Monitors. Graphics card. Aspect Ratios...blarghh...

Hi , I am confused!

I have a topic in the HP forum here which I haven't been able to get a clear answer from so I would like to open it up a bit away from specific models and get a good answer.

I have a laptop currently that runs at 1024x768 (4:3 I would guess). Recently I was bought a 19" widescreen monitor with a native resolution of 1440x900 (16:10?). It's a bit cheap (I would not have picked it myself, but it was a gift so i appreciate that) it's a swisstec J19/1 (HDTV ready heh)

On plugging in the monitor via VGA cable I encountered the problem that I was unable to pick the 1440x900 resolution. My laptop seems to only output to:

The laptop's graphics card is Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics (according to the properties dialogue)

As you can see 1440x900 is not listed...however some other 16:10 resolutions are? Why can I not output to 1440x900?

Aside from this issue, I am shortly going to be buying a new laptop. The one I am currently looking at is the HP DV2530ea as I can get it 10% off at £630 inc VAT. This model comes with the Intel GMA X3100. Will this output to my 1440x900 monitor?? Its near pointless me buying a new laptop that doesn't support 1440x900 as I will get no use out of this monitor without it being distorted when run at the nearest resolution (This is damaging my eyes anyway).

Help

Edit: i should also say I have tried my monitor on my sisters old laptop (no surprise it didn't work much like mine) and my dads new but very very low end laptop (low end fujitsu amilo...dont know the graphics but it's no suprise it didn't work either)

 

You should try to upgrade your gpu drivers. The reason why that resolution is not supported is because it is a rather new number. By looking at ur resolution choices, I don't see 1680*1050 either. So wxga and wsxga are not on there, but xga and sxga are. This makes me believe that the drivers u have currently are rather old when the new wide screen resolutions weren't so popular.

So upgrade ur drivers and you will be able to get the res you want.

 

Thanks for your reply adinu.

I have been looking for driver upgrades for the graphics in the current laptop however haven't been able to find any. It may be I'm not looking in the right place or something but I have tried...I shall keep looking however.

Edit: Found the latest intel drivers. Encountered one of the known bugs I now have to fix (eurgh) and along with that there was no change to the resolutions supported.

From what you posted it seems you would say that new laptops such as the DV2530 I am thinking about should suppot the 1440x900, is that right?

Thanks

Matt

 

Yes they should.

My current laptop supports both 1440*900 and 1680*1050 on external monitors. But with the stock drivers it didn't, but I got the latest ones and that changed things.

 

Thanks. Hopefully I would be able to do the same should the X3100 not support it natively.

Can someone with the X3100 or even better a HPV2500 check?

Any other replies are welcomed. I want to make sure before buying.