Product Review

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Do LCD's make a difference?

Do LCD Displays really make a difference?

Well, yes! LCD monitors (shown on the left) are much better to work on than standard CRTs (shown on the right). Both Sue and I use dual monitor configurations on our computers. This means that we had two big CRTs on each of our desks. Sue had dual 19” monitors while I had dual 17” monitors. Not only did they take up huge amounts of space, but each monitor was its own little heating system and electricity hog.

We spend 6 to 10 hours a day working on these displays. When Sue and I started getting headaches on a regular basis, we both got new glasses. I was a lot better but she was still having issues. I decided to bite the bullet and got six new flat panel monitors. Two were for using with our notebooks while at our Summerville office and the other four were for our primary office in Cottageville. We have seen a major improvement in our ability to work comfortably without eye strain and fatigue.

I remember back about two years ago my father purchased a 15” flat panel monitor because of the strain that a CRT screen was causing on his eyes. At the time we were thrilled to get a monitor for “only” $750. The pric for a 15” flat panel LCD has dropped to as little as $250 for some models. Wal-Mart even sells a 14” LCD monitor for only $169!

We decided on the 15” KDS–Radius RAD-5c for no reasons other than price and availability. You can pick these up at your local Wal-Mart Store for only $258 each. On a side note, I was stunned to find that Wal-Mart carried all the basic computer components for the same price or less than I can buy direct as a wholesaler, i.e. an internal DVD drive for only $48!

So far the flat panel displays have been a dream. They take up a fraction of the space, generate little to no heat, and are very light on the power consumption. As for the actual performance of the units, we found that there were different versions of the same monitor which caused some issues. The colors between each monitor were different even with the exact same settings. This may be a problem with our dual display cards more so than the monitors. However if you are not hooking up dual monitor displays this will not be an issue for you. These are definitely bargain flat panels that work really well for our needs, but may not be adequate for a power graphics design person. All in all, for the price they were a great buy.

Please send any questions about, or ideas for product reviews to Staff@dogriverdesign.com.