If you’re still using a 17″ display, perhaps Santa inadvertently missed your chimney. Today’s publishing (and general computer work) demands require a lot of monitor real estate. A 20″ or greater display should pay for itself quickly in saved time, not to mentioned reduced eyestrain.

A recent MacWorld review compared the most recent crop of 20″ LCD monitors. Top pick was a unit from NEC; with street prices at around $350. A couple of caveats when using LCDs for prepress work:

1. Off the shelf, these consumer units may be miles away from being correctly calibrated. You’ll need a software hardware combo such as the Huey from Pantone to set things straight. At $89 it’s easily worth the money; in fact, we use it here at Copies&Ink. Here’s a video about the unit:

2. While big displays are now much more affordable, they should be considered consumer units, not suited for high end color work. So consider your needs and expectations before making the investment. It might be worth considering an Apple Cinema display or other mid to high price unit, if your need exceeds that of pleasing color.

What’s in your design studio? How has it worked? Drop us a line or a comment!