LCD Vs. CRT

When buying a new computer, or upgrading your monitor, you may be in somewhat of a conundrum deciding between an LCD or CRT monitor. That's understandable because for most people the difference is just size. But there is much more behind each option than just some space saving. In this article we'll outline the pros and con's for each choice and then tell you what will best suit your needs.

LCD

Pro

The most noticeable difference in an LCD vs. a CRT monitor is the size. The average LCD 15 inch monitor will run about 7 inches in depth. While on the other hand a CRT monitor can run more than two times that depth. If you are in a tight area such as a dorm room or small apartment this may make a huge factor.

Another positive side of the LCD monitor is that it is energy friendly. The average 17 inch LCD monitor will take up about 35 watts of power. That's about half of a light bulb. If you can leave a light on all day you'll have no problem leaving an LCD on the entire day. Let's take, for example, you leave your LCD monitor on eight hours in the day, five days a week. If you keep consistent with that pattern in four years you'll spend around $45 in energy costs for it. That's far less than a CRT.

An LCD monitor will also give you more life for the money you pay for it. There is one component that ages in an LCD monitor, that's the backlight. That takes around 50,000 hours to age. If we were to use the example from above that means the average lifespan for an LCD monitor is about 26 years, of course by then you might have upgraded.

There is no flicker what-so-ever on an LCD monitor. What do we mean by flicker? Basically it means the image on the screen gets unsteady or might flash. The reason for this is because an LCD doesn't refresh, like a CRT. From the minute you turn the monitor on to the minute you turn it off those pixels on the screen is illuminated.

Con

It may seem like the LCD is just the perfect monitor, well that may not be the case. The major set back to an LCD monitor is the price. The average 15 inch monitor can start out as high as $300. However you'll probably want a 17 inch monitor, the starting prices on those can run as high as $450. If you're on a strict budget the LCD may not be such a good choice.

This con may not be the most obvious set back, but it does have an impact depending on your living conditions. The LCD monitor is easily damageable. It is unbelievably easy to scratch or damage the screen in any way, sometimes all it takes is a simple push with a finger.

This con has been corrected in many monitors but still exists in some consumer level monitors. If you are a heavy gamer, an LCD monitor may not be right for you. Because the monitor doesn't refresh it can display games in a slight lag, most of it isn't noticeable but if you play games all day everyday it can become a hassle.

CRT

Pro

If you are a graphics artists or someone who relies heavily on colors, than a CRT is the way to go. CRT's can display colors at a much richer level than most LCD screens. This pro might not be that important to the average consumer, unless he/she works with a lot of family photos, or photo editing. Then vivid color is a must.

Let's say you intend on having people from many different angles view what is on your screen. Maybe for teaching a class or showing TV or videos off, the CRT is probably the better choice in that scenario. Because of the way LCD's are built viewing angle is limited. Since CRT's are built much like TV's their viewing angle is in a wider range so people from all areas can view what is on the screen.

CRT monitors, in general, have a quicker response time than LCD monitors. This can come in handy while playing fast paced games or videos. This happens because LCD pixels respond slowly (or slower) to voltage (being turned on and off) than it takes for a CRT to redraw an image on the screen.

The price difference between and LCD monitor and a CRT monitor is hundreds of dollars. If you shop around you can probably find a 15 inch CRT starting at around $100 - $150. Even more impressive and lighter on your wallet is that a 17 inch starts at around $150 - $250, that's almost $200 less than an LCD monitor.

Con

The most noticeable con in the CRT monitor is the size difference. Most CRT's can be up to 17 inches in depth and that can be hell on your desk space. As mentioned before, if you are in a small area, than a CRT just won't fit your lifestyle.

Energy bills can be a little bit higher if you use a CRT versus an LCD. Using the same scenario that we used in the LCD example, a CRT running eight hours a day, five days a week will cost you around $91 in four years. That's about $30 more than an LCD. Although that doesn't make up the difference between the two in cost, it can still make a small impact.

CRT monitors also tend to "die" at a faster rate than an LCD monitor. As we stated previously the LCD monitor ages in only one way, however the CRT monitor ages in two ways. First an oxide layer will form on the cathode of the electron gun decreasing the beam current over time. Second the phosphor (the organic material that produces light by being excited by the electron gun) will age and become less efficient. This can all happen at around 15,000 hours of usage, making the CRT's lifespan (using the previous example) about eight years. That's around 18 years shorter than the average LCD monitor.

What should I buy?

As anything else that you may be looking at purchasing, buying a monitor depends on the situation of your computer lifestyle. Read the following descriptions and if either one applies to you buy the monitor that coincides.

CRT Monitor

If you are low on money, need a good monitor for watching video, viewing images, or showing people around you what is on the screen, or if you are a big game player than a CRT is probably the choice for you.

LCD Monitor

If you are short on space, have the money to spend, don't mind some loss in color and game play on some PC games, and want to keep this monitor for a long time, then an LCD monitor is perfect for you.

