One of the basic components of a personal computer is the monitor. All the programs that a computer runs are displayed on the monitor. There are two main types of monitors: cathode ray tube, or CRT, monitors look like traditional television sets and are the least expensive. Liquid crystal display, or LCD, monitors are extremely thin, and thus weigh less and take up much less space, and offer even better resolution, but are generally much more expensive. Both types of monitors use tiny electric dots called “pixels” to display an image, and the more pixels a monitor has, the sharper the picture. A bigger monitor usually offers more pixels than a smaller model, although LCD monitors can generally display more pixels than identically sized CRT monitors. When buying a monitor, it may be helpful to perform a side-by-side comparison with several models to see which offers the best picture and has the simplest control panel to fine-tune the display. The size monitor you’ll need depends on what you’ll be using it for. For word-processing, e-mail, and Internet browsing, a 15- inch monitor may be sufficient, but if you plan on playing games or running large spreadsheets or graphics-intensive programs, consider a 17-inch or larger monitor. Most new computers usually include a monitor built by the computer manufacturer, but most computers are compatible with just about every monitor available, so don’t be afraid to upgrade.
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