compare crt vs lcd monitors price
CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube and LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display area unit the kinds of display devices wherever CRT is employed as standard display devices whereas LCD is more modern technology. These area unit primarily differentiated supported the fabric they’re made from and dealing mechanism, however, each area unit alleged to perform identical perform of providing a visible variety of electronic media. Here, the crucial operational distinction is that the CRT integrates the 2 processes lightweight generation and lightweight modulation and it’s additionally managed by one set of elements. Conversely, the LCD isolates the 2 processes kind one another that’s lightweight generation and modulation.
CRT stands for cathode-ray tube, a TV or PC monitor that produces images using an electron gun. These were the first displays available, but they are now outdated and replaced by smaller, more compact, and energy-efficient LCD display monitors.
In contrast, a Liquid crystal display, or an LCD monitor, uses liquid crystals to produce sharp, flicker-free images. These are now the standard monitors that are giving the traditional CRTs a run for their money.
Although the production of CRT monitors has slowed down, due to environmental concerns and the physical preferences of consumers, they still have several advantages over the new-age LCD monitors. Below, we shed some light on the differences between CRT and LCD displays.
CRTLCDWhat it isAmong the earliest electronic displays that used a cathode ray tubeA flat-panel display that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals
CRTs boast a great scaling advantage because they don’t have a fixed resolution, like LCDs. This means that CRTs are capable of handling multiple combinations of resolutions and refresh rates between the display and the computer.
In turn, the monitor is able to bypass any limitations brought about by the incompatibility between a CRT display and a computer. What’s more, CRT monitors can adjust the electron beam to reduce resolution without affecting the picture quality.
On the other hand, LCD monitors have a fixed resolution, meaning they have to make some adjustments to any images sent to them that are not in their native resolution. The adjustments include centering the image on the screen and scaling the image down to the native resolution.
CRT monitors project images by picking up incoming signals and splitting them into audio and video components. More specifically, the video signals are taken through the electron gun and into a single cathode ray tube, through a mesh, to illuminate the phosphorus inside the screen and light the final image.
LCD screens, on the other hand, are made of two pieces of polarized glass that house a thin layer of liquid crystals. They work on the principle of blocking light. As a result, when light from a backlight shines through the liquid crystals, the light bends to respond to the electric current.
Thanks to the versatility of pixels, LCD screens offer crisper images than CRT monitors. The clarity of the images is a result of the LCD screen’s ability to produce green, blue, and red lights simultaneously, whereas CRTs need to blur the pixels and produce either of the lights exclusively.
The diversity of the pixels also ensures LCD screens produce at least twice as much brightness as CRTs. The light on these screens also remains uninterrupted by sunlight or strong artificial lighting, which reduces general blurriness and eyestrain.
Over time, however, dead pixels negatively affect the LCD screen’s visual displays. Burnout causes these dead pixels, which affect the visual clarity of your screen by producing black or other colored dots in the display.
CRT monitors also have better motion resolution compared to LCDs. The latter reduces resolution significantly when content is in motion due to the slow pixel response time, making the images look blurry or streaky.
With CRTs, you don’t experience any display lag because the images are illuminated on the screen at the speed of light, thus preventing any delays. However, lag is a common problem, especially with older LCD displays.
CRTs are prone to flickeringduring alternating periods of brightness and darkness. LCDs don’t flicker as much thanks to the liquid pixels that retain their state when the screen refreshes.
CRTs have a thick and clunky design that’s quite unappealing. The monitor has a casing or cabinet made of either plastic or metal that houses the cathode ray tube. Then there’s the neck or glass funnel, coated with a conductive coating made using lead oxide.
Leaded glass is then poured on top to form the screen, which has a curvature. In addition, the screen contributes to about 65% of the total weight of a CRT.
LCDs feature low-profile designs that make them the best choice for multiple portable display devices, like smartphones and tablets. LCD displays have a lightweight construction, are portable, and can be made into much larger sizes than the largest CRTs, which couldn’t be made into anything bigger than 40–45 inches.
A German scientist called Karl Ferdinand Braun invented the earliest version of the CRT in 1897. However, his invention was not isolated, as it was among countless other inventions that took place between the mid-1800s and the late 1900s.
CRT technology isn’t just for displays; it can also be utilized for storage. These storage tubes can hold onto a picture for as long as the tube is receiving electricity.
Like the CRT, the invention of the modern LCD was not a one-man show. It began in 1888 when the Austrian botanist and chemist Friedrich Richard Kornelius Reinitzer discovered liquid crystals.
Later, in 1897, Karl Ferdinand Braun, a German physicist, invented a cathode ray tube with a fluorescent screen and named it the “Braun Tube.” By developing the cathode ray tube oscilloscope, he was the first person to endorse the use of CRT as a display device.
LCD displays are a much more recent discovery compared to CRTs. Interestingly, the French professor of mineralogy, Charles-Victor Mauguin, performed the first experiments with liquid crystals between plates in 1911.
George H. Heilmeier, an American engineer, made significant enough contributions towards the LCD invention to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of National Inventors. And, in 1968, he presented the liquid crystal display to the professional world, working at an optimal temperature of 80 degrees Celsius.
Many other inventors worked towards the creation of LCDs. As a result, in the 1970s, new inventions focused on ensuring that LCD displays worked at an optimal temperature. And, in the 1980s, they perfected the crystal mixtures enough to stimulate demand and a promotion boom. The first LCDs were produced in 1971 and 1972 by ILIXCO (now LXD Incorporated).
Although they may come in at a higher price point, LCD displays are more convenient in the long run. They last almost twice as long as CRTs are energy efficient, and their compact and thin size make them ideal for modern-day use.
LCDs are also more affordable compared to other display monitors available today. So, you can go for a CRT monitor for its ease of use, faster response rates, reduced flickering, and high pixel resolution. However, we don’t see why you should look back since there are so many new options that will outperform both CRTs and LCDs.
Since the production of cathode ray tubes has essentially halted due to the cost and environmental concerns, CRT-based monitors are considered an outdated technology. All laptops and most desktop computer systems sold today come with LCD monitors. However, there are a few reasons why you might still prefer CRT over LCD displays.
While CRT monitors provide better color clarity and depth, the fact that manufacturers rarely make them anymore makes CRTs an unwise choice. LCD monitors are the current standard with several options. LCD monitors are smaller in size and easier to handle. Plus, you can buy LCD monitors in a variety of sizes, so customizing your desktop without all the clutter is easy.
