Need for Suggenstions on a Monitor

[jodik]

Hi everyone...
Santa brought me a giftcard to go buy a new monitor for my computer! Gotta love that Santa!! ;-)

Anyone have any suggestions or advice. I was wondering about wide screens vs normal screens, the resolution that is needed, and also soft or hard screens. I do alot of photo editing and scrapbooking on my computer. If anyone has any suggestions on what to look for and what to stay away from, please feel free to give me any and all suggestions! There are alot of different ones out there and each and everyone is a bit different.

Thanks everyone
Jodik

[EddieAC]

Hello Jodik!

Santa is indeed very generous. Hopefully enough for a really nice one.

As you do alot of photo editing, widescreen monitors are beneficial as the aspect ratio allows better placing of the layers and histogram palette.
This can also offer better viewing space if you do any panoramic photos.

This site gives some information on screen resolutions.

http://www.hitmill.com/html/screen.html


I am not that knowlegeable about graphics cards but I think you may have to check if yours allows for a widescreen aspect ratio if that is the way you choose to go.

TFT monitors allow you more desk space but I don't think there is too much difference these days in quality between the two different types

This site seems to offer some good deals on widescreen monitors.

http://www.bizrate.co.uk/computermonitors/products__keyword--widescreen+monitor.html

I don't know if you are in the UK but you should be able to find similar sites at your location and maybe Bizrate will also export.

Hope this helps. With any luck, someone more knowlegable than myself will also post here.

[nkeevers]

Jodik, my husband bought me an Acer 22" widescreen for Xmas and I just love it! It's as high as my 19" but so great that it's wider. It works great in PE but I also like it because I can have two windows open side-by-side and they can actually be a more normal size to read, etc.

[Robyn]

I've just got a 20" Acer widescreen monitor which I love, and I'm now running dual monitors.

You can read more about it in this thread. (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17535)

[chas3stix]

Jodik,
The above suggestions are right-on. If you buy a name brand monitor like Sony or ViewSonic etc. you can't go wrong. Buy the best yo can afford.
Chas

[jodik]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions... Looks like I have some research and learning to do!

I am itching so bad to go buy a monitor but don't want to jump into it before I really figure out what I want or "need"!!! So I appreciate all the comments.

Jodik