Types of modern PC monitors. Monitors, classification, principle of operation, main characteristics

The choice of any computer or any component begins with determining the criteria that in this case
are technical specifications. Agree, when buying, for example, a monitor, the definition of “to show it well” is not enough, you need to know what size display is needed, with what resolution, how it will be connected, for what purposes it will be used (for games, office work). To answer these and a number of other questions, you need to know what characteristics monitors have, which ones are important, which ones are not so important, and which ones are usually silent about in official specifications.

Let's briefly list the characteristics that each monitor, without exception, has. Let's make a small guide with brief description, what it is, how important the parameter is, what it affects and what values ​​it is advisable to strive for.

Unfortunately, not all characteristics can be found in the descriptions of a monitor, be it a laptop screen or a display for a desktop PC. At the same time, among those parameters that are usually hidden, there are very interesting ones that can affect the image quality.

1. Matrix type

2. Screen resolution

This is the vertical and horizontal size of the screen in dots (pixels). The most popular and commonly found screens in laptops have FullHD resolution (1920×1080). Besides this, there is also large number other permissions, some of which are more common, some less common.

Physically, this characteristic means the number of pixels on the screen that make up the image. The more pixels per unit of screen area, the better the picture, in theory, since the pixels become smaller and less and less noticeable. The “graininess” of the image disappears.

At the same time, we should not forget about the cost. The higher the resolution, the higher the price (in this case, I’m operating with some kind of average display, and I’m not comparing a high-quality screen with a lower resolution with a budget one, but with a higher high resolution).

If we are talking about a gaming laptop or monitor, then there is another point to consider. When using GTX 1070/1080 class video cards in almost any game, you can set the graphics settings to maximum or close to it.

If the screen has a resolution of 4K (3840 x 2160), then in order to enjoy the games from the picture on maximum settings graphics, GTX video cards 1070/1080 may not be enough anymore. You may need to install a couple of such video cards, or even more.

3. Brightness

Indicated in the specifications for any monitor. This is a value measured in cd/m2 (candelas per square meter). Actually, what this characteristic is is clear from the name. Strictly speaking, the higher the value of this parameter, the better. Adjusting the screen to reduce its brightness is not difficult.

As for laptop screens, this parameter is also important for the reason that the very design of this type of computer allows it to be used not only in an office or at home, but also on trips, on the street, where the bright sun or other light source will illuminate the image on screen.

At low brightness values, it will be difficult to use such a screen in bright light. If the maximum value corresponds to 300 cd/m2 or even higher, this means that bright sunlight will not be a problem. In the end, it’s better to have a reserve of brightness, because it can always be reduced, but adding something that is not there, alas.

4. Contrast

This parameter reflects the ratio of the brightness level of white to black. It is usually specified as a ratio, for example 1000:1. As with brightness, the higher this value, the better. The image will be more natural.

Contrast depends on the matrix manufacturing technology. So, IPS screens inferior in this parameter to screens made using VA technology, not to mention OLED, quantum dots, etc.

Conventionally, we can assume that screens with a contrast ratio of 500:1 or less can be classified as mediocre. It is better to focus on values ​​of 1000:1 and higher. Especially if in your work you have to deal with image editing, colorization, etc.

5. Dynamic Contrast

This parameter is almost always indicated, at least for regular, non-laptop monitors. Agree that not including in the specifications, for example, the value 100000000:1 is an omission. Big numbers attract attention and appeal to potential buyers (as long as it's not the price).

What does this characteristic mean? This is the result of the monitor electronics working to adjust the image at each moment in time in order to improve the “picture”. The brightness of the lamps is controlled in order to achieve high image contrast.

I would not pay much attention to this parameter, since this is more marketing than a real characteristic that speaks about the merits of a particular monitor. Moreover, no matter what display you choose, it’s difficult to count the number of zeros in the dynamic contrast value, and it’s not necessary.

6. Black depth

But this parameter is rarely indicated in the technical specifications, although it affects the image quality. When using the monitor under normal conditions, in daylight or artificial lighting, this parameter may be difficult to estimate.

Another thing is that if you display a black picture on the screen, then at a low level of external lighting, or in complete darkness, it will become noticeable that the black color is somehow not quite black, and may even look more like gray. Some areas of the screen may be brighter than others.

This is all due to the fact that a backlight is used to produce images on the screen of LCD monitors, and to display black, it is not turned off, but is blocked by rotating the crystals in such a way that they do not transmit light.

Unfortunately, they ALMOST do not transmit light; some of the light still overcomes this barrier. In the above picture you can see that the black color still has some kind of gray tint.

Again, a lot depends on the matrix manufacturing technology. Blacks on VA screens are more similar to black than on IPS, for example. Of course, a lot depends on the quality of the matrix used, settings, adjustments, but in general this is true. Works best with black OLED screens, on quantum dots and other new technologies.

With a certain degree of error, black level can be calculated by dividing brightness by contrast. For example, with a screen brightness of 300 cd/m2 and a contrast of 1000:1, we get a value of 0.3. This means that black pixels will glow (in theory, they should not glow at all, and only in this case can we talk about a truly black color) with a brightness of 0.3 cd/m2.

I hope it is clear that the lower this value, the better, the “blacker” the black color will be, forgive the tautology.

