What Laptop Users Should Consider When Choosing LCD Screen Size

Screen size is a key factor in the laptop's overall performance, size, and weight. The laptop screen size also is one of the most important factors when it comes to how long your battery is going to last. What is the most optimal laptop screen size?


It is easy to take the quality of laptop for granted. But when you consider that you probably spend more time using your laptop than any other device or tool, you realize that the screen you stare at every day is a vital part of your computer system.

The laptop screen size is one of the first things that is worth to choose before considering other laptop parameters. As a matter of fact, screen size is a key factor in the laptop's overall performance, size, and weight. The laptop screen size also is one of the most important factors when it comes to how long your battery is going to last. The most popular laptop screen diagonal sizes range from 12 to 17 inches. The most popular screen resolutions are 1024 x 768, 1280 x 800, 1280 x 1024, 1680 x 1050, and 1440 x 900.

Some people would never consider any laptop below a 14.1-inch screen. The laptops with 17-inch screen or even bigger are not so convenient for traveling. However, they combine the power of a desktop and the benefits of a laptop (that is why some people call them as desktop replacements). The battery life is short for such big laptops. Another disadvantage is that these laptops may be too heavy and too big.

What screen resolution is optimal? A higher screen resolution reduces the size of items on your screen and increases the relative space on your desktop. But on the other hand, you may feel uncomfortable if fonts are too small to read a text. Another parameter is aspect ratio (the relative numbers of horizontal and vertical pixels). Traditional screens built with 4:3 aspect ratio. For example, a native resolution of 1280x1024 indicates an aspect ratio of 5:4, which is the most used format on 17" and 19" LCD monitors in the recent years. New wide-screen monitors may use almost 2:1 ratio. Wide-screen monitors use a special aspect ratio control to resolve the problem of "unnatural" displaying video with different formats. Normally, a native resolution should allow displaying without any distortion. The best way to find the perfect resolution that is optimal for you and your screen is to try different settings.

Most people like the laptops with 14-inch or larger LCD screens with preferred Windows resolution of 1,024x768. These laptops are not too heavy. They are prone to have a long battery life and charge-cycle capability (run time more than several hours). Also 14-15-inch laptops are the most reasonably priced. The experienced computer users also consider this choice as the best compromise between viewable area and overall portability.

If you prefer to have the laptop screen with size less than 15-inch, it could be reasonable to use an internal display only when you are on the road. When you at your desk, your laptop can be connected to an external monitor (for example, with a spacious 19-21-inch screen) for better view and more professional works. At desk also it could be good to use an external ergonomic keyboard and mouse (that are connected to laptop).

© Alec Smith. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

How to Keep Yourself Healthy at Computer Screen

If you spend more time using your computer than any other device or equipment, it is important to take seriously all possible impacts that it can cause to your eyes and health. Some experts consider that being around computers 8 to 10 hours a day may endanger your future health. Should you worry about any ill-effects from your computer? Learn how to take preventive measures in reducing the risk of using computer.

Probably you enjoy reading this article on your LCD screen that is supposed to be a flicker- and radiation- free alternative to a bulky and power-consuming CRT monitor. But do not think that LCD screen which most people use these days is much better for your eyes and you can stare at longer hours. At present as it was in the past, computer users often suffer eyestrain, headache, fatigue, eyes burn or ache; what is called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). This health issue can be caused by the computer screen itself and the conditions surrounding the computer screen (a pre-existing eye problem may be the cause too). The following simple steps can help you to minimize your eye-problems while working on your computer.

Optimize your monitor refresh rate. Higher refresh rates are less likely to cause eyestrain. Check what are the optimal and maximum possible refresh rate for your monitor. Use Control Panel > Display Settings > Advanced > Monitor and set up "Screen refresh rate" (frequency) to a maximum possible. According to the eye experts refresh rate should be 70 Hz or higher.

Adjust the contrast control of your monitor so that the characters on the background are easily read. The best contrast ratio setting is the one that allows you to see all the details but does not hide any shadow. This setting can be found by increasing contrast ration until all the details are well-visible and then back down to just before the details disappear. If you work on desktop, switch to digital connection (DVI) if it is possible. It decreases noise and displays images smoother than with VGA.

