My (thin) LCD monitor consumes about half as much power as my former CRT (big bulky) monitor. I figure the new LCD monitor will pay for itself in power savings after eight years.
A bunch of the power consumed by LCD monitors is for the fluorescent backlighting, without which you would see zilch -- except in bright sunlight. (Early notebook computer used LCD screens with no backlighting -- very dim they were!)
The next development in LCD screens is LED backlighting -- the same sort of lighting technology that's become popular for Christmas lights, long-lasting flashlights, and solar-powered garden lights. The first LED-backlit LCD monitors are just arriving on the market; expect them to use about 25% less power than today's LCD monitors.
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