7. Screen surface type

Looking at the monitors themselves, you will notice that some of them are glossy, the surface shines, has mirror effect. Other screens, on the contrary, reflect practically nothing and cope well with glare. There are two types of surface - glossy and matte. You can also find semi-gloss models, but these are attempts to combine the advantages of both types, reducing the disadvantages inherent in each of them.

So, the undoubted advantages of gloss include better brightness and contrast, better color rendition, the image is perceived more clearly. Those who work with images should prefer this type.

There are also disadvantages to glossy screens. This, of course, is glare and reflections of bright objects - lamps, light windows, etc. This can tire the eyes. Such screens are not suitable for laptops that are often used outdoors in bright sunshine. Another unpleasant feature is the unauthorized collection of fingerprints by screens with such a surface, as well as other contaminants. It is better not to poke your fingers at the screen, so as not to constantly wipe off the remaining marks.

Matte screens “by definition” do not reflect glare, they behave better in bright light, but this comes at the expense of worse contrast and color rendition. There is another drawback characteristic of matte screens: the “crystalline effect”. It manifests itself in the fact that the displayed point does not have clear boundaries, but may have some uneven edges with different shades.

How noticeable it is depends on your vision. For some, such “crystals” literally catch the eye, while others don’t even notice them. However, image clarity suffers from this.

8. Response time

A parameter that is almost always specified. For those who love games, this is one of the main screen options. The response time determines how clear the picture will be in dynamic scenes. It appears, for example, in the form of trails that trail behind image elements quickly moving across the screen. The shorter the response time, the better.

This parameter depends on the manufacturing technology of the matrix used in a particular display. Thus, the fastest ones are TN screens, and this is perhaps the only (if you do not take the cost) reason that this type of display has not yet “died”. IPS are slower, and VA are between these types of matrices in terms of response speed.

If the screen is selected for office work, surfing the Internet, watching videos, working with images, then this parameter is not very important. Now, if you are a true lover of virtual battles, then a screen with a minimum response time - mandatory requirement. And here you can even put up with worse color reproduction and unimportant viewing angles for TN matrices. Their response time is the shortest.

9. Viewing angles

As the name suggests, this means at what angle you can look at the screen at which the image does not lose color or brightness, or the quality of the picture deteriorates. Here the obvious outsider is TN matrices. The peculiarities of the technology are such that it is impossible to get closer to the maximum values.

But IPS panels do well with this. Viewing angles of 178° both vertically and horizontally are common. Frankly speaking, at such a large angle the image still deteriorates, but there are no such catastrophic consequences as with TN. VA matrices are closer to IPS, although slightly inferior to them.

How important this parameter is depends on how the monitor is used. If you are not going to watch videos from YouTube or those taken at the last party with a large group, but are using the monitor in splendid isolation, then viewing angles are not so important.

10. PWM

A characteristic that is almost never specified. (English - PWM)? This is Pulse Width Modulation, which is used to adjust the brightness of the screen. What is the essence of the emerging problem?

As I already mentioned when talking about black depth, LCD monitors use a backlight. The maximum brightness of the screen is not always needed, and it needs to be reduced. How can this be done? In at least two ways:

• Reduce the brightness of the backlight lamps/LEDs.
• Make light sources turn on and off by sending pulses to them with a certain frequency and duty cycle, which is perceived as a decrease in the brightness of the glow.

The second option is PWM brightness control. Why is he bad? This very flickering of lamps. It is good if the flicker frequency is high and amounts to tens of kHz. It’s not bad if the pulse amplitude is small. It's worse when the flicker frequency is low, and it can become noticeable to the eye.

The operating principle is as follows. To reduce the brightness of the screen, pulses are applied to the backlight lamps in such a way that they are turned on part of the time and off part of the time. For example, at 50% brightness, the llamas are on half the time and off half the time.

The resulting value of the ratio of the time when the backlight is on to the time when it is off will be one or another screen brightness level. With a further decrease in brightness, the glow time of the lamps decreases, and the time when they are off increases. The flickering becomes more noticeable.

Naturally, a lot depends on individual vision characteristics. Some people react little to such flickering, while for others, after a couple of hours, figuratively speaking, their eyes begin to “bleed out.”

Be that as it may, the presence of PWM is a minus of the monitor. Unfortunately, you can find out about the presence or absence of this unpleasant effect either from reviews or reviews of a particular display, or check it yourself. You can conduct a simple test, which is called the “pencil test”.

The point is that you need to take an ordinary pencil and wave it like a fan in the plane of the screen. Naturally, the display must be turned on. If, when moving quickly, the outlines of the pencil are visible, then, unfortunately, there is flicker. If the contours are not visible, then there is no flicker. The test should be repeated at lower brightness values.

If the selected monitor has PWM, then if there are detailed reviews, it is better to find out how it works. If the pulse frequency is high, or PWM is used only at low brightness values, for example, from 0 to 25-30%, and then direct control of the brightness of the backlight is used, then this is not so bad.

Now, if you look at the monitor models offered, some of them have the designation “Flicker free”, i.e. no flicker. I haven’t seen such a designation on laptops, but on regular monitors meets. This marking means that there is no flickering, and this is an additional plus to the display model.

11. Color gamut

Another characteristic that is not always indicated in the specifications for a monitor, but the value of which can be one of the decisive arguments in favor of a particular model. Most often, it is indicated when the manufacturer wants to emphasize the high quality of the matrix installed in a laptop or monitor.