The primary advantage that CRT monitors hold over LCDs is color rendering. The contrast ratios and depths of colors displayed on CRT monitors are better than what an LCD can render. For this reason, some graphic designers use expensive and large CRT monitors for their work. On the downside, the color quality degrades over time as the phosphors in the tube break down.
Another advantage that CRT monitors hold over LCD screens is the ability to easily scale to various resolutions. By adjusting the electron beam in the tube, the screen can be adjusted downward to lower resolutions while keeping the picture clarity intact. This capability is known as multisync.
The biggest disadvantage of CRT monitors is the size and weight of the tubes. An equivalently sized LCD monitor can be 80% smaller in total mass. The larger the screen, the bigger the size difference. CRT monitors also consume more energy and generate more heat than LCD monitors.
For the most vibrant and rich colors, CRTs are hard to beat if you have the desk space and don"t mind the excessive weight. However, with CRTs becoming a thing of the past, you may have to revisit the LCD monitor.
The biggest advantage of LCD monitors is the size and weight. LCD screens also tend to produce less eye fatigue. The constant light barrage and scan lines of a CRT tube can cause strain on heavy computer users. The lower intensity of the LCD monitors coupled with the constant screen display of pixels being on or off is easier on the eyes. That said, some people have issues with the fluorescent backlights used in some LCD displays.
The most notable disadvantage to LCD screens is the fixed resolution. An LCD screen can only display the number of pixels in its matrix. Therefore, it can display a lower resolution in one of two ways: using only a fraction of the total pixels on the display, or through extrapolation. Extrapolation blends multiple pixels together to simulate a single smaller pixel, which often leads to a blurry or fuzzy picture.
For those who are on a computer for hours, an LCD can be an enemy. With the tendency to cause eye fatigue, computer users must be aware of how long they stare at an LCD monitor. While LCD technology is continually improving, using techniques to limit the amount of time you look at a screen alleviates some of that fatigue.
Significant improvements have been made to LCD monitors over the years. Still, CRT monitors provide greater color clarity, faster response times, and wider flexibility for video playback in various resolutions. Nonetheless, LCDs will remain the standard since these monitors are easier to manufacture and transport. Most users find LCD displays to be perfectly suitable, so CRT monitors are only necessary for those interested in digital art and graphic design.
There are two primary types of computer monitors in use today: LCD monitors and CRT monitors. Nearly every modern desktop computer is attached to an LCD monitor. This page compares the pros and cons of both the CRT type displays and LCD or flat-panel type displays. You"ll quickly discover that the LCD or flat-panel displays pretty much sell themselves and why they are the superior display used today.
LCD monitors are much thinner than CRT monitors, being only a few inches in thickness (some can be nearly 1" thick). They can fit into smaller, tighter spaces, whereas a CRT monitor can"t in most cases.
Although a CRT can have display issues, there is no such thing as a dead pixel on a CRT monitor. Many issues can also be fixed by degaussing the monitor.
LCD monitors have a slightly bigger viewable area than a CRT monitor. A 19" LCD monitor has a diagonal screen size of 19" and a 19" CRT monitor has a diagonal screens size of about 18".
If you are looking for a new display, you should consider the differences between CRT and LCD monitors. Choose the type of monitor that best serves your specific needs, the typical applications you use, and your budget.
Require less power - Power consumption varies greatly with different technologies. CRT displays are somewhat power-hungry, at about 100 watts for a typical 19-inch display. The average is about 45 watts for a 19-inch LCD display. LCDs also produce less heat.
Smaller and weigh less - An LCD monitor is significantly thinner and lighter than a CRT monitor, typically weighing less than half as much. In addition, you can mount an LCD on an arm or a wall, which also takes up less desktop space.
More adjustable - LCD displays are much more adjustable than CRT displays. With LCDs, you can adjust the tilt, height, swivel, and orientation from horizontal to vertical mode. As noted previously, you can also mount them on the wall or on an arm.
Less eye strain - Because LCD displays turn each pixel off individually, they do not produce a flicker like CRT displays do. In addition, LCD displays do a better job of displaying text compared with CRT displays.
Better color representation - CRT displays have historically represented colors and different gradations of color more accurately than LCD displays. However, LCD displays are gaining ground in this area, especially with higher-end models that include color-calibration technology.
More responsive - Historically, CRT monitors have had fewer problems with ghosting and blurring because they redrew the screen image faster than LCD monitors. Again, LCD manufacturers are improving on this with displays that have faster response times than they did in the past.
Multiple resolutions - If you need to change your display"s resolution for different applications, you are better off with a CRT monitor because LCD monitors don"t handle multiple resolutions as well.
So now that you know about LCD and CRT monitors, let"s talk about how you can use two monitors at once. They say, "Two heads are better than one." Maybe the same is true of monitors!
You might have used a large bulk size of the computer monitor in your childhood; it is the CRT monitor. Nowadays you are seeing that those types of monitors are disappearing and some slim-looking monitors are taking their place; these are the LCD and LED monitors. It has become our reality due to a fast technological advancement during the last few decades. In today’s topic, we will analyze CRT vs LCD monitors; their relative comparison, and try to figure out the differences.
The full form of CRT is Cathode Ray Tube. The CRT monitor is one kind of display unit. It is one of the oldest types of monitor. Although the use of CRT monitors is becoming obsolete with the invention of smarter monitors and TVs, you can still find them on the market because it is still useful in many cases.
The CRT monitor has a coating of phosphor inside the tube. An electron gun is a crucial component of a CRT monitor. The black and white CRT monitor has got only one electron gun; on the other hand, the colored one has got three different electron guns- red, green, and blue. The electrons emitted from the electron guns strike on the phosphor dots; thus the dots become ablaze which in turn represent us as pictures.
The full form of LCD is Liquid Crystal Display. This kind of display unit uses transparent liquid crystals to produce pictures. The crystals are charged up electrically and we are able to watch the display. The LCD monitor is a flat one; hence also called a Flat Panel Monitor. Its refresh rate is also higher.
The LCD display is used on the calculator and digital watch. The laptop and netbook extensively use LCD monitors for the display unit. A flat-panel monitor is also available for desktop PC, but the price is quite high. It can generally be connected through DVI or HDMI cables. But what are the actual differences in terms of CRT vs LCD monitors? The next sections will clear your all questions.
