Last week, I took the opportunity to visit Computex in Taiwan for the first time in this site's short history. I was there for one thing, and one thing only - Widescreen monitors.
We're used to seeing the headline-making monitors up to 30" large, but believe me, there are some interesting monitors coming out lately! New technologies, new connectors, super high contrasts, and super fast panels - there was a lot to see, and I'm glad I made the trip!
I also checked out the smaller halls to see what the local Taiwanese companies were coming out with on the budget side of things.
Asus is getting in on the widescreen LCD game, with a low-end 19" unit with a resolution of 1440x900.
Although it's a small monitor, with a relatively low price, it looks absolutely gorgeous. Tom's Hardware was the first with an in-depth review, so check that out!
We also have it listed in our Monitors Database, where it can be found for under $400!
There's no denying the fact that Dell's 2005FPW is breaking ground as a widescreen LCD display. I think the vast majority of PC Gamers using widescreen monitors are using it.
Why? Why else? Price! When Dell has a special, the price of the 2005FPW often drops nearly 40%! And even when there is no sale going on, the 2005FPW is usually cheaper than most monitors with similar specifications. You can see for yourself by browsing through our Widescreen Monitor Database (here's the 20" section).
There are very few manufacturers making a 1680x1050 LCD screen - LG.Philips is the main one, providing screens for Dell, Apple, and others. So this information could apply to anyone with a monitor using this screen. In fact, this could apply to EVERYONE with an LCD monitor.
Introuducing: The Widescreen Gamer Forum! Come on in and discuss widescreen gaming, or anything in general chat. We have the following sections:
Off-Topic - anything goes! WSG News & Updates - Announcements will be made in here Site Feedback & Suggestions - Have tip? Let us know! New Members - Introduce yourself in here
PC Game Submission - Know of a game not listed in our database? Let us know! Screenshots - Submit a screenshot to be added to the database Widescreen Displays - Discuss widescreen monitors in here
Now that quality has gone up, and prices have gone down, more and more gamers are buying their first LCD displays these days. And thanks to some killer deals mostly from Dell, a lot of people are getting into widescreen resolution displays.
Unfortunately, most game developers aren't taking widescreen into consideration when designing the games we play. You would be surprized at how many actually work with some effort, but that's not the point of this article. In our first ever article, we are going to guide you through the steps of setting up your display drivers to work correctly with the majority of games that do NOT support native widescreen resolutions. There are several options, each with its own pros and cons, and we go through all of them.