Christopher: a smaller monitor will scale down a larger image
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What the hell are you "..."ing me for? If you view an image on a smaller monitor it will scaled to fit your monitor.
I am not an idiot, I do comprehend what resolution and physical size refers to.
Assuming you sit an equal distance from 2 monitors, one 19" and one 22", both with a resolution of 1680x1050, you will be able to view more within the frame of the 22" monitor.
The clarity of the 2 monitors (the ability to read the text and view the fine details of images) will be equal on the 2 monitors, however the 22" monitor will function better at a more reasonable distance.
If you move the 19" monitor closer to your eyes then yes, you will essentially be viewing your documents in the same way you would a 22" monitor. If you keep the 19" monitor at the same distance, at the same resolution (1680x1050) then you will likely find most text to be unreadable.
My point isn't that resolution doesn't matter. My point was that it is wise and practical to choose a monitor with a standard resolution (IE. 1440x900 for most 19" monitors and 1680x1050 for 22") unless you wish to sit a fair amount closer to the screen.