The difference between the CRT monitor and LCD monitor is mainly based upon the technology used for the make-up of the two and also the user-friendliness. Both types of monitors have their pros and cons, different usability, and function-ability. In this section, we will try to explain CRT vs LCD keeping in mind these facts.
The CRT monitor is the older type of display unit; whereas the LCD monitor is more of a recent invention. Hence, we can easily say that the CRT monitor is more conventional than the LCD monitor.
CRT monitors function on the basis of electron beams originating from the electron beam and hitting the phosphor dots. On the other hand, the operation of LCD monitors is based upon liquid crystals being charged up electrically. Both the monitors’ ultimate goal is to produce pictures not only in the form of still images but also in the form of motion.
LCD monitors use up much less power than CRT monitors. In fact, an LCD monitor consumes 3 to 4 times less power than a CRT monitor. It is one of the biggest advantages of LCD monitors.
You may have found out that as technology advances, gadgets are becoming smaller and smaller. It is of course done for getting the advantages of portability. The same case has happened in the evolution of the monitor. CRT monitor being the older one possesses a sizable body structure; whereas the LCD displays are slim and very small in size.
The CRT monitor is very heavy because it has to carry a weighted electron gun. An average-sized CRT monitor weighs generally 20 to 25 kg. The LCD monitor has a great edge in this respect. An LCD monitor generally weighs 4 to 6 kg which makes it easy to handle.
Image flickering is the frame disturbances on the monitor; a series of frames can not appear flawlessly as a blank frame causes two frames to set apart. This annoys a viewer to a great extent. CRT monitors have more problems with image flickering than LCD monitors.
Image persistence or image retention is the nature of a picture remaining static for a period of time. The CRT monitor does not have image persistence which the LCD monitor does possess. Although being an old monitor, the CRT monitor has an edge over the LCD monitor in this regard.
A CRT monitor has got some extra space around the main display, and this extra space is totally useless. The LCD monitor covers almost the full display as the viewing area and thus making it more efficient.
CRT monitors are better for wide viewing; you can watch a CRT TV from different sections of your room in a much better way compared to the LCD monitors.
The refresh rate of a monitor is one of the most important things that must be considered. Most LCD monitors produce a minimum refresh rate of around 200Hz; whereas the refresh rate of CRT monitors ranges between 70 to 80 Hz on average. Therefore, the resolution of the LCD monitor is much higher than that of the CRT monitor. Also, the G-sync monitor made the viewing experience awesome.
All the television sets used to be made of CRT mechanism in the old times. Computer manufacturers were also making CRT monitors with the limitation of the technology. These monitors are still available, but their use is becoming less and less with time.
LCD monitors have taken the place of old CRT monitors. LCD monitors are extensively used for personal computers, laptops, netbooks, digital watches, calculators, television, and whatnot. You can easily set up dual monitor or triple monitor for convenient usage.
Both the CRT and LCD monitors have their advantages and disadvantages in several aspects. The newer technology will always replace the older ones; even the LED monitors are replacing the LCDs in recent times. No matter old or new; you should buy a monitor according to your need and choice. After reading the article, you should know all about CRT vs LCD monitors and their key differences.
If you are shopping for a display, you may look to compare LCD vs CRT computer monitors. Some of the best computer monitors come in a wide variety of styles and design types. Keep reading to learn the difference between these two types of monitors.
CRT displays, however, are known for superior color rendering performance and for offering high refresh rates. We have a whole page dedicated to explaining what a CRT monitor is if you’re curious.
CRT monitors are bad for the environment, as they draw a whole lot of power during use. To help reduce humanity’s carbon footprint through tech products, there are opportunities for computer monitor recycling.
There are multiple distinctions to be made between LCD and CRT monitors, as well as LCD vs LED monitors, but that’s for another post. A liquid crystal display (LCD) has liquid crystals squeezed between two sheets of glass along with an electron gun that shoots an electron beam, while a CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor features a number of cathode-ray tubes. This overall difference in design leads to widely different use case scenarios, such as when you are comparing LCD vs LED monitors for gaming.
Despite being an older technology, CRT monitors are quite capable when it comes to rendering accurate colors. As a matter of fact, many creative professionals opt for expensive newly made CRT screens over LCD technology, LED screens, or even OLED displays for just this reason. Another advantage to the bright and vivid colors found with CRT displays is that they slightly reduce eye fatigue, which can be a handy bit of information if you are comparing LCD vs LED monitors for eye strain. The downside here is that CRT monitors are fragile, so this color accuracy will break down over time as the phosphor tubes degrade.
Another surprising feature of CRT monitors is their ultra-fast refresh rates. Due to the nature of the design, they offer higher refresh rates than LCD screens, as the light has a shorter route to travel.
There is no way around it. Cathode tubes are extremely large and extremely heavy, making CRT monitors an absolute beast to haul around and to place in your workspace. LCD screens, on the other hand, are light and portable, easily fitting just about anywhere.
In most cases, LCD monitors will offer a much larger field of view for viewing image and video than CRT displays, due to the nature of the design of the flat screen. Something like an LCD screen would come in handy as a gaming monitor. The larger the field of view with a CRT, the heavier and bulkier it will be.
CRT monitors are made from multiple materials that are relatively tough to source and they draw a whole lot of power during use. In other words, they are not too great for the environment.
Text and images (scans of census records) are crisper and sharper and the LCD monitor is easier on your eyes. Monitor"s size: Traditional monitors are similar to a TV because both of them have the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). That is the reason for its bigger size. It therefore occupies more space at the desk. It is also heavy.
However, LCD monitors have thin flat screen. Therefore occupies very less space and is lighter than the CRT monitor. LCD monitors can be fixed even on wall. Display Size: Even though the display size of a CRT monitor is calculated diagonally, the actual display size is smaller. For instance a 17" CRT monitor will actually have a display size of only 16" However, the display size of 17" LCD monitor will have 17" display size. Resolution: CRT monitors can show different resolutions. The resolution can be changed as required. LCD Monitors will have Native Resolution and therefore has a fixed resolution. The best resolution will be the native resolution for that LCD monitor. Viewing Direction: A CRT screen can be viewed from all directions. And from different distance. But LCD monitors cannot be viewed from all directions. LCD monitors can only be viewed straight. Therefore its viewing direction is limited. If viewed from other directions the colors will change and sometimes the vision will be unclear if not viewed straight. But in recent years the new LCD monitors have improved on this defect. Radiation Emission: The radiation emission in CRT monitors are higher. This will not be visible normally but it will affect eyesight and may cause head ache. Long term use of these monitors may even affect the eyes adversely. LCD monitors do not have this type of Radiation emission. Therefore LCD monitors are good for the eyes. Price: CRT monitors are priced very cheap. However they consume more power. LCD monitors are priced higher, but they consume less electricity. Though the electricity consumption is not very significant for personal use, it is very cost efficient in big organizations with many computers.
