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Laptop Screen Resolution - Which to Choose

12 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/laptop-screen-resolution-which-to-choose.94333/

unni
unni Original post #1
Jul 29, 2008 at 6:12 PM
Hi,
I am planning to purchase Dell XPS M1530. I am still not able to decide on which screen to choose. In Dell site, they give option for the following:

1. 15.4" Widescreen WXGA (1280x800) TFT Display with TrueLife
2. 15.4" Widescreen WXGA+ (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife [+Rs. 1597.00]
3. 15.4" UltraSharp Widescreen WSXGA+ (1680x1050) TFT Display with TrueLife [+Rs. 4228.00].

I will be using the lappy for a lot of gaming. My main concern is how the heavy graphics demanding games will look like when they are played in a non-native resolution. For example, if I choose screen 3 and if Crysis is playable only at 1024 x some value, will it look bad? Please advice on this.
infra_red_dude
infra_red_dude #2
Jul 29, 2008 at 6:23 PM
1440x900 is a good balance between comfort viewing and good resolution. I'd recommend that. I'd recommend against 1280x800 as the display becomes too blocky and patchy. And I would never recommend 1680x1050 on a 15.4" widescreen. It'll surely kill your eyes.

Crysis at 1280x960 or even 1280x800 would be quite playable on 1440x900.
Sourabh
Sourabh #3
Jul 30, 2008 at 3:57 AM
UltraSharp is delicious! It should definitely be given first preference. If you are a casual gamer, you won't mind the resolution issue. Most games are going to run in non-native resolution anyways on the laptop, right? Movies, text and overall experience on an UltraSharp screen is better than a normal glossy/matte laptop screen. But yeah, kinda sucks that you don't have UltraSharp option on the lower-res LCDs.
A
acewin #4
Jul 30, 2008 at 7:03 AM
2. 15.4" Widescreen WXGA+ (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife [+Rs. 1597.00]
desiibond
desiibond #5
Jul 30, 2008 at 9:23 AM
I would pick "15.4" Widescreen WXGA+ (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife [+Rs. 1597.00]".

1680x1050 is too much on a 15.4". Not at all recommended and is waste of money.
unni
unni #6
Jul 30, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Thanks guys for your replies. I will go for the second one (1440x900). In the US site, they are no longer giving the option for 1680x1050. Instead of it, they are giving 1920x1200 full HD screen :)
infra_red_dude
infra_red_dude #7
Jul 30, 2008 at 10:42 AM
unni said:
Thanks guys for your replies. I will go for the second one (1440x900). In the US site, they are no longer giving the option for 1680x1050. Instead of it, they are giving 1920x1200 full HD screen :)
Click to expand...
WTF...?? 1920x1200 on a 15.4"???
desiibond
desiibond #8
Jul 30, 2008 at 10:44 AM
reading text on FullHD 15.4" is like watching ants crawling on earth from a space station :)
radonryder
radonryder #9
Jul 30, 2008 at 5:30 PM
the problem with 1280x800 is that you get these 2 black bars at the top and bottom of the screen...
I use the same resolution and find this quite irritating
desiibond
desiibond #10
Jul 30, 2008 at 5:32 PM
^^ that should be only while watching movies. Right?
gopz
gopz #12
Jul 30, 2008 at 8:15 PM
infra_red_dude said:
WTF...?? 1920x1200 on a 15.4"???
Click to expand...

Yes, this was an option from quite some time!!

I wonder if the opticians have tied up with Dell to send them more customers :)