The first thing people think about when choosing a new screen or monitor of any sort is what screen size do they need. Screen sizes range typically from 14" to a huge 32", although 14" is a little small, a 15" or a 17" screen is plentiful if you're just a casual user of your computer. If you use your computer for work of for numerous tasks you will need a larger screen You can pick up a 19" screen for relatively cheap these days which is highly recommended if you're a serious user.



The aesthetics of the screen also come in to play with some people. Some go for a particular color to make sure it matches their PC unit or their surroundings. Screens usually come in black or silver, but don't worry it has no implications on the actual quality of the screen.

Something that does affect the quality of the screen and its usefulness though is the screen resolution of the monitor. The screen resolution is determined by the number of pixels which make up what you actually see on the screen. 1280x1024 is a recommended figure for the screen resolution and does come as standard on most monitors, but it you're a heavy user in the field of graphic design, web design or you just watch a lot of movies you may need a higher resolution to get the most out of your monitor.

Another phrase which is thrown around very often but is never explained is the response time of the monitor, it sounds too technical for most people to even care about it, but it is quite important. Basically it means how long it takes for each individual crystal in the screen to light up (displaying the images you see on your screen). It's usually calculated in milliseconds. For hardcore users, I would recommend 4ms or below, but for you and I 8 to 16ms is enough.

The capability of your monitor should also come in to play when making your decision. For most users a standard monitor is fine and does the job, but for some, which may be you, this isn't enough. People are increasingly demanding HD ready monitors (so you can play high definition DVD's or watch high definition TV channels). Other like to have a monitor which they can also use as their conventional Television as well as the computer screen, these tend to cost more and come with capabilities such as aerial sockets and SCART sockets.

Choosing your computer monitor doesn't have to be difficult, but it is something you will want to investigate before going out and shelling a few hundred dollars for something that performs, what you feel, like crap.