Optimize your screen resolution. Make sure that the text size is optimized for the most comfort. A higher screen resolution reduces the size of items on your screen and increases the relative space on your desktop. But on the other hand, you may feel uncomfortable if fonts are too small to read a text. To change your screen resolution in Windows OS, open Display in Control Panel. On the Settings tab, under Screen resolution, drag the slider, and then click Apply. When prompted to apply the settings, click OK. Your screen will turn black for a moment. Once your screen resolution changes, you have 15 seconds to confirm the change. Click Yes to confirm the change; click No or do nothing to revert to your previous setting. Be aware that using a non-native low resolution on LCD may result in a poorer image (may appear blurred). In most cases using native resolution of LCD screen is better.

Adjust the brightness of the monitor to an intensity that is comfortable to your eyes; not to bright and not to dim. Avoid excessively bright light coming from your monitor. Turn off any color enhancement features (if your monitor has any). Normally the brightness of the screen should be about the same as your work environment.

Take care of surrounding lighting. It should be indirect, soft, and non-interfering. Avoid glare, bright light, or shadows caused by nearby windows. The best position is where windows are to the side of your screen. Use shades, blinds, or curtains to avoid reflections. Make sure that a desk lamp does not shine into your eyes or onto the computer screen.

Blink often. It is very important when working at a computer. It moistens your eyes and helps reduce eyes dryness and irritation. The normal blink rate is around 10-12 times per minute. Avoid the flow of air in front of your eyes.

Optimize the distance and position of your monitor. Place your computer monitor 40-70 cm from your eyes. In vertical dimension, the computer screen should be placed slightly below eye level.

Regularly exercise your eyes by looking away from your computer screen every 20-30 minutes and focusing for 10-20 seconds on a distant object (at least 6 meters from your eyes). Move your eyes and change your position. Take a 10-minute break every hour to rest your eyes and reduce eyestrain problems - stand up, move, exercise arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders. Make sure you get enough sleep - approximately 8 hours per night.

Try to turn on ClearType if you use Microsoft Windows. It improves readability on color LCD displays with a digital interface, such as those in laptops and high-quality flat panel displays. You may see better and clearer with reduced eyestrain. Visit Microsoft.Com and read step-by-step articles how to enable ClearType tuner.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

How to Get the Best Quality of LCD Screen

It is easy to take the quality of LCD screen for granted. But when you consider that you spend more time using your LCD monitor than any other component of your PC, you realize that the screen you stare at every day is a vital part of your computer system. What differentiates one LCD panel from another is image quality. The light source, the viewing angle, and the system's graphics card can have a dramatic effect on an LCD's performance. Also such parameters as, text readability, sharpness, grayscale range, color quality, or image uniformity are important.

Make sure that a display is adjusted to perform optimally, based on the manufacturer-recommended or default settings when possible. Ensure that your video card is set to the LCD Monitor's optimal resolution. Evidently, the most important tool (diagnostic equipment) to evaluate the quality of LCD screen is the human eye. Adjust the display settings on your computer so the brightness of the screen is about the same as your work environment. Also, adjust the screen settings to make sure the contrast between the screen background and the on-screen characters is high. And make sure that the text size is optimized for the most comfort. Use Control Panel > Display Settings > Advanced > Monitor and set up "Screen refresh rate" (frequency) to a maximum possible. According to the eye experts refresh rate should be 70 Hz or higher.

LCD screens often have trouble reproducing all of the levels of the grayscale (the range of grays between true black and true white). When producing a bright white image, many LCD screens oversaturate the grayscale: the lightest grays of the scale are lost in the white background. Oversaturation can also lead to loss of color range - a poor color reproduction of a LCD screen at the brightest end of the scale, closest to white. A color-tracking error occurs when the intensity of red, green, and blue (RGB) do not adjust identically with signal-level changes for LCD screen. This lack of balance between the RGB channels affects color as well as grayscale, but it is most easily identified as a shift in color within shades of gray.

Perfectly uniform backlighting across an LCD's entire display surface is difficult to achieve. It is not uncommon for an LCD to have bright or dim patches or subtler variations in color intensity, which give the appearance of shading across the screen, or variable color intensity on the LCD display. Additionally, using a dark screen is the easiest way to spot glare and reflection problems, both of which can have distracting effects when you are viewing an LCD screen.

LCD screens are vulnerable. Dead pixels can occur when the screen is damaged or pressure is put upon the screen. Unfortunately, few manufacturers replace screens with dead pixels under warranty. A cracked or broken LCD display is not repairable and requires a new LCD screen to be replaced. Luckily, it is easy to replace even if you are not a technical person. Since most computer's manufacturers charge too much, you may try to find third-party companies on the market that are selling LCD screens. Some places carry a large inventory of brand new LCD screens. If you are unable to find a particular model listed on the websites, you can call or email them.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.