Why is a monitor better than a TV for computers

TVs have higher resolutions than ever before, so it can be tempting to consider connecting up your computer and using it as a monitor on a permanent basis. Do this and you won’t be getting the best from your computer – or your TV. Read on to learn more…

29 Feb 2016

The idea of playing the latest PC games on a 60” TV screen sounds great, but in reality it’s not as good as it first seems. The simple fact is a television won’t give the same level of performance when connected to a computer and, in the long run, isn’t ideal to use as a monitor.

Why can a smaller monitor be better than a bigger TV?

Monitors may be smaller than the average TV, but there’s no need for them to be as large. They’re designed for close-up use, and have a sharper, more detailed picture than a television. To see what we mean, try sitting as close to your TV as you do to your computer. You’ll find the TV image is less distinct and more fuzzy.

This is because monitors generally have more pixels per inch than televisions. This means they can display very fine detail, especially useful with text. Televisions are designed for viewing while you’re sitting across the room, so they don’t need to be able to produce such close-up detail.

So, if you compare a 27” monitor against a 50” TV with the same resolution, the monitor will always be able to produce a sharper image. The pixels become more and more spaced out the bigger the screen becomes, so text and fine detail becomes blurry and hard to read properly.

In essence, a monitor is designed to be the optimal visual interface for a computer. A TV, no matter how sharp, is primarily designed to be a TV.


Why is a monitor better than a TV for your home office?


Monitors are designed to have all the information you need right in front of you. You simply need to move your eyes around the screen. When a computer image is displayed on a large screen TV, you physically have to turn your head to see things at the screen’s edge. In the long term, this can cause eye strain and muscle aches.

Looking for a monitor to use in your Home Office? A curved screen model like the Samsung S24E510C Full HD 24” Curved LED Monitor matches the curvature of your eyes so you can take in more of the screen at once.

This particular model boasts the optimal curvature for its screen size, giving a wider field of vision while still being easy on the eyes.

The flicker-free screen also features an Eye Saver Mode, which lets you reduce the blue light emissions that cause tired eyes at the touch of a button.


Why is a monitor better than a TV for PC gaming?

There’s no input lag from your mouse or gamepad: Monitors are designed to respond in an instant to any moves you make with your controller – whether that be mouse, keyboard or games pad. On a TV, you’ll notice a slight gap between moving the controller and the display reacting.

While this is especially important for gaming or video editing, it also adds to the general usability of your computer, making it feel more natural and intuitive.

Want a monitor that shows off your PC Gaming skills to the max? The Philips 272G5DYEB Full HD 27” LCD Gaming Monitor has a 144hz refresh rate allowing for super-smooth, lag-free motion of up to 144 frames a second. Turn on the built-in SmartResponse feature and the monitor automatically adjusts response times for games and films so you get judder and ghost-free images. This is great when used in conjunction with the nVidia Ultra Low Motion Blur mode, which makes fast moving objects look even sharper at high frame rates.

The monitor can also link up with the GPU in a GeForce GTX graphics card, if your PC has one. It’ll synchronise the display rate so there’s no screen tearing and input lag is eliminated.


Why is a monitor better than a TV for photo and video editing?

A monitor is designed to show colours from your computer properly: The colour output of a computer is different to that of a TV. Monitors are optimised to display these colours correctly, while the same image may appear dark or have a strange tinge on a TV. You’ll find a variety of ways to connect your monitor to the computer, such as VGA, DVI and HDMI, so you can get the best visual quality possible.

Many monitors also have additional USB ports, which can include USB 3.0 which is about 10 times faster than the standard USB 2.0 – very useful if you’re backing up your data to a portable hard drive.

Need a monitor with a really sharp display and vibrant yet realistic colours for photo editing? The AOC Q2577Pwq Quad HD 25” LED Monitor has a 2K screen that’s crisp, full of detail and has four times the pixel resolution of standard 720p HD TVs. This monitor features an IPS panel, meaning the colours are much richer than other LCD displays, whatever angle you’re viewing the screen from.

It’s easier to connect all your devices to this monitor, as it includes something called Mobile High Definition Link. This lets you connect devices like mobile phones or tablets directly to your monitor – something you can’t normally do. This is great for checking out images you’ve taken or stored on other devices.

The monitor also lets you connect your PC using DisplayPort technology. This allows data to transfer from your computer to the screen extremely quickly, giving you the fastest refresh rates and zero latency – perfect for photo and video editing.

See our full range of monitors by clicking here

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