Forcing 2560x1440 on a 1920x1080 monitor

[HarryTaco]

Hi Guys,  I just tried this out of curiosity.  I didn't keep it that way for long and I didn't do anything challenging like gaming at that resolution.  So what are the consequences?  Long term? Short term?  I don't recall having any major problems upgrading the reslolution on my CRTs when purchasing a new Video card.  What is so different about LCD/LEDs these days?

[SpikeSoprano]

Hi Guys,  I just tried this out of curiosity.  I didn't keep it that way for long and I didn't do anything challenging like gaming at that resolution.  So what are the consequences?  Long term? Short term?  I don't recall having any major problems upgrading the reslolution on my CRTs when purchasing a new Video card.  What is so different about LCD/LEDs these days?

I did not think that was possible, if the monitor is 1900x1080 that is usually the highest possible setting .

[ir_cow]

+1 i dont think its possible unless maybe window mode?

 

edit: the only other way i could see it happening is the card is sending the higher res to the monitor and it's downscaling it for you. I do know during the CRT days you can break your monitor when sending unsupported res to it or refresh rate.

[HarryTaco]

Oh its very possible... I did it thru the Nvidia software for my card. In fact ill take you down that road.

NVidia control panel--change resolution--customize button--create custom resolution--use the window to change to the res you want.

It will then post the resolution with a check box .... just check the box and close the window.  Windows will ask you if you want the res and you can say yes or no.   Say yes and it will change up the res on your desktop. 

At this point... my questions still need an answer.

In fact im still running it...I forgot to change back to 1920x1080.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Kwok

[Guest_Jim_*]

Likely what Horny said is happening; the monitor is downscaling the resolution for you. Will this hurt the monitor? Honestly, I haven't a clue, but I would doubt it. However, it would likely look worse because partial pixels are being represented by single pixels on the monitor (every physical pixel is trying to show the information of 16/9-pixels being sent to the monitor).
Basically you're running 4/3x supersampling anti-aliasing and having the monitor downsample instead of the superior GPU. Because it is fractional supersampling, you will lose crispness where you want it, such as around the edges of letters, though at just 4/3s, I'm not sure how evident it will be.
 
By the way Kwok, nice to see Kid Shelleen as your avatar. The black and white image you had recently looked more like Liberty Valance to me, or at least I can't recall Shelleen looking like that. Either way, good movies

[HarryTaco]

Hi Jim... thanks for the chime-in.  Yeah, I always liked that old gunslinger.

Regarding the Resolution.  I do believe you are correct in the monitor downsizing the sample because my desktop, while getting smaller, did get blurrier too.  So there you have it.  I now leaning toward the logic that there would be no real physical harm to my monitor, just less actual clarity.

I went cyber-shopping for a 27" 2560x1440 monitor and found a very good Samsung for around 799....SAMSUNG Series 9 S27B970D 27".  They are saying how much clearer it is than comparative 1920x1080 resolutions so it just proves Hornybluecow's  idea.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Kwok

[d6bmg]

Oh its very possible... I did it thru the Nvidia software for my card. In fact ill take you down that road.

NVidia control panel--change resolution--customize button--create custom resolution--use the window to change to the res you want.

It will then post the resolution with a check box .... just check the box and close the window.  Windows will ask you if you want the res and you can say yes or no.   Say yes and it will change up the res on your desktop. 

At this point... my questions still need an answer.

In fact im still running it...I forgot to change back to 1920x1080.

 

Impressive.

But how can this happen??

If anything above 1080p is applied in a monitor, a 'unsupported resolution' message will some in the screen.

Or, in another scenario, where the monitor is still working as 1080p monitor and the software lets you scale the virtual resolution of the monitor??

I'm out of ideas here. I've never heard anything like this..

[WarWeeny]

Oh its very possible... I did it thru the Nvidia software for my card. In fact ill take you down that road.

NVidia control panel--change resolution--customize button--create custom resolution--use the window to change to the res you want.

It will then post the resolution with a check box .... just check the box and close the window.  Windows will ask you if you want the res and you can say yes or no.   Say yes and it will change up the res on your desktop. 

At this point... my questions still need an answer.

In fact im still running it...I forgot to change back to 1920x1080.

 

you forgot 1 thing that would make quite the difference in quality, you need to scale the resolution with your gpu, not the monitor.

and to answer your question, it would not hurt the monitor because its size is being scaled back but the resolution remains, so it doesnt have any side effects.

[SpikeSoprano]

Yup, your right kwok, just did it but the picture is blurry and not that great, after a google they say(whoever they are?)the native res for the monitor is the best quality pic you will get. Too bad the higher res screens are so damm pricey.

[HarryTaco]

@d6bmg---as I said, I just used the Nvidia control panel for my card and went thru the steps described.  It worked without issue.  The result was a smaller scaled screen but more blurry.

@WarWeeny-- I believe that is what I did.  I forced the GPU resolution onto my monitor via Nvidia control center, with the results that we already know.

@SpikeSoprano-- yeah huh.  I wonder if they are really passing extra cost onto us or just holding out for a better profit margin.

[Guest_Jim_*]

The higher res monitors are going to be more expensive to produce because they are technically more advanced (better dot-pitch and such) but also because they are often professional quality, which incurs more costs in two ways: there are fewer professionals than consumers out there, so mass production which lowers prices, is going to waste resources; professionals require much higher quality than consumers and higher quality costs more.

Basically higher resolution monitors are not targeted at consumers and, for now, there is little reason for them to be, since many sources are just 1080. As 4K grows in popularity though, monitors will be made for the likes of us.

[VaporX]

I am currently looking at the Auria 27" IPS (1440) and am happy with it. I goes for just under $400 at Microcenter. I am excitedly waiting for their Clarity lineup, those look sexy...