In this world of bigger is better, many computer owners are feeling left behind with their less than state of the art computers, as newer, faster and bigger computers are improving their graphics. You don’t have to be left in the dark ages, and there are some things you can do to improve the quality of the graphics you see and use.
1. Experiment with the controls of your monitor – Make the settings of your monitor your own. Whether you’re working with a CRT or LCD you can improve the graphics you see with some slight adjustments. Start with the brightness and contrast and then to the color temperature and color tone. In many cases, just adjusting your horizontal and vertical positions will give you some improvement.
2. Upgrade your computer driver – It often doesn’t matter what size of monitor you have, but the quality of images depends on your graphics card or chip set. If you don’t have the latest version, an upgrade can drastically improve the quality of images you’re seeing. If you have a CRT monitor, you can raise or lower resolution settings which may improve the quality of image you see. LCD monitors have a fixed number of pixels and are harder to adjust.
3. Bigger might be better – You would be surprised to see the difference that an entirely new monitor could bring to the quality of your graphics. For those working with photography or visual arts, a monitor of 17-20 inches will drastically improve the quality of the work you see.
If you missed the Holiday shopping season for a new monitor or to upgrade your graphics card or chip set, the spring is often a good time to start looking for something new, since the trade shows conclude in January, and new models will start hitting the floor in April.