CNET's editorial experts tell you everything you need know to get the best picture for the best price.
Which LCD is right for me?
With so many monitors to choose from, before you buy it pays to figure out what specs and features will be most important to you. These user profiles will start you off in the right direction.
Match your needs to one of these user profiles:
Home user |
Business user |
Student |
Digital photographer/graphic artist |
Gamer |
Video editor/movie buff
Home user
Home users need to balance price and performance. Extra features such as speakers or USB ports are an important consideration, and depending on where the computer is located, aesthetics may matter as well.
Key features:
| Price |
| Good color performance |
| Sharp text |
| Design/appearance |
| Video input |
Recommendations:
Business user
Businesses need some bang for the buck, but they are willing to pay for productivity. Bells and whistles are not as important as good image quality and adjustability for viewing comfortably at long stretches.
Key features:
| Large image area to display more information |
| Adjustability |
| Energy efficiency |
| Compact form factor |
| Reliability |
Recommendations:
Student
Academic life often means cramped quarters, with a budget to match. Students need a lightweight, portable design; a small
footprint, and image quality good enough for both working and playing.
Key features:
| Low cost |
| Small form factor |
| Easy to move |
| Video input optional, but handy |
Recommendations:
Digital photographer/graphic artist
With too many monitors, what you see onscreen is not what you get from your printer. People working with digital images need excellent color fidelity and consistent results. These high-end LCDs offer near perfect color scales and some provide color calibration options and advanced adjustability.
Key features:
Recommendations:
Gamer
It's all about speed for serious game players. Eye-popping image quality is essential, but a lightning-fast pixel response time is the key to keeping images sharp when the action starts.
Key features:
| Pixel response time |
| Color accuracy |
| Large display area |
Recommendations:
Movie buffs
When digital DeMilles edit the key close-up in their master work, they want total artistic control, and they need crisp, accurate images. Movie buffs watching at home will want the same.
Key features:
| Pixel response time |
| Color accuracy |
| Large display area |
| Alternate signal inputs a plus |
| Wide aspect ratio |
| Front-panel inputs |
Recommendations:
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