Optimal Screen Resolution for Web Design
UPDATE: 2010 Screen Resolution Statistics
Screen resolutions have changed a lot over the past 8 years. Computer monitors have migrated to offer users much smaller resolution choices. The days of 640 x 480 have long since past.
This brings up a good question for web developers. “What should the average width of a website be?” Of course there are other parameters to consider such as the style of design the client chooses. Fluid website design, like those that expand 100% of the users browser regardless of their screen resolution, is one way to avoid having to worry about designing for the “average” screen resolution.
I analyzed 6 of our clients web statistics and came up with the following screen resolution statistics:
Websites Analyzed: 6
Total Visits: 185,637
Date Range: January, 2008 – May, 2008
Here are some statistics from w3schools.com.
As the use of laptops and wide screen desktop monitors become more prevalent, we will start to see these trends continue to change.
| Resolution | Visits | % |
| 1024 x 768 | 82,351 | 44.36% |
| 1280 x 1024 | 29,989 | 16.51% |
| 1280 x 800 | 28,790 | 15.51% |
| 800 x 600 | 10,858 | 5.85% |
| 1440 x 900 | 10,242 | 5.52% |
| Other | 23,407 | 12.61% |
| Date | Higher | 1024×768 | 800×600 | 640×480 | Unknown |
| January 2008 | 38% | 48% | 8% | 0% | 6% |
| January 2007 | 26% | 54% | 14% | 0% | 6% |
| January 2006 | 17% | 57% | 20% | 0% | 6% |
| January 2005 | 12% | 53% | 30% | 0% | 5% |
| January 2004 | 10% | 47% | 37% | 1% | 5% |
| January 2003 | 6% | 40% | 47% | 2% | 5% |
| January 2002 | 6% | 34% | 52% | 3% | 5% |
| January 2001 | 5% | 29% | 55% | 6% | 5% |
| January 2000 | 4% | 25% | 56% | 11% | 4% |
As the use of laptops and wide screen desktop monitors increases, we must continue to keep an eye on how users are viewing the websites we develop.
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I think it’s best to design a web site which adjusts to fit the user’s resolution. I hate it when I have to scroll back and forth across a page to read each line of text. I still use 640×480, anything higher makes my eyes hurt. Sometimes I see people using small monitors and very high screen resolutions, I don’t know how they can do it without major headaches…
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Hi,
Are there more recent statistics for this? It’d be interesting to see how the numbers evolved over the last 6 months.
[...] jQuery('ul.superfish').superfish(); }); Write For UsContactAbout HomeOptimal Screen Resolution for Web Design (2010 Update) Posted by Mark Thompson in Design/DevelopmentJan 7th, 2010 | View commentsComments Back in the May [...]
640×480? Seriously….get a new monitor!