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How big of a monitor should I get?

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Ach3r0n

New Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2005
I currently have a 17" LCD running at 1024x768. I am looking to upgrade to 1920x1080 but I don't want anything to get any smaller. What size monitor would you recommend to keep the icons, etc at roughly the same size w/ the upgraded resolution?
 
Anyone who would like to provide an answer to my question rather than some random rambling? :)
 
I'm not sure what you mean about not wanting anything to get smaller (the aspect ratio of a larger monitor means that icons might be a few pixels out) but if you're after 1920x1080 then you'll want a good 26in monitor.

Some cheaper ones will only go to 1680x1050.

I use a 22in Asus though and i can't fault it.
 
I'm not sure what you mean about not wanting anything to get smaller (the aspect ratio of a larger monitor means that icons might be a few pixels out) but if you're after 1920x1080 then you'll want a good 26in monitor.

Some cheaper ones will only go to 1680x1050.

I use a 22in Asus though and i can't fault it.

Well my icons are about 3/4" now and I don't want them to get much smaller running a new LCD at 1920x1080. Obviously I can change font/icon size etc. but I've tried that and it just doesn't work well so I was aiming to get a monitor big enough that I could have the proper resolution and still be able to read the screen :)
 
you know Vista has a feature that zooms in on icons if you want, right?
i make my icons as small as possible, so my 22" looks more roomy :)

you can make an icon as big as 10cm x 10cm. so just get whatever size your want, as icon size is able to be changed.
 
you know Vista has a feature that zooms in on icons if you want, right?
i make my icons as small as possible, so my 22" looks more roomy :)

you can make an icon as big as 10cm x 10cm. so just get whatever size your want, as icon size is able to be changed.

Yeah but as above, the zoom in/out features, etc. don't quite cut it for me.

Simple answer, get as big a monitor as you can afford/fit. you'll never regret having more real-estate

I'll file this under the same place as JamesXP's response that also in no way answered the question. :)


I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and thank you LufbraDan23 for your help. :D
 
look up the pixel pitch of your monitor. You want that pixel pitch to match your new monitors pixel pitch I'll be backw ith the math solution to do this without knowing the pixel pitch
 
Yeah but as above, the zoom in/out features, etc. don't quite cut it for me.



I'll file this under the same place as JamesXP's response that also in no way answered the question. :)


I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and thank you LufbraDan23 for your help. :D

Good luck with your quest :)
 
I have the answer but first I would like to know a little bit about you. Honestly I believe that if you are interested in this problem you should easily be able to solve it yourself if you are at least a highschool student. If you are not yet a high school student I will tell you the answer. If you are out of hs I will teach you how in PM.

edit 26 in will not be the size that you are looking for
 
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If everythign is too small for you (like my father) running the monitor at 96DPI makes things much more readable. (AFAIK if you are using vista you can chose more defined levels aswell)
 
24 inch is not the answer you are looking for but i agree with them. get a 24 or 26 inch if you are looking for a monitor and change the dpi in the windows controls.
 
Yeah but as above, the zoom in/out features, etc. don't quite cut it for me.



I'll file this under the same place as JamesXP's response that also in no way answered the question. :)


I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and thank you LufbraDan23 for your help. :D
well...
i don't really see your logic here. but you're saying that, you want size screen but have everything look as big as they are now?

then why not get a 24" or something and run it at 1024x768. then everything will the same, pixel wise.

and by default, the icons are the same size anyway. it's just that with a 17", you're much closer to the screen then say you are when looking on a 24-30" screen.
 
Rich, He wants someone to calculate for him the size screen that he would need to have the icon appear to be the same size at the increased resolution. IE on a 17 inch monitor, at 1024x768 the icon is 1/2"x1/2".

How big would my monitor need to be for my icon to remain at 1/2"x1/2" if I increase the pixel resolution to 1920x1080.

He wants someone to calculate for him the measurements in pixel height and width of his current icons, then determine how large the new monitor must be for the same pixel map to be the same physical size, when displayed at a different resolution.
 
I have the answer but first I would like to know a little bit about you. Honestly I believe that if you are interested in this problem you should easily be able to solve it yourself if you are at least a highschool student. If you are not yet a high school student I will tell you the answer. If you are out of hs I will teach you how in PM.

edit 26 in will not be the size that you are looking for

You're an arse and likely half my age. Age is irrelevant though. Considering you only jumped on this thread to be an arse, your help isn't needed.

well...
i don't really see your logic here. but you're saying that, you want size screen but have everything look as big as they are now?

The logic is that I don't want tiny little icons and text that come with the higher resolution. You can adjust all the settings you want and it doesn't equate across the board for everything being equally visible, particularly when surfing the web.

Rich, He wants someone to calculate for him the size screen that he would need to have the icon appear to be the same size at the increased resolution. IE on a 17 inch monitor, at 1024x768 the icon is 1/2"x1/2".

How big would my monitor need to be for my icon to remain at 1/2"x1/2" if I increase the pixel resolution to 1920x1080.

He wants someone to calculate for him the measurements in pixel height and width of his current icons, then determine how large the new monitor must be for the same pixel map to be the same physical size, when displayed at a different resolution.

Actually I would have preferred someone provide me with the equation for it as I am the type who is anxious to learn - but I would have settled for the answer itself. I was never very good in algebra or I suppose I could have figured it out myself. Apparently though, I came across a few people who were just looking to boost their post count but were unwilling or unable to offer any real assistance. That's fine, I got my answer now.
 
It's pretty simple bud and has been mentioned a few times already :) If you want things to appear the same size at the same DPI settings you want the same or as close as possible dot pitch. For example, items on a 1680x1050 monitor with 0.27mm dot pitch will appear exactly the same size as a 1920x1200 monitor with 0.27mm dot pitch (all Windows settings like DPI the same) the latter will simply have more total desktop space.
 
Exactly the BenQ 22inch E2200HD @ 1920 x 1080 is what I have and the icons on my 17inch 1280 x 1024 96dpi are the same size as on the BenQ just a hell of allot more Real estate to be had on the 22inch

So this is about the size the OP should be looking at.

But most game run @ 1680x1050
 
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