MAINSTREAM
As a mainstream buyer, you're willing to pay extra for quality. Perhaps you want a higher resolution, a faster response time, or a higher contrast ratio. Perhaps you're a film buff, or a gamer. Either way, there's plenty of choice.

Oddly, however, when you start spending more your options in terms of aspect ratio drop considerably. Many manufacturers choose to use the same panels in their PC monitors as in their smaller TV sets - meaning that the overwhelming majority of displays in the mainstream market are 16:9 aspect ratio, and typically a 1920x1080 resolution.

Mainstream users should look for a 22in 1920x1080 display like Samsung's SyncMaster BX223.

For a film buff, this is great news: matching the output of a Blu-ray disc means that films can be shown on the monitor at their intended resolution with no up- or down-scaling required - which means the maximum possible image quality. Business users might find a 16:9 ratio restrictive, however - but it does allow two documents to be viewed side-by-side, and certain higher-end models can be rotated into a 9:16 portrait view that means an entire A4 sheet can be viewed on screen at once.

When you've got a bit more to spend, you can start being choosy about response time. Measured in milliseconds, the response time is the amount of time it takes for a pixel to go from grey to fully white and back to grey. It's an important measurement: the longer it takes, the more likely it is that you'll perceive 'motion blur,' where fast-moving objects on screen leave a trail behind them. It's not too important for business users, but gamers and film buffs should aim for a response time of less than 5ms. Monitors as quick as 2ms and even 1ms are available, if you're willing to pay the extra.

You may also find that you have the option of an LED-based backlighting system, rather than the traditional cathode-based backlight. This improves colour reproduction, typically enhances contrast ratios, and draws less power - so if you've got the option of an LED-based display, seriously consider the extra it would cost.

Monitors at the mainstream level tend not to waste time with fripperies such as in-built speakers, as you're expected to provide your own. While this is awkward for the business user, it saves the rest of the market from the disappointment of trying the in-built speakers only to find a complete lack of bass response and muddy treble.

For a 22in 16:9 display with 1920x1080 resolution, you can expect to pay around £150. Beware of cheaper models - while they often get listed in the '22in' category, those selling for less are often 21.5in diagonally - a minor difference, but one that robs you of precious display area.

PREMIUM
The premium buyer wants top quality. If you're a graphic artist, a photographer, a video editor, or just serious about your games or movies, this is the category to look at. Size and quality both rise with price, but be warned that it's a major jump from the mainstream market.

For the premium buyer, there is a technology above TFT: IPS. Standing for 'in-plane switching,' it's yet another technological improvement to liquid-crystal displays that allows for significantly better colour reproduction - avoiding the 'banding' that cheaper monitors can show.

Sadly, there's a catch: while an IPS display offers significantly higher quality than an equivalently sized TFT, it's also significantly more expensive. If you're after the best, though, there's really nowhere else to look.

While the truly high-end, professional 'reference' displays are usually 4:3 or 5:4 aspect ratio, the majority of premium displays at the 25 to 30in mark are again widescreen - but you can expect to see resolutions far beyond the 1920x1080 that pervades the mainstream market. Many manufacturers opt for a 16:10 aspect ratio and a boost to 1920x1200, but if you're willing to spend the money, resolutions as high as 2560x1600 are available.

At this price range, you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to connectivity. HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort are a given - although the higher resolution models may drop the old analogue VGA connector, as it can't support a high enough resolution to drive the display. You may also find pass-through USB ports that enable you to plug in other devices and use the monitor as a hub. Some even include multi-formatmemory card readers - handy for the digital photography crowd.

As mentioned, however, you'll be paying for the premium. A top-end 30in display with IPS technology and a resolution of 2560x1600 will set you back more than £1,000 - but if you've got the money, you'll be amazed at the quality.

Tags: cathode ray tube liquid crystal display display device hardware peripherals displays tft lcd digital light processing