Expert advice on how to choose a monitor for your computer

How to choose the right monitor for home and professional use - what to look for, advantages, disadvantages and characteristic features.

A good monitor is essential for many graphics professionals and general users.

After all, a high-quality image helps to perceive what is happening on the screen fully and with maximum comfort. But how do you choose the perfect monitor?

Things to consider when choosing a monitor

When choosing the ideal monitor, there are a number of specific features to pay special attention to.

Screen diagonal

Screen size is incredibly important. A large screen can fit more information and is much more comfortable to work with.

The cost directly depends on the size of the diagonal, so it is not always worth making a choice in favor of a huge diagonal.

From 22 to 27 inches is better to choose again for home or office with an increased budget. This is enough to comfortably watch photos or videos. There is no point in buying a giant monitor if the user does not work with images.

More than 27 inches - the choice for designers, artists, photographers and other people whose profession is related to the colors in the images.

Permission

The quality and detail of the image depends on the screen resolution. The minimum possible quality on the market is 1366?768. Such monitors are suitable for office work - for example, with text or tables.

For home use, the most comfortable for perception is 1680x1050. They are suitable for viewing photo and video content.

For professional use, you need to choose 4K monitors, but their price is quite high.

Matrix type

There are three types of matrices: TN, IPS, VA and OLED.

• The TN matrix is ​​​​the cheapest and at the same time simple. Suitable for primitive games, office work and content viewing. Not suitable for professional use.
• IPS has brighter colors and more comfortable viewing angles. Their response speed is often underestimated, which is a problem for gamers. Ideal for graphics work.
• VA is the middle option. It is of good quality and relatively low cost. Halftone transmission sags, so not a good matrix for artists and gamers.

Professionals choose OLED as such a matrix has good colors, contrast, brightness and unrealistically good response speed. The black color is deep and rich.

Screen refresh rate

Smoothness depends on the refresh rate of the screen. This is an important criterion for gamers and people working with video. The standard frequency is 60 Hz. It is suitable for general work, where the smoothness of the video is not so important.

Gaming monitors have a frequency of 120-150 Hz. For such a frequency, you also need a good video card.

Response time

Response time - an indicator that is responsible for the time it takes to change the color of a pixel. 5 milliseconds is enough for a standard monitor to work comfortably - viewing content, design or photo processing.

For gamers, it is recommended to choose a monitor with a minimum delay of 1 millisecond. The response time also depends on the type of matrix.

Connectors

Connection to the system unit can be made using special cables. The main ones are VGA, DVI and HDMI.

• The VGA connector is an old connection pattern. It provides a low image level that is only suitable for work or viewing entertainment content.
• More modern is the DVI connector. It supports resolution up to 2560x1600. This is enough to create a high-quality image at a professional level.
• HDMI is the most attractive option. It can support resolutions up to 4K, which is ideal for people who work with graphics or video.

Stand and mount

These are important attributes for a monitor as they determine the comfort of use. The monitor must be positioned at a certain height to maintain the user's vision and posture, so choose a device with an adjustable stand.

Brightness and Contrast

These are important criteria for working with graphic images, as they determine the quality of color rendering.

More expensive monitors have more brightness and contrast. It is essential for photo editing, video editing, design creation and games.

curved screen

For more immersion in what is happening on the screen, you can purchase a curved monitor. On it, the eyes capture a large area, the image is visually enlarged.

The problems of color distortion on the sides of the screen and limited viewing angles are also solved.

Good for gaming and watching movies or videos. However, this add-on costs extra money.

Presence of speakers

The speaker system in the monitor is an optional addition.It is suitable for those who do not care too much about sound quality, since the sound is worse than on speakers.

Compared to separate speakers, the acoustics in the monitor have a lower volume and worse sound quality. Also, along with the built-in speaker system, you need a headphone output.

Screen coverage

There are two types of screen coating - matte and glossy.

The latter is cheaper, has better brightness and contrast, but lacks a coating that reflects light. Because of this, reflections and glare appear on the screen. Margin rises.

Vision protection technology

Some screens have eye protection technology. This is an important item for those who spend a lot of time at the computer.

Typically, this technology is not too expensive, so its presence will not greatly affect the price of the monitor.

It is especially important to have this technology for monitors used by children, as their vision is still developing and needs to be protected from the harmful effects of the screen.

What parameters are important for gaming monitors?

Gamers are very serious about the choice of equipment, because they need maximum performance. It should be borne in mind that it is quite expensive.

What parameters are important for gaming monitors? The main criteria for choosing a screen:

1. Permission. Gamers need to clearly see all the details on the screen, so it is recommended to choose monitors with a resolution of 4K.
2. Matrix type. The speed of response and the quality of the resulting image depend on it. It is recommended to pay attention to OLED.
3. Response time. For gamers, the speed of reaction to what is happening is important, so the response time should be minimal.

The remaining parameters are not fundamentally important when choosing. They may increase the comfort level, but not the quality of the monitor.

What parameters are important for monitors for a designer?

The designer works with color - with video, photos and graphic elements. Therefore, the most important criteria are:

1. Screen diagonal. On a large screen, it is more convenient to view small details and work with small elements.
2. Permission. Believable rendering of colors is an important characteristic for a designer, as they need to clearly understand what color is depicted. For this, it is recommended to choose 4K resolution.
3. Connectors. There should be an HDMI connector - it allows you to work with 4K resolution.
4. Glossy screen finish. Such a coating conveys brightness and contrast better, which is very important for the designer.

The rest of the criteria are optional and should only be chosen based on personal preference.

Popular monitor manufacturers

There are several manufacturers on the market that have long won the hearts of consumers. Each of them has a distinctive feature that attracts the attention of users. The most popular monitor manufacturers:

1. Samsung. The main advantages of this company's monitors are high build quality, clear color reproduction and an adjustable stand. Also, the price always corresponds to the offered quality.
2. Acer. Their monitors have many advantages, the most attractive of which are the relatively low cost, incredible performance and compactness. Most models have a built-in LED backlight, which guarantees excellent quality.
3. Xiaomi. The company offers a wide range of different models.Its products are characterized by progressive solutions - a curved screen, modern design and high performance. Most monitors have built-in eye protection technology.
4. ASUS. The company produces the most innovative and technological products. The monitors are bright, intuitive and glare-free. Some models are ideal for gamers due to additional features - a sight and so on.
5. MSI. The main difference is the high price for incredible performance. Modern design, stretched screen and high-definition mode for professional use. The technique can be fully customized to your own interests.
6. HP. Monitors are compact and high quality. The design is designed for maximum ergonomics and the ability to fit into any interior. The price, of course, is high, but the monitors have a large diagonal, eye protection and improved image quality.
7. Dell. In this case, the value for money is justified. The monitor has perfect color reproduction - ideal for gamers and people who work with graphics. Increased reliability guarantees the durability of the device.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the characteristics of monitors, the following conclusions can be drawn about the rules for choosing the ideal model:

1. Monitors for professional use will cost significantly more because they need to have the highest possible performance. There is no point in buying a cheap screen in this case.
2. If the monitor is bought for home use (viewing content, simple games, and so on), then you should not overpay for ultra-settings and a large diagonal, since the consumer will not notice the difference.
3. A budget option is a monitor with a built-in acoustic system, since it costs less than separately purchased speakers with high-quality sound.
4. It is recommended to pay special attention to adjusting the height and tilt of the screen, as this may affect the user's vision and posture. For children, you should take a monitor with an adjustable stand.
5. The quality of the image directly depends on the connector, since not every one of them is capable of transmitting a decent image. This is an important item for those who buy a monitor with a high quality picture.