WS or normal?

I've decided upon the T60. I am just not sure whether to go WSXGA+ or SXGA+ Is widescreen actually worthwhile? I have never used a widescreen monitor/laptop and don't know what differences to expect. Do you actually get "more" with widescreen?

 

They are both good.

It's nicer to have a widescreen when watching movies but for everything else, I like a standard screen.

 

Well, it depends on what task you'll be performing with it. For most users, a 4:3 ratio screen will do finely. However, if you're going to be using it as more of a multimedia computer (namely DVD watching), it'd be beneficial to have a wider screen.

And to answer your question, if by "more" you mean more space to work with, then yes.

Matt

 

Well I do watch movies on my computer but I quite honestly have been fine with my 4:3 screen that I use at the moment. Is there a siginificant difference in weight or battery life between the two formats?

 

There's a thread discussing this a few pages back. A lot of people chimed in on what they prefer and why.

 

Well, since wide screens make the notebook... uh... wider, you can expect it to be heavier. Also, I think a more powerful video card (which, widescreens usually come with) will consume more power.

 

WSXGA+ has significantly more pixels than SXGA+. It's 1680x1050 vs. 1400x1050. So it's the same thing vertically, but horizontally you get 20% more pixels to work with.

You can get SXGA+ with 14", but I believe WSXGA+ is only available with 15.4". For widescreen 14" you can get WXGA+, which is 1440x900.

 

All points made are correct. Nice work.

 

Thanks for the tips! I ended up ordering...

T60 WS
Intel T7200
1 GB
Wireless ABGN + bluetooth
XP Pro

for $1700 CDN after Visa Perks discount

 

Just be prepared to wait a bit if you ordered the WSXGA+ screen...

 

They told me two weeks which isn't that bad