How to choose a PC display

The price of computer displays has plummeted in recent years, so if you’re stuck with an old 17in model now is definitely a good time to upgrade.

There are some real bargains to be had, with various stores offering 22in displays for as little as £140. But with so much choice and the usual scattering of jargon, deciding which model to buy isn’t an easy task.

Throw in the worry of dead pixels and it’s easy to get confused. It needn’t be a headache, though, and with our help you’ll soon be able to pinpoint your perfect monitor.

First steps
The size of display you choose will depend on your budget but we’d recommend upgrading to a 22in display. The next choice is between a display with a standard aspect ratio display or a widescreen model.

Standard displays, sometimes referred to as 4:3 models, are squarer and shaped like an old television. Some people prefer them but the advantage of large widescreen displays is that you can view two windows side-by-side, so there’s no need to constantly flick between them.

Of course, if you plan to watch films using the PC then widescreen is the way to go.
You’ll also need to consider the type of connector that will link the display to your computer.

There are three common types of connector: VGA, DVI and HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface). Both DVI and HDMI connections are digital, while the older VGA type transmits analogue data from graphics card to monitor.

As always digital connections are technically better but, in reality, on a computer monitor it’s very hard to spot the difference in quality between all three. The advantage of a monitor with HDMI is that it’s easy to hook up devices that have an HDMI output, such as a Sky HD set-top box.

If your computer has a DVI connector then you can choose a monitor with any of the three connectors: DVI can be easily converted to either VGA or HDMI. If your computer has a VGA output, an adapter can connect it to a DVI monitor but not to one with an HDMI socket.

Similarly, if your computer only has an HDMI output, then choose a monitor with HDMI or DVI inputs rather than VGA. All the adapters cost a few pounds from www.maplin.co.uk or high-street PC retailers.