Screen Resolution Trends
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Widescreen and bigger flat screen monitors is the trend.
Since the beginning of the internet, website developers have created sites to cater to the lowest common denominator. In screen resolution, the standard used to be 800x600, but it is now 1024x768 even though this monitor resolution is declining in popularity. June 2011 stats for The Lens Flare, a popular photo gallery site, show that 1024x768 represents 16.78% of the population (down from 24.38% in June 2010) and 800x600 is only 1.11% of the population (down from 1.85% in June of 2010). However, 1024x768 will likely continue to be the standard for years to come. Why? Because people don't always have the browser maximized on their screen. Often, a person will have 2 or more screens open and sitting side by side of each other.
1.1% of the population uses an 800x600 monitor resolution.
I've been tracking various stats from my community photography gallery since April of 2006. Since this site is visited 30k-50k times per month, it's enough of a sample size to report the numbers without a huge margin of error.
In April of 2006, 22.4% of the population used 800x600; however, in August of 2007 only 8.6% use that resolution, which is down from 10.6% the month before. Fast forward to June of 2011 and it's down to 1.1%. Obsolete? You-betcha.
In April of 2006, 22.4% of the population used 800x600; however, in August of 2007 only 8.6% use that resolution, which is down from 10.6% the month before. Fast forward to June of 2011 and it's down to 1.1%. Obsolete? You-betcha.
1024x768 screen resolution represents the largest percentage of available options.
1024x768 is slowly dropping. The resolution represented 48.1% of the population in 2006. In June of 2010, it was 24%, and June of 2011 it has dropped to 16.78%.
1280x800 is now the second most popular option. It has grown to around 16% of The Lens Flare's visitors since 2006. (It was 15.38% in June of 2011). The way the trend is going, 1280x800 may end up the most common browser configuration; however, the standard website will likely be based on a 1024 width for several more years.
1280x800 is now the second most popular option. It has grown to around 16% of The Lens Flare's visitors since 2006. (It was 15.38% in June of 2011). The way the trend is going, 1280x800 may end up the most common browser configuration; however, the standard website will likely be based on a 1024 width for several more years.
Widescreen monitors represent the largest growth over the past year.
Nearly every monitor is sold as a widescreen anymore, and my opinion of monitors has changed over the past few years. I'm currently looking at a 27" Samsung set to 1920x1080, and have a secondary standard 19" Acer monitor that uses 1280x1024. The benefit of widescreen is the ability to have 2 programs on the screen at the same time (side by side).
For posterity, here was my opinion when I first wrote this article in 2008:
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Everybody seems to want widescreen these days, and while it makes sense on a TV, it doesn't make as much sense on a monitor (unless you're watching movies a lot on it). The widescreen format is nice for one other reason: It's closer to the same aspect ratio as raw images out of most cameras. Regardless, marketing for widescreen monitors is working.
1280x800 is the most common resolution in the widescreen formats. It has jumped from 3.8% in April of 2006 to 10.9% in January of 2008.
1680x1050 has made huge gains in the last few months and is up to 6.1% in January.
1440x900 has dropped to the third most common widescreen resolution. It increased from 1% in April 2006 to 5.1% in January 2008.
1152x864 has remained right around 3%-4%. 1280x768 has been flat for several months at around 1.4%, while the slightly more traditional monitor resolution of 1280x960 only doubled from 0.6% to 1.2%.
Finally, the best resolution traditionally available: 1600x1200 has hovered around 1% for the last year.
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In June of 2011, 1280x800 is the most common widescreen resolution at 15.38% and is #2 overall (behind 1024x768). 1366x768 is the 2nd most common at 12.84%, and my favorite: 1920x1080 is down the list at 4.11% of the population.
For posterity, here was my opinion when I first wrote this article in 2008:
----------------
Everybody seems to want widescreen these days, and while it makes sense on a TV, it doesn't make as much sense on a monitor (unless you're watching movies a lot on it). The widescreen format is nice for one other reason: It's closer to the same aspect ratio as raw images out of most cameras. Regardless, marketing for widescreen monitors is working.
1280x800 is the most common resolution in the widescreen formats. It has jumped from 3.8% in April of 2006 to 10.9% in January of 2008.
1680x1050 has made huge gains in the last few months and is up to 6.1% in January.
1440x900 has dropped to the third most common widescreen resolution. It increased from 1% in April 2006 to 5.1% in January 2008.
1152x864 has remained right around 3%-4%. 1280x768 has been flat for several months at around 1.4%, while the slightly more traditional monitor resolution of 1280x960 only doubled from 0.6% to 1.2%.
Finally, the best resolution traditionally available: 1600x1200 has hovered around 1% for the last year.
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In June of 2011, 1280x800 is the most common widescreen resolution at 15.38% and is #2 overall (behind 1024x768). 1366x768 is the 2nd most common at 12.84%, and my favorite: 1920x1080 is down the list at 4.11% of the population.
The Lens Flare - Image Hosting
These stats have been collected by one of the most popular grass roots art and photography communities on the Internet.
The Lens Flare currently hosts over 30k images of art and photography, and represents some of the best work from hundreds of photographers and artists from all over the world.
In February of 2008, over 52,000 people visited the site.
Why not take a peek and see for yourself what all the fuss is about? I'd start with the most popular pictures on the site.
The Lens Flare currently hosts over 30k images of art and photography, and represents some of the best work from hundreds of photographers and artists from all over the world.
In February of 2008, over 52,000 people visited the site.
Why not take a peek and see for yourself what all the fuss is about? I'd start with the most popular pictures on the site.
Cast Your Vote
What resolution do you use? Besides posting it here, be sure to visit The Lens Flare to be counted in its stats. Another great place to start is the Hot Pictures page, which displays 15 images with the most views over the last 24 hours.
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Splinterheart
Jun 1, 2011 @ 8:38 am | delete
- I seriously disagree with the idea that widescreen monitors are only good for watching movies on, and I'm sure I'd have a large crowd that follows me on this. Nearly all current and recent PC games are designed to look thier best on a widescreen monitor, and it only takes a few minutes of playing nearly any widescreen PC game on a widescreen monitor to convince anyone that it is, in fact, a superior experience over a 4:3 ratio monitor.
I use Photoshop and 3D Studio Max on a regular basis and I can't think of any reason to go back to a standard 4:3 ratio monitor because widescreen gives a serious "real estate" advantage when it comes to the work area and having extra room for on-screen tool boxes. Even Excel spreadsheets gain a viewing advantage from widescreen monitors. In the office where I work as a network admin, we've replaced all workstation 4:3 ratio monitors with 20" widescreen monitors where employees do everything from order entry and spreadsheets to mechanical engineering and catalog design... and I can tell you that I'd get my head knocked from my shoulders if I told anyone that I was going to replace their widescreen monitor with a 4:3 ratio!
Widescreen is popular because it WORKS and is advantageous for virtually everything a computer is used for, and not because of marketing tactics by the manufacturers.
Good for just movies? Hardly.
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AndyPo
Oct 16, 2008 @ 4:46 am | delete
- I use four screens (up to three at the same time):
1680x1050,
1280x800,
1280x800,
1440x900
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