I think it makes sense to devote a separate article to this issue, but now I’ll tell you briefly. You've probably seen a similar picture in reviews of laptops or monitors. This is a screen color gamut chart Dell laptop XPS 15.

This multi-colored area is what the human eye sees, the colors and shades that we can distinguish. The triangles inside indicate the range of colors displayed by a specific monitor, as well as boundaries that correspond to accepted color space standards for computer equipment: monitors, printers, etc.

The two most commonly used color spaces are:

• sRGB is a standard developed in 1996 by HP and Microsoft. Covers a small portion of the color space accessible to human vision.
• Adobe RGB is a standard that is wider than sRGB and covers more flowers.

Typically, color gamut is expressed as a percentage of a particular standard. Thus, a screen covering about 60% of sRGB can be called mediocre, since it is difficult to obtain reliable color reproduction on it. It’s good for office work, surfing the Internet too, but this monitor is not suitable for image editing. Here we need displays with a color gamut of about 100% sRGB and higher.

As a conclusion, if you want nice picture with natural colors, then the color gamut is needed as wide as possible, the value – the more, the better.

12. Color depth

Another parameter that is difficult to find in the specifications for a particular monitor, but such information is in the characteristics of the matrix used. To put it simply, this is the number of colors displayed. You can often find that a monitor displays 16.7 million colors. This is the most common value this parameter. The problem is that this can be achieved in different ways.

Let me remind you that any color is formed from three basic ones - red, blue, green. Accordingly, the monitor matrix has a certain bit depth for each color, measured in bits. If there are 8 bits for each color, then we get 256 shades of each color, which in combination gives 16.7 million colors. Everything is fine, the monitor shows perfectly, you can take it.

What if each color is not encoded with 8 bits? Cheap displays often use 6-bit matrices, but in addition the abbreviation “+FRC” is also indicated. What do these letters mean?

First, you need to consider that with 6-bit color coding you can get 262 thousand colors. How do you get the final 16 million? This is precisely due to FRC (Frame Rate Control) technology.

The idea is to obtain the “missing” halftones by showing an intermediate frame with two other colors, which ultimately produce those shades that are not available for the 6-bit matrix. In fact, we have another flicker.

Is having FRC bad? Again, a lot depends on the tasks being performed on the monitor and on your vision. Some people don't notice FRC, while others find it annoying. And purely subjectively, if you have to work with color, then it would be better to have a monitor with an “honest” 8-bit matrix.

For professionals, monitors are available with a 10-bit matrix, which allows them to display more than a billion shades. I think there is no need to say that the cost of such monitors is not the smallest, and for office/home/gaming use an 8-bit monitor or even a 6-bit+FRC monitor is quite suitable if the flickering is not noticeable and high demands are not placed on the screen.

13. Screen refresh rate

Unlike older CRT monitors, this parameter is not so important for displays made using LCD technology, especially if everything is limited office work, surfing the net, watching videos. If the matrix produces 60-75 Hz, this is more than enough.

This option should be taken into account by those who play games, especially those with rapid movement of objects on the screen. It is also important which video card is used in this case. If it is capable of producing a large number of FPS, then it would be better if the screen refresh rate was higher.

If you look at display models, including those in gaming laptops, you will notice that screens with refresh rates of 120, 144 Hz or even higher are offered. In this case, fast movement on the screen will be smoother and with smaller trails trailing behind the moving objects.

Strictly speaking, in this case, not only the refresh rate, but also the speed of the matrix is ​​important. The pixels that make up the image must have time to change the glow parameters depending on the change in the displayed image. By the way, short response times combined with high refresh rates are real arguments in favor of the fact that TN technology is still relevant for gaming monitors.

It should also be mentioned that high speed Screen updating is not bad, it allows you to reduce the severity of the problem of desynchronization of the frame rate produced by the video card and the image refresh rate on the monitor. This is relevant for games, and the following parameter helps solve this problem.

14. NVidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync

First, let's briefly describe the problem. The ideal situation is when the video card generates and outputs each frame to the monitor at a frequency equal to the screen refresh rate. Unfortunately, at each moment in time the video chip has to calculate completely different scenes, some of which are “easier” and take less time to complete,” while others require significantly more time to render.

As a result, frames are delivered to the monitor at a rate higher or lower than the screen refresh rate. Moreover, if the video card manages to calculate, produce a frame, and even rest a little before rendering the next one while waiting for the next screen update cycle, then special problems No.

It’s another matter if the game has high graphics settings and the video processor has to strain all its silicon forces to calculate the scene. If the calculation takes a lot of time and the frame is not ready for the start of the update cycle, there are two possible scenarios:

• The cycle is skipped.
• Rendering begins when the frame is ready and presented to the monitor.

In the first case, you need to use the vertical mode V-Sync. If a new frame is not prepared before the screen refresh begins, the previous one continues to be displayed. The result is the appearance of microdelays in the image, twitching. But the picture is complete.

If V-Sync mode is turned off, the movement will become smoother, but another problem may appear - if the frame is prepared somewhere inside the screen refresh cycle, then the frame will consist of two parts, old and new, which will begin to be drawn from the moment it is submitted to monitor. Visually, this is expressed in horizontal image breaks and steps.

A higher refresh rate reduces the problem. But it doesn’t completely solve it. Help get rid of these unpleasant problems NVidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync technologies allow with the image.

