There are lots of differences to consider check here .
http://www17.tomshardware.com/search...words=monitors

http://www.tomshardware.com/display/20020805/index.html

As a monitor repairman (and TV repairman going back about 40 years), I tend to start with the CRT and work back from there.

Assuming you want the best CRT available, here it is: the Mitsubishi Diamondtron. Mitsubishi licensed the Trinitron from Sony, but an improved electron gun design makes the Diamondtron a much better tube.

A number of manufacturers use this series of tubes, including Mistubishi themselves, Samsung, Iiyama, and Sceptre.

Another good choice is ViewSonic/Optiquest--most models are made under contract by Matsushita (Panasonic) and use Mastsushita CRTs.

Sony is usually a safe choice as well.

At the cheap end, Sceptre and Envision/AOC are safe choices--even our local discount appliance store chain sells Envision/AOC brand monitors. AOC has a nearly forty-year history.

If this doesn't answer all your questions, fire away!

alright thanks guys. i think i will go with a viewsonic then because its most common where i live. and probably best for price. but the way i understand it there is no way to check up on how good a monitor is you just have to knwo from experience.

When in doubt, Google.

without perusing the provided links...
...and TallCool1's obvious expertise in this matter not withstanding... i was told to check for a good crt by making the crt show a white background and ablack (blank) display; the logic being that it takes good phosphur (sp?) quality to display a bright white and that it takes good contrast masking to display a truly black/extremely dark gray blank (but powered) screen. jm2c