Pixel perfect
No matter how high-end your computer, there is nothing quite like flaunting a TFT monitor on your desktop. A clear sign of being one of thefewwho are on the leading edge of th display evolution, your decision to go in for a TFT-be it at home or at office-will significantly upscale your image. However until not too long ago it was practically unthinkable for the majority of computer shoppers to even consider one of these displays. As opposed to spending so much on them, the choice of spending extra was usually in favor of other system components like a faster processor, additional RAM or a better graphics card. The good old 15-inch CRT monitor (and subsequently the 17-inch monitor) was the mainstay in practically every home and office computer purchase. Until now, the ‘luxury’ of a TFT monitor was reserved exclusively for the affluent home user or the CEO of the company.
Times, however, have changed. Over the past year, we have seen a tremendous upheaval in TFT fabrication technologies, many of which have directly contributed to a drastic 30 percent drop in prices. How drastic? An entry-level 15-inch TFT monitor can be bought today for about Rs 8,900. For just 3,000 bucks more, you can get a 17-inch TFT. At these price levels, we are now beginning to see TFTs making their presence well within the realm of entry-level consumers. Most computer manufacturers are now beginning to configure their desktop ranges exclusively with TFT monitors.
With the advancements in manufacturing technology today, it actually makes more sense to create larger TFT panels as they turn out to be more economical to produce compared to their smaller counterparts. Due to this, the TFT monitorthat strikes a great
deal today is not the 15-inch variants but the 17-inch versions. Not just the price, even the technology driving these panels has seen drastic leaps-they deliver crisper colors, greater contrast ratios, increased brightness, higher resolutions, all translating into a superb viewing experience. One of the pet peeves in working with previous-generation TFTs was the naggingly high pixel response time which often resulted in discernible blurring and streaking during use. But all of that has changed-almost all TFT monitors today boast a pixel response time of under 8 milliseconds. This means you can play the most intense of games or watch the most exciting car chase movie sequences with no loss in video quality. More that just being a computer display, several TFT manufacturers even integrate TV tuners into their monitors, making them devices around which all the family’s entertainment needs can be met.
TFT technology is also ushering in an era of high-definition video and television-with their support of increasingly high resolutions, many of these devices are now HDTV-ready. Therefore, when you do finally decide to go in for that Blu-ray drive or high-definition video signal later this year, you will certainly be ready for it on the display front. Even though the displays we’ve reviewed here are not the home theater variants (with inputs for DVD players and the like), they can certainly be used to view high-definition content from your computer as their resolutions well encompass the requirements for demanding gaming and serious movie watching. To further sweeten the deal, almost all TFT monitors above 19-inch boast the widescreen form factor, fitting right in for all you movie and gaming buffs out there.