As the name suggests, they are offered by video card manufacturers. Therefore, when choosing a monitor that has one of these technologies, you should consider which video card is in your computer, or which one you are going to install. It is unwise to buy a monitor with G-Sync for an AMD video card and vice versa. A waste of money on something that won't be used.

Now about these technologies themselves. Their operating principle is similar, but the solution methods differ. NVidia uses its own hardware and software method, i.e. the monitor has a special unit responsible for G-Sync operation, and AMD uses the DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync protocol, i.e., without installing additional hardware units in the monitor.

In this case, it does not matter by what means the problem is solved, what is important is what can be obtained in the end. In short, the principle of operation of G-Sync and its analogue from AMD is as follows.

The screen refresh rate is not fixed, but is tied to the rendering speed of the video card. The image appears on the monitor at the moment the frame is ready for display. As a result, we do not get fixed, for example, 60 Hz screen updates, but a floating value. One frame is calculated quickly - and it immediately appears on the screen. The second one takes longer to render - the display matrix waits and does not update the image until the frame is ready.

As a result we have smooth image without breaks or other artifacts. Thus, in the case of a monitor chosen for gaming, the ideal option is a model with one of these two technologies (taking into account the coincidence of the manufacturer of the video card in the computer) and, preferably, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz or higher. True, such a display will definitely not be cheap.

15. Interfaces

I won’t go into detail here, because I think it’s already clear. These are connectors installed in the monitor for connecting to the video card. For laptops, the parameter is generally irrelevant, since the display is “included” and is connected initially.

Rest

I think that characteristics such as weight, size, type of power supply (built-in or remote), power consumption during operation and idle time, the presence of built-in speakers, the ability to mount on a wall, etc. are not something complicated and incomprehensible. That's why I won't describe them.

Conclusion. Monitor characteristics - which are more important, which are less important

I hope I didn’t miss anything important, and if I suddenly forgot to write about something, indicate it in the comments, I’ll add, expand, deepen. Based on the results of what has been said, it becomes clear that choosing a monitor is not only a matter of solving issues related to the required diagonal, matrix type and resolution.

This may be enough for the office, but if the display is chosen for home use, for games, image processing or other specific tasks, then in order not to be disappointed in the purchase, you have to delve deeper into the characteristics of the monitor.

The matter is complicated by the fact that its own vision makes its own adjustments, which does not like, for example, the presence of flicker, imperfections of the matte coating, or the work of FRC being noticeable to the eye. And this cannot be ignored, because we only have eyes and we won’t get new ones.

There is one more “subtle” point - the initial settings of the monitor by the manufacturer. Just because he shows “something wrong” doesn’t mean he can’t show better. However, calibrating a monitor is a painstaking task, and sometimes requires special equipment. At a minimum, you can try to adjust the parameters “by eye”, try to get an image that you will like visually.

I myself recently bought a monitor, although I chose something inexpensive on IPS or VA, and gaming “bells and whistles” were not important to me. However, flicker-free performance was one of the main criteria.

Have a good shopping and let your eyes say “thank you” for the right monitor.

According to sociological research, a significant portion of residents of civilized countries spend up to 10 hours in front of the monitor every day. Moreover, people do this both at work and at home. This means that the quality of the monitors must be high, which will avoid vision problems and prevent rapid fatigue of the PC user.

CRT options

A computer monitor is a device designed to visually display graphics and text information. For many decades, mainly variants with a kinescope (electron ray device, CRT) were produced. Those who still have one old monitor, know that they use a phosphor. Its grains glow under the influence of electron beams. Three types of phosphors are used, divided by color into blue, red and green. Today, CRT monitors, characterized by a large housing volume, are rarely used, and they have long been unavailable for sale.

LCD models

To create a monitor using this technology, fluorescent lamps are used. Information display devices have a smaller body volume. At the same time, the cost of powering the monitor is much lower than in the case of other types of models. In addition, compared to CRT-based options, they have the ability to reproduce images with better quality and do not allow distortion.

PDP

The action of plasma or PDP monitors is based on the phenomenon of glow of phosphor grains when ultraviolet rays generated by an electrical discharge in the plasma fall on them. On such devices, the “picture” is bright and rich, and they themselves have a long service life, reaching 30 years or more. The latter circumstance is an undoubted advantage of PDF models over most competitors, which lose their properties after 10 years.

LED monitors

Backlight brightness is one of the most important factors affecting eye fatigue. To reduce their fatigue, it is necessary to reduce it to a minimum comfortable value. From this point of view, the most preferable are devices using LEDs, which exhibit high efficiency. The advantages of LED monitors include high image quality (clarity), as well as compactness and durability. True, the budget options on the market can disappoint, since for the sake of saving money, manufacturers use inexpensive pulse-width modulators in them, due to which a blinking effect appears, negating all the advantages of using LED backlighting.

OLED monitors

This is a rather rare type of information display device, which is based on organic light-emitting diode technology. The main advantage of such monitors is the ability to create a flexible one. In addition, due to the characteristics of the technologies used, when looking at such displays from any angle, the picture quality does not change.

Laser monitors

Such devices are still new. They feature high contrast and brightness, and also have a very fast response time and low level energy consumption.

