WXGA vs. WSXGA with HD2600

I'm really torn about what's the best route here. I have my laptop all picked out (15.4 inch), but I cannot decide between the WXGA and WSXGA screens. I will be using this computer for gaming, as well as reading/browsing/word/powerpoint.

I have not the greatest eyesight, I have to wear glasses (but I don't wear them as often as I should ). I have an WSXGA laptop right now, and I've been running it at 1280x800 for all these years. Now that I pump it up to its native res, everything does look clear and crisp, but also tiny. I'm worried about my eyes looking at this res. I turned the DPI up to 120 and I changed the font size in Firefox, but it still does not effect all fonts, only most of them. So I'm still stuck squinting at quite a bit.

Also, is the WSXGA going to be too high a resolultion for newer games with my HD2600 that will be coming in this laptop? If I'm not going to be able to play games at that res, I might as well got with the WXGA at 1280x800. Any thoughts?

I've looked over probably 50 threads on this subject here, but I keep seeing conflicting answers. Some say WSXGA is perfect for 15.4, others say they swear by WXGA. Any insight?

 

the hd2600 will crap out on wsxga resolutions

 

I'm using WSXGA+ on mine. Small at first but after some weeks, you'd never go back.

 

How do WSXGA screens scale down? I'm guessing I would have to scale this down to play games, so how does it scale to something like 1280x800?

And how does the DPI scaling in Vista work? I'm just wary about buying a WSXGA screen since my eyes aren't great and I like bigger fonts and screen items.

 

When you play at less than native, the screen will just use pixel doubling with group of pixel assuming the role of one.

 

If the OP is dead set on playing games at native res, then sticking with 1280 widescreen is the only way to go.

I like my big screen and I'm used to small font with DPI resizing, but the only games I play on native res are older games released 2-3 years ago.

 

You can still play games no problem..... Rather than getting 40fps you'll get 30... that's all....

 

he never saide he was dead set, he's wondering what the quality difference would be. You probably woouldn't notice the quality difference in games so i would go with the higher rez.

 

I have a 3650 on my HTPC, which is fairly analogous to the HD 2600.

Get it at WXGA. It sounds like that's what you're leaning toward anyhow (I have pretty poor eyesight myself), and it won't tax the 2600 the way WSXGA will.

A scaled down image is going to look kinda blech; 1280x800 native will just look better from the get-go.