2008-2009 Display & Graphics Guide

Display

For a period of nine years Information Systems & Computing (ISC) recommended a 17-inch cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor as the desktop standard. For the 2007-2008 desktop recommendations the standard was changed to a 19-inch liquid crystal display (LCD). However, there are a number of special considerations that may influence specific requirements.

Comparing LCDs to CRTs

LCDs are now generally on the same pricing level as CRT monitors. In fact, in some cases an LCD may be less expensive than a CRT in larger sizes (20" and above).

It's important to be aware of how the two types of displays are measured. CRT sizes are generally given as the diagonal size of the bezel, or housing, of the entire unit; sometimes the "viewable" size (the actual size of the screen) is given as well and is generally about 2" smaller. LCDs, however, have their size given as the actual screen size since the housing is generally negligible (a half-inch or less).

Because LCDs are flat panels, they take up much less space and may protude only six inches from a wall, depending on the base of the display. CRTs require at least a foot or so because of the television tube they contain. This is also why CRTs are much heavier than LCDs. In addition, LCDs do not suffer from the distortion that some CRTs are prone to (because of their curved screens).

LCDs also use significantly less energy because of the display technology they employ; however, they do not always provide the same clarity of CRTs. LCDs have a "native" or "best" resolution; while other resolutions are available, they are not always as sharp or clear. CRTs can provide clear images at a wide range of resolutions. See this chart for a comparison of size, resolutions, and dots per inch (dpi): any resolution above approximately 100 dpi may be uncomfortable for some users.

Furthermore, LCDs tend to be much brighter, even with their brightness and contrast settings lowered. If planning on using an LCD in a dark environment, you may want to look at a screen with a lower contrast ratio (the trade-off is that there is less difference between shades of black and gray). Users who perform graphic design or desktop publishing need to be aware of these limitations.

LCDs do occasionally ship with manufacturing defects, such as "dead" pixels, or small dots on the screen that either illuminate in one color, or not at all. A certain number of these dead pixels must be present before manufacturers will replace the display. If this is a concern, CRTs may be the better choice; however, CRTs are prone to electromagnetic interference (such as testing equipment, medical machinery, electrical equipment conduits, and microwave ovens) which bends the rays inside the cathode tube and distort the picture. In general, LCDs are far more resistant to these effects.

Purchasing Advice

Some lower quality, primarily older LCDs fall victim to a phenomenon known as "ghost images" where the images on the screen appear to streak or blur during fast motion, a result of high (slow) response times or low refresh rates. Response times and refresh rates are the rate at which a display updates the image it is showing. Higher (slower) response times and lower refresh rates, aside from the ghosting phenomenon, can also cause headaches for certain individuals. Generally speaking, when looking for a monitor, you want a high refresh rate (75Hz or greater) or low (fast) response times (16ms or less).

When purchasing an LCD, ISC strongly recommends purchasing displays toward the higher end of the market, especially since it is becoming common practice to keep the same display for two system life cycles. ISC has had good experiences with Apple's Studio Displays and Dell's UltraSharp displays.

Graphics

ISC's most important advice for desktop system graphics is to purchase a system with a discrete graphics card. Discrete graphics cards continue to afford significantly higher performance than integrated graphics solutions. This consideration is especially important with newer operating systems such as Windows Vista and Mac OS 10.5.

Because discrete graphics cards have their own processor and memory that are added on to a computer by means of a specific interface, they offer more power and do not need to share the system's main memory. This allows them to provide a better experience as well as support for more powerful features and programs, such as Vista's Aero interface or graphics-intensive software such as AutoCAD and LightWave 3D. Furthermore, it "future-proofs" them - ISC has found over the years that systems with discrete graphics are far more usable at the end of their life cycles.

Purchasing Advice

For most adminstrative systems, ISC believes that low end 256 MB discrete graphics cards such as the ATI Radeon 2400 series available on the Dell OptiPlex 755, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57, and the Apple iMac are appropriate choices.

Additional Information

The Computer Connection offers monitors by Apple, Sony, and Viewsonic. Apple and Dell monitors are also available in build-to-order configurations.

Apple's Studio Display web site.

Sony's VAIO Displays web site.

Viewsonic's web site.