CRT

• High dynamic range (up to around 15,000:1), excellent color, wide gamut and low black level
  Black level
  Video black level is defined as the level of brightness at the darkest part of a visual image or the level of brightness at which no light is emitted from a screen, resulting in a pure black screen....
  
  . The color range of CRTs is unmatched by any display type except OLED.
• No native resolution; the only display technology capable of true multisyncing (displaying many different resolutions and refresh rate
  Refresh rate
  The refresh rate is the number of times in a second that a display hardware draws the data...
  
  s without the need for scaling
  Image scaling
  In computer graphics, image scaling is the process of resizing a digital image. Scaling is a non-trivial process that involves a trade-off between efficiency, smoothness and sharpness. As the size of an image is increased, so the pixels which comprise the image become increasingly visible, making...
  
  )
• No input lag
  Input lag
  Display lag is a phenomenon associated with some types of LCD displays, and nearly all types of HDTVs, that refers to latency, or lag measured by the difference between the time a signal is input into a display and the time it is shown by the display. This lag time has been measured as high as...
  
  
• No ghosting and smearing artifacts during fast motion due to sub-millisecond response time
  Response time
  In technology, response time is the time a system or functional unit takes to react to a given input.- Data processing :In data processing, the response time perceived by the end user is the interval between the instant at which an operator at a terminal enters a request for a response from a...
  
  , and impulse-based operation
• Near zero color, saturation, contrast or brightness distortion.
• Allows the use of light guns/pens
• Excellent viewing angle
  Viewing angle
  In display technology parlance, viewing angle is the maximum angle at which a display can be viewed with acceptable visual performance. In a technical context, this angular range is called viewing cone defined by a multitude of viewing directions....
  
  

• Large size and weight, especially for bigger screens (a 20 inches (50.8 cm) unit weighs about 50 lb (22.7 kg))
• Relatively high power consumption at high brightness and contrast levels and fast scan rates
• Generates a considerable amount of heat when running
• Geometric distortion caused by variable beam travel distances
• Can suffer screen burn-in
• Produces noticeable flicker at low refresh rates.
• Apart from televisions, CRT monitors are normally only produced in 4:3 aspect ratio (though some widescreen CRT monitors, notably Sony's GDM-FW900, do exist)
• Hazardous to repair/service
• Color displays cannot be made in sizes smaller than 7 inches. Maximum size for direct-view displays is limited to about 40 inches due to practical and manufacturing restrictions (a CRT display of this size can weigh about 300 pounds).

LCD

• Very compact and light
• Low power consumption, generally speaking. On average, 50-70% less energy is consumed than CRT monitors.
• No geometric distortion
• Little or no flicker depending on backlight technology
• Not affected by screen burn-in (though an analogous but less severe phenomenon known as image persistence
  Image persistence
  Image persistence is the LCD and plasma display equivalent of screen burn. Unlike screen burn, however, the effects are usually temporary. Plasma displays can also suffer from burn-in.-Cause:...
  
   is possible)
• Can be made in almost any size or shape
• No theoretical resolution limit

• Limited viewing angle
  Viewing angle
  In display technology parlance, viewing angle is the maximum angle at which a display can be viewed with acceptable visual performance. In a technical context, this angular range is called viewing cone defined by a multitude of viewing directions....
  
  , causing color, saturation, contrast and brightness to vary, even within the intended viewing angle, by variations in posture
• Bleeding and uneven backlighting in some monitors, causing brightness distortion, especially toward the edges
• Smearing and ghosting artifacts during fast motion caused by slow response times (2-8 ms) and sample-and-hold operation
• Only one native resolution
  Native resolution
  The native resolution of a LCD, LCoS or other flat panel display refers to its single fixed resolution. As an LCD display consists of a fixed raster, it cannot change resolution to match the signal being displayed as a CRT monitor can, meaning that optimal display quality can be reached only when...
  
  . Displaying other resolutions either requires a video scaler
  Video scaler
  A video scaler is a device for converting video signals from one size or resolution to another: usually "upscaling" or "upconverting" a video signal from a low resolution to one of higher resolution A video scaler is a device for converting video signals from one size or resolution to another:...
  
