CRT Monitors vs. LCD Monitors Essay -- Compare Contrast Comparison

CRT Monitors vs. LCD Monitors The monitor is likely the most important part of the computer. Without it, you would have no idea what you were doing. Imagine trying to write a term paper, or surf the Internet without one. It would be impossible. While the technology powering the displays doesn’t change as fast as it does for other parts of the computer, there are advances which provide consumers with many choices for displays. Today, the most popular displays come in two types, Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) and Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs). CRTs have been around longer, and are the most common due to the fact that they are cheaper. However the convenient size of LCDs along with falling prices has made them a popular choice as of late. This paper will examine the similarities and differences of the two, and try to determine if one is better than the other. The CRT monitors work in a fashion similar to that of standard television sets. An electron gun is mounted at the back of the monitor. The gun fires a steam of electrons in a sweeping motion towards the front of the monitor. The electrons then pass through either an aperture grille, or a shadow mask. These items work to filter the electrons into focused beams onto the front plate. The grill does this via thin vertical wires, while the mask does this with a series of small holes. After passing through the filter, the electrons collide with the screen. The screen is covered with a serried of red, green and yellow phosphors that light up when hit by the electrons. By combining different intensities of the three colors, many different colors and images can be created. While LCDs also create pictures by lighting up red, green and yellow pixels, the ... ...f whether the extra cost of the LCD is worth the space it will save on the desk. After examining the two types of monitors, it seems that they are similar in more aspects than they are different. Over the last few years LCD screens have closed the gap in many of the categories in which the CRT was superior. In most cases, the choice depends on the personal preference of the individual user. For the hard-core gamer or digital artist a CRT may be slightly better due to the faster response time and better color purity. For most consumers the choice of an LCD or CRT monitor will depend on the price issue. While the cost of LCD screens has been declining over the past few years, they are still considerably more expensive that a comparable CRT. However if money isn’t an issue, a slim and sleek looking LCD might be the way to go over the massive CRT behemoths.