CNET revamps Monitor Buying Guide

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Starting next week, the holiday season drops on us like an object of infinite mass hurled from the moon at the speed of light. Keep your eyes open in the coming weeks for a number of CNET holiday guides.

Sometimes, though a guide specific to the holidays isn't enough and you need something a bit more...all encompassing.

CNET's Monitor Buying Guide has been around for a while, but we felt it really wasn't addressing all that it could. So we revamped it. Check it out and let us know how it can be improved upon even more. Is there any aspect of purchasing a monitor we neglected? Would you like to see more detail on what we have included? Is there anything inaccurate?

If so, leave a comment or send an e-mail. This is a work in progress, so feel free to offer anything constructive.

[DarrenPillans]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for that excellent and in depth article.

Have you got your hands on a Dell U2410 yet?

I'm really looking forward to your review, and waiting to find out if it's THE one to get.

[efranklin]

Thx Darren. Dell has yet to send over the U2410. I hope to get it soon though.

[nafhan]

I would recommend the guide to my parents. Good info and accessible to an average internet user.

It might be worth adding to the connectors section that, although an adapter might be necessary, choosing between HDMI and DVI shouldn't be an issue as they use a pass through adapter that costs only a few dollars online.

[efranklin]

Good point. I'll add something and try to incorporate it into reviews of monitors that only include HDMI. Thanks.

[tsinger254]

Hi Eric:

There are many of us looking for a basic monitor, for - you know - email, word processing, spreadsheets, some on-line shopping, etc, but NOT high end graphics & gaming. We don't need multiple access ports, graphic capabilities,nor THE one to get, but just something better then our crummy laptop screens on our work laptops. We want basic value, and are cost conscious. And that's it. Please don't leave out this category. I just spent way too many hours going thru many different model specs and reviews to find a decently reviewed, general purpose monitor. I hope I made a good choice.

Thanks.

[realejan]

Hey Eric,

I really enjoyed the new guide. I was shopping for a monitor a while back and this would've been really helpful (dynamic contrast ratio doesn't mean anything? who knew?). I remember reading the old guide, that began with CRT models, and thinking, "who buys CRTs anymore?" Anyway, I thought the information provided was very helpful.

A few errors I noticed:

The "Inside This Guide" menu has the word "Right" where it should say "Which."

The last sentence of the 2nd paragraph on the opening page (under "Panel Technology") has a typo.

On p. 4, the section on "Accurate Colors" abruptly cuts off where it seems the sentence wasn't quite finished.

Not trying to be a smart alec (sorry, I have to self-censor I suppose), just thought I'd pass them along.

[daren.darrow]

Thanks for the catches, realejan.

I've corrected them in the guide.