Display resolutions!

[davidkay]

Right, now having only ever ran my desktop at 1024x768 and 1152x864 i got thinking today. I put my monitor on 1280x1024 which everyone else seems to use with bigger monitors. But isn't that the incorrect ratio?

since there is 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x1024 (odd one out), 1600x1200.

It should be 1280x960 shouldnt it?

Well why do LCD's run native at 1280x1024?

I'm really confused can somebody explain!

 

[lifeguard1999]

Good question. Looking at the review of the FX, I noticed that some benchmarks were at 1280x960. I asked about it and apparantly some people run at that resolution. I never knew it.

 

[ProviaFan]

Before a bunch of people come in here and tell you that there's nothing wrong with 1280x1024, let me explain this to you clearly...

First, we'll set straight the issue of many LCDs using 1280x1024. Since that resolution is at a 5:4 aspect ratio, it must be used on a 5:4 aspect ratio display to look right. LCDs that use this resolution natively are built at a 5:4 ratio; you can tell this by setting a 17 inch LCD next to a 19 inch CRT (both are similar in size). The LCD will look taller and slightly thinner than the 19 inch CRT. This is because while the LCD is 5:4, the CRT is 4:3.

That brings up the issue of running a 5:4 resolution on a 4:3 display. Although many of the folks here will swear up and down that 1280x1024 (again, a 5:4 res) looks fine on their 4:3 aspect ratio CRTs, they are wrong. It may look ok to them, but that's only because they've gotten used to all of their images appearing squished (I've even heard of some graphic designers saying that 1280x1024 is no different than a 4:3 res such as 1152x865 on a 4:3 CRT). Just try watching a DVD or DivX with lots of shots of people (up close shots of the face work well) at a 4:3 res in full screen, then switch to 5:4 and watch the same scene again in full screen mode. You'll definitely see a difference.

 

[davidkay]

Thanks for clearing that up

So 1280x960 is for CRT and 1280x1024 is for LCD?

Cool, now i can go buy my LCD

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: davidkay
So 1280x960 is for CRT and 1280x1024 is for LCD?

Yup, you got it.