Text and images (scans of census records) are crisper and sharper and the LCD monitor is easier on your eyes. Dot pitch: This is the space between dots and is measured in fractions of a millimeter, e.g., .25mm. The smaller the number the better because the dots are tighter. Many manufacturers don%u2019t even list the dot pitch anymore and you probably won%u2019t be able to tell the difference between a .22 and .27 pitch anyway. So, if you like the monitor then don%u2019t worry about the dot pitch. Passive-matrix vs. active-matrix: Do not buy a passive-matrix monitor. I seriously doubt you%u2019ll even see one for sale, but%u2026just in case. Having said that, there are some new passive-matrix technologies that are worth buying. If the monitor isn"t TFT (a type of active-matrix), look for CSTN or DSTN (the latest passive technologies). Brightness: How bright is the picture, expressed as cd/m (I have no idea what the units mean). Look for a brightness level of 200 cd/m or greater. Again, if the monitor specs don%u2019t list this value (not all do) be sure you can get your money back. If the lighting in your office (kitchen table) is subdued the brightness factor won%u2019t be as important as if you have a lot of sunlight streaming in. Don%u2019t pay extra for extra brightness unless you%u2019re worried about bright sunlight. Overall, the contrast ratio will have a bigger impact on picture quality. Monitor"s size: Traditional monitors are similar to a TV because both of them have the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). That is the reason for its bigger size. It therefore occupies more space at the desk. It is also heavy. However, LCD monitors have thin flat screen. Therefore occupies very less space and is lighter than the CRT monitor. LCD monitors can be fixed even on wall. Display Size: Even though the display size of a CRT monitor is calculated diagonally, the actual display size is smaller. For instance a 17" CRT monitor will actually have a display size of only 16" However, the display size of 17" LCD monitor will have 17" display size. Resolution: CRT monitors can show different resolutions. The resolution can be changed as required. LCD Monitors will have Native Resolution and therefore has a fixed resolution. The best resolution will be the native resolution for that LCD monitor.
Speaking of easy on your eyes, there isn"t any glare, and the flat screen means no distortion. By the way, even those expensive old-fashioned flat screen CRT monitors have some distortion. Monitor"s size: Traditional monitors are similar to a TV because both of them have the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). That is the reason for its bigger size. It therefore occupies more space at the desk. It is also heavy. However, LCD monitors have thin flat screen. Therefore occupies very less space and is lighter than the CRT monitor. LCD monitors can be fixed even on wall. Display Size: Even though the display size of a CRT monitor is calculated diagonally, the actual display size is smaller. For instance a 17" CRT monitor will actually have a display size of only 16" However, the display size of 17" LCD monitor will have 17" display size. Resolution: CRT monitors can show different resolutions. The resolution can be changed as required. LCD Monitors will have Native Resolution and therefore has a fixed resolution. The best resolution will be the native resolution for that LCD monitor. Viewing Direction: A CRT screen can be viewed from all directions. And from different distance. But LCD monitors cannot be viewed from all directions. LCD monitors can only be viewed straight. Therefore its viewing direction is limited. If viewed from other directions the colors will change and sometimes the vision will be
If you have searched the Internet for a TV-buying guide, chances are you have come across videos and discussions singing praises of CRT TV technology. It sounds absurd to even speculate that the obsolete technology can possibly come close to modern LCDs, let alone surpass them. But that is precisely the case.
LCD technology has serious quality issues, and the Internet has only just started to take note of the vocal minority of videophiles explaining how ditching bulky CRTs for modern flat-panel-display technology was a compromise. The notion being, LCDs continue to exhibit deal-breaking flaws that everyone has come to accept like a consumer-electronics version of the Stockholm Syndrome.
It’s easy to get tangled in the technicalities underlying poor black detail of LCDs, but nothing beats a real-world example. Not long ago, the Pentagon was forced to replace the LCD screens within the $400,000 Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD) of the F-35 fighter jets with OLED panels. The LCD panels relaying critical avionics and target acquisition/fire-control system data straight to the pilot’s helmet were plagued with a distracting green glow. The problem was so bad that the U.S. Navy restricted night landings on aircraft carriers.
This phenomenon can be blamed on the transmissive nature of LCDs. The individual pixels don’t emit light. LCDs form an image by manipulating the liquid crystals within the individual pixels to either transmit or block the backlight, which is never really switched off. Some of the backlight tends to leak out. Emissive displays such as CRTs and OLED can simply switch the individual pixels on or off.
CRTs reproduce colors by firing electrons to light up the red, green, and blue phosphor elements coated onto the glass substrate. This inherent accuracy allowed CRTs to achieve a level of color reproduction that was only limited by the video-processing hardware prevalent at that time. LCD manufacturers often specify what percentage of the standard color gamut their displays can reproduce. But full gamut color coverage was so effortless for CRTs that it would have been an exercise in futility to compare them by that metric.
LED lights are inherently impure and incapable of reproducing accurate white light. That’s why the color-accurate LED lights used by professional photographers involve blue LEDs coated with red and green phosphors to generate pure white light. Phosphors are pretty important for accurate color reproduction. The picture tube of a CRT is coated with just that and is critical for rendering the displayed image. Not surprisingly, OLED displays also use phosphor-based emissive illumination to achieve great color reproduction.
The more expensive quantum-dot LCDs achieve wider color gamut and improved color accuracy in a similar manner. These blue LEDs shine onto what’s essentially a plastic sheet containing nanoparticles that glow red and green when illuminated by the blue LED backlight. However, achieving a pure white backlight is great but not nearly enough.
