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  CNET editors' monitors buying guide:
Judging monitor image quality CNET's editorial experts tell you everything you need know to get the best picture for the best price. Judging image qualityImage quality, the most important feature of a monitor, is also the hardest to judge. Good is a subjective term, so relying on the judgment of reviewers (such as CNET) may not get you exactly what you want. Further, like a snowflake, every monitor is unique. There can be significant differences from one monitor to another--even among the same make and model. It's unrealistic to expect to run a comprehensive diagnostic on a monitor before you buy it, but here are some of the most important qualities to look for when choosing a monitor. We've also included a few simple tests you can do in the store to assess image quality. What to look for
Tips and tricks: assessing LCD image qualityCheck for dead pixels, ones that are always off. It's not uncommon for monitors to have one or two defective pixels--especially larger models--but you want as few as possible. Open a Web browser, in the address line type about:blank, and press Enter. Then press the F11 key to make it full screen. Look for small black specks that are not dust or debris on the screen. (Press F11 again to see the Explorer toolbars.)An adequate graphics card is a necessityWhat's going on inside your computer can have a profound effect on what's displayed on your monitor. If you hook up a 4- or 5-year-old PC to a top-of-the-line new monitor, there's a good chance your graphics card will need an upgrade to give you the best possible image quality. You'll need a card that supports your interface, be it digital or analog, and it will need to support your monitor's resolution--this is especially important on wide-aspect monitors, or monitors larger than 19 inches. Sometimes improving your graphics card's performance can be as easy as installing a driver upgrade from the manufacturer's Web site.More monitor resources from CNETTop productsBest 5 LCD monitorsTop 19- and 20-inch LCD monitorsTop 21- and 22-inch LCD monitorsTop 23-inch and larger LCD monitorsMore resources:
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