ABT Builder’s Guide: September-October 2008
MONITORS
Forgive my rhetorical question but, what use is a computer system without a monitor? For this section, just like with cases and hard drives, I can only guide you.
Size & Brand
How much desktop real estate do I need? What resolution do I want to play my games or watch movies at? Do I want or need a widescreen LCD? What can my video card manage? These are the questions you should be asking yourself when choosing a monitor. As for the brand, again, this will come down to your personal preference and past experiences.
Here is a list of popular monitor sizes and resolutions that go with them. Note that WS denotes widescreen.
| MONITOR DISPLAY SIZE | NATIVE RESOLUTION |
| 15″ | 1024 x 768 |
| 17″ | 1280 x 1024 |
| 19″ | 1280 x 1024 |
| 19″ WS | 1440 x 900 |
| 20″ | 1600 x 1200 |
| 20″ WS | 1680 x 1050 |
| 22″ WS | 1680 x 1050 |
| 24″ WS | 1920 x 1200 |
| 26″ WS | 1920 x 1200 |
| 28″ WS | 1920 x 1200 |
| 30″ WS | 2560 x 1600 |
I will now make a few suggestions for these sizes/resolutions.
Honourable Mentions:
15” – ViewSonic Value Series VA503b
17” – Acer V173 b
19” – Hanns•G JC-199APB
19” WS – Hanns•G HW-191DPB
20” – HP LP2065
20” WS – Acer AL2016WBbd
22” WS – Acer AL2216Wbd
24” WS – Acer P243WAid
26” WS – SAMSUNG 2693HM
28” WS – Hanns•G HG-281DPB
30” WS – SAMSUNG SyncMaster 305T
I hope that this will serve as a decent guide on your quest for a new monitor. Good luck.
