There are numerous computer mail-order catalogs around these days. Purchasing your monitor through one of them may save you some money, but shop carefully. Many catalogs will ask you to pay shipping costs for any returned items, and others don't allow returns at all for some items.

2torial #0678: Learn2 Shop For a Computer Monitor (continued) Understand image consistency Lines and shapes should not be wavy. To begin with, you should realize that no monitor can produce an image at the outer edges of the screen as clearly as it can at the center. You're looking for a monitor that consistently represents the image from edge to edge with as little distortion as possible. For instance, a horizontal line onscreen should not bend or waver from left to right, and a vertical line shouldn't bulge in the middle and at its ends. Additionally, as a monitor screen heats up from extended use, a poorly designed monitor will develop small, discolored or darkened areas on the screen. As a result, it's a good idea to let a monitor be switched on for a while, and then check for image consistency.   Step 4