A scaling business means new hires, expanding teams, and upgraded workstations. You need to invest in the right computer hardware equipment to support your growing team because productivity depends on the equipment just as much as the people using it.
According to a study conducted by Sharp, a multinational electronics company, half of the office workers in the UK think that slow computers are restrictive and limiting. An average office employee wastes around 40 minutes per day because of slow technology. If you do the math, then a slow computer can waste over 3 hours each week.
In an office setup, the computer monitor is often overlooked, but it is a key piece of the setup. Now, since the introduction of computers, a wide range of monitor types has been developed, from CRTs to LCDs, LEDs, OLEDs, and beyond. So, let’s understand how you can narrow down your options and choose the right monitor for your new-age office in this monitor buying guide.
Key Takeaways:
- Investing in the right monitor enhances employee productivity, reduces eye strain, and contributes to long-term health, especially in growing business environments.
- There are five types of monitors based on the display panel technology: CRT, Plasma, LCD, LED, and OLED.
- OLED is best for creative work, LED suits everyday office needs, and LCD is great for cost-conscious setups.
What is a Monitor?
A monitor is the screen that one uses to see everything on your computer. Technically, a monitor is an output device that shows visual data, like text, images, or videos, on a screen.
It is like a TV, but it is a part of the entire computer connected with the rest of the hardware. So, if it weren’t for the monitor, then you wouldn’t be able to browse the websites on the Internet, create and maintain your spreadsheets, or write emails to your clients.
The monitor directly impacts employee productivity, eye comfort, and even long-term health. That’s why, to keep your employees in their best health, businesses need to give a thought before buying or going for rental desktop services.
Types of Computer Monitors
Now, let’s talk about the most important part: types of monitors. Based on their display panel technology, there are five types of computer monitors. Let’s look at them:
1. CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
CRT monitors are obsolete now, but they are historically important because they dominated computer displays throughout the 1950s and 1960s. They use electron beams to illuminate phosphor coatings on screens. These displays create images through controlled electron beam scanning patterns.
Advantages:
- Excellent color and deep blacks
- No native resolution limits
- Fast response times for gaming
- Consistent viewing angles
Disadvantages:
- Heavy, bulky, requires space
- High power consumption
- EM radiation health concerns
- Screen flickering causes eye strain
Best Use Case: They are obsolete are not used for everyday purposes.
2. Plasma
Plasma displays use gas-filled cells that emit light when electrically charged. Each pixel contains red, green, and blue phosphor subpixels individually. These monitors were popular for large-screen applications before LCD advancement.
Advantages:
- Superior contrast with true black.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Fast response times prevent motion blur.
- Excellent, vibrant color saturation.
Disadvantages:
- High power consumption and heat.
- Risk of screen burn-in.
- Limited brightness.
Best Use Case: Plasma screens are suitable for trade shows, lobbies, or temporary digital signage in well-ventilated, indoor areas. However, they’re heavy and power-hungry, and are rarely used nowadays in office settings or for everyday use.
3. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
LCD monitors revolutionized computer displays with thinner profiles and efficiency. They use liquid crystals that twist to control light passage. Fluorescent backlights illuminate the crystals to create visible images clearly. The liquid crystals align differently when an electrical voltage is applied precisely. This alignment controls how much backlight passes through each pixel. Color filters create red, green, and blue subpixels for reproduction.
Advantages:
- Affordable
- Energy-efficient
- Compact design
- No electromagnetic radiation
Disadvantages:
- Limited contrast
- Slower response times
- Viewing angle restrictions
Best Use Case: LCD monitors suit general office work and everyday computing tasks, like emails, documents, and dashboards. They’re suitable for users who prefer affordability over premium display quality. Educational institutions equip the computer labs and build their office infrastructure with LCD displays. You can utilize desktop rental services to rent LCDs for basic desktop use or when provisioning bulk office stations for a short period.
4. LED (Light Emitting Diode)
An LED monitor is just an upgraded version of LCD monitors. The LED monitors are just LCD monitors, but with light-emitting diodes for backlighting instead of conventional fluorescent lights. Light-emitting diodes for backlighting give a superior display with easier maintenance, improved color accuracy, and better visual clarity. These monitors are thinner than traditional LCD monitors, and are more energy efficient.
