In the last few months, LCD pricing has fallen dramatically. When you shop for a flat panel monitor, you'll need a different set of criteria to evaluate your options. First, check the viewing angle, preferably from your normal viewing position. Improvements, however, have widened the viewing angle to between 120 and 160 degrees. Also, see how images display in the resolutions you use.
Regular monitors have the ability to display images at a variety of resolutions.
While images are terrific in that resolution, those same images can appear slightly distorted or blocky looking in non-native resolutions. Also, the LCD is not terrific at capturing fast-moving images. Finally, see what it takes to make the screen work with your computer. The LCD industry is currently trying to shift the interface between the computer and monitor from analog to digital. With an analog interface, most LCD monitors can be plugged right into the same graphics card that a regular monitor uses.