Monitor: main characteristics

When choosing a device to display information, you must first study its technical parameters. The main characteristics of monitors include:

• Contrast. This parameter shows the difference between the lightest and darkest areas of the display surface. The larger its value, the higher quality the monitor is considered.
• Brightness. The parameter determines the highest specific luminosity of the imaging surface, and its unit of measurement is 1 nit, equal to the ratio of 1 cd to 1 sq. m.
• Permission. This is one of the most important parameters, which they pay attention to when choosing computer monitor. It determines the number of all pixels that form the displayed image. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image displayed on the monitor screen will be.
• Horizontal frequency. This parameter is measured in hertz and shows the frequency at which the image is displayed on the monitor screen.
• Vertical frequency. The parameter characterizes greatest number horizontal lines displayed by an electron beam on the screen per unit. time.

What to look for when choosing a monitor: size

As already mentioned, it is generally recommended to choose high-resolution models. However, people with vision problems should use the following recommendations: for FullHD (1920x1080) optimal diagonal should be 23-24 inches, for a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels - 24 inches, for 1680 by 1050 pixels. - 22 inches, and for 2560 by 1440 - 27 inches. If these proportions are observed, the user will not have tired eyes and will not have problems with reading, as well as with viewing small icons and interface controls.

As for the aspect ratio of the monitor, the most popular and common ones are at the moment: 4 by 3, 16 by 10 and 16 by 9. However, square (4:3) is actively being pushed out of the market, as it does not allow viewing films in good quality, which, as a rule, have a wide format, as close as possible to 16:9 . In addition, monitors of this shape have poor visibility, making it difficult to get the most out of video games.

The best option for professionals

Those who do not need a monitor for entertainment should choose widescreen models with 16:10 aspect ratios. They are great for working with 3D/2D graphics and code in several windows at once. At the same time, such monitors are more familiar to the viewing angles of human vision and are a compromise between options with 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.

Many people are familiar with the situation when during daylight hours the “picture” on the monitor looks faded. In order not to experience inconvenience and not to spoil your eyesight, you should choose models with high contrast. They display blacks, midtones and shades better. It is believed that a good indicator is a static contrast of 1000 to 1 or higher. It is calculated by the ratio of the maximum brightness (white) to the minimum.

In addition, some manufacturers indicate its dynamic contrast in the technical characteristics of the monitor. This is an indicator on which the ability of the monitor lamps to automatically adjust to certain parameters currently displayed on the screen depends.

For example, if there is a dark scene in a movie or game, the lamps begin to burn brighter, which increases visibility and contrast. However, such a system rarely works correctly, and light areas are usually overexposed.

Communication ports

At the moment, there are still monitors in stores with a D-Sub analog input with a screen resolution of more than 1680 by 1050 pixels. The problem is that this interface is already outdated. It is not always able to provide the required information transfer rate for resolutions exceeding 1680 by 1050 pixels. As a result, blurred and cloudy areas appear on the display.

To eliminate this situation, you need to have a DVI port or DisplayPort on board the monitor. Their presence is standard for modern monitors. It's also good if there is HDMI port, which is suitable for watching HD video from a set-top box or from an external player. If it is, then it can be combined with DVI using the appropriate adapter for the monitor.

Types of matrices

There are several of them:

- TN, which is suitable for video game lovers, allows you to surf the Internet and use any programs. However, she is not best choice for watching movies, as it has poor viewing angles and “weak” blacks.

- IPS matrix, which is suitable for watching movies, working with color and photos, playing games, surfing the Internet, using office programs. In other words, it is universal, which is why monitors based on it are the most popular today. Judging by the reviews, buyers like these devices more than others, they have large viewing angles and the best color rendition in the world among other models.

Disadvantages include large weight and dimensions, significant power consumption, low pixel response speed, etc. In addition, they are quite expensive and have high input lag.

The most popular monitors: reviews

Among the variety of offers on the market, it is difficult for buyers to make right choice. Reviews left on specialized forums by those who use this or that monitor can help you decide.

The main characteristics of specific models are put at the forefront by users, along with design and price. Based on these parameters, the best choice can be considered:

