What to Look for in a 17in LCD Flat Panel Monitor

There are many types of monitors, ranging from tiny to over 30 inches, there are CRTs and LCDs

and a wide variety of quality levels. However, for general use such as internet surfing, office applications or home use, a 17–inch LCD for less than $300 should do the job.

We looked at monitors with comparable resolutions, dot pitch, size and color ability. Most of the monitors have thin bezels and are available with black cabinets. If you are a gamer or graphic artist, you will want a monitor with a fast response time, less than eight milliseconds, and a good color ratio of 1000:1 or more. If you just want a monitor for general use, a color ratio of 600:1 and a speed less than 12ms will be fine.

However, beyond the general features of a monitor, many offer additional features such as extra USB ports, integrated speakers or pivot ability. So once you find a monitor with an acceptable display, consider extra features that may interest you.

Keep in mind that preferences vary, before ordering online it may be good idea to go into a retail outlet and view the screens to see which monitor looks good to you. We compared the specs and abilities, but appearance is often a matter of opinion.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate 17in LCD Flat Panel Monitors:

• Display – We evaluated 17–inch flat panel monitors with a resolution of 1280(H) X 1024(V) with a dot pitch of 0.264mm, generally these monitors have a color range of 16.1 to 16.7 million. Since it is difficult to find all of the details of a particular monitor, we compared contrast ratio, response time and brightness. The better monitors have a contrast ratio of over 500:1, a response time of less than 12ms and a brightness of around 300 cd/m2.
• Ergonomic Adjustments – Since people often spend hours in front of their monitors, it is a plus if they are adjustable. Most monitors can be tilted, but the best can also pivot, swivel and most significantly be raised or lowered.
• Feature Set – Outside of displaying images, monitors offer a variety of extra features. Some include integrated speakers and headphone jacks, and others offer a Kensington lock slot, USB ports or pivot technology. We also assessed power use and power saving features.
• Product Support – Some computer users are unfamiliar with installing hardware or errors occur, so it is useful if the manufacture provides comprehensive documentation as well as telephone and email support.

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