.
• 21:09. In ultra wide-angle monitors, this format is very common. It goes well with the parameters of 2560×1080, as well as 3440×1440 pixels. For American-made cinema products, this ratio is native.
• 32:9. It is considered a fairly new format, which can be equated to two 16:9 monitors side by side. The most common indicators will be 3840×1080 and 5120×1440 pixels.

Approval

This indicator affects the clarity of the picture, so Full HD devices and more are increasingly preferred. The specified format of 1920×1080 pixels is the most common and popular. It is optimal for gaming activities, cinema and conventional graphics programs. For work in an office environment, you can use 1280×1024, despite the fact that it is considered obsolete. However, for office applications and spreadsheets it is sufficient.

If you have a specific activity, you can use the 2560×1440 format as an alternative to Full HD. But keep in mind that it creates an increased load on the video card, as a result of which the computer’s performance may decrease.

A bright and colorful picture allows you to get 2560×1080, but not every system unit can handle such a monitor.

Matrix type

One of the important components of the display is the liquid crystal display, which displays the information processed by the system. Frames are converted to graphics. To display information, you need a monitor with sufficient clarity of light and a range of colors.

• TN (TN+Film). This technology allows you to get acceptable, but not the best clarity. The colors are not very bright. In terms of viewing level, it does not belong to ideal options, there may be dead pixels. The advantage is the fast action of the picture, due to which it is comfortable to play, work and watch movies on the monitor.
• IPS (PLS). It is considered the best option in terms of quality and cost. The technology provides a bright and rich picture. It does not light up when exposed to sunlight. The angle will be optimal. The detailing is excellent. However, it is necessary to take into account the response time, due to which the display will periodically slow down, in particular in movies and game processes, the sound track can go ahead of the picture.
• VA (MVA, PVA). Alternatively choose this solution. The presented technology perfectly reproduces color, has sufficient visibility and low response. Among the shortcomings can be noted a weak transmission of halftones and excessive contrast in the color balance.

Brightness and contrast

The brightness values ​​represent the amount of light emitted from the screen when it is on. It is measured in candela per square meter. Most modern monitors are available with a value from 200 to 700. With an increase in the number, the clarity of the picture increases, even if sunlight hits the screen.

Contrast, in turn, looks like the ratio of peak dark and light points.

Contrast

Optimum contrast ratios are around 1:600. To improve the reproduction of colors, you can increase them up to 1:1000. But designers and gamers often prefer monitors with 1:5000 ratios.

There is also the concept of dynamic contrast, which is achieved through backlighting. It should be fairly even. In the modern assortment there are two options for backlighting — LED and fluorescent. The first of these solutions is considered more preferable due to the long service life, the absence of spots and sharp brightness transitions. You can visually evaluate the performance in a darkened room with standard parameter settings.

Brightness

This option should be selected depending on the lighting in the room. If the monitor will be located near the window, then you should give preference to models with indicators above 350 cd / m². If the contrast is high enough, the white color really looks like white, and the black looks like black. This also applies to semitones.

Curved shield

An unusual design features a curved screen that helps to immerse yourself in the virtual world with your head, especially if it is a large monitor. If you choose to work with a flat device, you will have to constantly refocus to consider the details of the picture at the edges. It is the bending radius that provides comfortable perception at a certain distance.

This technology is believed to replicate the natural field of view of the human eye. This fact is confirmed by medical research. With such a monitor, there will be much less problems with defocusing of vision.

Design and play essentials

Designers and gamers face the challenge of choosing the right monitor because they need accurate colors and sufficient brightness. If the budget does not allow for the highest quality displays, you can buy a 27˝ device, which belongs to the middle price category. As a result, you will get normal colors, black levels, as well as optimal brightness values ​​for your tasks.

Imaging

We recommend that graphic designers and photographers consider several important parameters when purchasing a monitor. Preferably, it should be IPS, an improved version of H-IPS, which has a fast response time, or AS-IPS, which has a high contrast display.

