Widescreen monitors are wider than the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio and are often in a 16:9 format. They are popular for entertainment purposes and coincide with the popularity of HDTV. LCD screens are the most common type of widescreen monitor, but they may have limited viewing angles and color accuracy.
A widescreen monitor is a monitor that is often wider than the traditional monitor size that has been generally accepted as the primary standard for years. The standard aspect ratio for monitors has been 4:3, where it is slightly wider than tall. While there is no suitable industry standard definition, a widescreen monitor is wider than this ratio.
The most common aspect ratio for these monitors is set to a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is a practical ratio that helps provide many of the benefits of a widescreen monitor in a way that isn’t as extreme as some formats. If a computer gets too large in its display, it loses some of its functionality. Some notebook computers are slightly more compressed, with a 16:10 monitor. However, the difference is barely noticeable.
The popularity of widescreen computer monitors coincides with the development of HDTV and the popularity of that format. While the two don’t necessarily share a direct relationship, the demand for widescreen seems to have spanned a couple of different genres. This may have something to do with DVDs and Blu-Ray® discs, which are increasingly only available for playback in widescreen formats and can be played on both televisions and computers.
Widescreen monitors offer several advantages for those who use their computers as entertainment machines. For those who want a truer image of how a film was meant to be viewed, without the annoying understated letterboxes, a widescreen style monitor is essential. In addition, many computer games are also shot in widescreen format. While it’s possible to play these games on a monitor with a more traditional aspect ratio, that’s not the manufacturer’s intention.
For those interested in a widescreen monitor, the choice will likely lead to an LCD screen. While it is possible to make a widescreen in a CRT format, it is generally not possible. However, for those who want their monitor in traditional CRT technology, there are a few on the market. One is the widescreen Trinitron® made by Sony.
Those buying a widescreen monitor in the LCD format may find that there are some compromises compared to the traditional CRT format. First, there will likely be a more limited viewing angle. Second, LCDs generally don’t display colors accurately, and those colors can change slightly depending on your viewing angle. Therefore, those intending to work with color-intensive applications, such as video and photography, may want to take this into account when viewing widescreen monitors.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
