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Small, High-Resolution LCD Monitors?

An anonymous reader writes "I'm a veteran user of an old 17" Dell Trinitron CRT monitor. I run it at 1400x1050 with an 80Hz refresh rate — about as high as it goes before it'll go out of the monitor's scan range. More recently I've been looking to finally upgrade to an LCD monitor but found that, for the most part, every 17" monitor on the market runs natively at 1280x1024, as does every 19" monitor — I have to go for a 20" to go higher. Now yes, I know I'm complaining about just 120 pixels horizontal and 26 pixels vertical, but my laptop's 15" display runs natively at 1400x1050. Is there any standalone monitor on the market that'll natively do higher than 1280x1024 without killing my desk space?"

18 of 370 comments (clear)

  1. Killing desk space? by winterphoenix · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When I upgraded from my CRT to an LCD I gained tons of desk space. Just push your monitor back and take whatever stuff you would have had to the side of the monitor in front of it. In my opinion, desk real estate has more to deal with footprint area than length, but maybe I'm crazy. (Crazy like a fox)

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    1. Re:Killing desk space? by vivian · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The other option of course is to get an LCD and a wall bracket or a desk bracket that allows you to have the monitor off the desk alltogether. You can also get brackets that allow two or three monitors to be mounted to it, but still have just the one upright pole that comes off your desk ( or bolts onto a wall.
      http://www.megamounts.com.au/shop/lcd-desk-mounts.htm?gclid=COGlvZK5x5sCFcEtpAod-U9fLg

      There are many many similar products out there - this is just the first I came across with a quick google search.

      I used to think I needed nothing more than a 17" LCD, but after going to 2x24" monitors @1920x1280 theres no way im ever going back. Virtual desktop space is a lot more valuable to me than real desktop space. if I ever go to 3 monitors though, Im getting myself one of these brackets.

    2. Re:Killing desk space? by vivian · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I forgot to mention - if you use a desk bracket, and you really value your vertical resolution, you can also mount your monitors on it sideways, so you the monitor(s) are in portrait mode. most video cards support rotating your monitors, so this gives you an excellent way for looking at single page portrait documents, or more code than you should ever have in a single function all at once.

    3. Re:Killing desk space? by shirai · · Score: 5, Interesting

      This is a fantastic idea and having used monitors in portrait mode (vertically oriented) instead of landscape mode, I can never go back. Better yet, there are many monitors that have a built in pivot. You can fit twice as many lines of code and still take very little desk space.

      This monitor is a good example.

      http://accessories.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?c=ca&l=en&s=bsd&cs=cabsdt1&sku=320-6272

      It is 24" but if you scroll down, you will see how it probably doesn't take any more room than a 17" in landscape mode.

      Seriously, as a developer, designer, writer, etc. this is one of the best upgrades you can make.

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  2. check newegg by steak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    seriuosly. that power search link on the right hand side of their site isn't there for nothing.

  3. One thing I hate by Icegryphon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Is most all new Monitors are Widescreen, I hate that 16:9 aspect ratio.
    My next new one will have to be normal width 4:3 aspect ratio.
    Maybe I am old school, but it just looks right,
    besides I like to have a good resolution on more then just horizontal axis

    1. Re:One thing I hate by SirCowMan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Turn a widescreen sideways, your drivers should support screen rotation :)

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  4. LCDs might waste less space around the screen by Shag · · Score: 4, Informative

    Your 17" CRT probably had a visible area of about 16" and a case of 18-19". A nice 20" widescreen 1680x1050 LCD really won't eat up all that much space on your desk. :)

    --
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  5. Re:Sadly... by jo42 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Before buying any LCD, you need to read this first: Desperately Seeking Quality LCDs.

  6. LCDs don't take that much desk space. by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Being thin, LCD's don't take much desk space. Go for a 20". My Dell 2007WFP has a native resolution of 1680x1050, for example. and uses a little more than 24 sq. inch of desk space. That's less desk space than the 17" Dell Trinitron it replaced. :)

  7. The goggle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It does nothing.

  8. Re:Syncmaster by SignalFreq · · Score: 5, Informative

    ASUS VW192T+ 19", 1680 x 1050, $120
    http://www.superwarehouse.com/ASUS_VW192T+_19_Widescreen_LCD_Monitor/VW192T+/ps/1562122

    ViewSonic VX1940w 19", 1680 x 1050, $150
    http://www.superwarehouse.com/ViewSonic_VX1940w_19_Widescreen_LCD_Monitor/VX1940W/ps/1504859

    Or if you want really high resolution (and have too much money):
    EIZO RadiForce GS310-CL Single Head 20.8", 2048 x 1536, $6k
    http://www.superwarehouse.com/EIZO_RadiForce_GS310-CL_Single_Head_20.8_LCD_Monitor/GS310-CL-SH-MMP3P/ps/1543964

  9. Pixel density is the key factor by itomato · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I have been on this search for three or four years, and all I can come up with is that there's a conspiracy in effect, in order to promote this 'HD' thing the commoners are obsessed with lately.