Even quantum dot LCDs must reproduce colors with the same old LCD technology, which cannot faithfully reproduce colors. Worse yet, the bending of light by the liquid crystal panel and its passage through myriad arrays of color and polarization filters makes LCDs susceptible to parallax issues, which leads to color shift and poor viewing angles.
Color reproduction suffers if you don’t spend the big bucks on a fancy quantum-dot LCD. Moreover, the backlight in a traditional LCD isn’t pure white and is marred by hues of pink, orange, and yellow. All these factors further compound the inherent color inaccuracy of LCDs.
If pure blacks and nice colors are something that OLED displays also known to achieve, then why do gamers still swear by CRT monitors? The answer lies in motion. Even the cheapest CRT monitor could easily handle a refresh rate of 85Hz, with most average monitors operating at 100Hz. High-end CRTs could easily achieve 160Hz at screen resolutions of 1920×1200. High refresh rate is necessary for a smoother, more enjoyable gaming experience.
CRTs, however, didn’t have to compromise on picture quality to achieve high refresh rates. LCDs, on the other hand, are quite terrible at handling fast-moving content. The liquid crystals within an LCD are slow to reach, which results in long pixel response times. That in turn leads to a chronic case of motion blur, which makes high refresh rate gaming a tricky affair.
Higher-quality LCDs featuring IPS panels can’t achieve faster response times without compromising color gamut and accuracy. That’s why gaming monitors use TN LCD panels, which exhibit poor viewing angles and washed out colors as well as low contrast ratios. Competitive gamers can’t use LCDs without compromising on picture quality.
There is still a lot more to discuss, and there are many things that CRTs get right. For example, the raster-scanning nature of a CRT plays well with the human persistence of vision and naturally eliminates motion blur. Or that CRTs aren’t restricted to native resolutions and can move between them without losing image clarity or sharpness, unlike modern flat-panel displays.
At the same time, it is naive to turn a blind eye to the merits of LCD technology. Feats such as better brightness, higher resolution, ever-improving pixel density as well as sharpness, and longer service life as well. While LCD technology has clearly been a compromise, OLED has flaws that prevent it from being a viable replacement as well.
However, there’s hope in the upcoming MicroLEDs which combine the best aspects of LCDs and OLEDs and don’t seem to be a compromise compared to the CRTs.
CRT monitors have surged back to relevance on a wave of nostalgia, driven by the exploding popularity of retro gaming. Unfortunately, most of the reviews, specification sheets, and comparison data that once existed has vanished from the Internet, making it difficult to know what you should look for while scanning eBay and Craigslist ads.
If you’re looking for a newer display filled with the latest and greatest goodies, our guides to the best PC monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors can help you find the perfect fit for your needs. But this particular guide will get you up to date on aging, but still hotly desired CRT monitors.
CRT monitors fell from fashion with the same breathtaking speed as portable CD players and vinyl records. Three out of four monitors sold in 2001 were a CRT. But in 2006, Sony drew curtains on the era when it ceased production of new CRT TVs and monitors.
Still, CRTs have their perks. Most have a better contrast ratio and higher refresh rates than modern LCD monitors, so content looks richer and deeper. There’s a sub-culture of first-person shooter fans who swear FPS games always look best on a high-end CRT monitor.
A CRT is also a window into an entire era of media. Films, movies, and games produced from the dawn of television to around 2004 were created with a CRT in mind. You can enjoy older media on a modern LCD or OLED, but it will never look as originally intended. A CRT computer monitor is the most versatile, practical choice for tapping into nostalgia.
One quick note: This guide is for CRT computer monitors, not professional video monitors. PVMs are high-end CRT televisions. They’re amazing for retro console gaming but aren’t designed for use with a computer.
Sony’s Trinitron dominates the conversation just as it does in the world of retro CRT televisions and PVMs. Trinitron computer monitors are excellent, easy to find, and come from Sony, a brand people still recognize today. Other outstanding brands include Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LaCie, NEC, Iiyama, and Eizo.
Dell, Gateway, HP, and Compaq monitors are less loved, but this can be an opportunity. Large PC manufacturers didn’t make monitors in-house but rebranded monitors from others, and some use the same CRT tubes found in Trinitrons and other brands. Deciphering what’s in a rebrand can be difficult, though, so you may need to take a leap of faith.
I don’t recommend fretting brands and models if this is your first CRT. Trying to find a specific monitor is frustrating and, depending on your dream monitor, can take years (or cost thousands of dollars). Still, keep brand in mind when negotiating price. A Gateway monitor with mystery specifications might look great, but it’s not worth top dollar.
CRTs were improved and refined over the years. The oldest CRT monitors commonly sold are pushing forty years of age. They have a low maximum resolution, a low refresh rate, and small physical display size.
Newer CRT monitors, such as those produced in the mid-90s and the 2000s, will look sharper, handle reflections better, and have less noticeable lines or gaps in the image they display. You’re also find better on-screen menus with extensive image quality options.
Luckily, CRT monitors often have a label indicating the year or even month of production. This is printed on the rear of the display or might be found on a sticker in this same location. Newer is better, and a CRT built this millennia are best.
Most CRT computer monitors have a display size between 13 and 21 inches. If you follow my advice and stick with newer monitors, though, you’ll be comparing monitors between 15 and 21 inches.
I don’t recommend going below 17 inches unless you’re trying to replicate the experience of a late-80s or early-90s computer or have very limited space. Smaller CRT monitors feel tiny by modern standards. They also tend to support lower resolutions that are only ideal for enjoying older content.
There’s such a thing as too large, too, so be cautious about massive CRTs. A 21-inch CRT monitor can weigh 50 or 60 pounds. You’re unlikely to run into a CRT computer monitor larger than 21 inches, and if you do, it can weigh nearly 100 pounds. The Sony GDM-FW900, a truly epic 24-inch 16:9 CRT, is the most well-known of these rare beasts.
19 inches is the sweet spot. This size of CRT monitor remains manageable. It’s about as tall as a 24-inch LCD (though narrower, of course) and isn’t too hard to find. With that said, 17-inch monitors are more common and less expensive, so don’t hesitate to leap on a 17-incher if you find one.
Resolution works differently on a CRT computer monitor than on a modern LCD. CRT monitors are an analog technology and don’t have a native resolution. CRT monitors were sometimes marketed with a “recommended” resolution that served as a guideline, but CRTs computer monitors support a range of input resolutions and refresh rates.
