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There are many benefits to upgrading to a flat-panel/ LCD monitor such as less power consumption, more space on your desk and increased eye comfort (Click here to read more). If this is something you are considering or if you already have LCD screen but are looking to buy another here are a few things you need to think about.

Size and resolution- When buying a monitor the size really comes down to a personal choice and will depend on: how many programs you would like to keep open at one time, the size of your desk, and your preferred screen resolution. At a lower resolution fewer items will fit on the screen but they appear larger. At a Higher resolution more items will fit but they’re smaller.

It’s good practice to set LCD monitors to there native resolution, this results in the best clarity, and different sized monitors have different native resolutions. For example typically a 19 inch standard ratio monitor will be 1280 x 1024, while a 20 inch standard ratio monitor will be higher at 1600 x 1200.

Wide screen virus standard ratio - Once again this comes down to your own personal preferences. While wide screens are great if you plan to watch movies on your computer there are also other reasons you may want a wide screen monitor. Some computer applications are easier to work with using a wide screen. You may also benefit from a wide screen monitor if you would like to have more open windows displayed side by side.

Digital versus analog connection – Before you buy your flat-panel monitor you need to need to know whether the video adapter on your computer has a DVI (digital visual interface) port or the older style analog VGA port. Then you can buy a monitor with a connection that matches that port. If your computer has one of both or you have a converter then this will not really be an issue for you.

Price – When you’re buying a flat-panel monitor, size versus price is going to be something you will have to weigh up. Some people will be perfectly satisfied with a smaller display at a lower price, but before you make this decision you need to think long and hard about what you will be using it for. Will you be doing a lot of reading online? Do you need to have more than one window open at once? If you answered yes to either of these you may want to lean towards a larger display to make things easier for yourself.

More information on this topic from Microsoft can be found by clicking here.