Maybe it's finally time to change monitors

By Rick Castellini Buy a 21-inch wide screen flat panel (thin or LCD) monitors for less than $300? I'm not selling them, but the cost of flat panel monitors continues to free fall. I plan to convince you that the large cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor you have on your desk right now is ready for the donation box at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Today's flat panel monitors are cheaper, faster, brighter, and smaller than ever before. They're affordable Less than eight years ago, if you wanted a flat panel monitor, you could get a 15" model for the bargain price of $999. At the time, that was a bargain. Seventeen-inch models cost more than $1300. The image they produced then was good, but not as bright or sharp as our trusty CRT. Now, on any given weekend, you can pick up an electronics store circular and find 17" flat panel monitors for less than $160. This past weekend, I noticed a 20" wide screen flat panel model for $199. Price no longer presents a hurdle when considering which way to go, flat screen or CRT. The picture's great When flat panel monitors first appeared on the scene 10 or so years ago, they couldn't produce an image as fast a CRT monitor could. Watching videos, playing games, and even picture viewing wasn't a fun experience. Today's flat panel monitors easily match and sometimes surpass the performance of a CRT, allowing even the most video-intensive computer user to be happy with a flat panel monitor. Images on flat panels also used to be somewhat dark and increasing the brightness only washed out images and made them look unnatural. Again, this is no longer a problem today. except for the most discerning professional photographer's eyes, a flat panel matches or exceeds the brightness and richness of color that a CRT can offer. They're thin and lightweight Lastly, flat panel monitor technology has produced even thinner and lighter components. The average 19" CRT monitor weighs more than 50 pounds while its thinner and lighter cousin, the LCD, weighs a svelte eight pounds or less. In addition to weight, consider that a CRT monitor will take up a space on your desk measuring 20 to 24 inches square. LCDs only require about six inches of actual desk space. And when you throw in that a LCD uses less than one-third of the power required by a similar-sized CRT monitor, the electricity savings alone can pay for the new monitor. Now's the time to go LCD If your CRT monitor is starting to fade or give you inconsistent results, strongly consider upgrading to a flat panel monitor. If you are shopping for a new computer, don't even consider a CRT monitor, go flat panel all the way. Their good looks, great performance and low space requirement all add up to a wonderful new way to "look" at your computer. And speaking of looking, LCD panels do not cause the kind of eye fatigue that a CRT can. What more do I need to add? Go get a new LCD flat panel monitor! Rick Castellini is an author, computer consultant, and hosts a nationally syndicated computer radio show from Colorado. Visit his web site at www.HelpMeRick.com for new tips and technology information every day and sign up for his free weekly email newsletter.