Most PC components date faster than a David Beckham barnet. Take graphics cards, for instance. A matter of a few months is all it takes to leave the latest all-conquering pixel pumper looking past it.

That's something we PC enthusiasts simply have to live with. Mercifully, this doesn't apply to every part of your PC.

There's at least one important component that has some distance-running chops.

Select a PC monitor wisely today and it will still be providing good service a couple of years later. Sure, like any other technology, LCD panels keep improving, but compared to the almost insane pace of computer chip development, which sees capabilities double every 18 months, LCD screens improve at a much more gentlemanly rate.

All of which means this LCD supertest is a must read if you're in the market for a monitor.