Computers, Hardware

The LED Buzz: Things to Consider when Buying a LED Monitor

philips-led-monitorLED (light emitting diode) monitors are fast replacing LCD (light crystal display) monitors in terms of style, efficiency, functionality, and consequently, popularity. Before LED, most monitors made use of CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) backlights. As for picture quality, there is no significant difference between LCD and LED monitors, although many technology-savvy buyers prefer the latter for its more vivid quality and more defined brightness. Much of the popularity of LED monitors nowadays is owed to its environment-friendly feature, as it does not contain mercury, unlike LCD monitors. The power usage of an LED monitor is also less than that of its LCD counterpart.

Having established the merits of opting for an LED monitor, the question now becomes: what LED monitor should you get? Choosing the most suitable monitor for your needs requires thorough planning, because for one, prices can be steep and you would not want to waste your budget on anything less than it's worth; for another, getting the right monitor ensures long-running satisfaction.

Prioritize What You Need Over What You Want

There are times when the pure aesthetics of a thing captures us so effectively that it overrides all practical thought. Although the monitor's style and look matters, this question must first be answered: Is this monitor the one that suits your purpose?

Thus, think about what you need the monitor for. How large must the screen be for your purposes? What display settings work best for you? What options do you want the monitor to have? Are the programs you plan on running complex or basic? These are just some of the things you need to consider.

Weigh In The Warranty Details

Knowing a brand's warranty clause serves two purposes. The first is to find out how confident a company is with their product. Usually, a company that has put in the best in their products is assured that what they sell won't disappoint customers. Therefore, they offer longer warranty periods; some well-known brands are even marked with lifetime warranties. Veer away from those who offer short warranty periods and limited warranty coverage.

The second and more obvious reason is to know what options to consider if you encounter any malfunction or defect in the monitor. Take note of their return policy, and the coverage on labor and replacement if the monitor becomes defective after the lapse of the return policy.

Think About The Panel

The panel of your monitor usually affects aspects like viewing angle, response time, and color reproduction. If you want a speedy response time without shelling out a lot of money, you may want to go for the twisted nematic (TN) panel. The downside is, its viewing angles are limited and the color display may not be as vivid as you would like.

If you're aiming for good color reproduction and better viewing angles, you can get the vertical alignment (VA) panel. Its response time, however, is not as fast as the TN panel.

And there's the popular but expensive in-plane switching (IPS) panel. Its response time is slow, but it has the best color reproduction and viewing angles.

Ponder On The Type Of LED Backlight

There are generally two types of LED backlights for monitors, the WLED and the RGB LED. The WLED is the most common type of backlight. In this kind of backlighting, white LED's are aligned upon the edges of the monitor matrix. It's common because it's cheap, and it does not use as much power as other LED technologies.

The RGB LED, on the other hand, instead of using plain white, its LED's can emit the colors red, green, or blue. These lights are placed along the panel matrix instead of the monitor matrix. As a result, color reproduction in a monitor using these LED's is more accurate. They are also significantly more expensive.

Acquaint Yourself With Trusted Brands

A few clicks on the net will yield reviews about the brands to get and the brands to stay away from. Currently, however, the HP DreamColor LP2480zx, Apple LED Cinema Display, and the Samsung LED Monitors S23B300B are the most popular. These have been touted as having the best performance and incredible color display.

Don't settle for anything less than the best. Invest wisely by taking into account all of the points mentioned above and making a decision that suits your needs and fits your budget.

Published on behalf of Mr. Nikolas Nikolaou-a pc gaming enthusiast with love for benchmarking and reviewing the latest in hardware and technology releases.

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