How Do I Tell the Size of My Laptop Screen?

The screen size of a laptop a physical measurement that's different from screen resolution, which is a measure of the amount of detail shown on the screen. With a laptop, screen size determines the overall size of the laptop. A larger laptop screen size, such as 15 inches or greater, can be used as a desktop replacement.

A smaller screen, on the other hand, makes the laptop more portable but it may be more difficult to see at higher resolutions. If you're thinking about replacing your laptop and wonder about its screen size, there are several ways to find out.

Like computer monitors, laptop screens are measured by taking the diagonal length from the upper left corner to the lower right (or from lower left to upper right). A soft tape measure is the best tool for measuring to avoid scratching your screen, but you can also use a ruler.

If your laptop has a raised bevel that frames the screen, don't include it in your measurement. Diagonal measurements for laptop screens usually fall within the range of 11 to 17 inches. Once you have the diagonal measurement, convert it to tenths of an inch (such as 15 and ½ inch to 15.5).

If you're buying screen protection or privacy product for your laptop, you may need to know the exact height and width of your screen rather than the diagonal measurement. In this case, you should measure within the bezel if your laptop has one. Extend the tape measure across the width of the screen and measure, then do the same for the height. When matching your screen size, the width is typically shown before the height, such as 15 x 8.5 inches.

A Google search may show you websites that say they will remotely determine your screen size. Some of these may be able to accurately provide the length of your screen diagonal, especially if calibration method is provided. However, you will still obtain more accurate results by using a physical ruler. Also, it's important to be careful about using unknown websites that may introduce malware to your computer.

Another way you can find your laptop size online is by searching for your model specifications. Many manufacturers will list the screen sizes of their laptop models on their website. The manufacturer's website can also tell you how to find the name and model of your laptop if you don't know it since different manufacturers use different methods of identifying their models. For older laptops, check listings on Amazon and eBay.

The resolution of a laptop is different from its screen size. Resolution refers to the number of pixels, which are the tiny squares that make up the display. Laptop screens can be set to a variety of resolutions, regardless of the physical size of the screen. Some of the most common resolutions include 1366 x 768 and 1920 x 1080, where the first number is the number of pixels across the display and the second number denotes the pixels going down.

The best resolution for a laptop is the one that you can most easily read. You should also be able to easily specify a location on the screen using touch, a touchpad or a mouse. This can be difficult on a small screen with very high resolution. Luckily, most laptops allow you to adjust the resolution that's used for display. Microsoft recommends using a 1280 x 800 resolution for widescreen laptops with 13- to 15-inch screens, while 17-inch widescreen laptops should use a resolution of 1680 x 1050.