It used to be that getting a larger monitor was all about fitting more on the screen, trying to maximize the “screen real estate”, as it is called.
Icons were tiny and you could pretty much see all your email in one page. You probably had multiple windows open side by side across the screen. Larger screens were expensive, and bulky, and was a bit of a status symbol.
Not any more…
Cheap Large Screens
Now, a 22 inch monitor is often had for under $200 and although the shape has changed – it’s now a much wider 16:9 format, it’s certainly larger than the laptop or tablet screen we use all so much. The resolution and contrast ration is far higher than anything we’ve had before. It’s amazingly clear!
Here’s The Difference
The difference I’m noticing is that I’m being asked to provide large monitors, but to also INCREASE the text size and icons.
Here’s a screenshot of a monitor I just installed. Look at the size of the icons – you can only fit 7 top to bottom, this is a 22 inch screen!
The difference is that there is now an aging population who’s eyesight is not getting any better and larger screens are now being used to see more clearly by seeing it larger.
This is a 180 degree shift from the past, and a trend I suspect will continue.
Better Lower Resolution
Maybe it behooves monitor manufacturers to not just make them clear, but to also provide better LOWER screen resolution settings for an oncoming population with aging eyes.