Pick the computer monitor that's right for you

Monitors frame our relationship with our computers and a great computer is only as good as its monitor.

That's why it's important to ask yourself "What do I want to do with this computer" before purchasing, says Jaroslav Smycek of the Hannover Consumer's Center.

Although nearly all flat-screen monitors are based on LCD technology, there are differences between the models. "TN Film models are popular. These screens are in the lower end of the price range," says Josef Reitberger of "CHIP", a Munich-based computer magazine.