Growing PC Monitor Size

Over the past few years, we've seen the price of LCD monitors fall significantly. Once, what seem totally cost prohibitive for most of us is now becoming affordable. Long gone are the days where the only choice was a heavy and bulky CRT taking up half of your desk top space. Our research shows that the average monitor size in Jan 2005 was 16.4". In November 2007, it has increased to 17.6". Our research also shows that monitors 22" or larger were the fastest growing size range during the past year.

Another metric that isn't generally presented for monitors is the viewing area in square inches. A relatively small increase in the diagonal measurement equates to more significant increase in actual viewing area (It's a math thing). The area of monitors grew from 132 square inches in January 2005 to 150 square inches in November 2007.

As a disclaimer for those inclined for precision, we acknowledge the whole issue of nominal versus viewing sizes for PC monitors. Some of you may remember that the PC industry went through a period where, one might say, PC manufacturers stretched the truth on monitor sizes by ignoring the fact that the CRT molding covered part of the display area. Lawsuits resulted and "viewable size" became a requirement for the marketing of CRT monitors. The marketing of LCD seemed to learn from that mistake and now if you purchase a 17" LCD monitor, you actually get a full 17" viewable area (or very close to 17"). For the purpose of our research, the metrics being reported are based on the height and width of both CRT and LCD PC displays that were captured during the on line PC Pitstop tests.

Average Monitor Size - (Diagonal in Inches)

Monitor Size Ranges - Prevalence Trends

Average Monitor Size - (Area in Square Inches)

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badbinary: PC Pitstop Research: Avg Monitor Size Grows (Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:34:10 GMT)

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