[NicoliToodle]

I am hoping to buy a G5 in January and don't know which monitor to start with. Is the 20" Apple Cinema or the LaCie 22" CRT easier on the eyes?

[MUGlover]

CRTs flicker. Apple Cinema and other LCD panels do not. More importantly, visit a location where they are running and see for yourself, because that is what matters.

I also like the Apple displays because the icon at the lower left corner of the screen looks like it controls brightness. It does, but not with a hardware-based menu. This control calls up your Monitors panel in System Preferences. Perhaps it will help you to dial down brightness. It helps for me. I am a fan of gray backgrounds when I can configure them.

[pysan]

LCD all the way. I got my first cheap brand 17" LCD and it is still running like a champ, and there is no going back to a CRT! I can't even stand looking at them for a few minutes when I help my friend's on their computers (PC's) and working in the school lab. CRT's are such a step down when it comes to eye fatigue and such. Even a really good one is very noticeable to me now. So if your eyes are sensitive, I'd say try an LCD for a week, and you will never be able to go back. I would also imagine the Apple LCD's are way better than the cheap no-name brand one I have. Good luck!

[Geoff Thompson]

A non-cheapo CRT is also fine too. I like my Mitsubishi Diamondtron which can do 85hz so there is no flicker, and also seems to have a much vivider picture than the Cinema display's I have seen on display. Although I bet if the Cinema's were under normal incandescant light they would look better also. Just don't rule out CRT's is budget is a concern. My Diamondtron was $250 so definitely much cheaper than any LCD...

[osxisfun]

i've been using a dual apple 20" lcd set up for a while. i switch from a dual viewsonic 19" CRT.

i don't know if this helps but the difference is i feel i have not "squinted" since switching. apple's 20" screens are top notch.

if possible, visit an apple store to see the quality.

[Link]

When you have the brightness towards the mid/low the monitor seems to be like another object sittnig in the room, if you know what I mean

then it's basically more like reading a book..

[iYeat]

My 2 cents, any LCD display will be better on the eyes than any CRT -- even CRTs with a high refresh rate (just because you can't see the flicker doesn't mean it's not there)

Also I've noticed that with CRTs the flicker of the refresh rate does something with your eyes that makes your eyelids forget to blink, causing your eyes to dry out. I've seen several people have their contact lenses fall out of their eyes after a few hours of working on a crt...

LCDs have no flicker.. and even the cheap ones look pretty good, providing that your using them at their optimal resolution.

[esc]

There are probably many types of light sensitivity. My wife has a problem with CRTs and can't work at one for more than 15 minutes without serious headaches. LCD displays completely changed the world for her -- she now can actually use a computer for extended periods.