CRT Displays Still Worth a Second Look

Because CRT-based monitors are so inexpensive, they still come bundled with most computer systems sold today. And CRT displays offer advantages beyond their cheaper price tag.

For one thing, CRT-based monitors have a maximum resolution, not a native one. Flat panels set to any non-native resolution deliver less-than-optimum image quality, but CRT-generated images look good no matter what their resolution. And for users that want a larger display but don't need to view multiple windows at once, a large CRT-based monitor is preferable to a flat-panel display. A large flat-panel display set to its native resolution would cause some applications,Microsoft Word, for example,to cram all the text on the left side of the display and leave a blank, white area on the right.

In addition, CRT-based monitors offer a brighter image than flat panels. For day-to-day office work, this is unimportant, but for watching or editing video, and for gaming, the variation in brightness can make a big difference.

According to executives at Samsung, the vendor's new Magic Bright SyncMaster CRT-based displays offer the brightest images around. These monitors are available in two sizes: 17 inches (the SyncMaster 765MB) and 19 inches (the SyncMaster 957MB). Both offer three brightness modes: PC, Internet and entertainment.

The PC mode provides the sharpest possible display for text-based applications. The Internet mode, which offers a slightly brighter image, enhances multimedia content such as streaming video. The brightest mode, entertainment, caters to gaming, multimedia content editing and watching movies.

CRN Test Center engineers found that the entertainment mode makes a big difference for video. Systems vendors selling high-end multimedia/entertainment computers should investigate Samsung's Magic Bright displays. And this hot technology is not expensive: the 765MB and 957MB sell for $220 and $370, respectively.

Test Center engineers also checked out a couple of CRT-based monitors from CTX International.

The 17-inch CTX MS700 offers a maximum resolution of 1,280 x 1,024, delivers good image quality, has built-in speakers and sells for only $150 on the street. But for customers that want even higher quality for not much more money, the CTX PureFlat PR705F might be just the ticket. Priced at $225, this 17-inch display features a Sony FD Trinitron tube and a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,200.

AOC monitors also have incredibly low price tags, so it's easy to sell entry-level systems that include impressive displays.

The AOC 7ELR, for example, is a 17-inch unit with a maximum resolution of 1,280 x 1,024. It produces a good image and includes speakers, so that's one less peripheral for systems builders to bundle. The best thing about the 7ELR, however, is that it sells for as little as $99.

Customers looking for an even better 17-inch display might consider the AOC 7F-SLK. Similar in feature set to the 7ELR, this monitor has a flat-face CRT and sells for around $140. And customers that need a larger display will like the AOC 9KLR. This 19-inch flat-face CRT display has a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,200, and Test Center engineers found it on sale over the Internet for just $125.

Budget-price displays are one thing, but there are still plenty of high-end CRTs to choose from.

NEC's MultiSync FP2141 SB, a 22-inch display, features a SuperBright mode that enhances graphic-intensive applications such as CAD/CAM rendering, photo and video editing, and gaming.

The monitor, which sells for about $830, also includes dual inputs, a powered USB hub and a maximum resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 at 86Hz. And while that's nowhere near an entry-level price, it's still considerably cheaper than any flat-panel display with a similar screen size.