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Post Your SP3 Non-Docked Operating Resolution & Scaling %

ChrisPanzer

Active Member
I'd really like to see what everyone has theirs set at. I really cannot see how anyone can use this effectively at the native setting.

Mine: 1440 x 960 @ 150% (via custom Intel driver hack)

The only way I even begin to use the native resolution is by upping scaling to 200%.
 
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ChrisPanzer

ChrisPanzer

Active Member
Enjoy them whilst they last(your eyes), as looking at miniscule text and typefont all day long won't keep them in tip top shape for long.
 

herpderp

New Member
Enjoy them whilst they last(your eyes), as looking at miniscule text and typefont all day long won't keep them in tip top shape for long.
In most apps and programs I can still zoom in anytime I want and don't have to waste space for huge toolbars. At this screen size every pixel is important!
And I'm pretty sure looking at small letters won't harm my eyes.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Native Resolution:
upload_2015-1-1_15-1-37.png

Slider in the recommended setting....
upload_2015-1-1_15-2-48.png
 

rquellet

Member
Native resolution (2160 x 1440), 175% DPI scaling (using "Windows XP" style scaling). Microsoft's automatic DPI calculation for the SP3 screen is 150% scaling, but I find that too small. The next automatic step up from 150% is 200%, but I find that a little too large at normal usage distance from the screen. So, I choose to split the difference (175%).

175% scaling works very nicely with my 27" Dell P2715Q 4K external monitor (170% scaling would be exact for this particular monitor). So, by manually setting my DPI to 175% for all screens I avoid the absolutely ugly Windows 8.1 automatic DPI scaling between monitors with different DPI's.

I'd really like to see Microsoft offer user-assignable DPI's per display in Windows 10. This automatic DPI assignment is a complete mess and misses the mark for all but the lowest common denominator of Windows users.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
.

I'd really like to see Microsoft offer user-assignable DPI's per display in Windows 10. This automatic DPI assignment is a complete mess and misses the mark for all but the lowest common denominator of Windows users.

I think I'm offended at being called the lowest common denominator of Windows users ;)
 

rquellet

Member
Haha, sorry about that. I get a little bit angry about this subject as I feel Microsoft did not do a good job with Windows 8.1's scaling "improvements". When enough people claim they are happy with the way they've implemented it, they have a very good excuse to not improve it.

As a C#/WPF developer, I know that desktop programs/apps written in WPF can handle multiple DPI's natively. But, for whatever reason, Microsoft only lets Windows Store (Metro) apps dynamically redraw based on the current screen's DPI.

Further, I think it is a huge step backwards to remove a user's ability to manually set a DPI number. There are a ton of legitimate reasons a user would want to set an arbitrary DPI scaling %. The slider they've provided adjusts all screen's scaling, not just the one you're the dialog is on. Also, it jumps around a lot, trying to round up or down, makes assumptions about the user's distance from the screen and so on. It's just a confusing mess and Microsoft needs to know that it has to be improved.

//End Rant...
 
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surfdock

Active Member
Wow, yet another thread on the dpi stuff. Popular topic! I can't believe how many folks I've helped with the blog post and regkey file through all this! I thought I was the only one with this issue. Anyway, I've settled on using:
  • undocked: native resolution, 150% scaling
  • docked: 1152x768, 100% scaling (primary external monitor is 21.5" 1920x1080, 100% scaling at same viewing distance as the Surface)

Chrispanzer, rather than use 1440 AND 150% dpi scaling, you should just set your undocked resolution to 1152x768. That way its only scaled once by the Intel driver/panel. With your current setting, its getting scaled twice, once by Windows and again by the Intel driver/panel.

1152x768 will give you an effective 187.5% zoom and will let you run modern apps. 200% will not allow you to run modern apps.
 
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B'midbar

Guest
Wow, yet another thread on the dpi stuff. Popular topic! I can't believe how many folks I've helped with the blog post and regkey file through all this! I thought I was the only one with this issue. Anyway, I've settled on using:
  • undocked: native resolution, 150% scaling
  • docked: 1152x768, 100% scaling (primary external monitor is 21.5" 1920x1080, 100% scaling at same viewing distance as the Surface)

Chrispanzer, rather than use 1440 AND 150% dpi scaling, you should just set your undocked resolution to 1152x768. That way its only scaled once by the Intel driver/panel. With your current setting, its getting scaled twice, once by Windows and again by the Intel driver/panel.

1152x768 will give you an effective 187.5% zoom and will let you run modern apps. 200% will not allow you to run modern apps.

I'm 2560x1080 on a 29" IPS panel, but the above numbers docked and undocked work very well for me as well.
 

drolem

Active Member
I'd really like to see what everyone has theirs set at. I really cannot see how anyone can use this effectively at the native setting.

Mine: 1440 x 960 @ 150% (via custom Intel driver hack)

The only way I even begin to use the native resolution is by upping scaling to 200%.
For reasons beyond the scope of this message, you should really try to stick to native resolution, and adjust scaling to get the desired size.

In any case, I use native resolution when undocked, and 2560x1600 on a 30" display when docked.
 
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