The Advantages of a TFT Monitor Compared to a CRT
- TFT monitors are smaller, easier on the eyes and use less power.Computer LCD monitor isolated on white background image by Dmitry Rukhlenko from Fotolia.com
Advancements in computers and display technology have given rise to new forms of monitors. The more traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor has become secondary to the lighter, more efficient thin-film transistor (TFT) monitor. TFT displays used to only be common on laptops and notebooks, but price drops in TFT technology have made them available for use with personal and professional desktop computers. - Cathode-ray tubes, the driving force in CRT monitors and televisions, are large and heavy and increase the overall size of the devices. TFT displays are constructed from thin-film transistors, small transistors that display the color information for each pixel. The small size of TFT technology allows TFT displays to be much smaller in overall size and lighter in weight, providing a user with more desk surface area and greater portability.
- Cathode-ray tubes consume a large amount of power to display images both in active use and startup. Thin-film transistors turn off faster and with less power, and are able to maintain active display using less overall power. Less power consumption also leads to less heat generation, reducing the need for additional cooling equipment in the display's environment.
- Although TFT monitors have been criticized for not having optimal color performance when compared to CRT monitors, TFT monitors provide a user with less eye strain and increased visual recognition and comprehension. Studies at Cornell University have shown TFT liquid-crystal display monitors decrease visual search times and reduce the frequency of visual search errors. TFT displays also produce less screen flicker, decreasing the risk of display-related headaches and eye fatigue.