Advantages:
- Superior brightness, ideal for well-lit environments.
- Better energy efficiency than LCDs.
- Longer lifespan (LED backlights last years).
- Thinner profiles allow for sleeker designs and easier wall mounting.
Disadvantages:
- Higher initial cost than LCDs.
- Potential backlight uniformity issues in cheaper models.
- LED backlight heat generation may reduce component longevity.
- Budget models have limited local dimming zones, reducing contrast.
Best Use Case: LED monitors strike a balance between performance and cost. Ideal for client-facing desks, temporary creative teams, or conference setups requiring clearer visuals and lower power usage. They’re suitable for users wanting better brightness than LCD. Gaming and multimedia consumption benefit from LED backlighting technology.
5. OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)
OLED monitors are based on display technology that uses organic light-emitting diodes to create images. The OLED monitors don’t require backlights. This display technology works by using organic compounds that emit light when an electric current passes through them. Each pixel is made up of organic layers placed between conductors, and when activated, they produce their own light and color. This eliminates the need for backlighting. That’s why OLED monitor displays deliver deeper blacks, higher contrasts, and are more energy efficient than LCD displays.
Advantages:
- Infinite contrast and stunning visuals.
- Exceptional color accuracy
- Ultra-fast response times
- No motion blur in gaming.
- Wide viewing angles
Disadvantages:
- Premium pricing
- Static image risk.
- Blue OLED degradation.
Best Use Cases: OLED monitors are premium devices best used for visual quality-sensitive tasks or VIP display setups. Businesses can rent OLEDs for designers, media production teams, or executive boardrooms during special projects or events.
Which is the Best Monitor to Buy?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for this question. As per your needs and budget, the monitor and display technology changes. Here’s a table that can make the decision simple for you:
| Monitor Type | Relevancy Today? | Best for |
| CRT | No | Not recommended |
| Plasma | No | Not recommended |
| LCD | Yes | Office work, general use |
| LED | Yes | Office setups (a bit expensive than LCDs), gaming, and everyday use |
| OLED | Yes | Video editing, design, and high-end use |
Conclusion
When investing in computer monitors, it becomes important to consider all the available models and technologies. CRTs and Plasma monitors are a thing of the past, and dealing with them means holding on to the legacy infrastructure, which would just increase your maintenance costs and lead to inefficiencies.
LCDs, LEDs, and OLEDs are what are relevant today. LCD and LED monitors with IPS panels offer the best balance between cost-effectiveness and performance. OLEDs are preferred by professionals who may benefit from their superior color accuracy. For office purposes, LCD and LED monitors are the best.
At IVM, we offer desktop rental services where you rent out monitors of your desire and skip the expenses that come with purchasing. From HP to Asus, we have monitors that will meet your office needs, and when renting in bulk, the costs become easier to manage.
FAQs
1. Which is better: LED or LCD?
LEDs are better than LCDs as they use light-emitting diodes instead of fluorescent lights.
2. Which type of display is best for the eyes?
IPS LCDs are generally good for the eyes because they provide stable backlighting with consistent brightness and color reproduction that minimizes visual discomfort.
Flicker, low contrast, or high brightness, and excessive blue lights are the factors that could stress your eyes more. So, it is best to go for displays that avoid flicker, offer balanced contrast and brightness, and include low blue light or eye-care modes.
3. Which monitor is best for video editing?
IPS monitors are considered best for video editing because:
- deliver highly accurate colors and maintain consistency even when viewed from different angles.
- do not suffer from burn-in when static UI elements persist onscreen, suitable for long editing sessions.
- offer higher and more uniform brightness in the 300 – 600 nits range and do not degrade color uniformity over time.
4. Do LED monitors last longer than LCDs?
Yes, LED monitors last longer than LCDs because the LEDs are more energy-efficient and produce less heat and wear on internal components. LCD monitors might last 30,000 – 60,000 hours, but LED monitors last for 100,000 hours.
5. CRT vs LCD: What’s the difference?
The main difference between CRTs and LCDs is that CRT monitors were used in the old days and are no longer in use, while LCDs are the modern standard.