Take the Hitachi SuperScan 751 as an example. This 19-inch CRT computer monitor lists a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 at 85Hz but supports 1024 x 768 at 130Hz and 640 x 480 at 160Hz.
The importance of resolution depends on your use. I use my CRT monitor to run Windows 95/98 in a virtual machine, play late-90s PC games, and emulate console games. All of these were designed with lower resolutions in mind, so the content I’m viewing is usually at a resolution of 1024 x 768 or lower.
If you want to use a CRT monitor to play Doom: Eternal at insane refresh rates with near-perfect response times, however, you’ll prefer the highest resolution you can find. Resolution is not the final word on CRT monitor sharpness but in general a higher resolution will appear sharper.
Dot pitch is the distance between dots in a shadow mask or the distance between wires in an aperture grill. More on that in a moment. Remember that a CRT shoots electrons at the front of the display. The shadow mask or aperture grill filters the electrons so they hit phosphors at the front of the display and create a usable color image. The gaps in the shadow mask or aperture grill influences how sharp the image appears.
Dot pitch is measured in millimeters. I recommend monitors with a horizontal dot pitch around .28 millimeters or lower. A dot pitch between .24 millimeters and .21 millimeters is excellent. Lower is better, but you likely won’t find a monitor with a dot pitch below .21 millimeters in your search.
Make dot pitch a priority if you care about sharpness at resolutions beyond 1600 x 1200. A monitor with a lackluster dot pitch might support a high resolution but appear blurrier at a high resolution than a low resolution. This occurs when a CRT monitor’s dot pitch isn’t up to the task.
Dot pitch is less important if you only care to use a CRT at lower resolutions. Late-model CRT monitors will be enjoyable at 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 no matter the dot pitch listed on their spec sheet.
A shadow mask or aperture grill is a filter a CRT computer monitor uses to make sure electrons end up where they should be. A shadow mask does the job with a metal mask of evenly spaced holes. An aperture grill uses an array of wires instead. Sony was the first to introduce aperture grill technology under the Trinitron brand name, but Sony wasn’t the only company that sold CRT monitors with an aperture grill.
In general, a monitor with an aperture grill will be superior to one with a shadow mask. The aperture grill blocks less light than a shadow mask, which translates to a brighter and more colorful picture. The aperture grill is also better suited for a flat CRT display, though flat shadow mask CRTs were produced.
That’s not to say shadow masks were trash. Hitachi and NEC put a ton of effort into shadow mask technology to rival Sony’s Trinitron and had success. A late-model Hitachi ErgoFlat or NEC ChromaClear is a great monitor. If you’re comparing two random, mid-range monitors, though, the aperture grill will probably be brighter and more attractive.
As mentioned, CRT monitors support a range of resolutions and refresh rates. The higher the resolution, the lower the refresh rate. Most late-model CRT monitors had a refresh rate of at least 75Hz at maximum resolution. Lower resolutions come with higher supported refresh rates with the best models topping out at 200Hz.
Refresh rate and resolution are linked. CRT monitors with the best refresh rates also support the highest resolutions. If you want the best refresh rate, then, you’ll need to keep an eye out for a top-tier CRT monitor, and you should expect to use it at a resolution lower than the maximum it supports.
Obsessing over a CRT’s refresh rate is often not worth the trouble. CRT monitors feel smooth not just because of refresh but also thanks to fundamental differences in how an image is produced. Nearly all late-model CRT monitors support a refresh rate of at least 75Hz at their maximum supported resolution and look exceptionally smooth.
Most CRT televisions and monitors have curved (also known as convex) glass. This was necessary to fix some problems of CRT technology. CRT makers found ways to overcome these issues by the mid-1990s and flat CRT displays hit the market. Shoppers loved them and flat-screen models dominated the final years of CRT production.
The big difference is the most obvious: Curved CRT monitors are curved, and flat CRT monitors aren’t. Your choice should come down to the “feel” you’re going for. A curved CRT will feel more accurate to a mid-90s PC or earlier, while flat screens were more common after the turn of the millennium. Those looking to use a CRT with modern software and games will prefer a flat screen as well.
The vast majority of CRT computer monitors you’ll encounter have a VGA video input. This is likely the only input on the monitor. It’s an analog technology that most modern computers do not support, so you’ll need an active DisplayPort or HDMI to VGA adapter. I use a StarTech adapter from Amazon.
Be careful about the adapter you purchase. Many, including the one I purchased, have a maximum resolution and refresh rate below the best CRT monitors available. It works for me because I’m mostly driving lower resolutions and my CRT monitor is a mid-range model. But I would need to upgrade if I bought a better CRT.
While VGA dominates by far, it’s not the only input you might find. A handful of late-model CRTs support a version of DVI-A or DIV-I, which can provide an analog signal. CRT monitors from the 1980s might use a different video input. Commodore 1701 and 1702 monitors, for example, can use a composite input (just as you’d find on a CRT television).
The fastest way to buy a CRT monitor is eBay or Etsy. Hundreds of CRT computer monitors are available, including many that fit the recommendations of this guide. You’ll have to spend several hundred dollars, however, and you can’t see the monitor before buying. Shipping is a gamble, too. Many fine CRTs have met their demise in the hands of Fedex.
Local listings like Craigslist, OfferUp, and Facebook Marketplace can help you find a more affordable monitor, but stock can be limited depending on your location. Rural readers may have to search for months or drive long distances. Try to test the CRT before you buy, especially if it’s not sold at a low price. Ask the seller to have it connected to a PC when you arrive.
Don’t neglect searching offline. I snagged my current CRT computer monitor for free from someone a few blocks away who decided to put old electronics on the curb. Yard sales and estate sales are great, too. They can be a grind if you don’t enjoy the search, but you’ll spend a lot less than you would online.
Put out the word, as well. Post on social media about your search and ask relatives if they have a hidden gem. CRT monitors aren’t easy to move or dispose of, so they’re often stuffed in a closet, attic, or basement. Many people will let you have a monitor to get it out of their hair.
Good luck on your search. Just remember: The best CRT monitor is the one you own. Don’t be too harsh on the CRTs you come across. Your first task is finding one that meets your needs and reliably works. After that, you can get picky. Once again, if you’re looking for a newer display filled with the latest and greatest goodies, our guides to the best PC monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors can help you find the perfect fit for your needs.
