Working from home was something of a fancy topic previously. But with the lockdowns and global pandemic working from home has become a necessity. This has given rise to the home office for plenty of people all across the globe. But working in a home office requires a bit of setup. You have to procure devices like computers and other computing and networking peripherals. These can be pretty hard to decide upon if you don’t have an idea about them.
It’s a reason why many people splurge money into buying expensive laptops and setups. But in the hindsight, a good amount of research and search can give you one of the best desktop setups at easily half of the cost of those laptops. This is why understanding each component of a home office is important. This particular post will take a look at monitors specifically. Let’s find out 8 things that you should know when opting to buy a monitor for your home office.
8 Things you should know when buying a Monitor for Home Office
Table of Contents
#1 Monitor Size
First things first, you have to understand the size of the monitor before you buy one. Numerous monitors are ranging in sizes from 11-inch to gigantic 70-inches and more. It’s why it is of utmost importance that you pick the right size. Generally, it is a well-regarded fact that your screen should be at a distance of 32 inches from your eyes. That is why having the size of the monitor that suits that distance frame and gives good visual output is the right pick. Also, take a look at the size of your home office and see what size would look good. Some home offices might need a small-sized monitor while some may need a large-sized one.
#2 Monitor Resolution
Another thing that matters when it comes to monitoring is the monitor resolution. The display resolution for the monitor is one of the major selling points. The thumb rule is that the higher the resolution the better. A high-resolution monitor will allow you to easily work on factors like graphics and more. Check to see what the icons and text size will look in the monitor and see if you can work on it easily at your home office. If you are working in a dark setup then having something with a green screen will be good for you.
#3 Purpose of the monitor
Another major factor that marks the monitor selection for the home office is the purpose of the monitor. If you are looking monitor for graphics then a good resolution monitor would do good. Similarly, if you are merely looking for some writing work, then a normal resolution monitor will do good. And if it’s gaming usage, then getting a monitor that suits that need is the right way. Always define your purpose beforehand whenever you go to buy a monitor as it will narrow down your search and give you the best options to choose from. This can not only help you on finding the best pick but also spend less time and do quality research from a selected top few options.
#4 Specification of the monitor
All things considered, once you have found out the purpose of the monitor and the type of monitor, and its size then the next step is to look through the specifications of the monitor to find which suits you the best. Take a look at the various factors that makes up the specifications and decide on the right type. Here are some of the factors to look at while going for monitor specifications:
Response time: This refers to the time taken by the monitor to change the pixel from black to white. As a general rule of thumb, the best monitors come with a response time of 0.5 Hz.
Refresh rate: Refresh rate marks the time the monitor updates and refreshes its screen every second of time. It visibly affects the working and the performance. Look for a refresh rate of at least 75Hz.
Brightness: Brightness can affect performance greatly when it comes to working for graphics and other stuff. Look for monitors that have sufficient illumination and brightness.
Viewing angle: Generally monitors come with a viewing angle of 170 degrees and more. Always look to go for a screen that has a higher viewing angle.
#5 Color Depth of the monitor
Color depth is an important factor for desktop monitors. If you are looking for a monitor for work purposes having something that fits your color depth requirements should be one of the prime agendas. Color depth is about bits per channel and is an important factor. The pro displays tend to come with 8 bits channels. Gamers on the other hand go for the color depth of 8-10 bits per channel. Similarly, there are various dithering aspects like the screen type. Most of today’s screens come with highly advanced LCDs. But some of the budget-priced ones also have 8 bits in them. Look for the one that is between 8 bit and 10 bit for your home office.
#6 Image processing quality
This is one of those things that you see the companies market their monitors about. You often see ads about how great their image processing is and how their monitor is simply the best in the market. The fact is you need to dig deep underneath to pick the right things from it. Various tweaks are available when it comes to image processing like dynamic contrast, fancy color modes, performance figures, and more. Look to find the truth behind the dynamic nature of the monitor. Generally, the companies provide a 3000:1 contrast ratio for their monitors. Anything above that is not entirely true and may just be a marketing gimmick on their side.
#7 Type of monitor panel
There are various types of monitor panels available in the market. You’ll find options from TN panels to IPS panels to VA panels to go with. The type of panels differs from one manufacturer to another. The basics of these are that the TN panels come with Twisted Nematic and were one of the most common types previously. The recent ones have all started to come in IPS types with the In-Plane Switching options. IPS panels tend to have a better display of colors and have wider viewing angles to look at. The VA panels are more like a middle ground between these two panels and can be good for someone who is looking for cut-price options.
#8 3D Aspect and Technology
The monitor industry has certainly expanded its horizon to include various new features. One of those is the 3D aspect and technology. Things like NVIDIA’s newly designed 3D vision offers different viewing experience altogether. This can be great for someone who is bound to work on various 3D-based designs and work. But in hindsight, if you’re not someone tasked with the performance in 3D viewing then this won’t come good. This is why while setting up a home office you can take a look at this feature and see if it works great for you or not.
Wrapping Up
Home offices have become an important factor in today’s date and having the right monitor for it is vital. There are various things one needs to consider while buying the best monitor for the home office and these aforementioned eight points can be handy for selection criteria.