An output device which displays information to the user of a full-sized, nonportable personal computer. (Laptops have displays screens, not monitors.) There are many ways to classify monitors.
Screen sizes are measured in diagonal inches, i.e., the distance from one corner to the opposite corner diagonally. The screen size is sometimes misleading because there is always an area around the edge of the screen that can't be used. Therefore, monitor manufacturers must now also state the viewable area -- that is, the area of screen that is actually used.
Other factors that determine a monitor's quality include the following:
bandwidth: The range of signal frequencies the monitor can handle. This determines how much data it can process and therefore how fast it can refresh at higher resolutions.
refresh rate: How many times per second the screen is refreshed (redrawn). To avoid flickering, the refresh rate should be at least 72 Hz.
dot pitch (DP): The amount of space between each pixel. The smaller the dot pitch, the sharper the image.
controls: The controls on a monitor adjust color, horizontal, vertical, sizing and much more. High end monitors have On Screen Digital (OSD) controls that allow the user to change and save settings right on the screen itself.