External monitor question.

I'm looking to purchase a external monitor for my Studio 15, I have a few questions.

What the maximum resolutions that my laptop will support? I was told that it will support 1920x1200. I just want to double check that.

Is there a major size difference between a 24" and a 25.5" monitor? If all qualities are equal, is it worth the extra $60-$70? Is it noticibly bigger? I've never had a big screen like this, and I would want this to last me a while... so I don't want to get bored and wish I went bigger.

Since I'm powering a bigger monitor, will there be more stress on my CPU/GPU? Will the performance of my computer go down? Will it slow down my computer, especially in gaming? Maybe this is a stupid question...

Lastly, these are the 2 monitors I'm looking at. Give me some opinions. Thank you!!

24" Asus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236033

25.5" Asus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236046

 

Yes, your Studio 15 can support up to 1920x1200 resolution. As for as 24" vs 25.5" goes, the difference is negligible and I personally tend to group them in the same size category. I'd suggest looking more into the specs, ie brightness, contrast ratio and response time if you're a gamer.
All graphical use such as using an external monitor will make use of the GPU more so than the CPU. When you play games on an external monitor, playing at the monitor's native resolution will "look" best, but performance may lag due to the significant use of the GPU. If you play graphically intensive games such as Crysis, you'll probably need to scale your resolution down a far bit in order for it to be playable.
Between the two monitors you suggested, I'd go with the 25.5" unless you feel you need the extra brightness from a 450 nit panel.

 

You can tell the difference in screen size. Just take a 1.5" addition to your monitor now in a diagonal fashion . This is about the size difference. For me though, i think that on a 24" monitor 1920x1200 is a perfect fit for the resolution and size of the monitor.

And yes it will stress your GPU a lot more especially if you play them at the native resolution. Seeing you have a weak GPU to begin with this could be worrisome especially if you want to crank the graphics up.

 

i won't be playing crysis or any of the new games. I'll be playing games like counter strike: source and such. i currently play it at around 80fps. what type of fps drop could i expect. i know these are specific questions, but i'd just like a referance. thanks!

 

Ended up getting the Hanns-G 28" monitor. Simply awesome

 

That sounds fantastic. Have you tried gaming at the native resolution yet?

 

I tried, it looks really gooood. But my computer can't handle it, lol. I use it with my xbox also, so it hasnt gone to waste. The amount of realestate is amazing!