    I'm posting this from a four year old Thinkpad T43, with 15" display, at 1400x1050. As long as I've had it, I've been searching for a complimentary display for my desk. Nothing comes close. I don't want a 19", 24", or 30" monitor to get this pixel count, and I sure don't want to dodge the reflections on one of those glossy, color pop displays. If I have to move my head, there's a serious ergonomics problem.

    I have been doing some research, and I can't find anything satisfactory. Samsung doesn't make a panel capable of what I want, nevermind a finished display.. I thought surely IBM would provide an engineering-quality display @ > 116 PPI, but if they do, I can't find it.

    What I may do, and some others may explore as well, is to follow in the tracks of the homebrew projection TV people, and rig up an old laptop display with a converter and new backlight.

    Some light reading on the subject:

    An interesting paper on high pixel density LCD panels from 2005; why there likely are none, and why there likely won't be any.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_displays_by_pixel_density

    Manufacturers, listen up; For every one of those business class notebooks you've been selling for 5 years, you have changed the work habits of at least one person. Sell them a capable desktop display for a third to half the cost of the notebook, and garner a tidy profit. Just don't put one of those stinking shine panels on the front. Stick it in the box with some double-sided tape, if the focus group says you have to.

  10. Re:HD Capable by geekboy642 · · Score: 5, Informative

    In a CRT, there are two practical considerations that set the upper limit for resolution: One is the dot pitch of the phosphor, the other is the speed/flexibility of the onboard signal processor. There's also, I assume, some upper limit for switching the electron gun. CPU is fairly cheap, and dot pitches of 0.22mm were common in the CRT era. At that pitch, the highest resolution would be something like 2048x1536.
    Contrast that to an LCD monitor, where every pixel is a discrete LCD element, complete with wires and transistors for addressing. LCD dot pitches are in the 0.5-0.6mm range, and making them smaller is very expensive currently. Sadly, only us geeks seem to care that there is such a disparity with the "new and improved" technology.

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  11. Mod Parent Up! by W.+Justice+Black · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Aah, if I only had mod points.

    I set up some labs with bench space a while back and used exclusively 19" monitors with VESA arms. The space under the monitor becomes usable (since there's no stand in the way) and the adjustability (and ability to just shove the monitor to the side when not in use) is invaluable. This gets even better with 2x stands.

    Oh, and with many brackets, you can mount them from above instead of below, too.

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  12. Re:HD Capable by Sawbones · · Score: 4, Insightful

    LCD dot pitches are in the 0.5-0.6mm range

    Where are you seeing these ridiculously huge pixels advertised? I'm actively seeking larger dot pitch LCD monitors since they're easier on my eyes for longer periods of time, and the largest I've ever seen is .3. Most are right in the .27-.25 range, granted not as fine as a CRT but still hardly the double you're claiming.

    Samsung T260HD for example (what I'm getting), is .282mm

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  13. Re:Syncmaster by iamhassi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    google 17" LCD 1400x1050

    Very first link is a KDS K-726MWB 17 inch WIDE SCREEN LCD 1400 X 1050 0.291MM 500:1 8ms (Black) for sale for $166.

    I really can't believe this made it on Ask Slashdot. Shouldn't the requirement be to get on Ask Slashdot that someone can't find it with a 10 second google search?

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  14. Some idiot will mod this off-topic, but .... by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why is this marked troll?

    I'm going to answer you because I think this is important to understand, and I can take the karma hit if I happen to incur any.

    The submitter specifically requested resolution greater than 1280 x 1024, but the person didn't pay attention and recommended the very type of LCD he is explicitly stating he does not want. You combine that with the fact that many people will willingly mod, but have no idea how to, and you get things that should be modded "Overrated" being classified as "Troll", "Flamebait", or "Offtopic".

    For those who don't get why the post in question is not a Troll, Flamebait, or Offtopic: The guy wasn't trying to stir up trouble, and he stayed on topic. His advice just sucked because he didn't pay attention to the question before offering up an answer.

    Now:

    Q: Why shouldn't this post be modded down, even though it is technically off-topic?

    A: The mod system is designed to improve the Slashdot experience by fighting abuse and promoting behavior that makes the Slashdot experience better. One should first classify the post in those terms, and only then pick an option from the set of categories that observe proper polarity.

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