Best Flat Screen TV to Use as a Monitor

Best Flat Screen TV to Use as a Monitor
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Introduction

The best flat screen TVs strike a perfect balance between cost and quality. Fortunately, a lot of high-quality HDTVs are available at relatively low prices these days. When considering a flat screen TV to use as a monitor, you need to look at factors like size, resolution, and the options for connecting it to your PC. We have considered a few different HDTVs, and concluded that Samsung’s LN32B550 32" 1080p HDTV has many great features that make it perfect for use as a computer monitor.

Size and Weight

At 32" diagonal, this TV is not so large as to make it uncomfortable to sit close to, but it is not so small that you would be left wanting more either. If we chose a larger screen, such as a 37" or 40", you would have to sit a few feet away just to be able to take in the entire screen. A 32" screen like this strikes a balance between standard monitor sizes and HDTV sizes. It only weighs 22lbs as well, so it can stand on most computer desks without the fear of breaking them, and it won’t be cumbersome to move.

Screen Features

When it comes to computer monitors the clearer the better, so 1080p is really the only way to go. At 1920x1080 pixels, you will just have to make sure that your graphics card can handle it if you plan to do any gaming. The Samsung LN32B550 also has a relatively low 6ms response time, so even action games or movies will not look blurry in motion. Samsung HDTVs are known for great picture quality, and with a dynamic contrast ratio of 70,000:1, this is no exception, and the colors will look vibrant and lifelike.

Connection Options

With no less than four HDMI ports, two shared Component/Composite inputs, one VGA input, and a USB port, this TV has enough connections to cover nearly anything you could think to hook up to it. Of course, it also has a built-in TV tuner so you can watch HD television when you are not using it as a monitor.

Conclusion

There is really no reason to stick with a small 19", 22" or even 24" monitor when you could be using a great LCD like this. The perfect size, resolution, great image quality and response time make this a perfect HDTV to use as a monitor. The Samsung LN32B550 can usually be found for between $700 and $800, which is amazing for the quality that this HDTV brings, and it’s well worth it. Really, there are few, if any HDTVs in this class that come close.