Monitors.(Buyers guide)

Prices are dropping for larger CRT monitors and for flat-panel LCD displays that free up desk space.

Deciding whether to buy a flat-panel LCD or a standard, fairly fat CRT monitor comes down to this: Do you need more space on the surface of your desk or on the screen? If freeing up space on your desk is a priority, an LCD is the clear choice. But since LCDs are more costly, you might opt for a CRT. And a CRT still has some other advantages. Desktop computers and monitors are often sold as a package, with some manufacturers offering attractive discounts for monitors bundled with PCs sold online.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Apple, Dell, eMachines (which merged with Gateway in 2004), Gateway, Hewlett-Packard (which merged with Compaq in 2002), Lenovo, and Sony all market their own monitors for their computers. Other brands of monitors, such as Acer, Envision, KDS, LG, NEC, Samsung, and ViewSonic, are sold separately. Many brands are manufactured on an outsource basis.

Flat-panel LCD monitors. These have been outselling CRTs for years. Because the monitors have a liquid-crystal display rather than a TV-style picture tube, they take up much less desktop space than …