The complete buyer's guide to choosing a computer monitor

The right computer monitor can revolutionize your computing experience. Luckily, you can learn what features to look for or avoid before you go shopping.

The right computer monitor can revolutionize your computing experience. Whether you need a monitor that will display your photos beautifully or meet the demands of online gaming, there are important things to consider when choosing computer monitors. Fortunately, by consulting a complete buyer's guide to computer monitors, you can learn what features to look for or avoid before you go shopping.

Twisted nematic (TN) panels are a good choice for the budget-conscious consumer. They have fast response times, but the colour reproduction is far from perfect. These panels are also not as bright as other types. While they're fine for everyday use, TN panels are not the best option if you plan to use your computer monitor as a replacement for your TV, due to the limited range of viewing angles.

Vertical alignment (VA) panels offer better colour reproduction, wider viewing angles and higher brightness than TN panels, but their response time is not as fast. VA panels also have lower black levels than other panel types. This means they can lose detail when displaying dark scenes in movies.

In-plane switching (IPS) panels offer the widest viewing angles and best colour reproduction. However, these panels come with response times that are longer than TN or VA panels. Monitors that use these panels are often more expensive.

Light-emitting diode (LED) computer monitors use a new type of backlight that's gentle on the eyes to light up the image on the screen. Although they're more expensive than standard LCD computer monitors, LED monitors are very energy-efficient and cost less to run.

The ideal size of a computer monitor depends on how much space you have available and its intended use. You should also consider how far you'll be from the monitor when you'll be using it. If you plan to use the monitor as a replacement for a TV, you'll probably need a bigger screen than you would if you only wanted to use it for everyday computing. Many users prefer to buy widescreen monitors because they're best suited for watching movies or displaying two documents side-by-side.

In general, higher resolution monitors offer better picture quality. If you plan to watch HD content on your monitor, look for one that has at least 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Getting a monitor with the right set of ports is essential. Check the ports available on your connecting devices before you buy a monitor. HDMI ports allow the monitor to receive signals from a Blu-ray player, but some laptops and desktops may not have HDMI ports. In this case, you'll need a monitor that supports DVI or VGA connections.