Used Computer Monitors – A Checklist

A lot of money can be saved if a right decision with good choice is made while buying the monitor of a computer because a monitor is the most expensive part of a computer. The monitor's choice depends not only on the size but also on many features.

Though the computer monitor is similar to a high quality television set, the difference between monitor and television is that with a monitor one can sit quite close and find minute details like words. Therefore a computer monitor should have a very fine definition and a stable and a nice image to avoid eyestrain. Generally, people tend to spend a long time staring at the computer monitor, and so it is vital to choose a monitor that suits the individuals needs.

It is important to follow certain specifications when going in for a cheap used monitor like Resolution, Vertical Refresh Rate, Monitor size and Dot pitch.

Resolution: The number of pixels on the screen at any point of time is known as Resolution. If the screen of a monitor is set to 1024 then there are 1024 pixels along the top of the screen, which would give a whole picture without zooming out. Monitors have an optimum resolution, which is slightly below the described maximum resolution. For graphics, it is better to have a monitor with a high resolution so that the picture will fit on the screen. But for surfing the net and doing e-mailing, a high resolution monitor may not be necessary. For a cheap used monitor, 1024 pixels will suffice. The resolution of a monitor can be increased but that would lower the vertical refresh rate.

Vertical Refresh Rate: The speed at which a monitor draws on the full screen is measured in "hertz” and is known as vertical refresh rate or frequency of a computer. For a stable image, the resolution should be around 85 hertz and if it is lower, the screen will flicker .So a vertical refresh rate is an important specification, which would otherwise give a headache at a lower refresh rate. When the resolution increases, the refresh rate decreases. If the monitor is set higher, then both the monitor and the eyes may be in peril.

Size of the monitor: The bigger the size of the monitor is, the clearer the picture and more comfort to the eyes.

Dot pitch: Dot pitch can be measured in many ways. If the number of dot pitch is less, the quality of the monitor will be better. Low dot pitch would give a crisper text but generally costlier monitors are of high quality. A 15-inch monitor will have all the necessary features of a good monitor.