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External monitors - screen size + resolution = ???

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KingL
KingL Posts: 1,713 Forumite
edited 9 June 2015 at 8:35PM in Techie Stuff
I've got a 13" laptop (Yoga2Pro) with a 3200 x 1800 display (Win 8.1). Everything is paaainfully small, so after struggling with it for 6 months I want to get a big (23 or 28 inch) external monitor so at least I can see stuff*.

But I dont understand the mathematics for scaling-up screens taking into account the screen resolutions and whatnot.

e.g. If I start with a 13" 3200 x 1800 laptop screen and plug in a 26" 3200 x 1800 screen, then what I get is 2 x bigger icons, thumbnails and os filenames, right? And I would be only be able to fit the same number of (say) "Extra Large" icons on both screens? (they would just be bigger on the bigger screen). (But I could choose a smaller icon in the OS to cram more icons on the screen).

What if I went for a lower res monitor? If I started with the 13" 3200 x 1800 laptop and plugged in a (theoretical) 13" 1980x1080 external monitor, then everything would be 1.6x bigger, right? (that's 3200/1980)?

...and if I then used an actual 26" 1980x1080 monitor, then it would all be 3.2x bigger than on the laptop, right?

or am I missing something?

tia
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* yes, I know you can adjust the resolution, fontsize and icon size in windows 8.1, but it just aint doing it for me, baby
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Comments

  • tavernman
    tavernman Posts: 575 Forumite
    Simple maths (ask pythagoras) a**2 + b**2 = c**2 the screen size is the diagonal (c) therefore a 13 inch screen is 1/4 of the area of a 26 inch screen
    Maths 5 by 12=13 and 10 by 24=26
    Area = a*b ie 60 and 240
  • KingL
    KingL Posts: 1,713 Forumite
    my OP is talking about one-dimensional/linear (not area) sizings. Lets stick with that, so as not to confuse things....
  • tavernman
    tavernman Posts: 575 Forumite
    edited 9 June 2015 at 9:20PM
    still ppi (pixels per inch) holds true
    Edited your OP was incorrect , if you hold the same resolution i.e. 3200x1800 on a 26" screen the icons will be 4x bigger, not 2x,
    the other points you were making are based on matching differing ratios
  • tavernman
    tavernman Posts: 575 Forumite
    OK they will be 2x bigger vertically and the same horizontally , I was being pedantic / :beer: 'ed
  • cookie365
    cookie365 Posts: 1,809 Forumite
    1920x1080 looks just fine for me on a 24 inch monitor, I'm amazed you can read anything at all at 3200x1800 on 13"
  • PenguinJim
    PenguinJim Posts: 844 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    This isn't much help for your actual question, OP, but a quick reminder that holding down "Ctrl" while using the mouse wheel is a fast way to change text sizes in many programs. :)
    Q: What kind of discussions aren't allowed?
    A: It goes without saying that this site's about MoneySaving.

    Q: Why are some Board Guides sometimes unpleasant?
    A: We very much hope this isn't the case. But if it is, please make sure you report this, as you would any other forum user's posts, to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
  • Consumerist
    Consumerist Posts: 6,311 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 10 June 2015 at 4:18PM
    KingL wrote: »
    . . . e.g. If I start with a 13" 3200 x 1800 laptop screen and plug in a 26" 3200 x 1800 screen, then what I get is 2 x bigger icons, thumbnails and os filenames, right? And I would be only be able to fit the same number of (say) "Extra Large" icons on both screens? (they would just be bigger on the bigger screen). (But I could choose a smaller icon in the OS to cram more icons on the screen).
    Ok, from the top.

    The screen "size" is the length of the screen's diagonal.

    If you double the screen size (e.g. 13" to 26") at the same resolution (3200 x 1800) then the screen image will be exactly twice as big in each direction (horizontally and vertically).

    If your external screen cannot handle the 3200 x 1800 resolution then you may have either blank areas at the edge of the screen or edge areas which you will no longer be able to see. If the new screen doesn't have a resolution in the same ratio (16:9) as the old then you may get shape distortion on the new screen.

    Hope that helps.
    >:)Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
  • KingL
    KingL Posts: 1,713 Forumite
    If your external screen cannot handle the 3200 x 1800 resolution then you may have either blank areas at the edge of the screen or edge areas which you will no longer be able to see.
    but I can wind the resolution settings down in windows to the same as on the external monitor (1920x1080), which would solve that, no?

    I don't mind a little distortion in line with tiny deviations from 16:9.
  • bod1467
    bod1467 Posts: 15,214 Forumite
    Alternatively, extend your desktop to the additional monitor. That way you have your laptop screen at its native resolution and the external screen at its native resolution.
  • Johnmcl7
    Johnmcl7 Posts: 2,838 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I'm confused, are you wanting to run both monitors at once or when connected are you wanting to use the external monitor on its own?

    John
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