how is WXGA+ or WSXGA+ on Inspiron 6400??

I have a WXGA screen which I need to replace on my laptop... not because its defective ... but because the resolution is too low for my tastes....

I was considering upgrading to WXGA+ or WSXGA+ but I couldn't decide which one to go for...

Would anyone with either screen type want to share their experience?
Are the icons + font too small and unadjustable on a WSXGA+ ?
What about WXGA+??

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated

 

WSXGA+ seems perfect to me for a 15.4".

 

Your best bet wouold be to go to a store or find some people you know that have similar screens to what your looking for and try them out yourself, personally I would go for the wsxga+, it all comes down to personal preference, and trying before buying is always the best route, unless you have deep pockets and really like buying.

 

Not many stores offer WSXGA+ models for viewing.

 

I like my i6400 with the WXGA+. But I don't know what WSXGA+ will be like.

 

WXGA+ would be better if you spend most of the time browsing internet.

WSXGA+ for any kind of productive work, whether it is photo editing, typing documents and worksheets, or programming.

In a nutshell, there's compromise between screen estate and font size.

 

I have the WSXGA+ screen and wonder what resolution you guys use for everyday stuff; internet & word processing?

The 1680x1050 seems to have awfully small print for these old eyes and a big difference compared to my Dell 600M at work. I have the e1505 on 1440x900. It seems like a good balance for text size. Downside it that it is a little fuzzy and the graphics don't seem quite as sharp either. I do have clear type on.

 

LCD screens are meant to be used on native resolution. If your text is too small, then enlarge it within browser... I always run mine at 1680x1050.

 

Yeah, I'm aware of the native stuff. Making the fonts larger doesn't seem to work on all sites, it seems. I'm just a couple of days on this laptop, maybe I'll try to get used to it.

 

Thanks for the response everyone......

Iceman, I've actually been to a number of stores to checkout the different screens, but like ZaZ mentioned, the majority of preconfigured computers that sell in stores etc. come with the basic screen resolutioni (WXGA) which is what I got..... I saw a 17" laptop with WXGA+ and it didn't look so bad, but again, am buying a 15.4" screen so I need to know if WXGA+ is good enough or should I go for the highest res. available...

postmorem, I need a higher res. screen for research work, thesis and all, I know that with SXGA you'd be able to see more content (or two pages at a time) but will the font be too small that it would strain the eyes after spending a few hours on the computer? I'll be spending about 10 + hours everyday on my laptop during the summer time for my work, so I need to buy something I'd be comfortable with..

Steve68, is the font on ur SXGA too tiny to read that it strains ur eyes quickly after reading? Did you try the new windows scaling on vista?

Finally, would anyone by kind enough to post a few screenshots of a WXGA+ or WSXGA+ screen (icons or webpages with text) just so I can judge based on pics? I couldn't find the WSXGA+ resolution on computers in stores (it seems to be unpopular)

 

I wrote my thesis on mine, WSXGA+, but I used Linux, and dpi settings on Linux actually work great... I had set up dpi to 102 or so and everything was great for me.

 

1. go to direct dell store in a nearby mall or
2. sit behind a regular monitor. Play with the slidebar in display properties. Determine which size icon and font is to your liking ( dont mind the clarity), and the order the LCD with the resolution that comes closest to you previously determined preference. I know it sounds like common sense but thats what i did and thats how i decided +wsxga was too much for me.

 

Yes, the font is too small. I am using XP, and it can scroll the fonts larger too, I assume those features are the same. But, using this site as an example, the tabs at the top showing 'Digital Camera, Notebook reviews,...etc, do not get larger. So the font gets to were it may not fit in the area that is designated for it.

 

Boys, I'd like to thank you all for the really useful info......

postmortem, I think that upping the dpi on a WSXGA+ essentially produces the same effect as with using a WXGA+ resolution, obviously the font on your laptop was too small for your thesis work that you were forced to up the dpi instead of lowering resolution (which may produce the fuzzyness)...

lyter, I am in canada, I wish there was a dell store nearby but there isn't. I doubt that they even exist here in canada.....

From what steve68 and postmortem are implying, it seems that WSXGA+ is too high a resolution for regular work. I would go with the WSXGA+ resolution if it was possible to downgrade the resolution of the screen without copromising the crispiness and clarity of font, icons etc. but it seems that this may not be possible.. so maybe ill go with the WXGA+...

Thanks for the help everyone, this has been very informative