Flat panel is a reference to the depth of LCD monitors, especially compared to CRT monitors, and to the fact that the viewing surface of any LCD monitor is flat. LCD monitors of all screen sizes are only a few inches thick. CRT monitors of any size are considerably thicker, in most cases twelve to sixteen inches, and, for large screen CRT monitors, even more. See the comparison of an LCD flat panel monitor (on the left) and a CRT monitor (on the right) below.
