Best Tips For Choosing LCD Monitors for Gaming

Are you stuck on choosing the best gaming monitor for your needs?
The monitor will likely be one of the most expensive parts of your computer, so you'll need all the advice you can get on making your purhase.

This guide will explain the different factors you should consider when buying your gaming monitor.

The biggest decision you need to make when choosing the best gaming monitor is whether to get an LCD or CRT monitor. CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors have been around for a long time, and are the standard displays for desktop computers.
LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors are fairly new to the desktop computer world, although they have always been used on notebook computers. LCD monitors have many advantages over their CRT counterparts, and are slowly taking over the desktop display market.

LCD Monitors
Let’s take a look at some of the more important factors you need to look out for in LCD screens when choosing the best gaming monitor.
Native Resolution
Each LCD monitor is designed for a certain resolution, known as the native resolution. If you change the resolution on an LCD screen, the image will be scaled and the quality won’t be as good as with the native resolution. The native resolution of an LCD depends on the size. Here are the typical native resolutions for common sizes:
17 inch: 1024x768
19 inch: 1280x1024
20 inch: 1600x1200
Viewing Angle
If you look at an LCD monitor from an angle, you will notice that the image appears dimmer and the colors can look weird. At extreme angles the entire image can even disappear. The viewing angle of an LCD monitor is the angle at which you can still view the screen clearly. 
So, the greater the viewing angle, the better. Manufacturers are known to exaggerate their specifications, so be sure to evaluate the viewing angle yourself before buying an LCD monitor. Also, keep in mind how you will eventually use the monitor. If you need to show presentations with your LCD, the viewing angle will be a critical factor.
Response Rate
The response rate of an LCD monitor refers to how quickly each pixel on the screen can change color. The faster the response rate, the less ghosting you will experience. Ghosting is when the previous image displayed on the screen can still be seen as a blur for moments after the image has changed. Ghosting can be seen in fast-paced graphical applications such as games and videos.
When choosing an LCD monitor for gaming, the response rate is perhaps the single most important factor to consider. If you’re playing a fast-paced action game such as a first person shooter, when you look around quickly you will experience ghosting. This can ruin your overall gaming experience, depending on how severe the ghosting is. The faster the response rate, the less ghosting you will see.
CRT monitors don’t suffer from ghosting and blurring effects, and this is the reason they have historically been recommended as the best gaming monitors. But the truth is you can find an LCD monitor that is good for gaming, the trick is finding one with a fast enough response rate. 
I would say that an LCD with a response rate of 8ms (milliseconds) is the minimum for good gaming. Lower than 8ms is better if you can afford it. The very best gaming monitors on the market have extremely fast response rates (even as low as 2ms), completely avoiding ghosting altogether.
Manufacturers are continually producing LCDs with faster response rates, so in the near future the argument that CRTs are the best gaming monitors will be non-existent.

CRT Monitors
Although LCDs are slowly taking over the aging technology of CRT monitors, you can still get a let for your money if you purchase a CRT these days. And manufacturers are continually evolving CRT monitors so they aren’t dead just yet. 
One area of improvement for CRT monitors is ergonomics. Some CRT monitors come in flat screen models which reduces glare and eyestrain. Let’s take a look at some important factors to think about when purchasing a CRT monitor. 
Dot Pitch
The dot pitch indicates how sharp the images will be displayed on a CRT monitor. It’s measured in millimeters (mm), and the smaller the dot pitch, the better the image quality. 
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate, also called the vertical refresh rate or frequency, is the speed at which the monitor can draw the screen. Measured in hertz (Hz), the refresh rate is an important specification of a CRT monitor. The higher the refresh rate of your monitor, the faster your screen is updated. 
If you’re on a low refresh rate you will notice your screen flickering, which can cause headaches and eye strain. To prevent such symptoms, make sure to set your refresh rate to 85 Hz or above. Any less and the flickering will become a health hazard. 
The refresh rate depends on the resolution that you’re running, and higher resolutions will support lower refresh rates. So choose a monitor that can display the resolution you want at an acceptable refresh rate (85 Hz and above, remember). 
Maximum Resolution
Pretty self-explanatory, this is the highest resolution that a CRT monitor supports. As I said before, CRTs can display multiple resolutions without problems, unlike LCDs. So for example, if the maximum resolution of your CRT monitor is 1280x1024, then it will support all smaller resolutions: 1024x768, 800x600, and 640x480 etc.

What Size Should You Buy?
Choosing the size of your gaming monitor depends on your needs, and your budget. Sizes for both CRT and LCD monitors range from 15 inches up to 23 inches. Prices vary greatly between sizes, so choose a size that you can afford and that is big enough for you. 
17 inches is big enough for most people, but if you’re a hardcore gamer or you plan to watch lots of videos or TV on your monitor, you should go for something bigger as it will increase your viewing experience. 
Also, be aware that CRT and LCD screen sizes are measured differently. For some reason, the plastic edging around a CRT screen is included in its screen measurements, so a CRT screen size doesn’t actually tell you the size of the screen. For example, if a CRT monitor is said to be 17 inches, the actual screen size would probably be closer to 15 inches. This is not true for LCD monitors, as the stated size is the actual size of the screen.

LCDs vs CRTs
Here is a list of the main advantages of both LCDs and CRTs. When deciding between the two, choose the type that best suits your specific needs, the applications you use, and your budget. 
Advantages of LCD Monitors 
Less power usage – An LCD monitor require less power than a CRT model, although CRT power usage is steadily coming down after lots of improvement from manufacturers.
Smaller and lighter – LCD monitors are much thinner and lighter than CRTs, and they weigh less. This makes LCDs easier to move around, and they take up less room on your desk.
Easier on the eyes – Because of the way LCD displays work, they don’t flicker like CRT monitors and so they reduce eyestrain and headaches. Also, LCDs tend to display text better since they can produce sharper images than CRTs. So if you’re going to read a lot of text with your monitor, consider an LCD.

Advantages of CRT Monitors 
Cheaper – CRT monitors are generally less expensive, although prices for LCDs continue to fall.
Better color range – CRTs are known to more accurately represent different colors than LCDs. However, LCDs continue to evolve and soon this won’t be a concern.
Faster response – CRT displays also currently have the upper hand in displaying fast-paced graphics and video. They don’t suffer from LCD-specific problems like ghosting and blurring, and so have been recommended as the best gaming monitors. Although, keep in mind that newer LCDs with fast response rates are good enough for gaming.
Multiple Resolutions – As said before, CRT monitors handle multiple resolutions without problems. An LCD is only meant for a single resolution, so don’t get an LCD if you need to change resolutions often.
Less Fragile – CRT monitors are rugged and are harder to damage.

What is Best for Gaming?
As stated before, CRT monitors have traditionally been recommended as the best gaming monitors due to their higher response times. But this can be seen as old advice, because the newer LCDs on the block can very much handle fast-paced games with their good response rates. 
But buying a good enough LCD monitor for gaming might not be in your budget. Even though they are forever getting cheaper, they can be quite expensive. So in this case you are better off sticking to a CRT display, which will give you a lot of bang for your buck. In the end, choosing between an LCD or CRT depends on your budget and your gaming needs. 
I highly recommend TigerDirect.com to find the best gaming monitors at the lowest prices. They have a huge range of products and are a trusted name for selling quality computer parts online.
Conclusion
This article has explained the important factors you should consider when buying the best gaming monitor for your needs. With this information you are in a good position to make a wise purchase on your gaming monitor.