I’ve resisted splurging on a flat panel because the cost is usually at least double what a similarly sized CRT monitor goes for. Today I took the plunge because I found an internet guy who was selling a new IBM T541 15″ LCD dirt cheap. I couldn’t pass it up, and I’m thrilled with the purchase already. I’ve been running multiple monitor systems for a while, and this is now the 2nd monitor on my main desktop.

The text on this LCD is far, far crisper than my 19″ NEC AccuSync 95F CRT. It’s much easier to read, easier on my eyes, and a joy to use. So much so, in fact, that I’m contemplating moving my NEC monitor over to the side and using this smaller flat panel as my main monitor, despite the IBM’s low 1024×768 resolution. (I run my main monitor at 1280×1024 – it makes a huge difference in usability.)

I had promised myself I’d use my tax refund to pay off my credit cards, but now I’m thinking I see another flat panel in my future. My near future. Heh.