What is the best absolute width for a webpage? [closed]

Answer 1

I also use a layout between 950 and 980px and always centered unless the client demands otherwise :)

Answer 2

1. Please keep in mind that monitor resolution often quoted in statistics is not necessarily the same thing as inner width of browser window. Users may have additional sidebars/toolbars, use non-maximized browser window. The bigger the screen, the less likely you want to use it all just for one page.

2. Very long lines of text are harder to read. The optimum is 25-30em (depends on many factors, but you shouldn't simply go for maximum).

3. Mobile browsers have "virtual" screen resolution they use for zoom and it's ~960px in Opera Mini/Mobile and Mobile Safari.

Answer 3

You could try developing multiple layouts and use Javascript to switch between them depending on the visitor's window.innerWidth

That said, I usually use something between 950px and 980px.

Answer 4

I've always kept with 960px as it's viewable on 1024x768, and is cleanly divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 20, 24, 30, 32, 40, 48, 60, 64, 80, 96, 120, 160, 192, 240, 320 and 480... so I can split up the design of my site (using the rule of thirds) cleanly.

EDIT after a few years: Please consider using CSS Media Queries to make your content responsive to the myriad of devices out there now if you can't use a fluid layout. I'm not sure that one can claim one pixel width to rule them all in 2012.