LCD monitors vs CRT monitors

I’ve been looking at this computer now for hours! Seriously, I feel like my eye are about to pop out! But am I really looking at my computer? No, I’m actually looking at my monitor, and maybe the fact that my eyes are on the verge of exploding is a sign that I don’t have the right one.

The two types of monitor technologies available to consumers are available in CRT monitors and LCD monitors. There are big differences between LCD and CRT, and while LCD technology has advanced to the point where its viewing quality is comparable to CRTs, many people today still choose to purchase a CRT monitor. CRTs are bigger and bulkier than an LCD, they consume more power and are prone to screen flicker. LCD monitors, however, are more expensive when compared to CRTs, they introduce the problem of viewing angles, and generally have less accurate colour replication.

Display Size
Thanks to advances in LCD technology, colour flat panel LCD monitors are now available that are comparable in screen size to traditional CRT monitors. A 12.1″ LCD display has only a slightly smaller viewing area than a typical 14″ CRT monitor. Newer, larger LCD monitors are also appearing that have 15″, 17″, and even larger screen sizes that are comparable to the largest CRT monitors. One thing to note is that LCD monitors are typically sized by their actual viewable diagonal measurement, but CRTs typically are not. For example, the viewable area on a 17″ LCD monitor will typically measure 17″ diagonally, but the viewable area on a CRT monitor will typically only measure 16″ diagonally.

Colours
Most CRT monitors are capable of displaying unlimited colours. Some LCD monitors are only capable of hundreds or thousands of colours, but many of the newer LCD’s are capable of unlimited colours.

Resolution
An important issue with LCD monitors is resolution. CRT monitors are usually capable of displaying multiple video resolutions, each with the same quality. LCD monitors, however, usually has what is called a Native resolution, or the resolution that it displays best. The native resolution is generally the highest resolution that the LCD can display and this is the display resolution that will appear the crispest/sharpest.

Brightness
Typically, brightness is not a concern with CRT monitors. LCD monitors are backlit and have different levels of brightness. The brightness rating for an LCD monitor is commonly referred to as ‘nits’, and commonly range from 70 to 250 nits. The higher the nits, the brighter the display.

Viewing Angle
Another issue with the LCD monitor is the viewing angle. A CRT screen can be looked at from a very wide angle, practically from the side, but an LCD monitor typically has a smaller viewing angle, needing to be viewed more directly from the front. From the side, the image on an LCD screen can seem to disappear, or invert colours. Newer displays that are coming out have wider viewing angles so this is not as much of an issue as it has been in the past.

Power Consumption and Radiation Emission
Besides being compact and space saving, LCD displays offer several other benefits. For one, LCD monitors consume much less energy than CRT monitors. This makes the LCD great for laptop and portable computers. Secondly, CRT monitors are known to emit harmful radiation, whereas LCD monitors do not.

Price
CRT monitors are generally more affordable than LCD monitors. In the past LCD monitors have been very expensive but their costs have come down quite a bit in the last 1-2 years. One thing to consider is the up-front cost versus the long-term cost. A CRT monitor will cost less up front but will use more energy than a flat panel monitor. An LCD monitor will cost more up front but will conserve energy in the long run. The energy savings may not be much for an individual user, but if you are looking at a corporate office where 50 displays are in use, the energy savings might be more of an issue.

Screen Flicker
One of the most annoying things on the CRT monitor which we all had to suffer was the flickering effect, in other words the low refresh rates. This contributed towards headaches which users experienced on a daily basis. This aspect was also responsible for lower productivity. CRT does not have an advantage when it comes to the flickering effect, & I’m now sure that this is the reason for my eyeball’s need to spontaneously combust.