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by Tomas
Hernandez, Jr.
Some readers may remember connecting their $1,000 Apple II+
to the family color television set because the price of Apple’s
color monitors was out of sight. Today, you can buy a 17-inch
monitor that’s faster and sharper than that one was,
and whose display is visible under the worst lighting conditions,
for less than $300. You can also choose from a wide array
of display devices: CRTs, flat-panel LCDs, or pressure-sensitive
tablets that let you draw on-screen. But, how do you decide
which monitor is right for you?
Not just for CAD
AEC professionals who use CAD and image-and-text-based programs
need high-resolution monitors that present clean, crisp lines,
line weights, and types. They also need to clearly display
solid and gradated colors, deep uniform blacks, and clean,
white backgrounds. They require 24-bit photo-quality resolution
that can be calibrated to match color printing. But the need
for these tools is no longer limited to the CAD user; it extends
to the designer who reviews and prepares presentations and
marketing materials. The typical designer spends an average
of eight hours a day viewing a display, making it the single
most important piece of hardware used in the trade. A bad
display device can be the kiss of death to a designer trying
to produce high-quality presentations.
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Most firms buy monitors as part of preconfigured workstation
packages from manufacturers such as Dell, Gateway, HP, and
Compaq. These suppliers offer larger, higher-quality monitors
as upgrade options, or they can be purchased from third parties.
Although most monitors have multiple pages of specs that describe
their capabilities, there are only a few key features to keep
in mind when looking for a monitor.
Size is the first criterion. A 17-inch monitor is the minimum
size one should consider for design work, but a high-quality
19-inch screen will give more bang for the buck. It has 30
percent more display area and typically costs less than $500.
The most demanding design professionals may need 20- or 21-inch
monitors, which cost a little under $1,000. Units this size
tend to be very deep, bulky, and extremely heavy. There are
even units as large as 24 inches. Sony’s 24-inch CRT
monitor, the GDM-FW900, goes for under $2,000 and offers a
22½-inch viewable area.
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