Theres been a lot of discussion on different monitors and I really need an external monitor for my less than sharp old eyes.

The Manhatten 8.9" HD Pro Monitor HD089B has a resolution of (1024x600)

The Small HD monitor (when it actually appears) will be 8.9" 1280x768 native

The Marshall V-LCD-70P is an 8.4" 800x480

My question is - will I really notice the difference between the Marshall and the other 2? While the Marshall is more expensive, it has a peaking filter which will really help me with accurate focus (I think)

If there really is a significant difference to the viewer, I might wait for the SmallHD to actually appear.

what do you think?

lies, damn lies and statistics

While I agree with your sentiment entirely .. I was hoping for some more constructive comment.

any old farts out there who can clearly see the difference between a 800x480 and a 1280x768?

I've tried altering the res on my monitor and that certainly changes the clarity of the image to me, but is that a fair test?