There are hundreds of inexpensive, virtually commoditized, computer monitors on sale this year from a couple to a few hundred bucks. But, only a handful have anti-glare screens and ergonomic stands. An anti-glare screen is "Easy on The Eyes", buying the viewer some extra time before the eyes fatigue. And if you are prone to migranes, an anti-glare screen simply enables you. An ergonomic (height adjustable and tilting) stand minimizes eye and neck strain and allows the viewer to periodically change seat positions to reduce repetitive stress such problems as carpel tunnel syndrome.

Other nice to have features include an LED screen for reduced energy consumption, a digital TV tuner and buttons (remember buttons?). As the laptop driving this monitor will be closed in its dock, I was hoping to find an anti-glare monitor with manual brightness and volume controls, not too much to ask. I'd also like to see a nice pair of integrated speakers to reduce cable clutter on the desk.

As it turned out, there are only a half dozen monitors on the market in the 23" - 24" category that can be considered "Easy on the Eyes" (blame the iPhone). Even worse, only a couple vendors still list the anti-glare screen under the specs on their websites .

Apple was known for best of breed monitors, and still is, if you can stand looking into the Steve Jobs vanity mirror. Apple has standardized on glossy screens (again, blame the iPhone). I bought my grandmother a two generation old imac to avoid the infinite number of reflections between her reading glasses and the display.

Below, I've listed what I consider to be the best monitors in their category. All can be considered high resolution with at least 1920x1080 resolution. None of these vendors have a dominant feature set. I wish I could tell you that I've viewed all of these monitors but retail outlets rarely carry the price-performers anymore so I can't compare the image quality without buying them all online. The irony is that you need to have a high resolution monitor already to read the manufacturer's flash-based websites. Its best if you can see one before you buy as this is a visual purchase and the department store lights will convince you to avoid the glossy screens. Ultimately, the difference is in what you see.

23"- 24" Pro-sumer Monitor Conference Standings

1. NEC EX231W-BK 4 - 2 - 0
2. Samsung FX2490HD 4 - 2 - 1
3. HP ZR24w 3 - 2 - 1
4. Dell U2410 2 - 4 - 0
5. Viewsonic VX2450wm 2 - 5 -1

Dell Ultrasharp U2410 24" IPS

• PRO: 2 port Integrated USB Hub.
• PRO: Optional USB Speaker Bar w/manual volume control
• CON: Monitor stand will tilt but is not height adjustable.
• CON: Menu-driven, manual brightness controls on the display.
• CON: No digital TV tuner.
• CON: Not an LED energy saving display.

Hewlett-Packard ZR24w S-IPS 24"

• PRO: 4 port Integrated USB Hub (but you'll need 1 for the optional speaker)
• PRO: Ergonomic stand.
• PRO: Optional USB Speaker Bar w/manual volume control #NQ576AT
• Has a manual brightness control but with only a minimal control range.
• CON: No digital TV tuner.
• CON: Not an LED energy saving display.

NEC Multisync EX231W-BK 23"

• PRO: 2 port Integrated USB Hub.
• PRO: Ergonomic stand.
• PRO: Manual brightness controls on the display.
• PRO: LED energy saving display display.
• CON: No integrated speakers.
• CON: No digital TV tuner.

Samsung Syncmaster FX2490HD HDTV 24"

• PRO: 5W integrated speakers
• PRO: Ergonomic stand.
• PRO: Digital TV tuner & remote.
• PRO: LED energy saving display.
• 1 Integrated USB Port
• CON: Multi-step, manual brightness control is "challenging".
• CON: Distracting,High Gloss, brown cabinet.

Viewsonic VX2450wm

• PRO: 2.5W speakers.
• PRO: LED energy saving display display.
• CON: No height adjustable stand (but it does tilt).
• CON: Tricky, multi-step, manual brightness controls.
• CON: No integrated USB Hub.
• CON: Distracting High Gloss cabinet.
• CON: No digital TV tuner.