Thinkpads Forum

As the title says, I get a max 1280x800 resolution with the built in chipset on my T61. I feel as if I got ripped off because I just naturally assumed that in 2008/2009, resolutions on laptops go higher. If I hook up an external monitor to my VGA connector, I get the higher resolutions but that doesn't help me on my laptop screen.

Is there anything I can do about this or did I buy a dud? The rest of the specs on the T61 are high. The resolution sucks.

With any external or internal LCD in any laptop or deskptop the maximum displayable resolution is set by the manufacturer of the device. So, if you purchased a laptop whose default max resolution is 1280x800 then that is what you get. (period). If you've found a model laptop that performs magic at high resolutions, please tell us about it.

You bought a laptop whose LCD has a resolution of 1280x800. That's why you can't go higher.

It's also not like everyone else has a high resolution screen and only you got this one. Actually this is the most popular resolution for similarly sized laptops, higher resolutions are far less common. This is probably so because not everyone has a perfect sight and can work comfortably with high density screens.

I am a bit surprised by the two answers you received. I would be very surpised if Lenovo managed to hardcode an artifically low maximum external resolution into the T61 (I have not seen that done by any other notebook manufacturer)

You either have an Intel or nVidia graphics chip in your T61. Both are capable of displaying resolutions far higher than 1280 x 800 on external VGA. Most likely you have just chosen the wrong display mode (e.g. clone) and that is the reason you are unable to select a higher external resolution than 1280 x 800.

He actually said he can get higher resolutions on the external display.

So, yes, he bought a laptop with an 1280x800 screen. And now he feels ripped off, because he hasn't bothered to look closely into the specs of the laptop he purchased.

yak wrote:Actually this is the most popular resolution for similarly sized laptops, higher resolutions are far less common. This is probably so because not everyone has a perfect sight and can work comfortably with high density screens.

It's the most popular resolution mainly (though not only) because low-res LCDs are far cheaper than higher-res ones.

Most people don't realize that screen resolution is one of the several most important things to consider when shopping for a laptop. For instance, if you go to eBay and browse through lots of laptop descriptions, you'll notice that >80% of them don't say anything about resolution. These sellers have no idea that all LCDs of the same diagonal size aren't really the same.

For most laptops, it's far cheaper and easier to upgrade other components, e.g. RAM, hard drive, optical drive. But upgrading an LCD panel is technically difficult and relatively costly, so for the average users who lack the necessary technical ability to perform such an upgrade, they are forever stuck with whatever LCD resolution their laptops come with.

lighthammer, I'm sorry to hear that you're disappointed with your T61. But it's a valuable lesson, which I learned several years ago by making the same mistsake. Since then, screen resolution has been the first thing that I look at when shopping for a laptop. BTW, this thread may be relevant.

Gaahh ... need to work on my reading comprehension. Of course it is his own responsibility then for not researching the specs.

True, I didn't research resolutions. I never had to before when buying laptops with built in video but for my next purchase I will.

HarryC, in Windows XP or Vista, when going to Display Properties where you can configure the two monitors or extend the desktop to a second monitor, The external resolution goes much higher than 1280x800. This concept is the same in netbooks where your screen is smaller and lower resolutions but when you output the video to an external monitor, you can get higher resolution.

I guess I got my answer about not being able to change the video. Thanks for the info.

lighthammer wrote:HarryC, in Windows XP or Vista, when going to Display Properties where you can configure the two monitors or extend the desktop to a second monitor, The external resolution goes much higher than 1280x800. This concept is the same in netbooks where your screen is smaller and lower resolutions but when you output the video to an external monitor, you can get higher resolution.

Yes, I am aware of that. I should have been more clear, but in my statement "manufacturer of the device", the devices I was refering to are the internal LCD's or external monitors, not the laptop or desktop. So in effect yes you can have a higher resolution on an external LCD, but only up to the maximum resolution set by the manufacturer for that LCD.

1280x800 BLOWS. Its way too low in a 14". One of the reasons I have not gone to widescreen. That is why I continue to hold on to my T60 with 4:3 1400x1050 despite being about 18 months past due for replacement.

Please Lenovo, start making 4:3 hi res screens again!

Totally agree, 1280x800 is really not enough. On the 14"w the 1440x900 screen is a must, I even considered buying the 15" version for the sole reason of having the 1680x1050 screen.

It would be nice if Lenovo gave users a choice between 4:3 and 16:10 again, but I'm happy with widescreen as long as they keep the DPI count high.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with 1280x800. It's one of the most popular resolutions for more reasons than just cost. The choice of resolution is just that, "a choice". To make a generalization and say that a certain resolution is not enough, or incorrect, is simply wrong. I celebrate choices and choose what I prefer. So while in my case I prefer UXGA 1600x1200 in my T60p for work. Other times I prefer the SXGA+ 1400x1050 in my T60. It's one of the reasons I have more than just one ThinkPad. For me there is no "perfect" resolution for all purposes.
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Cheers...