You've seen them in stores. You've seen them in magazines. You might've even seen them in your dreams…..

But thanks to falling prices and the introduction of the next big leap in display technology (LCD Flat Panels) the next time you see a 21" CRT monitor might be as you connect it to your own PC.

With software houses pumping out games that offer unprecedented levels of visual flair and appeal, there has clearly never been a more prudent time to own a large size display. In previous years monitors 20" or larger were forbidden fruit for most gamers or mainstream PC users, as their sky-high prices limited their practicality and value. In addition, the technology and power requirements needed for propelling 2D or 3D apps at the higher resolutions that the large monitors provided wasn't widely available pricewise until earlier this year (Matrox Millenium 2 and 3Dfx Voodoo2 SLI products).

Now, as we end this amazing year of price drops and technology progress, it's become clear that even massive 21" monitors can be considered as practical for certain PC owners.

Ranging on the street from $735 to $970 in price, the five 21" monitors we've been able to wrangle from their manufacturers to compare against each other include offerings from Panasonic, ADi, MAG, ViewSonic, and Hitachi.

Read this comparison and make sure you add the winner to your own Christmas gift wish list…..Maybe Santa will drop a 21" bundle of joy down your chimney.

** If you'd like to see the exact specifications for each monitor we looked at, be sure to visit our specially prepared specification sheet.