TFT Monitor Native Resolution - Page1 - Page 2

TFT Monitor Native Resolution

Good - you're still with us, you may have noticed that we've not mentions  "Pixel Size" or "Dot Pitch"

These terms refer to the actual size of the pixels (Pixel Size) and the actual spacing between Pixel centres (Dot Pitch) and are frequently confused with the CRT specification for "Phosphor Dot Pitch".

Errm - are these not all almost the same thing?

No! as we said, a CRT Monitor has NO "Native Resolution" - so there is no correlation between the number of dots displayed by the PC and the Phosphor dots on the screen.  Hence a CRT monitor with a smaller "Phosphor Dot Pitch" had a finer resolution than one with a coarse Phosphor Dot Pitch.  Unfortunately, the Phosphor dot pitch was usually shortened to "Dot Pitch" and the term was carried over to TFT Displays where is has a different meaning.  On a TFT Display the "Dot Pitch" - or more accurately the "Pixel Size" (which excludes the tiny gap between Pixels) is the size of a single dot displayed from the PC, typically a full stop or the dot on an "i" is exactly one single pixel when displayed by a PC - and should appear as such on a TFT monitor.

So it is ACTUALLY the Dot Pitch on a TFT Monitor that determines the Text Size?

Yes it is - but this is determined by the Native Resolution of the screen for a given screen size - and it is FAR easier to determine the Native resolution of a monitor than its Dot Pitch. 

What is MOST important is to understand that whereas with a CRT monitor a smaller (Phosphor) Dot Pitch usually meant a clearer display, on a TFT Monitor a smaller Dot Pitch equates to smaller displayed text.

Does it really matter if the text is smaller?

Not if you can read it without eye-strain, but you may be surprised HOW small the text can be on some displays.  Knowing and understanding the native resolution for the display size you want will avoid making the wrong purchse.