You're looking at it whenever you work or play on your computer, so it stands to reason that the monitor is one of the most important accessories to your computer system. Computer monitors come in various sizes and styles and some offer various functions, such as a built-in speaker system. You will obviously consider your budget for a monitor, but may also want to consider how you will be using your computer and how much time you will be spending at the computer.

Understanding Computer Monitor Sizes

Monitors are available in 15, 17, 19 and 21 inch sizes. The size of a monitor is the viewable area of the screen, which is measured diagonally (i.e., from the bottom left of the screen to the top right of the screen, and vice versa). These diagonal measurements are of the screen only and not the casing of the computer monitor. Regardless of what type of monitor you decide to purchase, the larger the monitor, the more expensive the monitor will be. However, if you use your computer several hours a day, a larger monitor will create less eye strain.

CRT Computer Monitors Deliver Usability and Bargain Prices

If you are looking for an extra monitor or just want something cheap for your kids or home office, the CRT monitor will probably be the most economical option.

Although they are big and bulky, CRT monitors will be adequate for basic home computing uses such as sending and receiving email, playing video games, or running a word processing program. These types of activities do not require an expensive or elaborate monitor.

A standard CRT (cathode ray tube) computer monitor works like a standard CRT television, accounting for its bulky size. Many people are switching to smaller, flat screen monitors and as a result, the prices of CRT computer monitors are dropping. I have found refurbished CRT monitors at auction for just $12. Brand new CRTs may cost anywhere from $40 to $100, which is just a fraction of the cost of the newer LCD monitors.

Prices Are Dropping on LCD Monitors

They look sharp. They're elegant. And they don't take up a lot of space. For these and other reasons, many people these days are buying the more advanced LCD (liquid crystal display) computer monitors for business and home use. Nowadays, the flat screen LCD monitors are often packaged with a new computer system. LCD monitors are flatter and lighter than CRT monitors, and can be more energy efficient and produce sharper pictures.

While the prices for LCD monitors are falling since their initial appearance in the market, they are still more costly than CRT monitors. A rule of thumb is that an LCD monitor will cost about four times as much as a CRT monitor.

Considerations for Choosing Your Monitor

Whether you choose to use a CRT or LCD computer monitor, you will want to choose the size that works best for you. As mentioned above, the more time you sit in front of the computer, the more you will benefit from a larger view screen. Although larger monitor screens can be beneficial, you want to make sure that the monitor will fit in the area where you will be using it, and will fit your budget as well.

Online vendors offer some terrific deals for just about any type of computer monitor. You can save quite a bit of money by purchasing refurbished models. Before buying a new or refurbished computer monitor online, however, make sure it has a warranty. Check out the shipping costs, too. Because of their bulk, shipping costs for CRT monitors can be high. Some online vendors offer free shipping.

Estate sales, garage sales and the local classifieds are excellent resources for used computer monitors ... and of course, you avoid shipping fees when you shop locally. When buying from individuals, see if the seller can plug the monitor in and demonstrate that it is in good working order. You can find any type of monitor at your hometown computer retailer.

Regardless of whether you are purchasing a new monitor online or offline, make sure that it is compatible with your computer.

Find some great computer information and how you can get wholesale computer and accessory prices at the Blurbosphere's computing section. Have a computer-related website? Be sure to post blurbs about your offerings at the Blurbosphere's blogs -- it's fun, easy and free. Visit http://www.blurbosphere.com for details.