• DELL U2412M. The diagonal of the monitor in cm is 60.96, and in inches - 24. Resolution is 1920 by 1200 pixels. WLED backlight and TFT E-IPS matrix are used. Other characteristics include: brightness - 300 cd/sq. m, contrast ratio - 1000:1, anti-reflective coating available. The model is somewhat of a veteran on the market and has amassed a large number of positive feedback, including those noting high build quality. The only drawback is the pixel response time, which is 8 ms.
• Samsung S24D590PL. This is a fairly inexpensive device that is very popular. Technical characteristics of the monitor: diagonal - 23.6 inches and FullHD resolution 1920 by 1080 pixels. TFT AD-PLS matrix and Flicker-Free backlight are used. Contrast is 1000 to 1, and brightness is 250 cd/sq. m. The monitor has excellent color rendition, no corner glare, and has a stylish and neat stand. Disadvantages include uneven illumination.
• DELL U2414H. Excellent non-glare monitor. Main characteristics: display diagonal - 23.8 inches, brightness - 250 cd/sq m, contrast - 1000 to 1. The disadvantages of the monitor, judging by the reviews, include uneven illumination of the white field, which is especially noticeable in the area of ​​​​the corners of the screen.
• ASUS MX279H. This is a fairly large and expensive high-end monitor. Main characteristics: resolution 1920 by 1080 pixels, diagonal - 27 inches, brightness - 250 cd/sq. m, TFT AH-IPS matrix. The monitor has excellent picture quality and build quality. In addition, it is suitable for watching FullHD movies and games.
• BenQ BL2411PT. Judging by the reviews, this device is worth the money you need to pay for it. Technical characteristics of the monitor: screen diagonal is 24 inches, display brightness is 300 cd/sq. m. It is equipped with a TFT IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels. Disadvantages: no HDMI adapter for the monitor, inconvenient menu.
• DELL P2414H. This one is enough for office and home use created on the basis of quality TFT IPS matrices. Screen diagonal - 24 inches. Resolution - FullHD 1920 by 1080 pixels. Other parameters: contrast 1000 to 1 and brightness 250 cd/sq. m. The main advantage is excellent picture saturation and high build quality. Buyers note that when working with this monitor, their eyes get tired much less than when using other models. However, the model is somewhat more expensive, which is its main disadvantage.
• AOC i2757Fm. Quite a high-quality monitor with a screen diagonal of 27 inches. Resolution - FullHD 1920 by 1080 pixels. Used TFT AH-IPS matrix. There are built-in speakers. The monitor has a stylish design and soft backlighting.
• ASUS PA238Q. This is a good monitor from ASUS that costs $350. The screen diagonal is 23 inches and FullHD resolution. Among other characteristics, a brightness of 250 cd/sq.m. should be noted. m and response - 6 ms. The monitor is in demand due to its inexpensive price, wide viewing angles, high build quality and stylish design.
• ASUS PB278Q. That's enough expensive model with a diagonal of 27 inches, with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels. As reviews show, buyers prefer it because of the high-quality picture, the presence of built-in speakers and fast response, which allows them to play any video games. Among the shortcomings, low build quality should be noted. In particular, according to customer reviews, during operation the plastic frame “moves away” from the screen, and dust gets clogged there.
• AOC g2460Pqu. This 24-inch model is equipped TFT matrix TN. Resolution - 1920 by 1080 pixels. Brightness - 350 cd/sq. m, and the contrast is 1000:1 with a response time of 1 ms. The monitor is perfect for those who cannot imagine life without computer games. In addition, it has wide viewing angles and uniform illumination. It is also considered an excellent choice for light eye strain.

If you're looking to replace your old monitor, the tips above will help you decide which model is best for you.

User question...

Good afternoon. Help please, I want to buy a monitor exactly the same as the one I have now, but I don’t know it exact model. All that is there is a sticker on the body of the device, which only indicates its brand (Samsung). How can I find out the model of my monitor without disassembling it and taking it to a specialist shop (and is this possible)?

Hello.

There are several ways to determine your monitor model and they are all quite simple. And, by the way, I should note that the monitor model is sometimes needed not only in cases when you want to replace it, but also in order to know its capabilities and acceptable operating modes.

Let's look at a few ways below...

Determining your monitor model

Method number 1: sticker on the body

The simplest and quick way To determine what kind of monitor you have, look for the sticker on the device case. If there is no sticker or inscription on the front side, then in most cases there is one on the back of the device, next to the VGA (D-Sub), HDMI, etc. inputs.

The example below is shown in the photo: monitor model AOC F22s+. Actually, knowing the monitor model, you can easily find out all its characteristics on the Internet (on the same Yandex market)...

Method number 2: using special. utilities (Aida, Everest, Astra 32)

Sometimes, there are no stickers on the monitor body (for example, the device could simply come off due to years of use...).

In this case, I recommend using one of the utilities to determine the characteristics of your computer. There are quite a lot of them now, but not everyone can get the maximum information about your monitor. I recommend using Everest or Aida 64 (link to them below).

Determining computer characteristics -

In the program EVEREST just open the tab "Display/Monitor" , then you will see the following information: monitor name, ID, model, monitor type, serial number, brightness, resolution. aspect ratio, frame rate (scan), etc. In general, everything that was required!

Program AIDA 64 works in the same way: you need to open the same tab "Display/Monitor" : you will see approximately the same information (by the way, the information displayed also depends on the model of your monitor; the screen below shows the properties of the Dell Inspiron 3542 - LG Philips LP156WHB (Dell DCR74) laptop monitor).

The program can show slightly more extensive information ASTRA 32. It has a whole section dedicated to monitors connected to your computer (laptop). By logging into it, you will find out almost all the data about your monitor that can be obtained (probably as much as is in the passport for this product).

ASTRA 32 - monitor: manufacturer, release date, gamma factor, aspect ratio, serial number, monitor ID, display type, input signal, firmware manufacturer, driver status, etc.

Method number 3: in properties (via the Windows Control Panel)

You can also get partial information about the monitor in Windows. To do this, you need to open the control panel at the following address:

Next among the devices, you should see your monitor. You need to right-click on it and go into it properties or parameters. This way you will know current resolution (and as much as possible) sweep frequency, monitor model (some information may not be available if you do not have drivers installed for your monitor (not to be confused with video card drivers!)).

That's all I have for this sim, special thanks in advance for any additions. Good luck identifying the type and model!