The primary component used in the CRT is the vacuum tube while in LCD it is liquid crystal. The LCD uses shutter effect and also known as twisting of light for displaying images. On the other hand, CRT employs beam penetration and shadow masking methods.
CRT expands to (Cathode Ray Tube) which uses electron beam (cathode rays) and utilized in monochromatic display monitors. CRT is made up of a glass tube where in one end there exists a display screen coated with phosphor while on the other end connectors are attached to it.
The colour CRT uses three different electron guns inspite of single electron guns and three kinds of phosphor coating inside the display screen. This phosphor coating is capable of emitting red, green and blue light.
Now, what is refresh rate? The rate at which the content of the frame buffer transmitted to the display monitor is referred to a refresh rate. The required rate of refreshing for proper functioning is 60 frames per second or even more than that. The flickering effect is one of the major demerits of the CRT’s which causes due low refreshing rate. The low refreshing rates rise the inability of integration of light impulses from the phosphor dots into a stable picture.
Another major issue in CRT is that the phosphor persistence of monitor must be accurate, sufficiently long for a frame to retain the visibility while short enough to fade prior to the next frame is displayed.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Displays) are categorized under the non-emissive displays as it uses optical effects to transform the light into graphics pattern. It renders the pictures on monitors by passing the polarized light from the atmosphere or internal light source across a liquid crystal material which can completely allow the light to transmit or block it.
The alignment of the molecules in LCD is shown in the diagram given below where in the “on state” the polarized light surpassing the material is tilted at 90 degrees making it possible to be passed through the opposite polarizer. After that, the light is reflected back to the viewer. For switching off the pixel the voltage is applied to the two intersecting conductors to align the molecules causing 0° degrees of rotation.
In LCD’s to present colours a triad of colour pixels is placed at each pixel location which is formed using different materials or dies, these are known as passive matrix display. In some cases, the LCD is constructed using a transistor, here the primary task of the transistor is to regulate the voltage at each pixel positions and preventing the leakage of charges from liquid crystal cells.
The cost of CRT is low due to the popularity of LCD, the use of CRT had been extremely reduced while LCD can be purchased at a higher price as compared to CRT.
The equipment used in CRT to form image is the electron beam. On the contrary, the liquid crystal is the major component of LCD in the formation of the image.
CRT is the older technology which also has flaws such as image flickering, high power consumption, low resolution. However, these are still in use in some places. On the other side, LCD is newer technology and has eliminated several limitations of CRT’s, but still, CRT response rate is better than LCD.
No native resolution. Currently, the only display technology capable of multi-syncing (displaying different resolutions and refresh rates without the need for scaling).Display lag is extremely low due to its nature, which does not have the ability to store image data before output, unlike LCDs, plasma displays and OLED displays.
Let"s say you have $1,000 to burn on a desktop PC gaming monitor. You could buy a brand-new 4K display with quantum dots, high dynamic range, and a fast refresh rate, or splurge on a curved QHD monitor so wide that it stretches into your peripheral vision while playing.Alternatively, you could venture onto eBay and spend similar money on a CRT monitor from 20 years ago.The latter option might not be as ill-advised as it seems. Within PC gaming circles, some people insist that cathode ray tube monitors, despite their lower resolutions, smaller screens, and considerable bulk, are superior for games because they respond to input faster and have less motion blur than LCDs. Although this argument"s been floating around for years, it just got a new wave of attention from Eurogamer"s Digital Foundry, which recently created a video extolling the outdated display tech.Advertisement"Today"s premium-priced gaming LCDs are trying very hard to recapture CRT"s major benefits—low latency, high refresh rates and reduced input lag—but as good as many of these screens are, for our money nothing beats a good old-fashioned cathode ray tube display for desktop gaming—not even the very best LCD screens on the market," Digital Foundry editor Richard Leadbetter wrote.
Unfortunately, getting a CRT monitor that works well with modern PC games is a lot harder than buying a 4K LCD monitor on Amazon. While CRT TVs and monitors are readily available on Craigslist or your local thrift store (sometimes even for free) only a handful of models support the widescreen aspect ratios that some modern games require. The most prized CRT monitor of them all, Sony"s GDM-FW900, recently sold for $999 on eBay, and buying a compatible graphics card or video adapter could raise the final cost even further.The payoff, however, will be imperceptible input lag and no motion blur, along with a feeling, perhaps, that you"ve kept another aging monitor out of an e-waste graveyard. PC gamers have arguably spent more for less before.
The case for CRT gamingOn a CRT monitor, the screen is coated in millions of phosphor dots, with one red, green, and blue dot for every individual pixel. To light up each pixel, an electron beam scans across the screen, focusing electrons on individual phosphor dots and causing them to emit photons. Applying more voltage to the system generates more electrons, in turn causing each dot to emit more light.That"s a lot to wrap your head around, but the thing to keep in mind is that the electron-to-photon exchange happens instantly. While CRTs do have some sources of lag—namely, the time spent buffering each video frame and scanning each line of the frame from top to bottom on the screen—those delays are on the order of microseconds. When you move your mouse or press a button on the keyboard, the response time is imperceptible.Advertisement"It"s the chemistry of the phosphors," said Barry Young, a longtime CRT display analyst who is now the CEO of the OLED Association. "You hit it with an electron, and it creates a photon immediately."By contrast, an LCD requires physical movement on the part of every pixel. On an LCD, the back of the display emits a constant stream of white light, which passes through a polarizer and onto an array of liquid crystals. Applying voltage to each crystal causes them to twist, altering the amount of light that comes through the screen"s front polarizer.Compared to electron-photon conversion, the physical movement of liquid crystals inside an LCD display takes a lot more time, introducing input lag. It also creates blurriness when there"s a lot of motion happening across the screen.Raymond Soneira, the president of display research firm DisplayMate, has found that this issue even persists on panels with faster refresh rates than the usual 60 Hz. This may explain why Digital Foundry"s John Linneman described the CRT experience as "cleaner, smoother, [and] nicer" compared to even the best LCDs."The issue here is that you"re comparing an electronic conversion—that is, from an electron to a photon—with physically twisting the liquid crystal," Young said. "The faster something moves across the panel, the less capable an LCD is with keeping up with the movement."In fairness, LCD panel makers have done a lot to close the gap with CRTs. Young points out that liquid crystals twist faster than they used to, and LCD panels can further reduce latency and motion blur by buffering an additional frame in their timing controllers or inserting artificial frames.AdvertisementAs the CEO of the OLED Association, he also argues that OLED displays provide the same responsiveness as CRT monitors because they also involve electron-to-photon conversion, only with organic chemicals (the "O" in OLED is for organic) receiving the voltage instead of phosphor dots."There"s really no difference between OLEDs and CRTs," Young said.Still, large-screen OLED panel makers to date have focused nearly all their energy on televisions, so the only OLED monitor on the market today is a 22-inch panel from Asus that costs $4,000. Young said the manufacturer of those panels, JOLED, is building a larger factory next year, bringing down costs, It may be a while until OLED monitors can compete with even the best LCDs on price.
