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Widescreen monitors - any advantage?

Jukie

Jukie

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I'm on the lookout for a new monitor. I don't watch movies on my computer and I very rarely, if ever, need to have two documents/browser windows side by side on screen.

So, is there any point in me buying a widescrren monitor? Will there come a time in the next few years when software will be designed for 16:9 ratio (unless it already is :o)

I surf, I type simple documents & spreadsheets, I dabble with Dreamweaver (complete novice) and I play the occasional game (FPS, flight sim).

TIA, David
 
No real advantage unless using a Mac professionally I suppose. You can resize any window application to fit so will give you more useable area - though check the pixel count. I bought a great Sony 17" LCD for £140 I think it was - discarded the widescreen idea.
 
I have just given up 2 x 19 inch 4:3 monitors for 1 x 24 inch 16:9 workspace.

Has my world changed? Not really, I still have two windows open at max. Usually two web browsers. The extra resolution is nice for photo editing though.
 
I have two 19" LCDs at work - I like the seperation you get and obviously screen management you have as opposed to one large screen.
 
I have a 24inch widescreen Samsung , not because it need it, it just came up at the right price ;)

It looks cool , but i don't use it for anything like the purpose it was designed for ....

Also have a 19 inch Viewsonic mounted next to it on the wall with the PC set to dual monitors .....

Great to have two windows open at once , and my computer area looks like mission control ..... :cool:

Other than that , i guess it's wasted on me :o
 
With Vista coming along a wide screen would be most benificial. Even Microsoft are going to be selling one, built by Samsung I believe.
 
drifting said:
With Vista coming along a wide screen would be most benificial.
Click to expand...

How so? Not doubting you but I've not read or heard anything about Vista being better suited to widescreen.
 
I have a 21" Dell widescreen - perfect for proposal writing with a donor doc open alongside the new one.
 
I have just deployed a nice 30" widescreen monitor on my new Vista PC at home. :eek:

It is great for having a couple of A4 pages on screen concurrently, fantastic for photos. Yet to try any games on it.......
 
widescreen is one of those things that you don't realise you need it till youve had it for a few days. I really like widescreen , much prefer the aspect ratio.
 
I've been using an 20" Widescreen for the past 4 years, wouldn't dream of using anything else. Checkout Viewsonic Range they've got ipod docks built in 23" wide screen for just around 300 euro so fairly cheap sterling wise.
 
I'm an older viewer, I'm a bit worried as the pixel size stays about the same (around .28mm) on bigger monitors, they just pack more in.

Dell have a 27" monitor where the pixel size is larger (.3mm) but I'm wondering if a 27" monitor might be a bit OTT. :D
 
Hi Rory

I rarely run my monitor at the highest resolution, although at 38 I'm neither young nor old the eyesight is bad from using computers since I was around 14 so just lower the resolution on the larger monitors or increase icon and type sizes in control panels.
 
NiallerS320 said:
Hi Rory

I rarely run my monitor at the highest resolution, although at 38 I'm neither young nor old the eyesight is bad from using computers since I was around 14 so just lower the resolution on the larger monitors or increase icon and type sizes in control panels.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - I'm pretty short sighted but corrected perfectly, however reading suddenly went pop when I was about 48.

I would want to run at the highest resolution anyway, in order to make the most of the available screen area. If you try to run an LCD monitor at anything other than it's native resolution it usually looks terrible. There are things like liquidview which are supposed to help, but not everyone gets on with such utilities.
 
I run my 30" screen at 2560 x 1600 (DVI-D) which is the only resolution it runs at.

I do have to increase the font size slightly as the eyesight isnt what it used to be:(
 
Hello,

I would think the only real advantage is spreadsheets and watching movies? as you can see more across the screen. At work I use 2 * 17" sony monitors which I find great having Excel opened in each window when working with figures.

At home we have a 24" widescreen (Dell) again not because we need it but it was a great price. Its also a TV and nice bit of kit.

Have to say at work my job is a IT Buyer and have just bought a lot of Apple computers the new iMac's look fantastic. The 24" screen is amazing and so clear. Also its such a neat product with one power cable and the usb keyboard / mouse.

Cheers
 
Ordering a 24" imac tomorrow for a client, looking forward to getting my mits on it.
 
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