Comparison BenQ Zowie XL2411 24 " gray vs BenQ XL2411Z 24 " black

— Monitor. In this case, we mean monitors designed mainly for classic use — as a screen for a personal computer. Their functionality can be quite diverse — from entry-level screens with 1-2 inputs for connection to multifunctional models with built-in speakers, TV tuners, remote controls, etc. The same applies to the diagonal. Most traditional monitors are in the 22-30" range (these sizes are currently considered optimal for screens whose distance is determined by the width of the desktop), but there are also large-format devices whose diagonal can exceed 32".

— Portable monitor. A separate caste of monitors designed to connect to laptops. They are distinguished by small diagonal sizes, not exceeding 18", a thin format and the absence of a stand, as a result of which they look like tablets.

— Game monitor. Monitors considered optimal for gaming. These are not necessarily devices specially designed for this application (although there are some); however, all gaming monitors have a number of features that gamers will surely appreciate. Firstly, the resolution (see below) in such models is not lower than Full HD. Secondly, the matrices have a low response time — less than 5 ms, which allows high-quality display of dynamic scenes; and the frame rate often reaches 120 Hz or even more (although there are quite modest values). Thirdly, devices of this type often have special gaming (see below...) and similar features — in particular, most gaming monitors are compatible with FreeSync and/or G-Sync technologies (see "Features").

— LCD panel. One of the key features that distinguish LCD panels from conventional monitors is the wide variety of connectors: in addition to video outputs, it includes auxiliary ports such as LAN or RS-232 (see "Connectors (Optional)"). It is also believed that the LCD panel must be hung on the wall without fail, but this has its own specifics. Many devices of this type are really made only for wall installation, and some models can be combined into a video wall that broadcasts one image to several screens. But besides this, there are solutions equipped with stands and allowing desktop use (and sometimes even originally designed for it). At the same time, the first variety, "purely wall-mounted", can have almost any diagonal — including modest 21 – 22 "; but the dimensions of "desktop" panels start at 32", moreover, they most often have advanced matrices like IPS. Anyway, such screens are used mainly in rather specific areas. So, wall mounting is convenient for organizing information boards at stations, airports, shopping centers, for use at exhibition stands, conference rooms, etc. Desktop models are useful for those for whom large size and high image quality are of key importance . Also among them there are many devices with touch screens, which further expands the user experience.

— Plasma panel. These types of devices are similar in many ways to the LCD panels described above, but they also have some key differences. The main one is the technology used for the screen: instead of a liquid crystal matrix, plasma panels use cells filled with a special gas and covered with a luminous substance — a phosphor. This technology provides very high image quality, with deep colour reproduction and contrast. At the same time, it is not easy to create a small plasma cell, which is why the pixels on this type of screens have more stringent restrictions on the minimum size. As a result, plasma panels, in principle, are never small — 42 "is considered almost the minimum size for such a screen. In addition, the reverse side of the described advantages is also a slightly shorter service life and higher cost than LCD matrices. As a result," plasma" has not received much distribution, such devices are bought mainly not for "public", but for personal use — for example, as a home theater screen or as equipment for an advanced gamer.

— Video wall. Models designed to build video walls. Such a wall is an array of numerous closely arranged screens that can work in concert and produce a large overall image; each screen is responsible for its own fragment of the picture. Such designs are used, in particular, at concerts and other public events, where there are no longer enough separate screens. The main feature of monitors for video walls is a very thin frame — due to this, the boundaries between the segments are almost invisible, and the image is perceived as a whole.

— Information display. Narrow-purpose equipment, assuming a stationary method of installation. Such displays are mounted on the wall, built into special niches or openings. They are intended to work as digital signage, broadcast advertising materials, play various video content. Individual instances of information displays can support touch control, have a pre-installed Smart operating system and other "smart" features. As a rule, specialized proprietary software is used to control the operation of such equipment.

The size of one dot (pixel) on a monitor screen. This parameter is related to the maximum resolution of the monitor and its diagonal size — the higher the resolution, the smaller the pixel size (with the same diagonal) and vice versa, the larger the diagonal, the larger the size of one pixel (with the same resolution). The smaller the size of one pixel, the clearer the image will be displayed by the monitor, the less grainy it will be noticeable, which is especially important on large monitors. On the other hand, a small pixel size creates discomfort when working with fine details and text — this mainly applies to monitors with a small diagonal.

The vertical refresh rate supported by the monitor.

Initially, the term "sweep frequency" was used in the characteristics of CRT monitors that work with an analogue signal. By tradition, it continues to be used for LCD matrices, however, for such screens, the refresh rate is actually the frame rate. See above for more on frame rate; here we note that in this case it is not the maximum frequency that is indicated, but the frequency range supported by the monitor — from the minimum to the maximum. This allows you to evaluate compatibility with certain video cards and operating modes: the frame rate of the video signal must match the frame rate of the monitor (or at least be a multiple of it), otherwise twitches and other unpleasant phenomena are possible.

It is worth noting that the monitor usually does not support any refresh rate from the range given in the specifications, but only certain standard values — for example, 50 Hz, 60 Hz and 75 Hz for the 50 – 75 Hz model.

The horizontal refresh rate of the image on the monitor screen.

This parameter was relevant for CRT monitors, in which the image was formed by an electron beam that "ran through" each individual line on the screen and illuminated the pixels. The horizontal refresh rate described the number of lines drawn per second. However, modern LCD matrices do not use a scan, but a full-frame image. Therefore, today this parameter is rarely given in monitors, and it describes the maximum horizontal frequency in an analogue video signal (for example, via the VGA interface), with which the screen can work normally.

The colour gamut of a monitor characterizes the range of colours that the screen is capable of reproducing.

This parameter is specified as a percentage, however, not relative to the entire variety of visible colours, but relative to the conditional colour space (colour model). This is due to the fact that no modern screen is able to display all the colours visible to humans. Monitor specifications may specify which colour model is used for gamut (see below). If there is no such clarification, then, usually, we are talking about the sRGB model — it is accepted as a general standard for computer technology. In this case, the closer the colour gamut of the monitor is to 100%, the more accurately the colours on the screen will match the colours that were originally intended. Too little colour gamut results in a dull, faded image, and too much — unnatural and oversaturated. However, in fact, values from 90% to 110% are considered quite acceptable for most cases and do not lead to a noticeable deterioration in the image. In general, it is considered that “more is better than less”, and for a high-end monitor (especially professional) sRGB coverage should be 100% or higher.

The presence of a swivel stand in the design of the monitor allows you to change not only the angle of the screen (of course everyone has it), but also its rotation to the right and left. The angle of rotation depends on the model, but anyway, even a slight deviation allows you to quickly adjust the position of the monitor to your needs.

Rated power consumption of the monitor. Usually, this item indicates the maximum power that the device can consume during normal operation — that is, the energy consumption at maximum brightness, the highest volume of the built-in acoustics, etc. Actual power consumption can be noticeably lower, however, when choosing, it is still best to focus on the value stated in the specifications.

In general, the lower the power consumption, the more economical the device in terms of electricity consumption (ceteris paribus). In addition, this characteristic can be useful when selecting an uninterruptible power supply for a PC and in other specific situations when it is necessary to accurately determine the power consumption of equipment.