WXGA wide screen display - disadvantages?

[dnd728]

Hello all,
My friend considers buying a wide screen notebook 14" WXGA TFT 1280x768. It's mostly the good overall deal that interests him and not much playing movies. He asked me about the computer and most of it was fine, except for the screen - I have little experience with notebooks and none with such a form factor.
I was wondering what problems would occur when using such a screen.
How would it adjust to programs, such as older games, that run at 4:3? Would they run centered, stretched, selectable?
Would it cause him frustration? He never had one before.

Any ideas or experience would help us a lot!

Thanks in advance,
dnd

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Generally laptops with a wide-aspect display will let you choose to center or stretch aspect of 4:3 resolutions, and many older games can be tweaked to properly support the wider screen.

Link to laptop and price so we can determine if it's a good deal?

- M4H

 

[corkyg]

I will make WXGA my next laptop - main reason - it provides for a smaller physical size and therefore less weight, but does not give up any picture in the 16x9 mode. WXGA and WUXGA are the future.
I don't waste my time playing games - and the only impact on my regular work programs is, in some cases, vertical scrolling sooner.

When you open it on a plane's seat tray, it is a better fit because the screen is not so tall as a XGA or SXGA.

 

[dnd728]

Thanks for your tips.
Yes, the weight was one of the considerations.
He's not buying in the US, so the price is no more then tepid in US standards. Also, I haven't found that model in the US or even hp.com...

If anyone thinks WXGA is an annoyance then I would sure appreciate your comments too.

dnd

 

[imported_jon1003]

I <3 my WXGA 15.4 incher. Text isn't too small to read after HOURS upon HOURS staring at the screen. Plus I can nicely dock my IM client on the side.

 

[vegetation]

Widescreen laptops have a larger footprint than normal ones, so that can be a big disadvantage. Big issue if you fly on airplanes or have to sit in one of those little lecture hall desks. Otherwise, I absolutely love my WUXGA 1920x1200 15" HP.

 

[corkyg]

The wide screens (15 or 14) have the same width as a non-widescreen. The difference is in the vertical height - which is better on an airplane because the screen can open fully on your tray even if the yo-yp infront of you has reclined his or her seat.

IOW, a 15-in WXGA has the same lateral footprint as a 15-in XGA, but a shorter depth. So the actual total footprint is smaller - not larger.

 

[Tom]

he will need to work on his eye muscles until he has the stamina to scan the extra width.

 

[dnd728]

As I understand it, a wide 14" display should be as wide as a normal 15", only shorter in height, so it shouldn't be wider then a regular 15" display. However, with 1280 pixels across it probably is a bit dense, isn't it? I guess that's an individual matter...

Thanks all!
dnd