COMPUTER DISPLAYS

Apple 30'' HD Cinema Display

Now this is one mongo-sized computer display. Apple's 30'' Cinema Display is a widescreen (16:10 aspect ratio) LCD display, perfect for playing or editing movies. It's a high-resolution display, with more than four million pixels in a 2560 x 1600 pixel configuration. Do the math and you see that this display offers better-than-HDTV specs, which is saying something.

While the display is great for editing widescreen movies, it's also extremely useful for regular computing. It's big enough that you can fit two full-page documents on the screen, side by side or work on a photo full-size in Photoshop, with room for all the various palettes docked around the sides. What other display can you say that about?

The display has a big screen, but it won't take up that much space on your desktop depth-wise, that is. The display fits on a hinged connector, so it's easy to swivel it up or down for the best viewing angle. (You can also take it off the stand and mount it on your wall, if you like.)

Even though it comes from Apple, you can use the Cinema Display with just about any Windows PC. (Or with any Mac, of course.) All your PC needs is a DVI connection, and you're ready to go.

To make the Cinema Display even more usable, Apple was thoughtful enough to include 2 USB and 2 FireWire ports, so your display can act as a hub for other peripherals. It's a convenient way to connect all your desktop peripherals without running additional cables to your PC.

Oh, and if a 30'' display is just too much for your desktop, check out Apple's smaller Cinema Displays, in 20'' and 23'' versions. The picture quality will be just as good, just on a smaller scale and at a lower price ($799 and $1,499, respectively).

Model: M-9179LL/A Manufacturer: Apple (www.apple.com) Screen size: 30'' diagonal Aspect ratio: 16:10 Resolutions: 2560 x 1600, 2048 x 1280, 1920 x 1200, 1280 x 800, 1024 x 640 Display colors: 16.7 million Viewing angle: 170° Contrast ratio: 400:1 Pixel pitch: 0.250 mm Cable: DVI Dimensions 21.3'' (h) x 27.2'' (w) x 8.46'' (d) Weight: 27.5 lbs. Price: $2,999

Dell UltraSharp 24'' LCD Display

Here's a slightly smaller and considerably more affordable alternative to the 30'' Apple Cinema Display. This Dell UltraSharp LCD display is a 24'' widescreen model that also functions as a remote hub with 4 USB ports and a 9-in-1 flash card reader. Maximum resolution is 1920 x 1200 (HDTV quality), and the picture is first-rate, with a 1000:1 contrast ratio. It's a good choice for movie editing tasks.

Model: 2405FPW Manufacturer: Dell (www.dell.com) Screen size: 24'' diagonal Aspect ratio: 16.10 Dimensions: 22'' (h) x 22'' (w) x 9'' (d) Price: $1,199

HP 23'' LCD Display

Another way to go is with HP's 23'' widescreen LCD display. Native resolution is 1920 x 1200, and it offers both analog and digital (DVI) connections. What I particularly like about this unit is the ultra-thin bezel, which lets you tile two or more monitors together for an almost-seamless effect. It's also highly adjustable; the neck telescopes 3 1/2'', the panel swivels 35° right or left, and the whole shebang tilts 5° forward and 25° back. This is one flexible display!

Model: L2335 Manufacturer: HP (www.hp.com) Screen size: 23'' diagonal Aspect ratio: 16:10 Dimensions: 20.9'' (h) x 21.46'' (w) x 8.27'' (d) Pixel pitch: 0.258 mm Price: $1,399

LG Flatron 19'' LCD Display

If you don't have the space (or the budget) for an uber-large display, check out LG's 19'' Flatron. This is a standard 4:3 aspect ratio display, but with an exceptionally sharp and vivid picture. Native resolution is 1280 x 1024, with a 160° viewing angle and 500:1 contrast ratio. You get both analog and digital (DVI) connections, and it comes on a very attractive swivel base. It's the best standard display out there today, in terms of both price and performance.

Model: L1980Q Manufacturer: LG (us.lge.com) Screen size: 19'' diagonal Aspect ratio: 4:3 Dimensions: 16.1'' (h) x 16.6'' (w) x 10.3'' (d) Pixel pitch: 0.292 mm Price: $599.99

Wacom Cintiq 21'' Touchscreen Display

Wacom's Cintiq 21UX combines a standard 21'' LCD display with a pen tablet which means you can "draw" directly onscreen with a pressure-sensitive pen. This is ideal for graphics artists, who can use the display as a drawing tablet for illustrations, CAD blueprints, and the like. Screen resolution is a tasty 1600 x 1200, in a standard 4:3 aspect ratio; connection is either analog or digital (DVI).

Model: Cintiq 21UX Manufacturer: Wacom (www.wacom.com) Screen size: 21.3'' diagonal Aspect ratio: 4:3 Dimensions: 16.5'' (h) x 21.1'' (w) x 5.2'' (d) Pixel pitch: 0.27 mm Price: $2,999