Does a CRT monitor make that much difference when gaming?

Question

I've heard that CRTs have truer colors, and are superior for gaming, is this true?

Answer 1

CRTs do have a better range of colours. They also tend to have less blurring of quickly moving images.

That being said LCDs are making significant improvements in both areas.

For the best range of colours look for a LCD that has TCO'03 certification. This has requirements for the saturation of the red green and blue primary colours that are used to make up all the colours on the screen. It also has requirements for gray scale tracking, another traditional problem for LCDs.

LCD manufacturers are regularly quoting panel switching speeds. Pick the lowest value to get the least blurry image. Check the specs though, a low gray-to-gray speed is better than a low black-to-white speed. (seems like it should be the other way around but it is not.)

CRTs also handle multiple resolutions better than LCDs. So if your graphics card can't hack a decent frame-rate at 1440 by 900 (19" widescreen native res.) it is not going to be as crisp a picture when you drop the resolution.


However, CRTs are huge space and power hogs, and have to deal with all sorts of geometry problems.

Answer 2

I haven't heard anything specific about CRT vs. LCD monitors and gaming, but I think it would be the other way around.

An LCD monitor usually produces a clearer and cleaner image and is easier on the eyes. In terms of "easy on the eyes," a 15-inch LCD monitor is as good as a 17-inch CRT due to the higher image quality of the LCD.

For general computer use, I'd recommend an LCD monitor over a CRT in a heartbeat, if you have a choice. I don't see any reason why it would be any different for gaming.

Answer 3

There are two issues sometimes raised concerning CRT vs. non-CRT monitors: refresh rate and true color. With respect to the first, slow refresh rates were an issue with early LCD monitors, but that problem has largely been resolved. I can see no difference, for example, watching a movie (say, "The Matrix") on my Sony Trinitron CRT and my Acer LCD (they're both 17 inches). Color rendition can vary a bit among monitors -- though there's little to no difference between these two -- but that can usually be adjusted with software.

I think the best advice for monitors is similar to that for loudspeakers: go someplace where you can see the alternatives for yourself, and trust your own eyes (or ears, as the case may be).

Answer 4

It is true that CRT's are on the way out, but they do work better for gaming because of the refresh rates as mentioned above. But most people would not notice the difference.

Answer 5

In few Word, yes. Bellow you can see why:

A)Flexible resolution:

That means on a CRT monitor, you can get resolutions more than 1920 x 1440, (even from a 17inch. monitors, see Philips 107P) when on flat panels monitors (LCD,TFT,etc.) BEST RESOLUTION IS fixed with each monitor. (That means if you change resolution,you loss on quality)

b) A CRT monitor can display the maximum number of colors when LCD can't.

C) Sharpness (mean clearness of colors are perfect when you use an LCD monitor in it's best resolution, while on CRTs sharpness depends on some facts like focus,soft edges, etc.

D)There ia s flicker on some CRT monitors when run in low refresh rate, bellow 75 HZ, (problem though eliminated with new graphic cards, refresh rate is even bigger than 120 HZ). LCD monitors are flicker free.

E) DOT PITCH(the area between 2 pixels) The smaller the better. CRT monitors are better on this area from LCD (for same screen size monitors).

F) Respond time (The time need a pixel to change) On CRT monitors this time is almost Zero(0) while in LCs this time ,even real small, does exist.

That mean when you view a video or a motion picture (like in games) the pixel change instantly on a CRT monitor, while take some time on LCD.

So, you can VIEW changes on pictures in real time, on CRT monitors,while on LCD this take some time.

G) Flexibillity:
You can change resolution and refresh rate on aCRT monitor so you can get the best performance while watch a video or play games.
LCD monitors come with a fixed refresh rate and resolution for best image quallity, so this narrow your choices.

CONCLUSION.

RESOLUTION, REFRESH RATE, RESPONSE TIME, are CRITICAL FACTORS for GAMES or VIDEO, and in this area CRT monitors are much better than LCD.

SHARPNESS and COLOR CLEARNESS are CRITICAL FACTORS for still images,and designs, and here LCD monitors are much better for CRT.

That's why GAMERS, VIDEO EDITORS, or any people who involved in motion pictures or graphics they prefare CRT monitors.

Photographers, designers, they prefare LCD.

Also for home users, price is another FACTOR.
To get a LCD monitor same as CRT (17inch,m for example) you need at least 2.5 times more money than to buy a CRT.

Answer 6

too be honest it dosent really make a difference to me i have a 19 in crt and a 19 inch lcd they look very simular just the crt is bigger and bulkyer

Answer 7

I doubt if either statement is true. LCDs (or plasma) are the preferred monitors, and, in fact, CRTs are on the way out.

Answer 8

so far, yes

not to mention that the refresh rate is much higher than most lcds.