  , lowering perceptual quality, or display at 1:1 pixel mapping
  1:1 pixel mapping
  1:1 pixel mapping is a video display technique used in some devices, such as LCD monitors. A monitor that has been set to 1:1 pixel mapping will try to display an input source without scaling it, such that each pixel received is mapped to a single native pixel on the monitor...
  
  , in which images will be physically too large or won't fill the whole screen.
• Fixed bit depth. 8-bit S-IPS panels can display 16 million colors and have significantly better black level, but are expensive and have slower response time.
• Input lag
  Input lag
  Display lag is a phenomenon associated with some types of LCD displays, and nearly all types of HDTVs, that refers to latency, or lag measured by the difference between the time a signal is input into a display and the time it is shown by the display. This lag time has been measured as high as...
  
  
• Dead pixels may occur either during manufacturing or through use.
• In a constant-on situation, thermalization may occur, which is when only part of the screen has overheated and therefore looks discolored compared to the rest of the screen.
• Unacceptably slow response in low temperatures.
• Not all LCD displays are designed to allow easy replacement of the backlight
• Cannot be used with light guns/pens

Plasma

• High contrast ratios (1,000,000:1 static or greater,) excellent color, and low black level
• Virtually no response time
• Near zero color, saturation, contrast or brightness distortion. Excellent viewing angle.
• No geometric distortion
• Softer and less blocky-looking picture than LCDs
• Highly scalable, with less weight gain per increase in size (from less than 30 in (76.2 cm) wide to the world's largest at 150 in (3.8 m)).

• Large pixel pitch
  Dot pitch
  Dot pitch is a specification for a computer display, computer printer, image scanner, or other pixel-based device that describes the distance, for example, between dots of the same color on the inside of a display screen...
  
  , meaning either low resolution or a large screen. As such, color plasma displays are only produced in sizes over 32 inches (81.3 cm).
• Image flicker due to being phosphor-based
• Glass screen can induce glare and reflections
• High operating temperature
  Operating temperature
  An operating temperature is the temperature at which an electrical or mechanical device operates. The device will operate effectively within a specified temperature range which varies based on the device function and application context, and ranges from the minimum operating temperature to the...
  
   and power consumption. LCD and LED-based displays consume less power.
• Relatively heavy weight
• Only has one native resolution. Displaying other resolutions requires a video scaler
  Video scaler
  A video scaler is a device for converting video signals from one size or resolution to another: usually "upscaling" or "upconverting" a video signal from a low resolution to one of higher resolution A video scaler is a device for converting video signals from one size or resolution to another:...
  
  , which degrades image quality
  Image Quality
  Image quality is a characteristic of an image that measures the perceived image degradation . Imaging systems may introduce some amounts of distortion or artifacts in the signal, so the quality assessment is an important problem.-In photographic imaging:In digital or film-based photography, an...
  
   at lower resolutions.
• Fixed bit depth
  Color depth
  In computer graphics, color depth or bit depth is the number of bits used to represent the color of a single pixel in a bitmapped image or video frame buffer. This concept is also known as bits per pixel , particularly when specified along with the number of bits used...
  
  . Plasma cells can only be on or off, resulting in a more limited color range than LCDs or CRTs.
• Can suffer image burn-in. This was a severe problem on early plasma displays, but newer models have incorporated methods to reduce the chance of accidental burn-in.
• Relatively fragile; should only be transported, stored, and operated upright, as the glass screen can shatter under the display's own weight if not supported properly
• Cannot be used with light guns/pens
• Dead pixels are possible during manufacturing

OLED

• Excellent viewing angle
  Viewing angle
  In display technology parlance, viewing angle is the maximum angle at which a display can be viewed with acceptable visual performance. In a technical context, this angular range is called viewing cone defined by a multitude of viewing directions....
  
  
• Very light weight
• Excellent black level
• No ghosting and smearing artifacts during fast motion due to sub-millisecond response time
• Wide gamut and vivid colors because of no backlit

• Can suffer screen burn-in
• Difficult and expensive to manufacture at the present time
• Organic materials used (as of 2011) are susceptible to decay over time, rendering the display unusable after some time

External links

• PixPerAn, software for testing motion blur (ghosting) on a monitor