Continuing our series on choosing a notebook PC, today we’ll look at the choices you’ll need to make to choose the ideal notebook screen. There are four factors to consider: screen size, resolution, widescreen or regular, and glossy or matte.
Screen size is something you’ve already looked at if you read the first installment it’s part of choosing a tiny notebook, a mainstream one, or a giant desktop replacement. Your basic choices range from 12 for the smallest notebook to 19 and beyond for the largest. The following are the other aspects of the screen you’ll want to take a closer look at.
Regular or Widescreen?
Many newer notebooks are available in a widescreen format, with a wider aspect ratio than typical desktop monitor screens probably because these notebooks can double as DVD players. Widescreen is ideal for watching movies on your notebook, but a traditional size might be more appropriate for word processing.
You’ll probably end up choosing a widescreen display regardless, since most manufacturers are focusing on them for example, HP only makes 15 value models in a traditional screen ratio. All of Dell’s current models have wide screens. Apple’s iBooks and Powerbooks have traditional screens, but the new MacBook Pro has a wide screen.
Screen Resolution and DPI
While the screen choices look basic 12.1 , 14 , 15.4 , 17 , 19 it’s actually more complicated: the same size screen can be available with different screen resolutions. The resolution is the number of pixels displayed on the screen across its width and height. The most common resolutions for mainstream notebooks are 1024 x 768 (standard XGA) and 1280 x 800 (widescreen XGA).
The resolution determines the size of each pixel on the screen. This is usually measured in DPI (dots per inch). You can calculate the DPI for a screen using a formula or, better yet, using a convenient online calculator (thanks to raydreams.com).
The DPI value is important because it determines the default size of text on your screen: a higher value means smaller text. While you can change the font size in your applications and in the operating system, you’re better off with a default value you’re comfortable with especially on Windows, where many applications are not compatible with non-standard font sizes. You can also set the screen to a lower resolution, but if you use anything but the native resolution, the text won’t look nearly as good.
Depending on the laptop manufacturer and screen size, you might be able to choose different resolutions. For example, when you buy the 17 HP DV8000 notebook, you can choose between two resolutions for the 17 screen: 1440 x 900 or 1680 x 1050. With the basic 1440 x 900 screen, the DPI is 99.9. With the higher-resolution screen, the DPI is 116.5. While it’s tempting to think that more is better, unless your eyesight is great or you’re willing to customize font settings, the high-res screen will be inconvenient.
If you’ve got a desktop monitor you’re comfortable with, you can calculate its DPI and try to find a notebook screen with a similar value. I use a 19 LCD monitor with 1280 x 1024 resolution at my desk 86 DPI so I looked for a low DPI value notebook. My ideal notebook screen turns out to be 15.4 and 1280 x 800 (98 DPI). I was surprised to find that this is the same resolution as Laura’s tiny 12.1 notebook (124.7 DPI). While it might seem like a waste of space, the larger pixels make for a very comfortable screen to read, and one that is very similar to the screen I use on my desk.
Of course, the best way to choose a screen is to see it in person. Visit your local computer store and try different notebooks with a text editor, word processor, or web browser. Even if the model you’re considering isn’t available locally, there’s probably one there with the same screen size and resolution.
Glossy vs. Matte
One last thing to consider and one of the most confusing. If you’ve walked through the notebook section of a computer store lately, you might have noticed that many of the screens have a glossy, reflective finish. It’s not hard to see why they look great in the store. With a bit more contrast than traditional matte screens, they look great playing videos.
The trouble is, all that reflectiveness can get in the way when you’re reading text. Many people prefer matte screens for working with text, but I’ve been surprised to hear some people recommend glossy screens for the same purpose. This seems to be a matter of personal preference. I’ve personally used matte screens for years, but my new notebook has a glossy screen and I’ve found it easy to work with.
The glossy screens are known by various trademark names: BrightView (HP), XBRITE (Sony), CrystalView (Acer), TrueLife (Dell), TruBrite (Toshiba), and so on. If you’re buying your notebook at a local store, you won’t have much choice all but a few models will have glossy screens. If you order online, however, some brands, like HP and Dell, let you choose between matte and glossy screens.
As with resolution, this is something you’ll need to see in person to determine your preference. Be sure to try looking at a word processor document or a web browser rather than the demo video running at the store, and make sure you can read despite the gloss. Keep in mind that a well-lit office might have even more glare than you see at the store. You should also look at different brands of notebook, since some are glossier than others.
Tomorrow, our series on choosing a notebook continues with a look at the confusing array of processor choices available.
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