[zacharydz]

I am looking into buying a 17 inch LCD to use with my iBook (have spanning hack applied), and I am trying to figure out if there is any point to widescreen 17 inch LCDs.

The widescreen 17 in LCDs run at 1280 by 768, while regular 17 inchers run 1280 by 1024. Doesn't one get more "screen real-estate" with a regular 17 inch LCD?

Considering that I can get a regular 17 inch LCD for around $200, is there any advantages of a widescreen?

Thanks in advance.

[anthonyvthc]

Originally posted by zacharydz:
I am looking into buying a 17 inch LCD to use with my iBook (have spanning hack applied), and I am trying to figure out if there is any point to widescreen 17 inch LCDs.

The widescreen 17 in LCDs run at 1280 by 768, while regular 17 inchers run 1280 by 1024. Doesn't one get more "screen real-estate" with a regular 17 inch LCD?

Considering that I can get a regular 17 inch LCD for around $200, is there any advantages of a widescreen?

Thanks in advance.

Yeah, you won't be on the cutting edge of style. I personally have wondered the same thing. I think it's just so if you watch a widescreen DVD you don't have to see those horrid black boxes

I would get a regular 17" if I was you. Actually, I would get a regular 19". Mine was less than $300.

[Krusty]

The main advantage:
Great for widescreen movie watching. The actual picture are on a widescreen will be larger than a regular monitor .... even if the width in pixels is exactly the same (believe it or not ... I can show you mathematically if you like).

Apple's 17" widescreen panels have 1440 x 900 pixels... which is actually more screen real estate than a 1280 x 1024 (by a little bit). However, if you're looking at a 1280 x 768 model then, yes, it will have fewer total pixels than the 1280 x 1024.

[I was David B.]

That depends on how you work:

For DVDs widescreen is better.
If you read long documents (but only one at a time) the classical shape is better. If you have to compare two docs -> widescreen...
If you use photoshop with pallettes at the side, widescreen is great.

In your special case where the widescreen has the same amount of horizontal pixels it is indeed pointless to go for the widescreen (except if it were cheaper). Widescreen is an advantage if it had more pixels horizontally and then of course less vertically compared to a 4:3 shape.

With an iBook or Powerbook less pixel result in less gpu heat. As soon as you connect an external screen to your iBook and switch on Monitor spanning, the gpu has to render significantly more pixels. So more pixels externally make your fan run more often.

But I doubt that the difference between 768 and 1024 will have a big impact on fan noise. I assume the fan will run non-stop with an external screen attached (the same as with the 12 inch powerbooks).

[Cadaver]

I just wish someone (especially Apple) would bring to market a stand-alone 1440x900 17" LCD display like Apple uses in the iMac and 17" PB. That would make a killer display for the Mac mini and satify those who don't want to spend $1000 on an Apple 20" widescreen but still want to own an Apple-branded display. Yeah, yeah... I know Dell's 20" widescreen can be had for around $550. But still, a compact, widescreen 17" would fit right in to Apple's lineup for displays I think.

[iREZ]

I totally agree that Apple should release a 17" LCD in the lineup they have now, but Apple will never hear our cries. Oh well.