Dead pixels are just an unavoidable down side to LCD's...although they are rare. Different manufacturers have different policies concerning their dead pixel policy.
I was lucky that I have had no dead pixels on my Dell 2407 widescreen...although dead pixels can appear with age.

The things to look out for are high contrast ratio (800:1 min, I would say), a good response time (16ms black to white) and brightness (depends on size of monitor). I also look for DVI input. With mine I also have HDCP support which future proofs it to some degree with new copy protected HD media. What size monitor are you looking at getting?

All I can say is that within my price range I was looking at Dell and Samsung, but depending on price, it may be worth looking at Apple Cinema displays also.

As for what not to buy - anything that is too cheap...especially for graphics. You get what you pay for.

 

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