LCD monitors use liquid crystal display technology and have replaced CRT monitors for most users. They consist of five layers and manipulate crystals to create images. Active matrix displays are preferred over passive matrix displays. Monitor specifications include size, aspect ratio, resolution, contrast ratio, brightness, viewing angle, and response time. LCDs are smaller, lighter, use less electricity, emit less heat, and are easier on the eyes than CRTs. However, they can have color and depth issues at the high end and potential backlight weaknesses.
An LCD monitor is a thin and light computer monitor that displays images through the use of a liquid crystal display. LCD screens are found in most laptop computers and flat panel monitors and have replaced traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors for many users. CRTs were once favored by many users for their superior color presentation; improvements in LCDs have made the difference less noticeable, but still important for graphics and photography professionals and serious amateurs.
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A color monitor typically consists of five layers: a backlight, a polarized glass plate, a color pixel mask, a reactive liquid crystal solution grid layer, and a second polarized glass plate. The images are created by manipulating the orientation of the crystals through precise electrical charges of various degrees and voltages. They act like tiny shutters, opening or closing in response to stimulus, thus allowing degrees of light that have passed through specific colored pixels to illuminate the screen.
As LCD technology has evolved, different techniques for producing color have emerged. Passive matrix displays, which were the first to be invented, use two transistors, one for each row and one for each column of pixels, to activate a particular point on the LCD grid. Active matrix displays usually use thin film transistor (TFT) technology, where each point on the grid has its own transistor; this allows you to activate only the desired pixels. Passive matrix displays tend to respond more slowly than active matrix displays and are unable to produce the same level of picture quality.
Monitor specifications
Most modern computer LCD monitors use active matrix technology. Within this group, there are a number of specifications that distinguish one LCD monitor from another. Size, aspect ratio and resolution are three related characteristics; Contrast ratio, brightness, viewing angle and response time are also important.
The size of an LCD monitor can affect its price, resolution, and aspect ratio. Bigger monitors are more expensive; the transistors used to make active-matrix displays have a high failure rate, and because larger monitors have more transistors, consumers pay some for the defective ones and they can’t be sold. Aspect ratio refers to the shape of the screen, with standard screens usually having a 4:3 or 5:4 aspect ratio. Widescreen monitors tend to be larger, but still display images in a 16:9 (or 16:10) aspect ratio.
A larger screen may also allow for a higher native resolution or the number of pixels it can display. A screen with a high native resolution will be very sharp and be able to display more information than one with a lower resolution. Most monitors can display resolutions other than their native resolution, but the image may appear blurry.
Contrast ratio refers to the display’s comparative difference between its brightest white values and its darkest black. A higher contrast ratio will have truer colors with less washout and will allow for a wider range of shades. The standard bid for low-end models is commonly 350:1, but many experts recommend a contrast ratio of 500:1 or higher.
LCD monitors tend to be bright, with standard levels more than adequate for everyday use. Brightness is measured in nits, units of one candela per square meter. Anywhere from 250 to 300 nits is standard, though people who play games may benefit from a brighter screen. If the nits are much higher, the user will likely end up dimming the brightness down for regular use.
The vertical and horizontal viewing angle specifications refer to the degree to which the viewer can move away from dead center before the image begins to fade. Most monitors are viewed directly, but wider angles may benefit people who use multiple screens or if the screen will be used by several people at the same time. Many experts recommend a viewing angle of at least 140° horizontally and 120° vertically, but the wider the viewing angles, the better.
Response time is measured in milliseconds (ms) and refers to how long it takes for pixels to go from white to black and back again. Smaller values represent faster response time and are more desirable, especially for playing games and watching videos. If the response time is slow, ghosting or trailing may occur with fast moving images, where images persist as the screen updates. A maximum response time should be no more than 25ms for general use, and 17ms is better. Many gamers report no ghosting when using an LCD monitor with a response time of 16ms or less.
Advantages
One of the main advantages of LCD monitors is their size; they are commonly 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5 cm) thick and weigh less than 10 pounds (4.5 k). CRT monitors, on the other hand, are five times as deep and weigh 30 to 50 pounds (13 to 23 kilograms) or more. Therefore, LCDs can take up 90% less space and are much easier to move or adjust.
A variety of screen sizes are available, ranging from 15 to 30 inches (38.1 to 76.2 cm) or larger. For the average size, 22 to 24 inches (55.88 to 60.96 cm), the price of an LCD monitor is about the same as a traditional CRT. However, LCD screens tend to last longer; moreover, if some pixels on the screen fail, the monitor is still usable in most cases.
LCDs use relatively little electricity, especially when compared to their CRT counterparts, and produce much less heat. They also emit very low levels of electromagnetic radiation. LCD monitors are also easier on the eyes; glossy or matte screens are usually available and matte screens reduce glare.
Disadvantages
LCD monitors have largely replaced CRTs in most monitors, except for very cheap and very expensive models. CRTs can still offer better color content and depth at the high end, and they also have the benefit of multisync, or the ability to keep colors consistent even when an image’s resolution is changed. Colors on LCDs can also change hue as the viewer moves to the outer limits of the viewing angle, particularly on displays with narrow viewing angles and low contrast ratios. Graphics, photography and design professionals, as well as medical professionals, usually prefer CRT monitors for these benefits.
A potential weakness of an LCD monitor is the backlight. Since liquid crystals do not produce light by themselves, if the backlight fails, the monitor is unusable. Many monitors have a three-year warranty, but provide a one-year warranty on the backlight.
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