Up until the middle of the 2000s, CRT screens were a popular form of traditional computer panels and TVs. A CRT monitor works by projecting electrons from the vacuum tube's rear onto a grid of phosphor spots that are embedded inside the glass screen. When an electron strikes these phosphor spots, which are organized in RGB bands, they illuminate and create a picture.

CRT displays were physically larger and heavier than LCD panels of today. A CRT monitor's vacuum tube needed thick, lead-coated glass to withstand the pressure; bigger displays needed denser glass, which added weight. One of the most popular models of CRT display was 17", which typically weighted 35 to 40 pounds (15-18 kg). Most CRT displays were deeper than they were broad or tall due to the length the vacuum tube needed to function, and because of the form of the tube, they were heavily front-heavy.

While they were both accessible, CRT displays had some benefits over LCDs despite being fully supplanted in the market by flat-panel LCDs. Color accuracy was better on CRT displays than on early LCDs. Since they did not have a primary resolution, you could change between them without suffering any picture clarity degradation. Additionally, they created images more quickly and with less input lag.