PC Gamers Answer a Question?

[BlackWorksInc]

So I'm debating if I should bother with a 2560x1600 screen to match my system as my old Samsung TV screen is great at 1080, but I hear that 1600 is even better!

But here's the thing... everyone always says "if your system can support the resolution the game will play at it" which I'm not entirely sure is true... I mean the character models and in game models have a certain set of pixel density. Its not like if I use a 2560x1600 monitor I'm going to be able to finally read those strewn newpapers or posters in game (are they just gibberish or what?)

Maybe I'm confused, but if the game scales with your systems capability and your capability is 1560x1600, does that mean those itty bitty unreadable texts on tanks and armor and such are suddenly crystal clear? Models become instantaneously perfect? Now I'm exaggerating for effect here.. but I can't find a side by side picture of what a game looks like at max settings @ 1080 and @1600 online. So what the hell is the point? How many games are truly built and sold to be seen by consumers at a detail level better than 1080?

Maybe I'm a little lost in my logic here, but I also understand that games are often built to set resolutions (often the limiting factors being their application on outdated console hardware) so if 2560x1600 lets me read all the blurry text on newspapers and books and such in Metro: Last Light that I can't see in 1920x1080 then hell I'll shell the money out for a monitor, but so far no one can seem to definitively answer this question to me and so I am happy with my "pathetic" 1920x1080 HD gaming.

I'll gladly build my system to meet a high end potential, but if the games don't come close to that... why waste the money?

I mean I want to build my 4Runner tough and stuff, but it doesn't need a 2k battery cable when a great quality $50~100 custom made cable exceeds almost all potential strains it would ever face.

 

[Nero]

You probably won't notice much of a difference from your 1080. The only way I would upgrade like that would be for a larger physical screen size. What graphics card do you have? Bigger resolutions draw more pixels on the screen, and your graphics card has to be fast enough to draw all those pixels or else your frame rate will drop drastically.

 

[BucknutBob]

As Nero said, you also have to think about whether your whole system can keep up with a screen that large, not just whether the game will look better. Every time you go up in resolution, you risk having the game slow down while it tries to process the extra information. Better have a butt-kicking system if the game is very new.

 

[BrianSD_42]

so if 2560x1600 lets me read all the blurry text on newspapers and books and such in Metro: Last Light that I can't see in 1920x1080 then hell I'll shell the money out for a monitor

I can assure that if some text on an up close book in that game, which is the "textures" (I believe) are blurry then switching from 1080p to higher won't make then suddenly clear.

What it should do is make everything slightly sharper.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I can assure that if some text on an up close book in that game, which is the "textures" (I believe) are blurry then switching from 1080p to higher won't make then suddenly clear.

What it should do is make everything slightly sharper.

Right, this is what I figured, but everyone who plays 1600 makes it sound like the skies will open and god will hand christen your computer screen with clarity.

My system will run it, I just bought a new 6GB GDDR5 card to play with. The system will easily handle higher resolutions, I just didn't bother with the higher resolution screen.

 

[Nero]

Sounds like you've got the money for it, so I say go for it. Worst case is that it looks the same as you're 1080 setup.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Most monitors that high a resolution are above $600.

If you are going to spend that muck you should just buy a Apple 30" monitor which is 1600 res and probably best monitor of the consumer list.