What is a monitor?

A monitor is an electronic visual display for computers. Here are some key aspects:

• Display Technology: Monitors employ various technologies like LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), LED (Light Emitting Diode), and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). LCDs are common and affordable, while LEDs are a type of LCD that uses LED backlighting. OLEDs offer superior contrast and color accuracy.

• Resolution: Resolution refers to the number of pixels on the screen, expressed as width x height (e.g., 1920x1080, also known as 1080p or Full HD). Higher resolution displays sharper images and more screen real estate.

• Refresh Rate: Measured in Hertz (Hz), refresh rate indicates how many times per second the monitor updates the image. Higher refresh rates (e.g., 144Hz, 240Hz) result in smoother motion, especially beneficial for gaming.

• Response Time: Response time measures how quickly a pixel can change color, typically measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower response times reduce ghosting and blurring, especially in fast-paced content.

• Panel Type: Common panel types include TN (Twisted Nematic), IPS (In-Plane Switching), and VA (Vertical Alignment). TN panels have fast response times but narrower viewing angles. IPS panels offer better color accuracy and wider viewing angles. VA panels provide a good balance of contrast and viewing angles.

• Connectivity: Monitors typically offer various input ports, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA, to connect to computers and other devices. HDMI and DisplayPort are the most common modern connections.

• Aspect Ratio: This describes the ratio of the monitor's width to its height. Common aspect ratios include 16:9 (widescreen), 21:9 (ultrawide), and 4:3 (older, less common).