Hunting for the CRT holy grailIf you"re convinced that a CRT monitor is the way to go, you"ll still have a lot of competition in finding a great one.Adam Taylor, who creates educational tech videos under the name EposVox on YouTube, has spent years trying to find a Sony GDM-FW900 in decent condition. He"s set up multi-keyword searches on sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace, and regularly puts out feeler posts in his area to see if anyone might have any leads. For a monitor that doesn"t need any repairs and doesn"t have any major cosmetic issues, Taylor said in an interview that he"s willing to pay up to $500.The FW900"s big selling point, Taylor said, is its 16:10 aspect ratio, which is much wider than the 4:3 aspect ratio of most CRT monitors. Although a 16:9 aspect ratio is more common among LCD monitors today, most games still support 16:10, which would fill the entire screen on a FW900. The monitor also has a maximum resolution of 2304x1440 at a refresh rate of 80 Hz—pretty good even by modern standards—and it can hit a super-smooth refresh rate of 160 Hz when the resolution is cut in half.Advertisement"It can do ridiculous things while still supporting a modern workflow, because it"s 16:10," Taylor said.Beyond the FW900, Taylor said the same monitor has sold under different makes and models, including the HP A7217A, SGI GDM-FW9011, and Sun GDM-FW9010, but those are no easier to come by. A couple 16:9 CRT monitors also exist, including the Intergraph InterView 28HD96 (famously used by John Carmack to code Quake) and 24HD96, but they"re even rarer.Even if you can find one, you"ll need a graphics card with an analog output, such as Nvidia"s 900 series and AMD"s 300 series cards, or a digital-to-analog converter. You"ll also have to go in knowing the monitor may not last. As the phosphor inside a CRT ages, it will naturally lose its luminance, and that"s assuming it doesn"t suffer any other issues along the way. Repairing a CRT can be tedious and dangerous, Taylor says, and repair shops are practically nonexistent."It"s one of those things, you don"t get to keep it forever," Taylor said. "You know that getting into it, because it"s very old technology that is very prone to problems and needing maintenance."Still, Taylor is he"s glad to see CRT monitors getting another round of attention. That"s not always the case with some of his fellow CRT enthusiasts, who fear that more media coverage will inflate prices and bring in too many newbies, Taylor said. But outside of some occasional instances of people capitalizing on the hype (like the FW900 that sold for $999 on eBay) he hasn"t seen much evidence of price gouging. Most CRT monitor sales, he said, come from people who"ve hoarded them in garages and basements and just want to get rid of them.Besides, getting CRTs into the hands of people who want to play with them is better than having them wind up in warehouses, waiting for a recycling solution that never comes."We have no way established, at least in the U.S., to get rid of these things, and so to see people use them and have fun with them in a way that keeps them from just being destroyed pieces of glass and lead in the streets is a super good place for me," Taylor says. "There"s a whole elitist, "This is better," aspect to it, but just using the screens and having fun, I think, is really important."
As of July 2021, CRT monitors are no longer in production. Even if you managed to get a used CRT monitor, there is a issue of connecting it to your system as newer PCs/notebooks come equipped only with HDMI and/or DisplayPort display ports. However, this can be worked around using HDMI to VGA adapters.
The viewable area is about 0.9 - 1.1 inch smaller than the size specified on paper. This is due to the frame around the glass screen. So a 15" CRT would have only about 14" of viewable area.
17 inch LCD has 17 inch viewable. 24 inch LCD has about 23.8" viewable depending on model. Slightly less viewable as sizes go bigger, but not as severe as CRT.
Many manufacturers tout true flatness for their CRT monitors, but the sad truth is that most are fake. In reality it is only the outer glass that is flat, and not the actual screen. The true 100% perfect flat monitors are the aperture grille tubes made by Mitsubishi and Sony. Even then, these tubes have a disadvantage - a faint thin line or two (depending on size) running through the screen to stabilize the grill. Some people find this distracting, especially if you work on a white background (eg. documents) most of the time.
CRTs emit electromagnetic radiation. Much of it is filtered by the lead heavy glass front and the rest that reaches your eyes are mostly harmless. Even then, radiation still passes through the screen and some people regard them as hazardous.
CRTs weigh heavier, especially in the front (the display area) 17 inch CRT weighs around 16kg. 19 inch CRT weighs around 20kg.
Higher power usage, more than 400% compared to an LED backlight LCD of equivalent size. 17 inch CRT requires around 90 watts 19 inch CRT requires around 110 watts
LCDs are free from the burn-in issue that plagues CRTs and Plasma displays. However, they do occasionally have Image Persistence problems which can be fixed by switching off the LCD for an extended period of time.
LCDs do not "paint" their image. They provide a flicker free image every time. However, games and fast moving videos benefit from a higher refresh rate monitor by appearing smoother
LCD panels are prone to dead or stuck pixels (or dots) on the screen due to their manufacturing process. However, stiff competition has made many manufacturers adopt zero dead pixel / stuck pixel warranties for their products.
Must be used at its native resolution (maximum resolution) for best quality. Using the display at a lower resolution will result interpolation (scaling of the image), causing image quality loss. For this reason, gamers should avoid buying a monitor too high a resolution (e.g. 4K) as you will need more processing power (and more fan noise) to run the game in native resolution. As of 2021, we recommend 1920 x 1080 monitors when paired with recent GPUs/processors.
As CRT monitors are no longer manufactured, LCD monitors are the only way to go. Our recommendation is to go for a LED backlight LCD monitor that has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080.
Currently I am using a curved 31.5 inch 1920 x 1080 G-Sync 144hz monitor - the Acer Predator Z321 Qbmiphzx. It was b