They’re all flat, 22 inches measured horizontally and offer a range of additional functions. So how can buyers tell a good PC monitor from a bad one? Is a contrast of 500:1 sufficient, or does it need a ratio of 3000:1?
“The benchmark data they provide is only of limited usefulness,” says Dirk Lorenz from the German consumer testing organization Stiftung Warentest in Berlin. Much more important is taking a look at the display itself in the store.
The first step is to consider how the monitor is going to be used. Displays needed for gaming, for example, need to have attributes different from office monitors. A monitor for video playback has to be big and offer high levels of color gradation, brightness, and contrast.
Office monitors, by contrast, should feature good ergonomics. Overly large monitors can be a distraction in that setting, though. “It’s like being in the movie theater and sitting in the first row,” explains Juergen Reinhard from hardware maker Samsung.
Office monitors must be height adjustable, says Ulrike Kuhlmann from Hannover-based computer magazine c’t. If the display is set too low, the ceiling lighting can be reflected in it. Lorenz recommends against mirrored models for the same reason. “It may look nice in the store, but it is distracting in daily use,” she says.
Kuhlmann also recommends a device with digital inputs such as HDMI or VDI. “They are more expensive, but they’re worth it,” she notes. Displays with only analogue input can only be attached to the computer using an adapter, since most computers today offer digital-only image output. “The images may end up with a flicker. But you won’t notice it in the store — only once you get it home,” Kuhlmann says.
One thing that can and should be checked in the store is the image quality. The customer…