Why My Site Isn’t Designed for 800×600 Screen Resolutions
People ask me all the time why this website isn’t designed for those who view in 800×600 screen resolutions. Aside from the fact that the trend in general is migrating away from them, this screenshot provides the real reason.
Typically, I don’t like to alienate people, but it’s painfully obvious why I don’t waste most of my screen with space that’s blank. This chart is a six month average, and the past month shows only 1.88% of people using 800×600 resolution.
So the trend is ever so decreasing, and therefore my target is 1024×768 and larger. And the ironic thing about the internet and technology, is that a year from now, my post title might end becoming “Why My Site Isn’t Designed for 1024×768 Screen Resolutions.”
Time to share the wealth - what % of your site viewers are on your site with 800×600?
3.43% since 01/01/2007. I share your opinion and have done the same with my site last week.
I’m using 800×600 resolution, and checking your blog daily. Because I got to used to it, in 1024×768 everything (icons,text…) looks small for me.
Not only is that resolution slipping everyday, but all new computer monitors are coming with 1024×768 or higher as the default. So it makes no sense to build websites for the lower resolution, UNLESS your readers are in that particular market.
As of January 1st, 2007 my 800×600 percent is: a whopping 1.08%. Which is not even in my top 10 screen resolutions according to Google Analytics.
With that said, my audience is for web designers and developers so that is not to terribly surprising. My advice is to base your resolution on your target audience and design appropriately.
It doesn’t matter to me, I always use fluid. You should consider making a fluid theme next. I would love to see what you put together.
@ Steffen - I’m sure there are countless others who have similar stats to ours!
@ James - great advice. Honestly I can’t think of any reason to design a site for 800×600. I do create my themes still with 2 column versions that are less than 800, but that usually takes no time to do.
@ Jennifer - hate to break it to you, but I will never do a fluid theme. I’m a control freak, and don’t like the unknown of what screen resolutions will do to my work.
I agree. I will never do a fluid design again. I have seen center fluid column designs stretch beyond belief on those high resolutions. It can be one of the most difficult tasks to explain to a client that how they see it on their screen isn’t how everyone will see it.
I’m on the “high” side in terms of readers using an 800×600 resolution - about 5%. Nonetheless, I made the switch to a wider format back in April. With the amount of image content and the desire for a three column format, I didn’t see another way.
BTW - I agree with Brian and James about fluid layouts - I don’t like them. I want to know how things will appear to readers.
I’m using 1920×1200 although I doubt too many people are using that. If you look at a lot of sports sites like espn.com or pgatour.com you’ll see they went towards a wider version quite a while ago.
I will however say that most people especially blogs tend to just use the wider layout to accommodate more advertising and not necessarily for more useful content.
I think there’s a fine line between trying to please your readers and trying to add more ads just to ad ads.
Oh and as far as fluid sites… I hate them too. Nothing looks more ridiculous then a site being stretched clear across a 1920×1200 screen.
10.64% I get a lot of visitors finding my site while searching for organic baby formula and vegetable garden pests. I guess these folks are more likely to use 800×600 than visitors to a more technical site.
69% use IE and only 21% Firefox. I really don’t understand that one!
5% still using dialup!
15.69% of my visitors use 800×600, which is in the top 3rd, with 1024×768 being first and 1280×1024 being second. I’m probably being cruel to the ones who have 800×600 by not using a smaller width.
Just like Will, a lot more of my visitors also use IE. Firefox used to be at the top until IE 7 became more and more popular.
For me, 800×600 sites seem to appear too small, which is why I don’t want mine to be 800×600. But that might be because I have a high resolution and a widescreen monitor.