LCD or CRT? LCD monitors take up less desk space and work better in open plan offices than their balky CRT cousins, but many users still swear by the CRT's superior color fidelity. CRTs have also traditionally been more popular with gamers, thanks to their better pixel response times (the amount of time a pixel stays illuminated after it has been turned off). A poor pixel response time can create 'ghosting' affect whereby images sty on the screen for a moment when they are actually supposed to have gone. CRTs are generally cheaper than LCDs; similar performance to an LCD monitor can be achieved at a fraction of the price, allowing the user who is trying to get the best possible specs for his buck to spend a bit more on say a better graphics card.   Prices on LCDs are however steadily falling and, as they consume about 60 per cent less power than CRTs, they are also cheaper to run. Performance is also improving, with pixel response times now similar to CRTs. Whichever you choose, don't be conned into thinking that bigger is always better. Resolution and refresh rate also play a big role in determining a monitor's quality. Resolution determines how many pixels may be displayed horizontally or vertically on a screen. If you have a monitor with the maximum resolution of 800*600 for instance it will be inferior to that of a 1280*1024 model.