Choosing the right computer monitor

At 2nd-Byte, we’ve got all your computing needs covered. Our range of desktops, laptops and even servers can support any size business operation. Products like our off-lease monitors can update your home computer setup.

Whether you need computers for your business or just one for your home den, a desktop on its own won’t get you anywhere.

Any desktop computer is only as good as the monitor it powers. Most of us use our computers for everything from work-related tasks and editing documents to music/video streaming and gaming.

Computers are more necessary than ever, as are good computer monitors.

There are important monitor features that set some apart from others. We’ll help narrow down the field with this quick guide.

Screen Size and Aspect Ratio

As computers evolved, monitors followed suit.

You’re no longer stuck with a giant square monitor that takes up the majority of your desk. New trends show monitors expanding in width while the overall size is slimming down.

The term “widescreen” used to be reserved mostly for TVs. Now, widescreen monitors are extremely common. Two-foot-wide monitors give you a great field of view without taking up much desk space. The HP EliteDisplay 23” Widescreen monitor in our store gives you a huge viewing area without compromising picture quality.

Monitors can commonly be found as big as 27 inches, with a length-height ratio of 16:9 or a few similar variations. While it may seem tempting to seek the biggest screen size possible, it may not be smart. A 27-inch monitor with only 1080p resolution will have too low a pixel density for its size. A width compromise may be a better choice. We’ll touch on picture quality more later.

Dual-Monitor Capability

When wide, flat-screen monitors first became popular, one was more than enough. A single monitor looked great on any desk or in any home office space.

Dual-monitor setups are now commonplace in any corporate setting. There are numerous advantages to having two monitors at your disposal. Office workers can use one monitor for email or chats with colleagues, while saving the other for work documents or web browser windows.

Most of 2nd-Byte’s off-lease monitors use a connection type supporting dual-monitor setups. Our products make it easy to convert your workspace into a high-powered, screen-centric paradise.

Connections and Picture Quality

The way your monitor connects to the computer itself is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. It can affect picture quality more than you’d realize.

As mentioned previously, a majority of 2nd-Byte’s monitors utilize the DisplayPort connection standard. This kind of connection is comparable to HDMI, commonly used with other monitors and HD TVs. Both can support the highest-rate data transfers, making things like high-quality streaming and gaming possible.

Older monitors may use a VGA (Video Graphics Array) connection, which became outdated due  to the two newer varieties mentioned above. It only supports video data – meaning you’d need a separate cable just to send audio.

Obviously, the sale price is just as important to most customers as any of these features. 2nd-Byte offers widescreen, high-definition monitors for as low as $59. Our most advanced off-lease monitors by HP rival anything on the market. Check them out today!