Screen resolution is measured
in pixels - small squares arranged in a grid which make up
whatever image you are looking at. A screen and an image can
both be measured in pixels. The term ppi or, Pixels Per
Inch, specifies how many pixels represent a linear inch of
an image or monitor screen. A 6x8 inch image at 100 pixels
per inch is then 600x800 pixels because each inch is
represented by 100 separate pixels. A 6x8 inch image at 200
pixels per inch would be1200x1600 pixels because each inch
of the picture is represented by 200 pixels.
A few short years ago, monitors were so small that the best
screen resolution setting on them was 640 pixels x 480
pixels. As average monitor sizes increased the best
resolution moved up to 800 pixels x 600 pixels. Today's
standard is now 1024 x 768 or higher.
The challenge for web designers is that a page created on a
computer set to 1024x768 will only be seen the exact same
way on other computers set to the same resolution. Because
there are a number of different resolution setting
available, sites frequently vary in the way they look on
different computers.
Don't assume that a new computer you purchase is
automatically set for your optimal viewing pleasure. By
default the screen resolution is usually set to 800x600
pixels.
Today's new higher resolution screens - be they desktop or
laptop computers - can produce richer colors and higher
resolutions. Which means that if your monitor is set to a
resolution of 640 x 480 or 800 x 600 you could be missing
the big picture.
Most of today's monitors support a screen resolution of
1024x768 pixels or higher. With the even larger screens you
can try screen resolution settings of 1280x1024 pixels or
even 1600x1200 pixels. For wide screens there are still
other resolutions possible.
While you're changing your screen resolution setting, you
may also want to check your color settings. If you are
satisfied with 16 bit colors - which displays 65,000 colors
you probably don't need to change
a thing. However, if you do some photo editing, you may want
to change to 32 bit colors - which will display 4 million
colors.
So..... here's how you can change your screen resolution
settings:
- Go to your desktop
- Choose an area on the
screen that is empty - don't click on an
icon.
- Right click
your mouse button and choose
Properties from the fly-out menu,
this will open the Display Properties window.
- Select the tab that says
Settings. Here you will have a few choices.
- Screen
Resolution is the setting that is most important.
Just slide the tab to 1024 x 768
and select apply. (You can choose a higher setting such as
1280 x 800 pixels if your video
card supports it.)
- If you
want to adjust your Color Quality,
choose between High Color (16 Bit) and True Color (32 Bit).
The choices your computer will have will depend on your
video card.
- After you select apply,
click OK. Your computer will ask you if you want to keep
these settings, Select YES.
- You may want to restart
your computer at this point.
Changing your screen
resolution settings is easy and don't worry - if you don't
like the way it looks, you can always put it back the way it
was. You might want to try a few different options to see
what you are the most comfortable with. After you change
your settings, open a few applications you normally use and
visit a few of your favorite web sites to
see how they look with the new settings. |