When it comes to laptop computers, the choice of display size is one of the most important considerations you have to make. It is just as important as ram size, hard drive size, and processor speed. The display size will also heavily factor into the overall weight of the notebook computer. A larger display size means a larger physical footprint, which is more or less desireable depending on whether you need an ultraportable, mainstream, or gaming style computer. The most important factor, however, is your comfort level. A smaller screen (ultraportable size) may mean great mobility, but none of that is helpful if text or pictures appear uncomfortably small.

Types Of Displays

Due to increasing demand, more and more manufacturers are making widescreen displays available as well as standard displays. Standard TV’s and computer displays utilize a 4:3 (or 1.33:1) aspect ratio, including notebook computers.

Standard 4:3 Aspect Ratio

The standard 4:3 aspect ratio has been in use by notebook computer displays for a long time and is offered in several screen resolutions:

- 800 x 600 (SVGA) - 1024 x 768(XGA) - 1400 x 1050 (SXGA+) - 1600 x 1200 (UXGA)

Resolutions higher than 1024 x 768 can only be found in displays sized 14 inches and above. Ultraportable notebooks with displays sizes under 14 inches are unable to have high-resolution displays.

Widescreen Display

Using a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio, widescreen displays can generally display about 25% more content than a standard display. Computer manufacturers offer several size displays from 8.9″, 10.6″, 11.1″, 12.1″, 13.3″, 14″, 15.4″, to 17″. These sizes are popular now with even larger sizes in the pipeline.

When used for entertainment, DVD movies in particular, a widescreen display is in its element as it shows widescreen movies in their intended 16:9 aspect ratio. This means a bigger picture, more comfort and thinner or no black bands on either side of the picture.

The widescreen display also makes it easier to edit and view panoramic images and may eliminate horizontal scrolling on your computer altogether. When editing images of normal 4:3 aspect ratio, you can simply place your GUI tools/utilities in the unused spaces on either side of an image. In any case, a widescreen display can help you increase work and play efficiency.

Another benefit of the widescreen display is evident when it comes to serious work - the ability to display two windows side by side and to drag and drop (or copy n’ paste) data without having to switch windows is invaluable.

Common Widescreen Display Resolutions

Here are the common resolutions found in :

1280 x 768 And 1280 x 800

1280 x 768 (16:9.5) and 1280 x 800 (16:10) are the two most common resolutions used in 10.6, 12.1, 13.3, 14, and 15.4-inch entry-level widescreen notebook computers. They provide about a 25% more onscreen content than standard screens with 1024 x 768 resolution.

1366 x 768

This resolution provides a 16:9 aspect ratio and a great widescreen DVD movie experience without any black bands above and below the picture.

1440 x 900

This resolution 16:10 is found only in 17″ notebooks and is positioned as entry level in 17″ widescreen notebooks.

1680 x 1050

This is currently the mainstream resolution, also 16:10, for 17″ widescreen notebook computer displays. There is a 35% increase in onscreen content compared to normal 17″ screens using a standard display resolution of 1280 x 1024.

1920 x 1200

At this time this is the highest for 17″ widescreen notebook displays, and provides a 75% increase in onscreen content when compared to a standard 17″ screen of 1280 x 1024 resolution. A great display for movies and gaming, however this relatively heavy laptop computer has tradeoffs in mobility.

The Eee PC 900 laptops from Asus had created a rage in the electronics market when they were launched, as they were the first set of mini notebooks that were commercially available. These laptops would have definitely caught your eye and you would be planning to own one of these mini notebooks. If yes, then put that thought on hold, because the next version is out and is here to stay.

ASUS Eee PC 901-W003X Notebooks, though being similar to their predecessor, have many extra features. These laptops are specifically designed for portability and mobility. You no longer have to worry about the safety of your Netbook, because the Shockproof Solid State Drive gives these laptops the best shock-resistance possible. These Netbooks come as customized laptops and will let you choose from 6 casings with 4 different colors and 6 motif designs.

If you own the ASUS Eee PC 901-W003X Notebook, then you will be one of the very first proud users of the new Intel Atom CPU. If you are wondering how efficient this technology really is, then get ready to be astounded, because you can run these customized laptops continuously for up to eight hours with just one battery charge.

The Eee PC 901 Customized Laptops are designed to be user-friendly, which is very evident from the re-designed keyboard and touchpad. This touchpad employs two distinct mouse buttons and also facilitates gesture control. You can now turn off the display, scroll through different screen resolutions, switch between power-saving modes, and even launch Skype, all with the touch of a button, thanks to the new quick launch buttons!

Moreover, these customized laptops will also let you work on both Windows XP and Linux operating systems. If you work on Linux you will get 20 GB of solid-state hard-drive space as opposed to the 12 GB while using Windows XP. You can put in some extra Gigabytes by using your flash drive in the SD card slot. With the Wi-Fi 802.11n wireless high speed connectivity, you can connect to the internet six times faster than the previous Wi-Fi 802.11g.

So, what are you waiting for?