Why Upgrade to a 17-inch LCD Flat Panel Monitor?

The latest 17–inch LCD Flat Panel Monitors are slim, stylish and offer an improved display over aged monitors. A flat panel is not the same as a flat screen, flat panels are flat screened and thin, usually less than 2.5 inches without the stand.

Here are a few more reasons to upgrade to a Flat Panel Monitor:

• Save Desk Space – New flat panels are only 6 to 10 inches wide including the stand.
• Speed – If you’re a gamer, you will notice the difference between a slow response time and a fast. Slow monitors flicker, blur or have ghosting, but the newer screens under 8 or 12ms do not have this kind of image distortion. Some monitors have a response time as low as four milliseconds.
• Wall Display – Thin monitors, less than 2 inches thick can be wall mounted as interactive art or simply to save space.
• Attach to an Arm – You can attach flat panel monitors to an extendable arm that is mounted to a wall, desk or other device and will move any way you want. This is especially helpful for multi–media applications, so the monitor can be in one position for general computer work and a different for video viewing.
• Color Dimension – LCD monitors have caught up with the CRT in color display and depth ability. The best can display over 16.7 million colors and have a color ratio of 1000:1 or more.
• USB Ports – Dell includes handy USB ports right on the monitor, so you can easily plug in cameras, music players or camcorders for quick downloads or uploads.
• Pivot Technology – Some manufactures offer pivot technology, which means you can turn the monitor tall or longwise on its side and the image will re–orientate to an upright position.
• Save Energy – Innovative, efficient monitors use less than 35 watts and less than 2W on standby.

In this site, you’ll find articles related to monitors, as well as comprehensive reviews and a side–by–side comparison to help you make an informed decision on which flat panel is right for your monitor needs.

At TopTenREVIEWS - We do the research so you don't have to.™

What to Look for in a 17in LCD Flat Panel Monitor

There are many types of monitors, ranging from tiny to over 30 inches, there are CRTs and LCDs and a wide variety of quality levels. However, for general use such as internet surfing, office applications or home use, a 17–inch LCD for less than $300 should do the job.

We looked at monitors with comparable resolutions, dot pitch, size and color ability. Most of the monitors have thin bezels and are available with black cabinets. If you are a gamer or graphic artist, you will want a monitor with a fast response time, less than eight milliseconds, and a good color ratio of 1000:1 or more. If you just want a monitor for general use, a color ratio of 600:1 and a speed less than 12ms will be fine.

However, beyond the general features of a monitor, many offer additional features such as extra USB ports, integrated speakers or pivot ability. So once you find a monitor with an acceptable display, consider extra features that may interest you.

Keep in mind that preferences vary, before ordering online it may be good idea to go into a retail outlet and view the screens to see which monitor looks good to you. We compared the specs and abilities, but appearance is often a matter of opinion.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate 17in LCD Flat Panel Monitors:

• Display – We evaluated 17–inch flat panel monitors with a resolution of 1280(H) X 1024(V) with a dot pitch of 0.264mm, generally these monitors have a color range of 16.1 to 16.7 million. Since it is difficult to find all of the details of a particular monitor, we compared contrast ratio, response time and brightness. The better monitors have a contrast ratio of over 500:1, a response time of less than 12ms and a brightness of around 300 cd/m2.
• Ergonomic Adjustments – Since people often spend hours in front of their monitors, it is a plus if they are adjustable. Most monitors can be tilted, but the best can also pivot, swivel and most significantly be raised or lowered.
• Feature Set – Outside of displaying images, monitors offer a variety of extra features. Some include integrated speakers and headphone jacks, and others offer a Kensington lock slot, USB ports or pivot technology. We also assessed power use and power saving features.
• Product Support – Some computer users are unfamiliar with installing hardware or errors occur, so it is useful if the manufacture provides comprehensive documentation as well as telephone and email support.

To begin your exploration to find the right monitor, read about the monitor our reviewers ranked #1, the Dell UltraSharp 1707FP.