Compare the Best Ultra-Wide MonitorsSeptember 2020

Display Port

Designed and the successor to DVI, Display is still a relatively new technology and not very commonly found on PC monitors. Display Port technology has been designed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) primarily to connect displays but it can also carry audio and USB data.

HDMI

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the current standard to transfer digital images and sound through a single cable. HDMI became popular with widescreen monitors and the fact that it is widely used means you can also connect DVD or Bluray players, games consoles and set-top boxes directly to your monitor. HDMI sockets are most commonly found on laptops but it also possible to connect HDMI to DVI using an adaptor cable.

DVI

Most PC monitors have a DVI socket, which is usually coloured white. Depending on the type, DVI can carry digital signals only (DVI-D) or both digital and analogue signals (DVI-I).

VGA / D-Sub 15

Once the most widely used what to connect computers to monitors, the Video Graphics Array (VGA) socket can still be found on many monitors, although it is now being replaced by HDMI and Display Port. VGA is an analogue-only connection using a 15-pin connector, which is usually coloured blue. Laptops usually use mini-VGA ports instead of a full-size VGA connector.

Viewing Angle

The viewing angle is measured in degrees from the centre of the monitor and indicates how far you can move either vertically or horizontally for the picture to still be visible. If you are planning to use your computer monitor to watch films the horizontal viewing angle determines how far people can sit to either side of you and still have an enjoyable experience.

Matt & Glossy Screens

Glossy screens became popular as they tend to make colours appear more intense and the image might appear sharper. Glossy screens do have the downside that any nearly light sources or windows will create glare on the screen. If you use your PC monitor in a room where you are able to control the surrounding light, then a glossy screen can be a good choice. If you are working in an office or sit near a window and don’t want to close the blinds when the sun comes out, a matt screen will reduce reflections and glare and will be more comfortable to work with.

Response Time

A fast response time is particularly important when using the PC monitor to play games or watch fast moving sports as it prevents blur and keeps the image crisp. The response time measures how long it takes for a pixels to change it’s colour and brightness. A good monitor will have a response time of 2ms (milliseconds or 1/1000th of a second), while more affordable screen will have a slower response time of around 6-8ms.

Contrast Ratio, Black Levels & OLED Computer Monitors

Contrast ratio describes the difference between the brightest and darkest pixels the computer screen is able to display. Since some of the backlight will always shine through the screen on an LCD display, true blacks are impossible to achieve and you will at best see a very dark grey. To achieve true black which would result in an infinite contrast ratio, we will have to wait for OLED PC monitors to come to market. OLED TVs are already available and it will probably only be a matter of time until we see ultra-thin and even bendable OLED computer monitors.

Have a look at this amazing transparent OLED laptop screen from Samsung - a good indication of what is about to come in the future!

Webcam

Integrated webcams are a common feature and help to reduce the number of cables on your desk. You can make Skype calls or use Google Hangouts without having to connect an external webcam. Keep in mind though, that built-in webcams tend to have an inferior picture quality compared to high quality external webcams.

USB Ports

Some monitors have integrated UDB 3.0 ports making it easy to connect a computer mouse, keyboard or a digital camera to download photos. This is handy if the number of USB ports on your computer is limited or you keep your computer below your desk where it is harder to reach.

TV Tuner

Some PC monitors have a built-in Freeview tuner, which allows you to receive and watch TV programmes on the monitor, even when it is not connected to a computer. Monitors with build-in tuners tend to be more expensive but this can be a good option if your space is limited and you want your monitor to double-up as a TV. Alternatively, you could buy a TV tuner card for your computer. The picture-in-picture function on some monitors lets you watch TV while also displaying you PC desktop at the same time.

Speakers

A few computer monitor have built in speakers. Monitors with built-in TV tuners always have speakers. This can be convenient if you don’t want to buy additional computer speakers but keep in mind that built-in speakers are usually small and don’t have a lot of power. If sound quality is important, it will be a better choice to invest in some good quality external speakers.