How to choose a monitor for a PC
Size of the monitor
LCD monitors have dropped considerably in price so it's now well worth getting a large screen size. We feel a 20 to 24 inch size, wide screen, is the best deal when comparing sizes and prices for an LCD monitor currently. With a full HD native resolution of 1920x1080 on the 22" to 24" size monitors you're all set for movies, games, web browsing or whatever!
LED backlight LCD monitor
An LED backlight LCD monitor is today recommended by us as preferable to the previous standard of a CCFL backlight LCD monitor. LED backlight LCD monitors are slimmer, lighter, run cooler, use less power and are longer lasting. They also have greater dynamic contrast ratios. As they have become mainstream their prices have dropped in comparison to a CCFL LCD monitor so price is no longer an issue we feel.
Brightness, contrast ratio, response time, LCD panel type
Other specifications we look for are 250 cd/m2 for brightness, 1000:1 for contrast ratio, a 2ms response time for gaming otherwise 5ms is fine. A TN LCD panel type is cheaper than an IPS LCD panel and we feel good enough for the majority of us unless we have specific professional type color display needs. Also an IPS panel generally has a slower response time than a TN panel.
Monitor speakers
Since we believe in selecting external speakers for better sound quality, we don't need to get a monitor with built in speakers. These built in speakers barely add to the cost of a monitor, but they do add some weight.
Monitor connectors
For connectors we recommend getting a monitor that includes an HDMI and a DVI connector. Get a D-Sub or VGA connector if you need to connect your monitor to an older computer that doesn't have an HDMI or DVI connector. A displayport connector, like HDMI carries both sound and video, is nice to have but not yet necessary.
Monitor brands
There is so much competition in this space there are plenty of brands to choose from at great prices. ASUS, ACER, LG, Samsung, ViewSonic come first to mind. Enjoy your large screen display!