To go with 15.4" or 17" screen?

Right now, I am deciding on either the Compaq R3000 or the upcoming Compaq X6000. The main difference is the 15.4" & 17" screen. I have just purchased the Compaq V2000 which I really like, but I am finding that the 14.1" inch widescreen feels a bit small compared to my old laptop (14.4" without widescreen).

I don't really like the widescreen at all, but if I convert to 1024*768, it really makes the screen very small. So I would like to choose a bigger screen. I seem like like the X6000 more because it has the numberpad attached & I do some number crunching at times. That means I don't have to buy a separate number pad. But 17" seems like a very very big screen! I plan to just leave the laptop at home. My question is, will the screen look a bit weird because it's going over to the numberpad area (if I don't use the numberpad), then that means I probably won't be facing the screen directly in the middle & my viewing will feel tilted (or won't it)...

I feel the 15.4" is the right size for me, but I seem to like the style of the X6000 more too. Should I wait or should I purchase the R3000 now? I plan on returning my V2000 within a month. The V2000 is an extremely lovely laptop if you're traveling with it, but as a desktop replace, it is a bit small I feel.

 

Get an HP zv5000z instead - you still get an AMD-64, but it doesn't look as tacky as the Compaq with all its silver colored plastic: the HP has less glare off the matte black. Go with the 1920x1200 screen.

15.4 is fine - even with my old eyes - using a 160% custom font size, and smaller and lighter to carry around than a 17" widescreen.

Stefano
HP zv5200 DP523AV: AMD 64 3400 2.2GHz, 2x512MB RAM, 60GB 7200rpm HDD (Hitachi 7K60), 15.4" WUXGA (1920x1200), XP Pro; Paradox