It only means that the max for THAT card in digital mode is 1280x1024 - there are digital flat panels with higher resolution than that (although the digital vs. analog debate is mostly overblown)Quote from TonySanDiego:
I noticed this in the card description
Maximum digital resolution : 1280x1024 24bpp @ 60Mhz per display - Does this mean that 1280 x 1024 is max for digital? What does 24 bpp mean exactly? If I wanted higher than 60hz could I turn the bits per pixel down at the sacrafice of number of colors?
I know it is very important to be able to run CRTs at higher hz or you get flicker. Is this a problem with LCDs or is it acceptable to run them at 60hz?
24bpp = 24 bits per pixel (it's referring to color depth = 16M colors = TrueColor)
60 Hz should be fine for an LCD - flicker on a CRT is usually caused by an interaction between the CRT scan and overhead lights - have never seen a LCD flicker.
Also - for the LCD itself - most people don't notice any difference between a quality analog vs. digital panel. LCD response time is more important in producing a quality image (especially if you're looking at rapidly changing images like video) than the "Hz" rating.
The panel itself is generally more important than the video card specs (the image from a 1280x1024x24 card from ATI will usually be as good as that of a 1280x1024x24 card from Matrox).
To compare panel display quality, here are a few things to try:
1. Display an all white screen and then an all black screen - look for pixel artifacts on each - too many and you should pass on it
2. Display a high resolution truecolor fine detailed image of your choice and compare image crispness (panel resolution is not the sole factor determining image quality)
3. Display a text document with 6 point typeface and compare the crispness of the text (some panels (just as some monitors) don't actually display the full # of vertical lines of resolution they're quoted as handling) - if 6 point type isn't crystal clear at the resolution you plan to run it at, you probably don't want that panel
4. Play a DVD movie on the panels - panel response time can be over 30 ms in some cases - the amount of bluring during quick changing scenes increases as the response time of the panel increases

