Most good widescreen monitors in the 21"-24" will have a native resolution in the 16xx range or higher. I think only very few will be in the 14xx range. I am using a 1680x1050 KDS at work (model number in in my little signature below) and it's been really good. While the higher the resolutions will have sharper text in general than ones with lower resolution, you will want to test them for your self. If you can swing it try to go for something in the 19xx range. You will always want to run any LDC only at it's native resolution. You may have to make some adjustments to your systems DPI settings if icons and text are too small. Also you will need a video card with at least 256MB of ram for the higher resolutions. You can pick a decent card up for about $40 if needed. As for PDF viewing, pretty much anything but the lowest end products will be just fine. Also in general try to get something with a 5ms or less refresh rate. Datacad will love you for it.
I usually just pickup my two or three favorites from the store, carefully unpack them and test them all and see which one I like the best and return the others. Another good thing about carefully unpackaging them is in case they have bad pixels I can return them. I generally don't like to lie, but because most stores have a return policy for LCD monitors of only being able to return a monitor if it has
8 or more bad pixels. I just tell them they didn't fit in my desk space and they quickly return it without the fuss. I mean 8 pixels, that's nuts! I can't stand one dead pixel, especially when working in Datacad on a black background all day. A dead pixel looks like every drawing has a little floating entity left behind. Anyway that's enough on that rant.
I generally prefer Samsung monitors if I'm laying down my own cold hard cash. I they just always seem the sharpest, best color and best viewing angle in my price range. The three year no hassle warranty saved my friend from having to buy a new one within 3 months of the warranty expiring after a power surge killed his. The exact model was not available anymore because it was about 2 1/2 years old, so they gave him a list of three he could choose from that were in the same "class". He ended up getting a better preforming monitor for the cost of shipping the new one and he said the phone support was the best he's ever had.
Hope this helps ya out a bit. Gotta get back to work now
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