E173FP: Is image area ever smaller than viewing area?

My experience with LCD displays is limited to the 14" screen on my IBM
Thinkpad. Once, I changed the resolution of that screen to 800x600
(the default is 1024x768) and was surprised to see that the image area
no longer filled the entire viewing area. There were black bands on
either side. (imagine vertical letterboxing)

I'm thinking of purchasing a Dell system with the E173FP flat panel
monitor and was wondering if this LCD screen was going to act the same
way as my laptop's screen did when I choose a resolution smaller than
the default. I'd like to hear from anyone who has their E173FP set at
800x600 or 1024x768(less than the stated optimal of 1280xwhatever) and
whether the image area is the same area as the viewing area.

Thanks in advance.

Danny in Yorktown, VA

 

It will work, but not well. LCD panels are blurry if they are not run at
their native resolution.

 

Some computers do this some do not. If the native resolution is
1024x768 and you show 800x600 on it, it will either reduce the image
size or stretch it to fill the screen. Stretching looks bad for low
resolution screens (1024x768) but looks better on the higher
resolution screens such as 1400x1050 and 1600x1050.

The best image will be the screens native resolution, or a resolution
that will divide into the native resolution evenly.

FWIW, my 1400x1050 screen shows 800x600 quite nicely, but it is much
nicer at 1400x1050!