Then, at some point, we gradually shifted to widescreen monitors.
You’d see all sorts of form factorsboxy, rectangular, and everything in between.
But gradually, everyone settled on the 4:3 aspect ratio.
Computers were primarily used for office work like coding, spreadsheets, and word processing.
These tasks benefited from having more vertical screen real estate.
4:3 monitors provided a balance of vertical and horizontal space.
It wasnt too tall to cause neck strain, but it was taller than the rectangular form factors.
However, computing habits started to change.
People started to desire widescreen displays over square ones.
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People began to want more from their PCs, primarily media consumption.Windows Media Playerwas already very popular.
People used to watch movies and TV shows on their computers using attachedDVD drives.
This is because movies are shot at a wider aspect ratio and are best viewed in a widescreen format.
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This is one of the reasons why TVs started to move to the 16:9 aspect ratio.
And just like before, the PC industry took notice, and monitors began toshift to 16:9 LCDs.
This made the monitors better for entertainment use cases.
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More powerful computers also meant you could run multiple apps together.
Granted, this shift didn’t happen overnightbut by the 2010s, widescreens were the norm.
You could (and still can) find a few manufacturers making 4:3 monitors for industrial and CCTV use.
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However, you’d be hard-pressed to find these in somebody’s home or even in an office setup.
From 4:3 to 16:9 Monitors: How Did It Change Computing?
Your monitor is the primary output gadget for your gear.
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Changing how you see information has a huge influence on how you interact with your PC.
For instance, consider a modest 16-inch monitor.
Impact on the Placement of the Taskbar
The taskbar is crucial in desktop computing.
It shows all your running apps and lets you pin favorites for quick access.
By default, its always placed at the bottomthe taskbar on Windows and the Dock on MacOS.
Developers and designers created this convention back in the 4:3 monitor era.
HP
You also had modest horizontal space for some split-screen action.
Ubuntu has done this.
Their desktop experience puts the Ubuntu dock on the left side of the screen.
As an example, let’s spotlight Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games.
These games typically feature a HUD (Heads-Up Display) at the bottom of the screen.
There you’ll find the minimap, hotkeys, unit selection panel, and resource counters.
This layout was optimized for 4:3 CRT monitors of the era.
I also remember playingDescent: Freespacea lot during the early 2000s.
The game utilizes the entire 3D space with omnidirectional threats.
The human visual field is naturally wider than it is tall.
We’re built toscan horizontally rather than vertically.
For instance, imagine a 32-inch 4:3 monitor.
Of course, this doesnt mean wider screens are automatically better ergonomically.
The goal is to keep the screen in your field of view with limited neck movement.
Future Monitors Are Getting Even Wider
I already touched on howultrawide monitorsare becoming more common.
I also have a 34-inch 21:9 ultrawide monitor.
These monitors are great for three-window workflows, but things get a bit cramped when I open four windows.
This is wheresuper ultrawide monitorswith 32:9 aspect ratios come into the picture.
The behemoths are even popular among gamers looking for a visually immersive experience.
Its also worth noting that almost allsuper ultrawide monitors are curved.
This ensures the entire screen fits within your field of view to optimize ergonomics.
