Technology upgrades so quickly that if you don’t buy a particular gadget for several years, you’ll be left feeling outdated once you discover new developments. In the world of computer monitors, for example, the models of today are now switching to OLED and incorporating gaming monitors with adaptive refresh technology that removes lag and screen tearing completely.
If you need it for your work at home, these considerations should help you filter your choices. In Amazon and other computer stores, check the peripherals, desktop monitors, and you’ll be able to choose from the following categories:
- Portable monitors – As the name suggests, portable monitors allow you to set up your work-from-home system anywhere you like. It is just like a laptop that you can move about wherever you wish, but it can be connected to your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, and other devices. It’s ideal for people who go on the field every now and then for a meeting, presentation and other similar activities, but spend most of their time working at home.
- Gaming monitors – These monitors do not necessarily have to be the biggest monitors in the world, but because they are used mostly in gaming, game development and other power-intensive activities, these monitors require special specifications. For example:
- Response time (the time it takes to shift from one color to another) shouldn’t be more than 3ms.
- Refresh rate (how many times per second the display is able to draw a new image) should be at least 120Hz.
- Resolutions of 1080p or 1440p.
- IPS panel technology is known for highly accurate colors and good refresh rates, so pick this if your work requires color accuracy. TN panels are used by gamers who are in need of quick response times, so choose this if your work is in gaming development, video editing or other industries that require no lag.
- 5k/4k/2k monitors – Most computer stores sell monitors by screen resolution since consumers believe this is the most important aspect (and why sales clerks upsell monitors with the most up-to-date resolutions).
- 5k isn’t popular yet (even if there are monitors with 8k resolutions), but if you’re future-proofing your purchase, everyone would eventually be using 5k or 8k monitors.
- 4k (Quad HD/WQHD/1440p measures 2,560 x 1,440 pixels) produces exceptional images.
- 2k is the most common of all resolutions due to the pricing, but it is still highly effective, especially if you’re not going to play games and would only be using your display for work.
- Curved monitorsandultra-wide monitors – These monitors are ideal for people who require additional space for working or playing games.
- Curved monitors: When you say curved monitor, the display offers a more immersive experience compared to traditional flat monitors since humans technically see our world in 3D.
- Wide-screen monitors and ultra-wide monitors: Both monitors were designed as monitors with better aspect ratios for those who need more space at higher resolutions. Choosing either one means you’ll view clearer pictures, but they’re not necessarily the best choice for gaming. If you’re going to be using your monitor for both work and play, maybe you’d consider downsizing to 16:9 aspect ratio monitors instead.
- Stand or mount – Many people don’t think about this prior to shopping for a monitor, but it is actually important to help you work as comfortably as possible. If you have bad vision, a monitor that you can move closer to is such a life-saver. This is also the case for monitors that you plan to mount on the wall. Not all monitors are compatible with mounts, so if you bought a monitor and discover at home that there is no way to mount it up the wall, you just wasted time and will have to replace it with a monitor that’s VESA mount compatible.
Of course, these aren’t the only considerations you should focus on. There is also the screen size, aspect ratio and resolution (all of which affect how big the space your screen is able to show), video connectors, display type, touchscreen, and so on.
Price is also a big factor in choosing which monitors work best for you. PC monitors with the latest features will naturally be more expensive and may be out of your budget. Don’t fret because there are a lot of great deals on the market on monitors where you don’t have to compromise on form or function.
Refurbished LCD monitors are great alternatives. They come in different sizes, resolutions, and configurations. Choose which kind is perfect for your work-from-home setup.
There are technologies like FreeSync or G-Sync (developed by competing manufacturers), but both deliver exceptional performance in gaming and other power-intensive activities.
Some monitors aren’t even focused on the display itself, but rather on the connectors, such as Thunderbolt 3 monitors. Have you heard about these futuristic cables before?
Well, Thunderbolt 3 cables are available in most brands. If you’re planning to attach a graphics amplifier, connect multiple 4k displays, transfer unlimited big-sized files, and so on, you have to pick a monitor that is able to connect to Thunderbolt 3 or 4 cables. Thunderbolt 3 has a maximum speed of 40Gbps, the fastest port in the market today and what is regarded as the future of connectivity.