Choosing the Right Monitor: LCD vs. CRT

If you’re a techie, a computer geek or a display afficionado, you’re most likely to be well-versed in the intricacies of choosing the ideal display for your new computer, or the ideal replacement or upgrade for that old flickering mass of plastic and cathode ray tubes sitting on your desktop right now. But for the rest of us mortals, sometimes it’s a matter of just going with what the retail package includes as standard or what the sales people at the retail store recommend.

However, purchasing a monitor without knowing the specifications and the nuances of that type may not exactly be a smart move, for display technology moves as quickly as you can say “screen,” with graphics capacity and power doubling every eighteen months, and monitor prices dropping as soon as newer models are released every six months or so. For all you know, an LCD or a CRT might not be the ideal display for you after all!

Today let’s talk about the LCD versus CRT issue. There are advantages and disadvantages to either side, and it would depend on you, the buyer and the user (and unfortunately, the sufferer of eyestrain if your monitor is excessively and improperly used).

Let me cite myself as an example of the arguments for and against LCD and CRT.

Me, the Writer, the Night Owl

I admit it, I’m a night-owl. I usually work in the dark, when everyone else is asleep. And I don’t just work a while in front of my computer, but I stay on for extended periods of time. You can only imagine the eye strain I get (along with stress on my arm, back and neck muscles, but that’s another story). I get to stare at my screen for hours on end, and the ambient light is quite low.

I, myself, wrote on my recent post on how to keep sane and healthy with monitor use that this spells B-A-D and T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

That’s why I prefer working long-haul on my laptop. Not only do I find the pointing device better at ergonomics (just in my opinion, of course), I also like the fact that the laptop’s LCD screen doesn’t strain my eyes as much as the larger CRT display of my desktop computer. LCDs are flicker-free and there is no distortion, since each pixel is sized the same as every other one.

Desktop LCDs can be a good investment because they usually last longer than CRTs (about twice the lifespan) and consume less electricity. Desktop LCDs also take up less space, as they have a smaller footprint and are thinner. Some can even be wall-mounted to save on space.

One problem I have with my laptop’s LCD screen, however, is that it’s not always as clear and crisp as my CRT. I am only limited to one resolution–and that is the screen’s native resolution (in this case 1024×768). Any other setting and quality suffers, because LCDs are designed for a one-to-one correspondence of pixels. So I cannot tweak my display to put out more screen real estate or scale-down for those graphic-hungry games.

Another is speed. LCDs are usually more sluggish than CRT monitors, because of the slower speed with which the liquid crystals refresh. So games and graphic-oriented multimedia may not always display as well as on CRT monitors (except, perhaps the higher-end, faster, and more expensive LCDs).

Me, the Sometime Gamer and Multimedia Buff

To keep sane, everyone has to play and go for rest and relaxation sometime. I usually try my hand at some online games and even watch DVDs on my computer to while the time away (or when trying to get fresh ideas for that next set of blogs posts or articles). And for this case, I think a CRT is best.

For one, CRTs can run at a variety of resolutions, so if your game can only run at a certain setting, or your graphics card can only handle a certain maximum resolution for intensive applications, then your CRT monitor would have no problem switching across settings.

CRTs can also display images and video at better color reproduction, and this can be adjusted according to your monitor’s firmware, and sometimes even through software means. This is excellent for people who are into graphics design or the arts, where accurate color reproduction is of importance.

Of course, it’s needless to say that CRTs are usually less expensive than their similarly-sized LCD counterparts. You would usually spend about twice of the price of a decent CRT monitor for a similar-sized LCD screen.

However, as earlier mentioned, CRTs give off more light (and a bit of radiation), and they flicker, so they’re not ideal for long-haul use and in those situations where they would be the only sources of light while you use the computer. CRTs are also bulkier, heavier, and take up more desktop space. They also consume more electricity, which is bad for conservation buffs.

Also, if the CRT monitor’s display is incorrectly set-up, you could end up with distorted images.

In summary

Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of each.

The CRT

  • The good: Cheap, excellent color reproduction, crisp display, great for games and videos.
  • The bad: Large, Gives off some heat and radiation, consumes more electricity.

The LCD

  • The good: Great for the eyes, saves space, cheaper electricity bills.
  • The bad: More expensive to buy, limited resolution options, limited color range.

Which One would I Buy?

I would get an LCD for my desktop for space considerations and to save my eyesight, like what my fellow blogger Dave did a while back. However, this would sure cost me quite a sum. Ergo, I guess I’ll stick to using my laptop for the meantime, if I want an eye-friendly, space-saving display option.

June 13th, 2006 Posted by J. Angelo Racoma in Tips at 11:34 pm Comment Now! ยป

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