This article was originally posted on http://www.p2btech.com

p2btech.com offers a podcast that covers sports and tech. We also have on demand video that covers games, sports, tech, and comedy. You can also listen to your favorite music on our live online radio.

Aside from all those things we also have unique how to's to accomplish tasks on the computer.

http://www.p2btech.com

---

How to Purchase a Flat Panel TV

When purchasing a flat panel TV, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here, we've listed a number of considerations for you to evaluate.High Definition... Read More

The Printer Cartridge Wars: Generic or Remanufactured Cartridges Right for You?

OverviewAs "generic", "remanufactured", and "new compatible" inkjet printer cartridges and laser toner cartridges creep deeper into the printer accessories market, the choices become varied and often confusing.... Read More

A Guide to Refurbished IBM Laptops

IBM boasts a very large array of older and newer refurbished laptops on their website ibm.com. Look for "Notebooks: IBM Certified Used Equipment." There you can buy... Read More

Choosing The Right Bar Code Reader

The importance of a bar code reader in this day and age cannot be denied. A lot of practical and pragmatic applications for a bar code reader... Read More

Electronic Schematics Diagram-The Four Commonly Asked Questions

I came across quite a number of questions about electronic circuit schematics diagram.Most of the question asked are:a) Do we really need a schematic diagram in order... Read More

Expansion Cards Part 3: PCI Express

In the first two installments of this series of Tech Tips, we took a look at PCI and AGP, undoubtedly the most common expansion slots in a... Read More

The Importance Of Current Sense Resistor In Switch Mode Power Supply

Current sense resistor is usually located in the switch mode power supply section. Newer version of monitor-the b+ (boost) circuit also have this current sense resistor. If... Read More

Where does technology come from?

Ever wonder where all the cool gadgets come from? Ever wonder who gets to try this stuff out first? Usually the war machine scientists get it first,... Read More

What is Over-clocking a Processor?

Q : What is over clocking?Overclocking is when you make your system processor run faster that its normal speed. This has many advantages and dis-advantages.Advantages : This... Read More

Ink Cartridge Recycling 101

Let's take a moment to think about the topic of ink cartridge recycling. In our modern world we just keep throwing our trash away without sparing it... Read More

LCD Monitors: A Catching-On Technology

If you've been in the market for a new computer monitor fairly recently, you might have noticed just how many more LCD monitors you see in the... Read More

Whats In An LCD Display?

Who needs an LCD display? Well, if you're like me, having one huge hunk of a monitor sitting on your desktop is just not feasible. Not only... Read More

Dusting Your Computer - Keeping it Cool

My mother always told me to dust, but I never did, mostly because I was lazy, but also because I couldn't find any tangible benefit to dusting.... Read More

How To Take Care Of Your Laptop Computer

As the proud owner of a laptop computer, you'll want to keep your machine in the best possible condition.Aside from cleaning your screen and dusting the keyboard,... Read More

Correctional Institution Preventive Maintenance Software

There is a great need for preventive maintenance in correctional institutions. The public would be at risk if penal facilities waited to solve problems until after they... Read More

Choosing a Tape Drive

Tape drives remain the leading technology used by organizations for backup and archiving. However, the plethora of tape drives on the market can make choosing the appropriate... Read More

Batteries for Your Laptop

With technology advancing more every day, electronics have become smaller and more mobile. This includes computers. The laptop, or notebook computer is extremely popular these days and... Read More

Lock Workstation Fast

When you work in an office, it's important to lock your workstation every time you step away from your computer. A pain, but a security measure. You... Read More

Review: Implementing the Google Search Appliance in an Intranet environment

Our corporate intranet is a non-framed environment with both Lotus Domino and IIS (.Net and classic ASP) applications and content. We have between 300,000-500,000 pages of web... Read More

Video Cards: Is AGP Dead?

If you've been looking to upgrade your computer video card you've probably heard a great deal about PCI Express and SLI. Don't run out and buy a... Read More

A Look at Laser Toners

Laser toner is the ink for laser printers. It is an extremely fine synthetic powder (usually plastic) packed into a cartridge. You insert the cartridge into your... Read More

Ink Cartridges - A Humble Beginning

Computers and their accompanying printers were huge years ago. In the past toner reservoirs and toner cartridges were used instead of ink cartridges like those used now.... Read More

Throw Away The Fax Machine ? A Guide To Online Fax

Have you ever felt like throwing the fax machine out the window? Well you may not know it but you can, but not literally please.There have been... Read More

How To Upgrade Your PC

Before you upgrade your PC hardware it's best to search all options and ask for advice. Only after this you can go and buy a new component.... Read More

Can I Use My Old Ink With My New Printer?

The quick answer is...yes and no.Consider this. How many printer models do you think there are out there right now? 1000? 2000? Who knows. But one thing... Read More

Give Your PC a Monitor Makeover

Whether you are crunching figures at a front office job or crouched over a blood and gore video game in some deep recess of your room, there... Read More