14" or 15" Laptop Monitor

[jhoffa]

I am getting conflicting information from people regarding what size monitor to get for my LS laptop (I will be a 1L in the fall).

Is the 15" monitor, and relief on your eyes, worth the extra ~1lb of weight?

I am buying a IBM T43 and I have seen both sizes side-by-side but that is different than having to look at the screen and lug the laptop around all day, every day.

Thanks!

[kristin1644]

I say go with the lighter computer 

[VanBuren Boys]

I have a 15.4" HP, and while it is a tad bit hefty, I personally love it.  It really is soft on the eyes.  The only concern I have is the battery life.  It's HD and widescreen, so it really eats up the battery.

[TheJesus]

whatever size you get, get the lower resolution monitor.... a lot of manufactures are selling higher res monitors on laptops such as the 1680 x 1050....the problem is that the objects on the screen are way to small...they are mainly for people doing stuff with graphics...but if you're going to be doing a lot of reading, typing, and web surfing, you don't want everything being half the size...and this is NOT something that is adjustable

[jomolungma]

I went back and forth on this for my T43 as well, even looked at an X41's 12" screen.  In the end I went with the 15" because I like a lot of screen real estate and while you don't have to use all that 15" offers, you can't use more than the 14" offers.  The difference in weight is not a factor for me.  If weight was an issue I would have gone with the X41, but I found that screen too small to put windows side-by-side, which is how I plan on taking notes. 

As for screen resolution, my T43 has SXGA resolution (which is something like 1480 x 1050).  I have used 1280 x 1024 for the last three years on my desktop and the smaller resolution is not that big of a deal.  The fonts installed are larger than you would use on a desktop (for things like icon names and menu choices) so I have no problem seeing those, and when I type I either increase the font size or zoom in on the doc to over 100%, but I really don't need to do either.  Also, most laptops (including the T43) come with some kind of zoom feature, like Fn + spacebar, that allows you to magnify the screen instantly if needed.  But, again, I don't find it necessary at all and appreciate the extra real estate the higher resolution provides.

[rezipsa]

bla bla bla...who cares and does it really make a difference?

[jomolungma]

bla bla bla...who cares and does it really make a difference?

obviously the OP cares or they wouldn't have asked... and in the end, no, it doesn't make a difference if it doesn't make a difference