Life flows, and everything changes along with it, but in recent years, the computer has taken a key place in all spheres of human life and I do not intend to give up the palm. Since the creation of the first computer device his computing power, shape, sizes and key technologies changed for the better. Today, almost everything is computerized: medicine, education, manufacturing, the mining industry, and even human leisure. Nowadays, one out of two residents of countries with high and medium levels of economic development owns portable computers - smartphones or tablets. At the same time, most of the world's inhabitants use desktops, which are separate system units, information output devices, peripheral devices for data input - mouse and keyboard. It is worth paying special attention to the monitor, since this is the part of the computer in front of which a person spends a lot of time long time. A monitor is an important component of the development of human society, so the ability to choose a suitable model and have the necessary knowledge about it will not be superfluous for anyone.

Areas of application of monitors

In order to find out where monitors are used and for what purpose, you first need to understand what computer monitors are. There are a number of their definitions, but if you choose the most basic one, it sounds like this. A monitor is a special device for displaying information from the computing unit of a computer using a special screen equipped with either a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal matrix (LCD, used in modern monitor models). Information is displayed by highlighting individual smallest elements of the screen - pixels, which together form a complete picture of text, tables, pictures, photos or videos.

We can safely say that monitors are used everywhere. In government agencies and enterprises to perform routine functions and responsibilities, including:

• Conducting core activities (production, assembly, extraction, etc.).
• Maintaining accounting and warehouse records.
• Logistics.
• Accounting and control of the activities of institutions.
• Other areas of activity.

The same applies to educational, medical and other institutions in various spheres of human activity. All this happens because any activity has long been transferred to computer accounting using specially developed software products.

There are a long range of applications for a device such as a monitor. This leads to the need to develop and create devices for specific needs. Therefore, manufacturers offer a wide selection of computer monitors from home to professional with special functions.

LCD or CRT?

The key feature of any monitor is its screen. The first such devices were cathode ray tube displays. They had a lot of weight, huge dimensions and a small screen diagonal, but at the same time they had a clear, good picture regardless of the viewing angle. The CRT monitor screen was updated at a frequency of up to 85 Hz, which had a positive effect on the user’s eyes, reducing the load. However, it is believed that the beam of light from the CRT, while attacking the screen, also attacked the vision of many people, which led to a rapid deterioration in their health. Due to bulkiness, high power consumption, negative impact on users' vision, and also due to the small size of the screen, liquid crystal matrices (LCDs) were developed to replace them. LCD displays reduced energy consumption by 60 percent compared to CRTs, had significantly less weight and dimensions, as well as the correct backlight, which was scattered along the sides of the screen rather than hitting the eyes directly. Modern models Such monitors have a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. However, here everything depends on the type of matrix.

TN or IPS matrix?

Whether it's a laptop, computer or portable device, it uses a special matrix of liquid crystals. There are only three main technologies for their production (not counting subtypes):

• TN+Film - Twisted Nematic + film.
• IPS - Image Packaging System.
• VA - Vertical alignment.

Considering that a monitor is a device for displaying the result of work, it is important to understand that different types of work will look and be perceived differently on monitors with different matrices.

TN+Film technology is widely used and ensures its leadership for many years to come. Its main advantage is the low cost of production, which is a very important factor in the competitive struggle of manufacturers. However, it has small viewing angles and sharply loses color if you look at the screen from the side. The response speed of such matrices can be within 2-8 ms.

IPS technology appeared later and was intended to become a professional matrix for the most accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles. No sooner said than done. The matrix really turned out to be excellent: the colors are rich, conveying reality as much as possible, and the angles are almost up to 180 degrees, and the high speed of the matrix. But the cost of monitors with this technology is much higher than that of its competitor TN+Film. Therefore, not every buyer will spend extra money just to watch films of dubious quality and scroll through pages on the Internet. IPS is really for enthusiasts who want to get the most accurate match to reality. They are commonly used by designers, engineers and gamers.

Key monitor manufacturers: Dell, LG, Samsung and Acer install both TN and IPS matrices on their devices. There are plenty of decent monitors to choose from. Their price usually ranges from 4 to 120 thousand rubles.

VA Matrix

The Samsung monitor is made in the best traditions of the Korean manufacturer, using its own development - the VA matrix. It is superior to TN technology in transmitting deep blacks, but loses in response speed. Won quite a few fans this monitor. Its price is 20-30 percent lower than IPS, so for movie buffs it will be an excellent option with good color rendition.

Why do you need matrix response speed?

Another characteristic of the monitor is the response speed of the display matrix. It shows how quickly an individual pixel can change its brightness after entering a user command. Modern models of monitors from any manufacturer cope with this task in 2-15 milliseconds. The fastest matrices are usually used on gaming monitors and devices for displaying video editing results. Slow ones, in turn, are usually professional artistic, design or engineering devices. For them, maximum picture quality is important, not output speed.

The monitor driver can also have an important impact on the response speed of the matrix, so developers try to optimize the software component of the devices as much as possible.

Resolution is constantly increasing

From year to year you can see how the computing power of computers increases. This leads to the development and creation of better content with better clarity and higher resolution. To reproduce them, new monitor matrices with higher resolution are being created. The new and improved monitor is selling like hot cakes. There may not be an increase in inches, but the pixel density and picture clarity certainly are. At the moment, the main permit standards are:

• HD Ready.
• FullHD.
• UltraHD.

Does size matter?

