
Re: Graphics exactly as you mention (Radeon Mobility)
I have seen specs for an IBM notebook that has 64mb & claims to do 1600 x 1200 on a 15" screen
When it comes to notebooks, the size of the screen (14.1" vs. 15") has nothing to do with the resolution that can happen. On a laptop LCD, it seems, the manufacturers create a screen that has either 1,024, 1,280, or 1,600 pixels across, and the corresponding number vertically. It's a hardware thing on the monitor itself. This has nothing to do with the size of the memory on the vid card.
On Winblows, I can "do" 1600x1200 on this laptop. I've seen it. The problem with that is that I then have a 1024x768 "viewport" onto a 1600x1200 desktop. When I reach the edge of the screen, it scrolls right/left/up/down. Bug fuckin' deal.
There's [link|/forums/render/user?username=willdev|another guy] here who owns a [link|http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_outFrm.jsp?moid=155145&ct=DS&BV_SessionID=@@@@0706197598.1037101519@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccchadcgkdldkigcgfkceghdgngdgli.0|Toshiba Satellite 5005-S507] that is hard-wired 1600x1200 15" active-matrix TFT screen. Compare his spec sheet to mine (linked earlier.) Specifically, the "Graphics/Video" section. When he changes his resolution to 1024x768, he sees a LARGE black border around his then-centered 1024x768 window. It's just a smaller portion of the 1600x1200 screen that he's using.
You are one lucky person with that config - if I can wangle my company to cough up (I am willing to pay 50%) I would *love* one for work.
Bought and paid for this myself. About $1500 at Circuit City. It's mine all mine, and [link|http://www.haiassociates.com|my company] can't tell me what to put on it. But then again, I'm essentially a conslutant for 'em anyway.