1280x1024 vs 1280x800

16:10 is better than 16:9 because you get more screen height in pixels. 4:3 is usually better than 16:10 because you get either more screen height or use up less desk space without having to squint at tiny text on the screen.

Really? And what issues are those? Currently I have a 4:3 laptop on a typical laptop desk I bought at Wal-mart, and the current laptops won't fit on those desks with a mouse. I used a 16:9 laptop at work with 1366x768 resolution and it was difficult to work with. The 1920x1080 screen I used had text so small I could barely read it. How is a Mac's 16:10 screen better than my 4:3 screen? I lose something no matter what, and gain nothing, except that I won't see black bars on a full-screen movie... really? That's why we all moved to widescreen? Apple's decision to manufacture all of their laptops in widescreen is a pathetic industry move to save money and conform... is that what Apple's standards are? To save money and conform? I thought that's what they lambast other manufacturers for; think different? The iPad is different... everybody seems to love that. Why don't they build a Mac in 4:3 like the iPad, so I can have a better work environment? I don't watch movies on my laptop. Why is widescreen better on a laptop again?

Really... not an appropriate forum to discuss the subject... even though you throw it out there.

Maybe I need to clarify. I am looking to buy a Mac because Windows 8 is an unfriendly production machine. Apparently I can't go into those issues on this forum or someone will think I'm out of line, but looking at the current Macs, they're all widescreen, so I either have to buy a bigger machine to get the same text size ratio, or squint at the screen just so it will fit on my desk, or lower the resolution so I get bigger text and less screen height. However, Apple is not "thinking different" with their Macbook Pros (unless you consider 16:10 as being different) and they're certainly not offering a better screen ratio than previous PC's (including old iMacs, which are personal computers too), so basically I have to lose several useful things to gain one useless thing when it comes to screen display. Sure, it's nice to have upgraded components and specs, but I have to compromise pretty heavily for that, and I see no reason to, and I see no reason for Apple to have to. It seems as if they're just conforming. Forbid I should throw it out there that I'm looking for an equivalent screen size and ratio in a current Mac to what I've got now, and that there might be others who agree with me. I feel I'm in the audience of their 1984 commercial at this point.

I don't pin it on Apple, I pin their seemingly contradictory desire to make a less-useful 16:10 monitor for their Macbook Pros when they typically make the best they can. That was a downgrade to the previous screens overall. I guess I'm not sure why they make a 16:10 laptop monitor but a 4:3 iPad.

saturnotaku, only Microsoft can answer that, and that's never been a problem for me that I'm aware, and that's not my problem anyways, because I'm thinking of getting a Mac instead of Windows 8. If it means I get a Mac mini to get the screen I want (and widescreen isn't bad on large screens, especially with my own keyboard and mouse), then I'll suffer not having a laptop. The whole point is I want Apple to make a Macbook Pro with 4:3 aspect ratio, and I gave my reasons why. It's sad somebody thinks I'm trolling here; I'm just trying to get the conversation started. I don't understand why anyone's beholden to widescreen on a laptop; it's doesn't make much usability sense.

Turning the iPad sideways actually makes it 4:3 (it's 3:4 in portrait, the homescreen default), so I was assuming you knew what I meant when I said the iPad was "4:3".

I'm sorry some of you had to suffer through 4:3 monitors in the past; it sounds like it was really tough having to wait for widescreen to become mainstream. I realize many people just accept whatever they get and hate it when people bring up the issues, but that's how it is. I'm considering upgrading computers and am seeing inferior, difficult to work with widescreen laptops everywhere, and they're a downgrade in most ways. Sorry I don't agree with you, but that doesn't make me a troll. I'm sure I'll have to conform and drink the Kool-aid at some point.