Thinkpads Forum

Still working on that Thinkpad for my sister. While the widescreen sale is tempting, she wants something smaller if possible. A 14" WS would be ideal, but alas, it's not out yet.

However, I am not sure whether to get the XGA or a higher res screen. The money difference could go to other things, such as a bigger battery or a faster HD or what have you.

All we've ever used at my house (minus my new 19" WS monitor, but that's with me at school) has been XGA and it's what she's used to. She isn't a power user anyhow.

But is there more to it than just "seeing more on the screen"? It inherently seems like the better screen, but I'm wondering what really makes it so. Thanks a lot!

personally i would prefer a SXGA+ screen although i have never used before.

I seem to have used an xga on every laptop Ive owned, including several thinkpads. After seeing the sxga on a t41, and then getting it on a t60, I am never going back to xga...and its one of the key features I am now looking for in any new laptop.

SXGA+ is definitely much better IMO. I find myself more productive with the additional workspace from the higher resolution.

SXGA+ is the only option, XGA should never be mentioned

well,
it seems like Lenovo is popularized the SXGA+ LCD for T60 here in Asian countries, as most of the retailer shops are showing the T60 demo unit with SXGA+ option.
this would save the trouble for those who might need to call the IBM center to configure one high end-spec with SXGA+ LCD option just like T4x series.

If she is used to and likes XGA that would probably be the best, running an SXGA+ at anything other than native resoultion is not great. The other thing to think about is the graphics power and Vista though, I don't know if any XGA Thinkpad machines have the graphics to run Vista with the 3d option/aero. I have read that Vista does better at font scaling than XP but I have not tried it yet.
I'm not proposing using Vista just mentioning it.

Kyocera wrote:If she is used to and likes XGA that would probably be the best, running an SXGA+ at anything other than native resoultion is not great.

I agree 100%, this is excellent advice. Resolution is such a personal choice. Each has it's advantages, and just because XGA is the oldest and lowest resolution does not mean it's not a great solution.

Most web pages are designed for XGA and display best at this resolution. If one spends a lot of time on the web I would highly suggest staying with XGA.

There is a "fad" in some cases of going to the highest possible resolution as it does produce images that are a bit less "grainy" and yet what good is that if you get eyestrain because of the very small fonts and images that are produced at the higher resolution.

Using myself as an example I have two T series ThinkPads that are configured identically with one exception. That is resolution which in one is XGA and the other is SXGA+. I prefer the XGA by a very wide margin when it comes to doing research on the web, lots of email etc. Then, conversely when I'm doing graphics work, modeling and rendering, 3D etc the higher resolution is preferable for those jobs.

Thus it's a matter of assesing honestly what you are going to be using the computer for and choosing the resolution carefully. Remembering that the higher the resolution, the smaller the fonts, icons etc. The argument that more can be seen with less scrolling by using a high res display is true, but at what cost, in terms of eye strain. Also its' important to note that I have perfect 20/20 vision. So it's not like I have poor eyesight. I make my living in front of a computer and have a very comprehensive amount of experience to draw on. And after owning a huge number of ThinkPads which is the only computer I use (no desktops) I find that the two best resolutions for me are those I have discussed and for those reasons.

If one is purchasing a ThinkPad for all around usage and at least 30 or 40% of the time will be on the internet, the most confortable and suitable resolution is 1024x768 = XGA. It will also save you some money, as the purchase price of these ThinkPads are less than the higher resolution models.

In the end you will be very happy you made that decision, as the higher resolution is often much more than one needs and is actually a detriment to enjoying a good experience with your new ThinkPad.

Cheers....

That was a very persuasive argument, archer, and addressed many of the concerns I had about getting a computer for her. She is not a graphics person (aside from taking digital photos, but who doesn't these days?) and certainly doesn't do a whole lot of fancy stuff. Thanks.

Just received my new 14" T60 and I must say I"m glad I went for the XGA. I'm using it mostly for writing and internet applications. I have always used 14.1" XGA screens, and though I've tested SXGA+ and saw the sharp and smooth images it can display, I've found it too much of an eye strain even on the 15.4" LCD I used for the test. Unless you're going to use a lot of graphics/video-intensive programs, I say stick to XGA. But again, that's just my personal opinion.

archer6 wrote:The argument that more can be seen with less scrolling by using a high res display is true, but at what cost, in terms of eye strain.

But the eye strain may go away after using a high-res display for a while. That happened to me when I went from XGA to 14.1" SXGA+ for the first time last August, when I got a T43. I had eye strain initially, but after using it for a few days, I got used to it. The same thing happened when I subsequently went up to 15" UXGA (a Thinkpad A31p), and finally to 15.4" WUXGA (the Dell Inspiron 6000 I currently own). After each upgrade, my eyes strained for a while and I regreted my purchase, but my visual system adjusted to it eventually (it took ~a week for 15" UXGA and two months for 15.4" WUXGA). I now find the 15.4" Dell's 1920x1200 display to be very comfortable to use and it's my favorite laptop, with my 14" SXGA+ T60 being #2 and my 15.4" WXGA Sony Vaio being #3.

