I was not really thinking and would concur that it is probably best to see monitors in person before buying. One should be wary in that just like TV some of the display models in a store may have their settings totally out of whack. I have even heard that sometimes with TV's this is done to promote certain models. On-line there is a huge selection whereas most stores carry a very limited line up. So it would be very difficult to see a lot of monitors without making a tour of the city... Any suggestions on this other than find a couple good monitors and buy them on-line if cheaper? BTW, I have used Dell 17 LCD's previously. A lot of them with some great stands. They worked well - unfortunately, as with most, it is very difficult to benchmark as I have little comparative experience. Another example: Sony manufactured quite a few of the larger CRT monitors for Dell and Apple, and I believe some for IBM.
I would follow some of the threads on monitors and LCD's here and get some recommendations. Personally, for value, I like Dell, Samsung and a couple of Planar models. I don't like LG, Viewsonics or others. You can go high end with NEC, Eizo and others but it is not really needed if you are trying to keep your capital costs low for trading. In this business, typically the guy with the best machines at the highest cost is not going to make the most money. Spend wisely.
Yeah heat's the big thing. I used to run 2 21" CRTs and now have 6 19" LCDs and a 21" CRT. I get less heat now. Still gets warm in the office, though.
Suggest you go to a computer retailer and see all the LCDs side-by-side. One or two will likely stand out. MicroCenter is my preferred place, if you have one nearby.
I just want to mention that until recently, I traded using one (1) ViewSonic A70f+ CRT monitor (15 inch screen). I'm all for using technology, believe me. I have a quad setup now. but frankly I kind of liked using that setup. In fact, my staff used to kid the hell out of me, because they all had the latest and the best stuff on their desks, while I was trading with an old Dell machine and my CRT. Good luck tomorrow folks, Lefty