Really quick screen size/resolution question(s)

I've decided on the laptop I want, but it has a 1366x768 resolution and a 16" screen

Usually, that resolution comes on a 15.6" screen. Will this make any difference, i.e. will things appear a little bit bigger (different DPI)?

Also, I understand 1366x768 (although perfect 16:9) isn't a standard resolution. Does this matter? I see a lot of laptops with this resolution.

Finally, at the moment I have a 15.4" screen, this won't be too much bigger will it? In case it matters, the laptop I want is the Toshiba A660-155

Thanks

 

It looks like the A660 is 16", and not 15.6", so it'll be a tiny bit larger and, therefore, have a tiny bit less pixel density (not very noticeable).

1366x768 is a standard resolution, and is being supported more and more as manufacturers are moving away from 16:10, though old games might not support it (you'll just get black bars on either side of the screen, doesn't bother most people). Some programs (mostly games) might show slightly more or slightly less space between 16:9 and 16:10; for instance, Starcraft 2 crops the left and the right side to fit 16:10 displays.

15.6" screens are actually slightly smaller than 15.4" screens, due to the difference in ratio. 15.4" screens are, naturally, taller and thinner, so they have a bigger display area. But again, the difference is pretty small.

 

It's 1366x768 to support backwards compatability with apps/games at 1024x768. 1280x720 (720p) would be too small in any case. 1366x768 is pretty much the standard resolution for any laptop, really, it's hard to find laptops with 1600x900 or 1920x1080 (1080p) resolution any more.

 

1366x768 is the new 1280x800

 

No way! It's the new 1400x900!

 

Yes that's more like it.

16:10>16:9

 

Actually, depending on the game 16:9 shows more (like in SC2 where 1920x1080 resolution shows more on screen than 1920x1200).

Sadly, 1366x768 is not even a perfect 16:9 res. They should have gone with 1440x810 or something like that as bare minimum.

But yeah, they made it 768 for compatibility purposes.

To be honest, it is not THAT bad of a resolution, but it is indeed low, and on a 16 inch, it is a bit too low.

My 15.6 inch 1920x1080 does the job, but I also find it a bit too much to handle. Some games when run on said res don't scale well with the fonts and things end up too small (mostly older games though).

 

Still IMO 16:10 is much better.

 

The whole 16:9 thing is just marketing. There's no way that 16:9 would ever be superior to 16:10, it's retarded.

What's the point in making the screen less high, only to avoid letterboxing whenever you watch a movie once in a while? pfth.

 

And even then the letter boxing effect still occurs.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/6594858-post1164.html

 

I'd rather not get 1366x768. I've had it and tbh it doesn't help at all when multitasking (windows open side by side). I'd shoot for 1600x900 at least.

 

Oh wow, thanks for the replies.

Now I'm considering 1440x900

I'm assuming it only comes on 17" monitors? I mean, I mostly use my laptop at home anyway so 17" won't be a LOT bigger than my 15.4" will it?

 

You won't find 1440x900 any more. It got phased out with 16:10 ratio. You'll see some 1600x900, a lot on 17" screens, which is actually pretty big compared to 15.6". It's not a lot taller than your 15.4", but it is quite a bit wider.

But size is usually not as important as weight, and that varies a lot from model to model.

 

I'm just worried that 1366x768 on a 16" screen won't be as sharp as 1280x800 is on my 15.4"

Oh why can't I just get my exact same laptop but with an i3, DDR3 RAM and GMA HD

 

1366x768 in a 14.5 format is crap i can see the individal pixel on my gf's laptop get a higher res that's all that need to be said

 

Meh, I used 1440x900 on a 17.1" screen for a long time. Never bothered me, and got better performance in games than if I had a higher resolution. I think 1366x768 on a 15.6" screen is actually more DPI than I had.

 

What about a 16" screen though?

How about 1366x768 on a 15.5" screen (that seems a bit weird though, is 15.6" the best size for that resolution?)

 

16:9 is totally marketing. I mean look at billboards. theyre like 16:8

wont it be great when they realized that 16:9 was just a little bit not as perfect for our eyes or whatever... and 2:1 was what we should have been using all along

I've never heard of a 15.5" screen. I dont think it exists.

That 16" laptop might have a 15.6" lcd anyway.... not many people notice .4" and its probably way cheaper.

 

Sony VAIO NW20EF/S 15.5inch Notebook (T4300 3 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, Windows 7 Home Premium): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories