- Size and Resolution
There is no ideal size for a monitor actually, it all depends on your need. A 27 inch monitor might be too large for you while 17 inch is probably too small for everyday gaming.
Beside the size, resolution is the most important factor you need to consider when buying new monitor. In terms of resolution, bigger is not always better. A 22 inch LED with 1080p, for example, is far better (and sharper) than a 27 inch LED with just 720p res.
- Glossy VS matte screens
Glossy monitor looks beautiful and usually has better contrast than matte screens. However, avoid this kind of LED if you want to put it in a place with lots of natural light due to its annoying glare.
- Consider to get 720p HDTV
If size is more important for you, then get 720p HDTV instead of LED monitor. One of the advantages of HDTV is it has better viewing angle than standard computer monitor. And if you are lucky, you can get 28 to 32 inch 720p HDTV with affordable price.
Don't worry about its smaller resolutions, though it's not as good as 1080p HDTV (of course), a 720p HDTV is still worth to get due to its price and quality.
Note: for better explanation about optimal viewing distance by the size and resolution, please refer to the image below. (image credits: www.digitaltrends.com)
- TN, VA, IPS, which panel is better??
TN (Twisted nematic)
It's the oldest and one of the most common technology used by monitors. The advantage is, the price of monitors using TN panel are cheaper than VA or IPS.
VA (Vertical alignment)
The VA panel, the newest technology that combines the advantages of IPS and TN panel that gives you better colors and contrast than TN panel and it also provides short response times, making it ideal for gaming.
IPS (In-plane switching)
Personally, i recommend you to get monitor with IPS panel, though the price is more expensive, its "life-like" colors will give you better experience in gaming.
As you can see from video above, it's the best example how colorful the IPS panel (LG 22MP55HQ-P) for gaming and movie compared to TN panel (LG L222WS ).
- Connections
* VGA
Video Graphics Array (VGA) connector is often found on older CRT monitor or even new LED monitor with size under 20 inch. Since the VGA can only carry analog signals, its image quality is not as good as DVI and HDMI.
* DVI
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is able to decrease the video noise when converting analog or digital signals. Compared to VGA, DVI can support larger resolutions.
* HDMI
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) can transfer both audio and digital video signals in a single cable instead of separating them. As you all know, the image quality of HDMI is the best compared to DVI and VGA.
- Consider your budget
If budget is your concern, then avoid buying 1440p(2560x1440) monitor and get 1080p (1920x1080) monitor instead. The good news is, you can find a lot of cheap 1080p resolutions monitors with size larger than 20 inch.
- Recommended manufacturers: LG, Samsung, ASUS, ViewSonic, BenQ.
If you are looking for cheap 1080p gaming monitors then consider the options below:
The best thing about this ViewSonic LED is its friendly price, not to mention about its low power consumption. At first glance, the monitor looks solid, though some of you might think if the stand looks flimsy and cheap.
Unlike most monitors, the ViewSonic VA2212M-LED has been featured with integrated stereo speakers, but unfortunately the sound is not that great.
Some computer users can't stand the glare on the glossy screen, so if you are looking for a non-glossy monitor, then The Asus VS247H-P is a good choice for you.
Fast response time
One of the best thing about Asus VS247H-P is the 2ms response times, so it's really ideal for gaming. The problem on monitor with slow response time is, it may produce blurring effect when there are scenes that involve fast moving objects onscreen.
Get Asus VS247H-P from amazon
This Samsung monitor looks beautiful and futuristic thanks to its high-gloss finish and crystal neck. When talking about image quality, this monitor has been featured with Mega DCR technologies and Magic Upscale so you can get sharp, and true to life images onscreen.
Well, the Samsung S23C570H is recommended if you are looking for a good Full-HD monitor for gaming or if you just want to watch movies.
This 24 inch LED features DVI, D sub, and dual HDMI outputs, which are more than enough for you, because most monitor in the same class usually only feature single HDMI output.
1 ms response time
BenQ RL2455HM is the winner in this article, with one minute response time, it's really ideal for fast-paced action or racing games.
Unfortunately, it still uses TN panel, so obviously, the color quality of this monitor is not as good as other monitors which use VA or IPS panel.
Click here to buy BenQ RL2455HM from amazon
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