In order to end up with the CRT monitor best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.
Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of CRT monitors are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a CRT monitor.
Research the market: CRT Monitor essentials
The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the CRT monitor market. The range of options can seem overwhelming, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:
Size: Most commonly for personal use CRT monitor sizes include: 15-inch, 17-inch, 19-inch, and 21-inch. Keep in mind that when you're buying a CRT monitor, your viewing size is actually going to be smaller than the size named. For example, a 17-inch monitor actually has a viewing size of about 15.9 to 16.1 inches.
While you can purchase flat-screen CRT monitors, you can also purchase the traditional monitor, which is much like a television. Determining which monitor is best for your needs may come down to how much work space you have.
Refresh rate: All monitors have a specific refresh rate, which is simply the rate at which the screen is redrawn per second. You want a monitor that has a higher refresh rate; otherwise, you'll have to deal with annoying flickers of your screen. Don't settle for a refresh rate of anything less than 75 hertz.
Generally CRTs have a much faster refresh rate than newer LCD screens, which means picture quality is noticeably better when playing games or watching movies. Slower speed LCD monitors commonly leave motion trails when displaying screens with a lot of action.
Resolution: You can generally change resolutions with CRT monitors, as they don't have a native resolution like the LCD monitors. Generally, the higher the resolution, the better the screen quality.
Viewing angle: Perhaps one of the best features of the CRT monitor is you can view it from any angle. The screen will look the same when you are directly facing it as it does when you're sitting adjacent from it. This is one of the reasons that CRT monitors are particularly popular with gamers and graphic designers.
Dot pitch: The dot pitch of a CRT monitor defines how sharp the images on the screen will be. The lower the dot pitch, the sharper your image will be. The ideal dot pitch is 0.28 or lower.
Price: CRT monitors are still far and away the most inexpensive monitors on the market.
Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself
Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a CRT monitor. For example, will you use the CRT monitor only for gaming or for work-related duties?
You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.
| Have I used a CRT monitor before? |
| | If you have used a CRT monitor, work out what you did or didn't like about the CRT monitor. You may be looking for one exactly like it, hoping to upgrade, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient. |
| What will the primary use of the CRT monitor be? |
| | If you require the monitor for work purposes, it indicates you will most likely be spending a lot of time in front of it. If you intend to use it at home, your usage may be lower. |
| Will I be playing a lot of games? |
| | Again, this will determine the amount of time you spend in front of the monitor and whether you would prefer higher-resolution images. |
| Will I be doing a lot of graphic designing? |
| | This is the type of activity where high-resolution is critical, especially if it is for work of a professional nature. |
| Does even the slightest flicker of the screen irritate my eyes? |
| | If you have sensitive eyes, the last thing you want is a screen that is going to add to their sensitivity. |
| What is my budget? |
| | CRT monitors are available in a range of prices, with flat screens and larger monitors being generally more expensive. |
Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.
Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of CRT monitors and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.
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Buyz123.com Research Links:Choosing a CRT MonitorChoosing a CRT monitorComparing CRT monitors with LCD monitors Information on computer monitorsCRT monitor basicsMonitor size/resolutionChoosing monitor size