You will likely see a variety of benchmarks used to compare video cards. When comparing make sure you are comparing using the same benchmark and the same version of that benchmark. Many benchmarks in the past have changed throughout the various versions of the software and produce different results in older and newer versions, so comparing old benchmarks versus new will sometimes mean nothing. When looking at monitors, examine the monitor to make sure that the images on the monitor look crisp and clear and not blurry. To check to see if a monitor is digital or not, screen adjustments other than brightness and contrast should be adjusted by buttons and not knobs.
Knobs are fine for brightness and contrast.
To fully check this you should check the adjustment for all of the basic screen resolutions such as 640x480,800x600 and 1024x768. It usually says in small print, but always make sure you ask.