So my recommendation to those who are used to XGA is, give SXGA+ a try. Some people may never like it, but many others can get used to it quickly. The price difference between XGA and SXGA+ is typically only around $50.

archer6 wrote:If one is purchasing a ThinkPad for all around usage and at least 30 or 40% of the time will be on the internet, the most confortable and suitable resolution is 1024x768 = XGA.

I use my computers for the internet about 60% of the time and 1920x1200 is perfect for that because I can view up to four web browsers simultaneously. To me, XGA makes sense only for 10.4" or smaller laptops, e.g. the Sharp MM20 and the Sony X505.

IMHO SXGA on anything smaller than a 19 inch screen is a recipe for eyestrain and headaches, unless you increase the system font size to be about the same as on XGA. For example, 120dpi on a 17" screen.
Note that YMMV. My eyes are not as young and reckless as they used to be. There are applications (art, architecture, some medical or scientifical applications) where the SXGA resolution is indeed a benefit (this is where the "magnifier" setting for the TrackPoint middle button comes in handy)

claudeo wrote:IMHO SXGA on anything smaller than a 19 inch screen is a recipe for eyestrain and headaches, unless you increase the system font size to be about the same as on XGA. For example, 120dpi on a 17" screen.
Note that YMMV. My eyes are not as young and reckless as they used to be. There are applications (art, architecture, some medical or scientifical applications) where the SXGA resolution is indeed a benefit (this is where the "magnifier" setting for the TrackPoint middle button comes in handy)

Precisely.... Well Said......

To obtain the equivalent pixel size when going from 4x3 to 16x10, which in my opinion is very important so that things don't appear smaller you need a screen size increase of 13% (about 2 inches). Going from 15" 4x3 to 15" 16x10 results in a decrease of about 12%.

I have a 14.1" T60 with SXGA+. But I run it at the next notch down, 1024 by 768 (which is XGA), because the max resolution makes everything so tiny that it isn't worth it. So I might as well have gotten the XGA screen. On the Lenovo site where you build your custom rig, I had to choose the SXGA+ option because it was the only way I could unlock the option to get the better graphics card. But that extra screen resolution is just going to waste. I'm fine with the XGA setting really. I think it's what most people consider standard, and most of them don't need more.

I have a brand new t60WS that I am on the verge of sending back just because of the resolution thing. Can anyone recommend any notebooks, Lenovo or otherwise, with a 15" screen and XGA? Or am I just about stuck with a 14.1" screen?

Lenovo has T60/R60 models with 15" XGA. But what's wrong with 14" XGA?

floete wrote: Can anyone recommend any notebooks, Lenovo or otherwise, with a 15" screen and XGA? Or am I just about stuck with a 14.1" screen?

Look at the Lenovo site in the R series laptops. They offer both 14" and 15" XGA.

I'm sold on WUXGA, by the way.

If you go to Newegg.com and do a Power Search for "XGA" and "15.0" and "15.1", you will get 25 matches, 11 of which are Lenovo/Thinkpad and 10 are HP.

I am of the opinion that the higher resolutions (e.g. my T60 15.4" WS runs at 1680x1050) SHOULD NOT cause eye strain on a sufficiently sized screen IF you have normal vision (corrected or native). I had a lot of eye strain and headaches when I first got mine and was scared that the laptop would be unusable. A visit to the optometrist revealed that I had astigmatism in both eyes and slight farsightedness. I got some glasses with an anti-glare coating and now not only does the laptop look great, I find driving and reading books much easier as well.

I HIGHLY recommend that you have your eyes checked and employ corrective lenses if necessary, especially if you are having problems seeing things at native resolution and normal font sizes etc. If all you do is browse the web and do some email and word processing, XGA is all you need. But if you are retouching photos, like to compare documents side-by-side, or need several windows visible at once, the high-resolution widescreen is wonderful. You will wonder how you ever got along without it.

Bottom line: Our vision declines with age and if you are squinting a lot, getting dry eyes or getting headaches from use of the laptop at native resolution, a vision check might be in order.

driftnet wrote:I am of the opinion that the higher resolutions (e.g. my T60 15.4" WS runs at 1680x1050) SHOULD NOT cause eye strain on a sufficiently sized screen IF you have normal vision (corrected or native).

I agree, it took me a while to get used to my SXGA+ running at native resolution, but now it does not ever bother me and I never got eye strain or headaches from it even when I first started using it. My R52 XGA looks huge now, but after a few minutes on it I adjust.

If anyone wants to do SERIOUS WORK. E.g. Excel / Spreadsheets, Proof read documents, create diagrams / ppts (Visio, AutoCAD, Powerpoint), the SXGA+ is a must.

With the XGA you do not have enough resolution to see all the information CLEARLY without zooming in & out / scrolling ALL THE [censored] TIME.

Ofcourse, if the person is going to simply use it for home use, some browsing and prefers BIG FONTS.. i.e. cannot handle SXGA+ small look then go with XGA.