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Enhance Your Gaming with Vista-Friendly Peripherals - Part 1

By: Chuck Miller Sep 05, 2007

Widescreen Monitors

Vista certification is not essential on monitors. That’s right - you can use any monitor you wish. A non-certified model works just as well as one bearing an official logo. Nevertheless, certification does offer several benefits. Specifically, it guarantees a widescreen format, DVI/HDCP support and precise color calibration when used with printers that also bear certification. If you're buying a new monitor, it makes sense, in most instances, to choose one that's certified. We're focusing only on LCD monitors too, as these are rapidly replacing CRTs as the norm.

When shopping for a new LCD widescreen monitor, keep several factors in mind – primarily size, native resolution, image quality, response time, available inputs and extras. Regarding size, 24-inch widescreens are currently in the sweet spot. They're compact enough to fit most constrained spaces, yet offer excellent visual real estate for games, movies and other media. At under $600 / £400 for fully-featured models, they’re relatively affordable, long-term investments. If money's an issue, great deals exist on 22-inch panels for less than $300 / £250. However, if you have the cash, go for a 27-inch or even larger display.

Verify the monitor you choose has a native or optimal resolution that your video card(s) is capable of displaying, as well. For example, most 24- and 27-inch flat panels have a native resolution of 1920 x 1200. Meanwhile, 30-inch displays typically have an optimal resolution of 2560 x 1600 and require a high-end graphic card, preferably a pair in SLI or CrossFire mode, to achieve acceptable performance in cutting-edge games.

With regard to image quality, primary factors are color depth, brightness and contrast ratio. In color depth, 8-bit LCDs are preferred over 6-bit, producing 256 shades per pixel or 16.7 million color combinations as opposed to 64 shades or 262,000 color combinations. Unless you're cash poor, insist on an 8-bit panel – a monitor capable of displaying 16.7 million colors, sometimes referred to as TrueColor, not one that displays 16 or 16.2 million (the latter is usually 6-bit). With brightness (luminance) and contrast ratios, higher numbers are generally better.

For gaming, a fast response time is critical (how long it takes a monitor to turn pixels on, then off, then on again, or how fast a pixel changes from gray to gray). Pick a monitor with a slow response time and you may experience image distortion or ghosting. Faster is better, in this case indicated by lower numbers. A response time of 12ms (milliseconds) or less is preferred, with 8ms and under being ideal.

Also important are video inputs. While most displays have at least two, usually a VGA (analog) and DVI (digital) connection, some offer less and many feature more. At minimum, you need a DVI connector. However, it's beneficial to have additional inputs, specifically a HDMI and/or component input, if you plan to share your monitor with multiple devices — a computer, game console and/or DVD player. Otherwise, you'll need to use an external switcher. For viewing HD content, a monitor's HDMI and/or DVI connections need to be HDCP-compliant, as well.

You may want to consider monitors that offer a few extras, too. A USB hub, media card reader and built-in speakers all have their benefits (though, the latter won’t be valuable to most gamers). Depending on your workspace, an adjustable monitor stand may also be required.

Finally, if possible, evaluate monitors first hand. Nothing beats comparative shopping, especially with such a high-ticket item designed to outlast several computer upgrades. Stick with major brands, as well. You can hardly go wrong with panels offered by Dell, HP, LG, Samsung and ViewSonic to name a few. And, watch out for sales. Dell, in particular, offers special discounts and free shipping on its monitors on a regular basis. Customer opinions, in addition to professional reviews, are also valuable resources.