Desktop vs Monitor: What’s the Difference?



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When it comes to desktop vs monitor, many people are unaware of the differences. Whether you are an IT novice or someone who is not tech-oriented, you might not be familiar with these two terms.

The good news is: you don’t need to feel left out because many individuals confuse these two IT devices. For starters, a desktop is a personal computer that comes with a set of related elements that can be placed over a desk. On the other hand, a monitor is an output device that displays all the visuals transferred from the computer over its screen.

In this post, we are going to take a look at the characteristics, types, and differences between these two IT units. 

What is the difference between Desktop vs Monitor?

The Desktop – Definition

A desktop computer is a computer that fits on or under a desk. The desktop area is based on an area containing peripheral devices, which includes input devices such as keyboard and mouse, and display devices such as a monitor and TV. Unlike laptops, these are stationary computers that cannot be moved easily.

When Did the First Desktops Appear?

It all started out in the year 1968 when HP came up with the 9100A desktop model. After that, as time moved on, newer desktops kept on coming with upgraded features.

Then, in 1984, Tandy introduced the DeskMate desktop that was based on an input text. Just like a standard desktop, you could open files and disk contents on the DeskMate. After that, in the year 1985, Microsoft gifted the tech world with Windows 1.0

After introducing Windows 1.0, Windows always added a newer graphical element to its desktop. Although the latest operating systems by Windows have similar foundational bases to that of early desktops, there are considerable improvements and innovations. As Windows desktop kept on evolving, every new unit came out with better visuals and color depth. Some highly sought-after cost-effective desktops include hp pavilion gaming desktop, dell g5 gaming desktop, and hp omen desktop.

Virtual Desktops

In virtual desktops, there is no dependency on having a specific physical device to set up a desktop environment. You can access these pre-configured images from any other device you want without any physical restriction. Users can operate a virtual desktop, as long as they have any typical gadget like a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. There is one caveat though: you should first install client software on your current device to gain access to a specific virtual desktop.

Think of it as a physical workstation. You can even work with more powerful data over a virtual desktop because you will have access to additional storage and back-end databases. Users might not experience a similar level of liberty to that of owning a home-based desktop, as they might not be able to freely make permanent changes or install applications. The best part is that you will be able to open the same desktop configuration and settings no matter which device you log in from.

The Monitor – Definition

A monitor is a high-resolution display device that displays visual information generated by the graphic card of the computer it is connected with. The graphical output signal can be seen in various forms such as images, text, video, and graphics. With the help of a monitor’s display interface, users can interact with a computer through peripheral units like a mouse and keyboard. 

Types of Monitors

1. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Monitors

A CRT monitor is one of the early technologies that require more energy, space, and electronics to fully function. The monitor is shaped like a large elongated box that maintains a specific distance between the screen surface and the electron guns. With the help of electron guns, the computer CRT monitor produces images on its screen.

The electron guns enter into a continuous firing mode to generate images based on the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colors spectrum. By making different unique combinations of these three RGB colors, the monitor produces new color variations. Now, with the advent of Flat Panel Monitors, CRT monitors have become obsolete. 

2. Flat Panel Monitors

Also abbreviated as FPD, the flat-panel display monitors came out as an upgrade to the CRTs. Unlike CRT monitors, FPDs are compact, lightweight, and more energy-efficient. They also pose less threat to your health because they don’t emanate any harmful radiation. Some of the devices in which you can find FPDs include PDA, notebook computers, and cellular phones. 

Depending upon the device in which flat-panel display units are installed, you can get them in different sizes like 15 inches, 17 inches, and 19 inches. Flat-panel monitors are mainly divided into two specialized technologies:

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD Monitors)

LCD (Liquid crystal display) screens are based on light-modulating properties of liquid crystals after coming in contact with varying electric voltage. Inside these screens, you can find a special fluid. The particles of this fluid are arranged in a manner that reflects light right back on the screen – which creates images.

Gas Plasma Display Monitors

This flat-panel display is based on plasma glass technology. It works by sandwiching neon gas between two glass plates. One plate conducts electricity horizontally while the other plate carries it out vertically to form an image on the screen.

3. LED Monitors

It is a type of flat-panel monitor, which is short for a light-emitting diode (LED). Because of the surprising low depth of these monitors, they are light in weight and compact in dimensions. 

The main difference between LEDs and LCDs is the way the screen is backlit. LCD monitors use CCFLs ((cold cathode fluorescent lamps) to illuminate the screen. On the other hand, LED screens produce images with the help of tiny semiconductors that give off light when they are charged with electric current. Many of the modern-day gadgets are based on LED screens, some of these include laptops, mobile phones, and tablets. 

For IT fans, there is exciting news that various device manufacturers are trying to get micro-LEDs in the upcoming units. This will level up the display factor of new output devices. 

4. OLED Monitors

It is an advanced flat-plant monitor device that is based on illumination pixels based on OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). With OLED monitors, you get to enjoy wide viewing angles, a better contrast ratio, and richer color depths. 

The illumination mechanism of OLEDs is not dependent on backlighting. It merely takes place with the flow of current between a cathode and an anode, which gives off an emissive display. With OLEDs, you get to have sharper image quality and faster response time. 

Desktop vs Montior: Final Words

We hope by reading this blog post, you were able to learn some new insights about desktop vs monitor. Now you are less likely to get confused the next time you hear about these two terms.

In short, the monitor is the output unit that displays visual information transferred by your computer. While, a desktop is a combination of multiple peripheral devices of different shapes and sizes that make up a complete computer.

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