Computer Peripherals : Let's Get Hands On

A computer is all well and good, but how about your computer peripherals?  Your monitor, keyboard and mouse are the way you interact with your computer, and the parts that will probably move with you through multiple computers. 

Your monitor is the most important computer peripheral you can get; it's the one where any extra you spend on quality will have the biggest payoff immediately, and over several years.  Where CRT monitors used to be the standard, now the question isn't "CRT or LCD", it's "Do I get a fluorescent tube LCD, or get a lower energy/more expensive LED backlight monitor?"  The principle advantage of the latter, in addition to using half the electricity, is that they have sharper, clearer colors and better color purity and correction.  If you're doing any kind of graphics work at all, get the best monitor you can.



Your next choice is one of resolution.  There are basically four resolutions available right now.  1280x1024 is the low end at this point, for 17" LCD monitors and 19" LCDs.  You can get a wide screen LCD at 1680x1050 for a 19" model and 23-24" models go up to 1920x1200.  All of these refer to the number of pixels of width for the display and the number of pixels of height.  In general, bigger is better, to the maximum your budget will allow.  Something to check for is that your monitor uses a DVI input, and that your video card uses a DVI output, rather than the older VGA output cable; it's unlikely that they won't, but not having a DVI input is a good reason to not pick up a monitor.

If your video card will support it (and most modern ones will) and you have the desk space, it may be worth your time to get two monitors and run your machine "dual headed" for more screen real estate.  For an email machine, this is probably overkill, but you'd be surprised at how affordable it can be.  It makes particular sense, if, when you bought computer peripherals last time, you ended up with a second monitor that's fairly small. 




Next to your monitor, the computer peripheral you're going to spend the most time with is your keyboard.  Get an ergonomic one, and teach yourself to touch type on it.  Do this before you develop repetitive stress injuries.  We can recommend the Microsoft Natural keyboards.

Your computer mouse should always be close at hand.  Where optical mice use to be the realm of high priced graphics workstations, they're now more or less standard, and not a moment too soon.  No more cleaning mice rollers and balls of lint and gunk.  If you're experiencing repetitive stress injuries, look into some of the "vertical mice" and wired trackball mouse or a wireless trackball cordless optical mouse that reduce the stress on the wrist.  And while you're at it, get a padded wrist rest for your keyboard and mouse.  These are important computer peripherals as well.
 






Return to the top of Computer Peripherals.