With flat panels double or triple the price of CRTs, is it possible to justify the investment? This chart, based on NEC-Mitsubishi's online calculator, lets you compare the three-year costs of owning each alternative. Here, the LCD costs 109% more up front, but evens out to only 18% more after three years. Lower shipping fees and energy costs help the flat panel, as does its higher resale value.

There are other factors whose quantification may make LCDs look more appealing as well—they emit less radiant heat to battle air conditioners, for example, and are easier to resell and therefore easier to dispose of. If a company dumps its monitors improperly, it could be liable for up to $25,000 per day in fines.

To download a customizable version of Baseline's calculator, into which you can enter your own costs, click the Tool icon above. To try NEC-Mitsubishi's online tool, visit www.necmitsubishi.com/markets-solutions and click on "TCO Solutions."

Click here to read our brief introduction to the pros and cons of CRTs vs. LCDs.