What resolution should websites be optomized for?

[Megamorph]

Is it true that it's difficult for a web designer to make a website that works equally well for 800x600 as it does for 1600x1200 or vice versa?

I have a hard time believing that many PC users are still running 800x600, so wouldn't it be better to design websites to peform optimally at the higher resolutions?

 

[XZeroII]

1024x768

 

[XZeroII]

dbl pst

 

[Lonyo]

1024x768 at least.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
1024x768 at least.

 

[bandana163]

1024x768 could easily be the most common resolution.

 

[Walleye]

business users still use 800x600 a lot. it's silly my website, is optimized to show well at 800x600. not too many business users have screens larger than 17 inches, and like their text big. some even have 15 inchers... eh.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Megamorph
Is it true that it's difficult for a web designer to make a website that works equally well for 800x600 as it does for 1600x1200 or vice versa? I have a hard time believing that many PC users are still running 800x600, so wouldn't it be better to design websites to peform optimally at the higher resolutions?

It depends on who your demographic is - if you're shooting for well to do people, or computer geeks - hen 1024.768. If you're looking to be a mainstream website, or appealing to children, etc - then 800.600.

 

[Paulson]

haha I was running @ 800x600 on my secondary computer.. but I switched it... damn the text is small on a 15" monitor

 

[peterf11]

Here are some statistics for you

49% use 1024x768 or more

44% use 800x600

And 34% still use Explorer 5

If you keep it to 1024x768 you will be safe

Remember not everyone has high end systems with 21inch LCD's

Something else to consider is who your target audience will be, for example if your site is about computer modding then you are more likely to attract those with higher end systems who will use 1280x1024 and above. But for the vast majority they are using 17inch monitors with a resolution of 1024x768.

I hope this will help

 

[oniq]

1024x768.. if you're running at anything less, its time to upgrade.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: peterf11
Here are some statistics for you

49% use 1024x768 or more

44% use 800x600

And 34% still use Explorer 5

If you keep it to 1024x768 you will be safe

Remember not everyone has high end systems with 21inch LCD's

Something else to consider is who your target audience will be, for example if your site is about computer modding then you are more likely to attract those with higher end systems who will use 1280x1024 and above. But for the vast majority they are using 17inch monitors with a resolution of 1024x768.

I hope this will help

1280x960 and above kthx.

 

[Bulk Beef]

I can't tell you how many people I've seen with 19 inch monitors running at 8x6.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

As was mentioned above, think a bit on your target audience. A huge number of people still run at 800x600, so I'd make sure your site "can" look good at that res. Otherwise, go for 1024x768. Going any higher (assuming you want much regular traffic), you risk alienating folks who get annoyed when they can't see the whole site without a bunch of scrolling

 

[dionx]

1024*768 so i can see the full web page when windowed @ my normal res of 1280x1024

when multitasking, i hate to see anything fully maximized

 

[petery83]

1024x768's probably the best choice (especially if the website deals with computers), most monitors should be able to display that resolution at least (even the 15-inch ones)

 

[wfbberzerker]

every computer at my school has a 15" monitor and uses 8x6

 

[ElFenix]

most monitors are able to but most people A) don't know what resolution they should be running at B) are blind and are running at a lower resolution than "optimal"

 

[rh71]

No way 1024x768 at a minimum unless you're gearing towards experienced power users only.

Today's standard should still be 800x600 minimum (err... 770 wide considering browser chrome).

EDIT>> Or you can have javascript detect the user's resolution and forward accordingly.

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

320x240

 

[Tetsuo]

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: Lonyo 1024x768 at least.

 

[dighn]

optimize for 1024x768 if you want to but make sure it doesn't look bad on 800x600

 

[Beattie]

I believe 800x600 is the right answer. That way all of the people that use 800x600 will be ok and those that use 1024x768 or greater will also be fine. if you make it so that it works at like 1024x768 then you about half of the people that are see the site arent going to see it the right way.

 

[prvteye2003]

Originally posted by: XZeroII
1024x768

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Well, I consider myself a webdesigner and you have a few options.

Make two or three pages with the same content, each designed for a certain size. have the first page you go to, redirect the user to the appropriate one based on resolution of their screen, and if there isn't one, to make it to the closest one.

Or, you can use percentages on all the table widths so that as long as your page isn't designed around images, and more designed around html coding, then it will adapt to the resolution, even though at smaller resolutions they may have to scroll more.