Replacement computer monitor

wadewade

The monitor on my five year old Dell desktop (basic model) has expired. It was a 17 inch LCD. Dell will supply a 17 inch widescreen for £95 but I see I can get some well known name 19 or even 20 for about the same price. My question is: do they all have the same connection to the computer or would it be easier to stick with the Dell. I am not a technical person.

Any particular bargains out there at the moment for about this price?

bob_a_builder

I'm sure you'll benefit more from a 19" model for just a little bit extra or indeed the same money

Although a lot of those now tend to be wide screen - so depends what you use the PC for, if going to watch dvds etc the wide screen may be a benefit. ( tend to be cheaper - since less screen area)

but personally I prefer a traditional "square" 19" unit - since most web pages and documents are longer than they are wider

nowadays most will come with 3 year warranty so no worries on that front ( but check )

good selection HERE

recently got THIS one for a neighbor, very nice + he v.happy

Zanzibar

Yes I recommend that Fuji monitor - have bought a few myself - the square aspect ratio which I also prefer is getting harder to come by and that model is a good spec for the ££.

BillScarab

To answer your question there are two types of connection for monitors in common use. VGA which is the older connection and DVI.

VGA


DVI


Most, if not all modern monitors will have both connections so you can buy any monitor you like. Just check which connection you are currently using and make sure the monitor you buy has it. BTW personally I like Samsung monitors.

If you want to read long documents rather than wide documents a lot of monitors allow you to rotate the screen through 90 degrees from landscape to portrait.

moonrakerz

If you get a larger monitor than the one that came with your machine make sure that you graphics chip/card will drive it. You may need to buy a new card.

wadewade

Thanks, Moonrakerz, my Dell is a bog standard model made five years ago and apparently has an Intel 82865G Graphics controller with a 17 inch conventional shape monitor. Is it likely to be able to cope with the 19 inch square one, do you think? Is there any easy way to tell?

GunJack

you shouldn't have a problem at all with a 19" monitor...

Red_Rose_Exile

As it is 5 years old it will almost certainly be a VGA, and you would need to upgrade probably more than just te card to get DVI

Easy way to tell is by looking at the highest resolution that the graphics card can go. If it can handle a resolution of 1280 x1024, then should be able to handle a 19" LCD in standard 4:3 and 1440x900 for wide screen

Kikatek do a reasonable Acer 19" widescreen for £77.21 +P&P

wadewade

Thanks, Red Rose Exile, yes mine has 1280x1084 so I'll go for the square 19 inch.