I lot of people don't know how important a good monitor is for their experience with their computers. A lot think that they could just get away with getting a very cheap 15" to save some money, but realize that they can't stand seeing the darn thing for more than an hour! What good is a computer when you can't use it whenever you want? Unfortunately, picking a good monitor isn't always what one expects either. There are 2 main types of monitor technologies: the traditional CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and the new LCD's (Liquid Crystal Displays). CRT's are the monitors that have the huge back while LCD's have virtually no back. This is where LCD's really shine. The fact that LCD's have no back means that they can be placed anywhere in any tight situation; even hung on a wall. The convenience (and cool look), like all things, does not come without a price... a BIG price to say the least. Similar-sized LCD displays are sold for about 2-4 times more expensive than similar-sized CRT monitors; therefore, most people these days would still be purchasing the good old CRT monitor to save some big bucks (unless, of course, you have thousands of dollars to burn, which, of course, I'm not stopping you from doing so... in fact, you can even purchase one for me!).

CRT's usually come baring either a shadow mask or an aperture grille-type tube. It's basically personal preference in terms of which one's better, and, personally, I would use shadow mask monitors over aperture grille. Aperture grille monitors actually have an edge in terms of technologically advancement because it allows the monitor to be perfectly flat, which reduces glare, and allows for brighter colors than it's shadow mask siblings; however, the "flatteness" does not come without a toll. Aperture grille monitors tend to have two, dark lines going horizontally across the screen at about 1/3 and 2/3 from the top or bottom of the screen (this is necessary to keep everything in place). Through normal use, this might not be a problem, but for CAD graphics artists who deal with fine lines, these lines could sometimes be mistakened for something that's actually in the drawing, which, of course, could be a problem! Aperture grille monitors also tend to be more expensive then shadow masks. The price issue is the main reason that I prefer shadow mask over aperture grille, but, of course, that's just me as I find that a perfectly flat screen really is not use for me as my workspace already has zero glare. Either way, almost all CRT monitors these days will provide you with a nice picture altogether.

When purchasing a monitor, make sure to keep a balance between the size of the monitor and the quality of it as well. There is a threshold that I would recommend about the size of the monitor. Try not to go below a 15"er, and get a 17" if at all possible. You will have a lot more desktop space to work with and so, your work (or play) will be more productive and enjoyable. One other factor to note, because of the basic design of CRT monitors, don't expect to use all of the advertised screen real estate. For example, most manufacturers will claim that a 17" monitor's CRT is 17", but the actual viewable area is something more to the likes of 15.9" or 16". The difference between the viewable areas of CRT monitors of the same class won't be huge, but it's something to take into consideration. In the LCD world, however, you do not have to worry about this, as LCD technology allows pictures to be displayed all the way to the edge. Because of this, when an LCD is advertised as being, for example, 15", you actually have 15" of viewable space; therefore, that 15" LCD would be close to the equivalent size of a 17" CRT. Again, as I must stress this, the key to a good monitor is the balance between both size and quality of the picture; your eyes will thank you.

On to: Peripherals