Make my resolution greater, please?

March 26, 2007 12:51 PM

Dell laptop question, is this all the resolution I can get? Certainly not!

So I work for Habitat for Humanity, and we're getting ready to open a ReStore. (Google it, I'm afraid to self link.) I recently purchased a new Dell laptop for our local store, and it's great, except that the default max resolution sucks!

You can go here to see the system: http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/latit_d520?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

It's the one on the right, with a few more upgrades, including windows vista basic. Anyway, the max listed resolution is 1024x768. Surely, SURELY there has got to be a way to get it higher than that? It's driving me crazy! Is it just because it's Vista and there aren't great drivers for it yet?

Any advice is welcomed, thanks in advance!

posted by TomMelee to computers & internet (11 comments total)

Display/Screen
14.1 inch XGA LCD Panel

XGA = 1024x768.
posted by helios at 12:58 PM on March 26, 2007

If you got the model with the XGA screen (another name for 1024x768 resolution), there's nothing you can do about it.
posted by knave at 12:59 PM on March 26, 2007

Are you still within the return period? Maybe you can call them and request an exchange? By the way, SXGA = 1280x1024, UXGA = 1600x1200, and there are widescreen LCDs with non-standard resolutions as well (like 1280x768).
posted by helios at 1:00 PM on March 26, 2007

Surely, SURELY there has got to be a way to get it higher than that?

No. LCD's are (for the most part) fixed resolutions. There are higher-resolution Dell laptops available (usually the "TrueLife" screens are higher resolution, WSXGA or WUXGA are common). The "W" means wide-screen, by the way (1650x1080 or 1900x1200).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:20 PM on March 26, 2007

I just got a new Dell. Someone told me you should always opt for the highest level screen with Dell (True Life) -- and then put it on the smallest possible font/size to get a good resolution.
posted by wfc123 at 1:27 PM on March 26, 2007

Well poop. I got in a bit of a hurry ordering and forgot to upgrade to the TrueLife display.

I'm probably within the return period, I've had this thing about 1 week exactly, but I can't get away w/ spending more money. It's all right---everyone here thinks I'm nuts for running rez's so high.

Here's a question though....if I use an external display, could I likely push higher?

Thanks by the way.
posted by TomMelee at 1:27 PM on March 26, 2007

Here's a question though....if I use an external display, could I likely push higher?

Yes, very likely, you can. Your only limitation will be the amount of video RAM available (and if it's an onboard video adapter, you can usually allocate an arbitrary amount of system RAM to act as video RAM).
posted by knave at 2:19 PM on March 26, 2007

I just got a new Dell. Someone told me you should always opt for the highest level screen with Dell (True Life) -- and then put it on the smallest possible font/size to get a good resolution.

The font size dosn't change the actual resolution, just the size of the text on the screen. You will get more "Stuff" on the screen with a smaller font.
posted by delmoi at 2:38 PM on March 26, 2007

if I use an external display, could I likely push higher

Yes. It appears the Latitude 520 series uses Intel's 950-series chipset, which means it will support resolutions up to 2048x1536 at 75 Hz. (provided your monitor supports it).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 2:54 PM on March 26, 2007

Here's a question though....if I use an external display, could I likely push higher?

almost certainly. I have a Dell Inspiron 2200 with the crappy 1024x768 LCD*, and it easily pushes 1280x1024 when I hook it up to a monitor.

I should mention there is one big upside to having this small and crappy display when you're doing web dev -- you're probably viewing your pages in the same manner of about half your audience (obvious statistical caveats apply, cite)

i've gotten used to having a small screen on my laptop (i use it probably 30 hours a week for work), but if you can get a larger display without spending any more money (or sacrifice something that's *easy* to upgrade later, like RAM or other simple pluggable options), i'd do it.

I'm surprised that they're still making 'em like this -- I bought mine refurb almost a year and a half ago.
posted by fishfucker at 3:28 PM on March 26, 2007

pah, strike that. it does 1600x1200 as well.
posted by fishfucker at 3:29 PM on March 26, 2007