G51 resolutions: 1920x1080 vs 1366x768

Do resolutions really make a difference on a laptop? I want 1920x1080 but I don't know if I can justify the extra $ on the online retail version of the G51 just to get the better screen. I might go with the BB model even if it only has 1366x768.

I'm trying to think of reasons why I'd want 1080:
- I want to use this computer as a desktop replacement. I will hook it up to my 22.0in LG monitor which is 1680 x 1050 that I bought a couple of years ago. So yeah, I'm gonna be switching out of native resolution anyway. This external monitor seems fine and right now I don't have reasons to buy another one (unless you can convince me!)
- It would be cool to hook my laptop up to my 42" LCD TV in my living room which is 1080, but I really don't know how often I would do that. I'd probably do it once, say "oh that's cool" and then never do it again.
- I play games so I guess they might look better on a 1080 screen. But I've never played games on a 1080 laptop so I really don't know how much of a difference there will be.
- Blueray movies would look cool but I have a BlueRay player for that in my living room. I don't need/want blueray for my laptop.

Questions:
1. Will the 1080 screen cause more "stress" on my video card? Will it raise the temps even higher than they already are on the G51 and deplete my battery life even faster?
2. Why are people convinced that 1080 is "so freakin awesome"?

In the end I still want 1080 but I need to justify the price. If I can get a g51 with 1080 resolution, a ~2.4 core duo processor and a single 320GB 7200RPM HD for $1200-$1300 then I would be happy. Otherwise I'm gonna buy the BB model. The 1080 G51 on xotic is out of my price range.
http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g51vxa1-p-2595.html?wconfigure=yes

PS sorry if this has been beaten to death already

 

1. Games/everything looks best in native res, as you said, and the 260M will probably be alright for most games nowadays on full res, but the answer is yes, it puts more stress on the card.

2. I don't know. Most people probably came from 1080p screens, so downgrading would be really weird. I'm personally fine with near any screen, but hey, that might just be me.

And a side note, I don't think you'll be able to find a G51 with those specs for that price for a little while.

Newegg...maybe...but I haven't seen them with as many full HD screens, usually the step below (which is still good), but yeah.

 

As far as movies and games go, I really can't see the difference between 720p and 1080p on a 15 inch screen. Maybe some people can but for me they practically look identical. One of the reasons I like going for the lower resolutionis it puts less stress on your GPU which means better framerates/smoother gameplay.

The larger resolution does come in handy in Windows. Higher resolution means you have a larger viewing area for things like MS Office, browser, etc. Naturally text size in this higher resolution will be smaller than 720p as it's trying to fit a larger viewing area in the same 15 inch screen.

Unless there's a much better processor (or an improved cooling system) in those 1080p G51 models, I'd just go with the BB model. You already have a monitor and LCD TV when you want a better resolution. I think the 1366x768 resolution is fine for a 15 inch screen.

 

yeah i was really annoyed by this at the same time. all that needed to be changed was the screen resolution and the cpu, but they changed so much stuff that they upped the price more than $600 and i dont see those upgrades as worth it.

 

Lower Res - More FPS in games - More future proofing in a way because of the pixel render difference is tiny on lower.

Higher Res - Crisper more defined images, space for more incons in the long run, more windows at the same time etc.

 

Personally, I don't think that alot of people like 1080p on 15 incher computers since the native res would make words look too spell, forcing people to make all of the words bigger. Its alot more popular and desired on 17 inch laptops and bigger. For 15 inchers, I believe like 1600 x 900 is the most desirable.

As for why higher resolutions are better, I personally think its for the increased productivity by allowing for multiple browsers to be opened for less scrolling.

Personally, I don't feel that its possible to see the difference between 720p and 1080p videos, at least not on a laptop. If you have a huge 40 inch TV, then the difference is pretty noticeable, but on a screen as small as on a 15 inch laptop, there is really no reason to hate 720p simply because it doesn't look as nice as 1080p.

 

Sorry if this has already been covered, but a laptop's native resolution has no effect on how well it displays on another monitor. For example, given the same hardware, a laptop with a WXGA screen and laptop with a WUXGA screen will perform the same using an external monitor regardless of the resolution. They would both be able to hook up to your TV and display at 1080.

 

I'd go for the 1080p screen. With games, you can always upscale (and IMO, 1280x720 with 4xAA and similar or higher AF gives a sweet spot between performance and image quality), and running on high DPI (Vista or even better, Win 7) is an absolute pleasure.

 

Run your 22" monitor at 1280x800 and see if you can tolerate that resolution. If so, then save your money and go for 1366x768.
This question is highly subjective so you need to find out what you like not what other people like.
1920x1080 is nice but I wouldn't pay more than $200 bucks for the option.

 

Kick , most mature reply ever. Keyword is subjective, kids!

 

^^^^^......i dont get it?

Anyway go witth 1080 its about more then gaming though its also about the program usability. Gives you more space to drag your programs around, more space on the desktop, etc.

 

if a 17" screen i'd say 1080 but on a 15" its going to be too small imo. only problem with the 768 is the huge lack of wallpapers in that resolution.

 

High DPI, dude

 

Well on a 16:9 sony with 1280xblah res, the res is completely crisp to be honest, thats a 15.6 inch i believe, i could grab some pictures to show you a low res on 15 inch screen when i get home if you guys like, i could also show you 1440x900 on a 17inch screen, just so you get the idea of lower natives.

 

Personally, cramming in pixels isn't what I look for first. While doing everyday tasks (like posting on this forum) I can tolerate the native resolution of the Best Buy model.

For games, I rarely go above 1100-ish res anyway. So, for the price, the Best Buy G51 is perfect for me.

 

also remember guys hes going to be using a monitor most of the time...