Flat panel display equipment has become popular in the business world, particularly for companies with many employees and a limited amount of desk space. This is due to the fact that flat panel computer monitors take up a much smaller amount of space than the traditional CRT monitor. Fortunately for business owners on a budget, flat panel monitors have become cheaper every year, and are now almost as affordable as CRT monitors.

Flat panel monitors are often referred to as liquid crystal displays, or LCDs, which have many benefits for businesses. LCD flat panel monitors are known for their crisp images and bright display abilities. However, some particular models have a few advantages over others, so choose among the following based on your business needs:

1. Select a monitor with a wide screen to enable employees to view their work easier.

2. Check out standard LCD flat panel monitors to save money.

3. Find a wide-screen monitor with a high contrast ratio.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a widescreen flat panel LCD monitor for your office

Whether you are interested in a computer monitor that looks as large as a flat panel LCD TV monitor, or just want a larger viewing area, a wide screen is better than a standard 17' flat panel LCD monitor. Employees will have better visibility when it comes to viewing entire spreadsheets or several windows at once. A large, wide screen often costs just a little more than an average-sized screen, so make a wise investment when you purchase new widescreen LCD monitors.

I recommend: The Hanns-G HG-281DPB 28 Inch Widescreen flat panel LCD monitor is available from eXtreme PC Gear at a reasonable price. The Acer AL2616Wd widescreen monitor provides 26 inches of high-definition viewing space, available at Newegg.

Purchase a standard flat panel computer display

If your company is on a budget, check out standard displays rather than wide screens. While a widescreen monitor is helpful for viewing images and charts, you can get by without it. You can make up for it by purchasing a LCD flat panel monitor of above average size, such as 20 inches and up.

I recommend: Check out the Planar 20" PL2010M, which is perfect for graphics-heavy companies. The ViewSonic VP2130b 21.3" LCD monitor has vivid, sharp images.

Check out widescreen flat panel computer monitors with a high contrast ratio

The contrast ratio of a monitor is measured as the difference in intensity between the blackest black and the brightest white. A high contrast ratio is important to your company because the higher the ratio, the easier it is to read text, ultimately reducing eyestrain. A wide screen only adds to visibility, and it is easy to find wide-screen monitors with high contrast ratios.

I recommend: The Samsung SyncMaster 275T Widescreen LCD monitor offers a super high contrast ratio of 3000:1. Find it at TheNerds.net. The Dell UltraSharp 2709W also offers 3000:1 contrast ratio.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking for an LCD flat panel computer monitor, consider purchasing one that is environmentally-friendly, such as a monitor that is Energy Star-certified. This can save your company money in energy bills, and would be considered a movement toward going green.