Where were we? Oh, yes - "Samsung, Iiyama, ADI and others." While the price reduction is nice in and of itself, technical improvements have made the monitors even more attractive. And although the quality of LCD monitors has yet to match that of CRT monitors, the gap is rapidly closing.

First and foremost, the maximum viewing angle has improved dramatically. This has effectively removed the main weakness of this type of display. For the best models, the vertical viewing angle has rocketed from 90 to 160 degrees. This used to be an area just burgeoning with problems and differences. Even more important, color resolution has also made some progress. In 2000, you could still find models only capable of displaying 16-bit color. Nowadays, practically all LCDs can handle 24 bits. Practically speaking, though, LCDs are a long way away from rivaling CRT monitors.

The response time of the transistors has also improved by leaps and bounds. Some of the manufacturers claim that their monitors are twice as fast as the previous generation. As a consequence, the LCD monitor's biggest drawback, the lasting afterglow, has been significantly reduced. This reduction allows graphics applications, including games, to be used with an LCD monitor.

These comments hold true for all the monitors we selected. As such, these displays are all better than those offered last year. Most of the models are brand new, having been introduced just a few weeks ago. The oldest among them came out at the beginning of 2001.

Last, but not least: contrast and brightness for the monitors are improving steadily and are approaching those offered by a CRT.

Despite plummeting prices, improved technology and impeccable geometry, paying for an LCD monitor does have its downsides. Some might even regret having bought the thing in the first place. So, before doing anything rash, it's a good idea to explore the subject thoroughly and look at both the pros and the cons.