Please upgrade to the new Edge browser, or use Chrome, Firefox or Safari, before continuing. Internet Explorer will not support the best shopping experience on the ADI Digital Branch site after March 12. close button

Monitors exist in a variety of forms and for a variety of uses. Understanding the differences between each can help you complete the perfect setup for your customers. Monitors offer many benefits, including extra screen space, better visual experience and increased productivity. They can also be used for:

  • Basic office use – You can get away with an average-sized (about 24") monitor without all the bells and whistles for typical office use. Any type of flat panel monitor (LCD or LED) will do. That said, if your customer's day-to-day activities include visually oriented tasks like video editing, graphic design or digital content creation, you will want to factor in criteria like color accuracy brightness/black levels and size. In these instances, a high-end monitor might be the better choice. For other offices, an entry-level monitor that doesn't cause eye strain will be just fine.
  • Gaming – LED monitors are used best for specific movements or gaming. Many gamers will prefer a screen with quicker refresh rates and the lowest input lag possible. A gaming monitor with full HD resolution or higher will give your customer the faster response times he or she is looking for, while offering the kind of immersive experience that gamers appreciate.
  • Video surveillance – If possible, it's best to use an LED monitor for a video surveillance system. LEDs are cheaper and are more energy efficient than LCD monitors.
  • Multipurpose use – Monitors can be used for multipurpose use such as presentations, videoconferences or streaming use. LED or touchscreens are great contenders for multipurpose use and give your customers quality visualization.

Wherever your customers are, you will need to know which type of display is best suited for each use.

1. LCD – Liquid-crystal display monitors

With higher resolution and better image quality, LCD monitors are the most common type used in modern technology. LCDs consume less space, have a lifespan up to eight years and are affordable. LCDs are just like LED monitors that come with an advanced backlighting that are shown on the screen. Among the drawbacks of LCDs are that, they use up more power than LEDs and some LCD monitors do not support 4K resolution.

2. LED – Light-emitting diode monitors

Known for their flat screens, the light-emitting diode, or LED monitors, are widely used today across multiple devices. Mobile phones, tablets, laptop screens, TVs, computer monitors and more use LED displays. Your customers will benefit from this monitor if they are looking for one that is reliable, supports 4K images, and has a longer lifespan than LCDs of 15 years. One major way LED compares to an LCD is in the backlighting. LCD monitors use fluorescent backlights, while LED monitors use their own lights. LEDs are also smaller than LCD monitors, are rather more expensive than LCDs and take up less space.

3. OLED – Organic light-emitting diode monitors

One of the newest displays, the OLED monitors have a flat screen with higher-quality images and brighter colors. Just like the LED monitors, many devices use OLED, such as consumer TVs, digital cameras and VR headsets.

4. Touch-screen monitors

In today's tech world, you can add a touch-sensitive screen to basically any PC as most leading suppliers offer them. Touch-screen monitors are flat screens that provide motion detection by the touch of your finger or a stylus. These displays allow the user to have full control over presentations, videos and any other virtual interactivity with a desktop or computer. Touch-screen monitors also function as a computer monitor and make great teaching mechanisms for trade shows, classes or in a small office setting.

Different monitor shapes, sizes and resolution

The one-size-fits-all method doesn't apply when it comes to selecting a monitor display. You'll need to consider the size, shape and resolution to know how it will fit for your customer's desktop needs.

  • Ultrawide – Monitors that extend out from left to right to give more screen space. These types of monitors are more efficient than using two monitors simultaneously. The ultrawide computers can be used for making spreadsheets easier to read.
    Curved – Curved – Just like their ultrawide counterparts, curved monitors extend from left to right and curve inwards. The curved display gives the viewer a more in-depth look.
  • 20" monitors – Monitors 20 inches or smaller are usually more cost-effective than larger screen monitors. These are typically portable and make excellent office space for your customer's work-from-home station.
  • 27" monitors and up - Larger screen sizes, specifically 27 inches and up, offer wider and higher quality images. This size can be utilized inside hospitals, security rooms, etc.
  • Resolution – Most monitors nowadays have full high definition with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 or higher. It's recommended to choose a monitor with this feature for an exceptional picture quality.

How do I find the right connector for my monitor?

When choosing the best monitor for your customer's desktop setup, it is important to not forget which kind of adapter is suitable for their computer system. The connectors carry the picture quality, audio signals and many other components to and from the monitor and the PC. There are various types of monitor connectors, so deciding which one can save you time. Here is just a list of some of the most common types of connectors that are used today.

  • VGA – The original analog technology that carries exceptional resolutions and frame rates.
  • HDMI – Use this connector to transfer both audio and video signals for your PC. This connector offers HD content, which elevates the user experience.
  • USB-C – The USB-C is usually smaller than other connectors. It can be used for a variety of applications.
  • DisplayPort – Just like HDMI, the DisplayPort carries audio and video signals, but at higher resolution and frame rates than HDMI. This gives your customers the ultimate picture experience for entertainment.
  • DVI – Although some DVI connectors do not carry audio signals, they can still deliver video signals and are mostly commonly used for computer monitors and projectors.

There are many monitors to choose from, but selecting the right shape, size and price point will help you create the perfect workstation for your customers.


 
close button