NFIB

LCD Monitors Can Help Prevent Eyestrain
05/ 03/ 2004


Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitor technology has been around for some time. In fact, I have an old Macintosh Powerbook purchased more than five years ago that has an excellent LCD screen. But prices have been dropping and quality has been surging -- and it may be the right time for you to start looking for a new monitor. In today's workshop Jeffrey Moses discusses the merits of LCD monitors.

* Why do LCD screens help prevent eyestrain? Because the technology is entirely flicker-free. This means that text and graphics can now be viewed with as little flicker as when reading a book. Of course, you can get eyestrain even from too much reading. But when viewing an LCD monitor, at least you won't have the constant subtle motion of the screen to contend with.

* LCD screens are widely touted because they help free up valuable desk space. LCD monitors do not have the large cathode ray tube (CRT) found in conventional CRT monitors, so the front to back depth is much smaller. An LCD monitor can have a footprint up to 60% smaller. They're flat, slender, and very high-tech looking. But for my money, the real savings is on the eyes. Anyone who sits hour after hour staring at a computer monitor will experience the difference.

* Prices have come down tremendously. Good 15" LCD monitors can now be found for around $1,000 and are carried by all the main online dealers. Mitsubishi carries a 15" LCD monitor for around $1,250. It has cross-platform compatibility with IBM, Apple Macintosh, Power Mac and third party graphic standards. IBM sells a 15" LCD monitor for about $1,350. Both these monitors have 1024 x 768 dot-per-inch (dpi) resolution. (Note: the IBM monitor is not compatible with Macintosh equipment.) Dell sells an optional 15" LCD screen that costs $199 more when upgrading from one of its traditional monitors. Bundles like this are usually a good deal and should be considered if you're buying an entirely new system, not just a new monitor.

* One good thing about LCD monitors is that the advertised size is usually the same as a monitor's actual viewing dimensions. This is not the case with CRT monitors, which have a smaller viewable size than advertised. This means that a 15" LCD monitor will give you about the same actual viewable area as a traditional 17" monitor. As examples, both the above-mentioned 15" LCD monitors have actual 15" viewable sizes. Some LCD monitors are constructed differently, however, so be sure to check the actual viewable size before purchasing.

* Larger LCD monitors are also available, but they'll cost you. Samsung has a17" LCD monitor that sells for about $2,600. IBM sells an 18.1" LCD monitor for about $3,800. (This is in contrast to CRT 19" monitors that can be purchased for about 1/3 to 1/2 the price.) The IBM 18.1" LCD monitor is advertised as "Stealth Gray Black" in color, so stand back! It supports a maximum resolution of 1280 x 1024 dpi capacity.

* These monitors are excellent for both text and graphics applications. They're appropriate for games and movies, and in fact are a delight to view.
* Check out all the specials offered by the online dealers. You might be able to find a good 15" LCD monitor for less than $1,000.

* In general, LCD monitors are still about 2-4 times more expensive than comparably sized CRT monitors, but at the end of a long day, your eyes will thank you for spending a little extra. Besides, they look so great on your desk, and yes, they do take up less space.

Small Business Sound Off
Does this story hit home?  Share your story with us