When choosing a monitor, the question always arises of how it will be used. If it’s just a machine for the Internet, then the screen can be small, but if it’s for playing movies or computer games, then it’s advisable to take a larger device. Will it be Samsung monitor, Dell, LG or Acer - it doesn't matter at all when you choose it based on its characteristics. Therefore, the only important thing here is what function it will perform, based on this, and the size is selected. Yes, he is important.

Why is the monitor no longer square?

We often hear from conservative users that the monitor should be square, as before, since new monitors stretch the image. Indeed, they used to be almost square and had an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 5:4. But in the photo, video and computer games industry, all developers agreed that this format is not capable of showing a wide picture close to the view of the human eye. Therefore, a wide format was created with aspect ratios of 16:9 and 16:10. Now these formats are widely used in the production of monitors, televisions, as well as in digital quality television broadcasts. So if the monitor driver is installed correctly, then there will definitely be no problems with image stretching.

What types of monitor housings are there?

Based on the assigned tasks, monitors can have different housings and mounts, which allows you to equip both individual workstations with one image output device, and entire stands with dozens of them.

It often happens that it is difficult to decide how to connect a monitor in a particular place, since, for example, in a plant or factory there are specially designated places in which new equipment is installed to replace old equipment. In these cases, specific housings from the manufacturer or special mounts are suitable. If the proposed options are not suitable, you can always conclude a contract for the manufacture of the case and mounting of the monitor according to your own standards.

How to care for your monitor

For a CRT monitor, it is important to wipe off dust and not expose it to high/low temperatures and moisture.

Liquid crystal displays require more “gentle” care, since even careless strong pressure on the display can render it unusable. Therefore, to wipe off dust, it is advisable to use special sprays and microfiber cloths or wet wipes created specifically for these types of screens. Just as in the case of CRT screens, it is necessary to eliminate the impact of negative external factors.

The monitor converts digital and/or analog information into video images.
The monitor resembles a regular TV in appearance and functionality.

Classification of monitors

By color

• colored
• monochrome

By type of information displayed

• alphanumeric

• graphic

By structure

• CRT - based on a cathode ray tube (eng. CRT - cathode ray tube)

Color kinescope device.
1 - Electron guns. 2 - Electron rays. 3 - Focusing coil. 4 - Deflection coils. 5 - Anode. 6 - A mask, thanks to which the red beam hits the red phosphor, etc. 7 - Red, green and blue phosphor grains. 8 - Mask and phosphor grains (enlarged).

The main characteristics of a monitor are the diagonal length of its screen, resolution and image display frequency. The diagonal length of a monitor is usually measured in inches (1 inch equals 2.54 centimeters).

LCD - liquid crystal monitors (English) LCD - liquid crystal display) - flat monitor based on liquid crystals. Thin film transistor is one of the names for a liquid crystal display that uses an active matrix controlled by thin film transistors. A TFT amplifier is applied for each sub-pixel to improve the performance, contrast and clarity of the display. Key Features LCD monitors:

• Resolution: Horizontal and vertical dimensions expressed in pixels. Unlike CRT monitors, LCDs have one, “native” physical resolution, the rest are achieved by interpolation.
• Point size: the distance between the centers of adjacent pixels. Directly related to physical resolution.
• Screen aspect ratio (format): The ratio of width to height, for example: 4:3, 16:9, 16:10.
• Apparent Diagonal: The size of the panel itself, measured diagonally. The area of ​​displays also depends on the format: a monitor with a 4:3 format has a larger area than one with a 16:10 format with the same diagonal.
• Contrast: the ratio of the brightness of the lightest and darkest points. Some monitors use an adaptive backlight level; the contrast figure given for them does not refer to image contrast.
• Brightness: The amount of light emitted by a display, usually measured in candelas per square meter.
• Response Time: The minimum time it takes for a pixel to change its brightness. Measurement methods are controversial.
• Viewing angle: the angle at which the drop in contrast reaches a given value is calculated differently for different types of matrices, and often cannot be compared.
• Matrix type: the technology used to make the LCD display
• Inputs: (eg DVI, VGA, HDMI, etc.).

• Plasma - based on a plasma panel
• Projection - a video projector and screen placed separately or combined in one housing (optionally through a mirror or a system of mirrors)

Modern monitors are divided by diagonal length as follows: 14”, 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 22” - inch. The longer the diagonal length, the better and, therefore, more expensive the monitor. Nowadays the most common are 15” and 17” inch monitors.

Monitor resolution is the number of horizontal and vertical pixels that the monitor can display.

As a rule, the larger the diagonal length of the monitor, the higher its resolution. For 15" inch monitors, the optimal resolution is 800x600 (800 pixels horizontally and 600 pixels vertically), for 17" inch monitors - 1024x768.

Monitor image frequency is the number of times the monitor displays an image per second. It is measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher the frequency, the better quality image that the monitor shows, in addition, the higher the frequency, the less tired the eyes are when working with the monitor.
At different resolutions, monitors have different frequencies. At the moment, the optimal frequencies of modern monitors are 100 Hz at a resolution of 800x600 and 85 Hz at a resolution of 1024x768.

The modern monitor model has low radiation emission, low electromagnetic wave emission, low static charge. Therefore almost everything modern monitors(since 1996) years of production are practically harmless to humans.

The most critical monitor parameter is the image display frequency. It is this that determines how quickly a person’s eyes will get tired when working with a monitor. That. When working with a monitor, it is recommended to set its maximum frequency.
Nowadays, liquid crystal monitors are becoming more common