Do screen savers really save your screen?
 

always wondered

Of course they do...But at what cost to your processor and hard drive?

Used to.

Do they really save the screen?

They actually did years ago. Back then if you left your computer on too long the image left on the monitor could be "burned" into the screen permanently. Yikes! Monitors have improved so we don?t have to worry about that so much anymore.

I prefer to keep my screen running but if screensavers will make my monitor last longer than thats good

Nowadays, modern plasma screens have the same problem as the "old" CRT monitors used to have. That's why most of them now come with some kind of pixel shifting technique or a built-in screensaver as you may like to call it. I don't think it's particularly necessary for LCD monitors. My LCD goes to black after a few minutes out of use which is an OK solution in my opinion.

I am using a SyncMaster 21T LCD monitor. I want to eliminate the screensaver completely and always have the monitor on. Just hoping this won't cause problems because its an expensive monitor.

You're probably safe because the backlights of LCD monitors do not get very hot (touch your screen). So the risk of burning in an imagine is minimal.

It's impossible to burn an image into an LCD monitor. They work by covering and uncovering pinholes of light. It's not a projection on a screen like a CRT monitor.

I just turn the monitor off if I am away from the computer

Same here.