The contrast level must be at least 1:1000 and the brightness must be at least 250 cd/m². The type of surface is also important, since a glossy display will reflect incident light, while a matte one can absorb rays. One of the important indicators is the transfer of colors. In this case, models with 16.2 and 16.7 million shades are suitable. The screen size also plays a role, therefore, for working with graphics, options from 19˝, preferably no lower than Full HD.

Color depth — 8 bits and above

This option helps you determine the bit depth, that is, the number of colors to display. For graphics operations, you will need a real color scheme, so the gradation range must be at least 8 bits.

Color gamut — 95% sRGB and above

The range of colors that the monitor can cover is the color gamut. For professional work, its width is important, so the indicators should be at least 95% sRGB. Otherwise, the picture will be unsaturated and faded. But also do not choose too large indicators. This is due to the fact that some programs do not support color management, as a result of which the shades look more saturated. And on standard monitors, photos will look pale.

For games

When buying powerful PC components, it is imperative to choose a gaming monitor, since the main focus will be on it. The video game experience directly depends on the quality of the monitor. There are several points that are of great importance.

• G-Sync, FreeSync, Adaptive-Sync. These are adaptive scanning technologies from AMD and Nvidia. With their help, the frequency of scanning and rendering of the frame by the video card is synchronized, as a result of which a smooth picture is achieved without gaps, sharp jerks and artifacts. It is these technologies that monitors designed for gaming should be equipped with. It’s worth considering video card compatibility as AMD doesn’t work with G-Sync, but Nvidia’s video adapters may well be compatible with FreeSync.
• 1-2 ms — response time. This value is a characteristic of the playback speed on the monitor, which is measured in milliseconds. If 3-5 ms is enough for normal conditions, then for gamers the response speed should be at least 1-2 ms.
• 120Hz — Screen refresh rate. Thanks to this setting, dynamic scenes in movies and game programs become smooth. If you are playing esports shooters where reaction time is of the utmost importance, the screen refresh rate should be 120, 144, 240, or 360Hz.
• Additional functions. Some monitors may have built-in speakers, headphone jacks, USB ports that allow you to charge your smartphone or connect peripherals. As an addition, the same curvature of the monitor mentioned above can act. An excellent solution would be an adjustable stand to control the tilt and height of the display.

What else to look for

If we figured out the main criteria that the monitor must meet, taking into account the tasks, then it’s worth looking at the secondary functions and capabilities.

Ergonomics

To save your eyesight, it is very important to calculate the distance to the monitor, which should be at least 50 centimeters. It is important that, with the natural position of the head and neck, the upper edge is opposite the eyes. The central part can be located 15-30 centimeters below eye level.

Screen cover

In some cases, it is important to cover the screen, which is glossy and matte. In the first case, the monitor will have a bright picture and rich color reproduction, but it will fade when exposed to sunlight. Matte surface is not so saturated. Color reproduction will also become a little worse, but on such a display you can work perfectly both in darkened and well-lit rooms due to the scattering of rays and the absence of color spots.

Connectors for connection

Often a monitor can have a huge number of connectors. In certain activities, sooner or later, the installation and connection of components will come in handy, for which different-sized sockets are suitable. Among them may be VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort or others.

Built-in speakers

The speaker system of the monitor is built-in, so you can refuse to purchase an audio system and additional speakers. But it is worth noting that often such components do not differ in decent sound quality. If we are not talking about music lessons or professional gaming hobbies, then if necessary, you will be able to use regular headphones when the built-in speakers are not enough.

Briefly about how to choose a monitor

Before buying a monitor, we advise you to first of all decide for what purposes it will be used. If it’s doing common tasks in documents, the extra technical features aren’t that important. And not all models are suitable for gamers, designers and engineers. In this case, you need to carefully consider a number of parameters that affect the quality and realism of the picture — color characteristics, adaptive scanning technologies, image playback speed, and others.

Conclusion

The monitor is one of the most important parts of a PC, because it will determine the comfort while performing work tasks, watching movies, gaming or other entertainment. We hope that our review will help you decide on all the parameters and buy equipment that will delight you with its quality for many years.