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19-inch Monitor Roundup Sony
GDM 400PS
By Chamila
Sumanasekera
Introduction |
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During the early days of computers, all monitors had small and cranky displays. In the age of the XT, we had to work with green text and flickering screens. This continued for some time until AT machines appeared in the market. These machines paved the way for improved peripherals, faster CPUs and better monitors to work with. Soon Hercules and CGA monitors made their entrance and now, instead of two colors, users were offered 16 shades made up of black and white. And the next thing you know, 256 color monitors began to spring up like mushrooms. This kickstarted a new chapter in computer graphics. Games became more realistic and real images could be actually be viewed in color instead of black and white.
With the introduction of Microsoft Windows 3.0 and the steady advance of graphics technology, new graphics cards appeared, offering higher resolutions and true colors. In order to keep up with the times, manufacturers began building monitors with true color support and screen sizes began to literally inch upwards. The new 15-inch and 17-inch monitors would soon replace the standard 14-inch monitor. For professional users, the high-end 21-inch models were available for extra high prices. Due to the huge price gap between these two models, the average PC user couldn’t afford to buy the bigger 21-inch screens and was forced to settle for the second best 17-inch screens. All this changed dramatically in 1997, when Hitachi designed and built the first 19-inch monitor, changing the way we look at computers forever.
This monitor hit the streets at what we considered a reasonable price at the time, and soon became very popular among mainstream users. Following the success of Hitachi’s 19-inch monitor, other big manufacturers hopped eagerly onto the bandwagon. In time, competition would drive all the manufacturers to slash prices on their monitors and now, a new, cheaper 19-inch monitor is a must-have for anyone looking for a monitor upgrade.
These new 19-inch monitors offered features very similar to high-end 21-inch monitors, maximum resolutions going up to 1600x1200, high refresh rates and a lower dot pitch for increased sharpness and clarity. Imagine, if you can, using a large 19-inch screen for playing your favorite games, watching movies or surfing the net. Desktop publishing, design work, word processing, accounting work –whatever it is that you want to do with your computer, wouldn’t it look so much better on a 19-inch monitor?
Well, that’s what you’re here to find out. We’ll
give you the low-down on three of the best monitors for both home and office
use. The chosen monitors are from three of the biggest names in the field-
Sony, Hitachi and ViewSonic. All three companies offer models ranging from
14-inch to 21-inch displays at various prices. But for our 19-inch monitor
roundup, we’ve picked out some state-of-the-art machines so that you can
find out if there is a 19-inch Monitor that suits both your requirements
and your budget.
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