I'm running at 1024x768@75Hz. I'm running at 75Hz because it's the max my monitor can do at 1024x768. I'd recomend either 1024x768 or 1152x864 for a 17" monitor.
Refresh rate: The highest your monitor can go. The higher the refresh rate, the less the eye strain. I like to have all of mine at 100 hrZ, however 85 is usually still fine for me. 75 or lower I can see the flickering, and 60 hrZ just gives me a headache after a while. Of course, this depends on the person, some may not be bothered by it as much as others, but higher is generally better.
Resolution: I run my 17" at 800x600, however, this is part of my triple monitor set up, and it sets between 3 and 4 feet from my eyes, so that's a tad higher than most will need. My girlfriend has a 17" CRT that is normal distance from the eyes (same as mine), and 1024x768 looks great on it. It all really depends on how far you are from it, if you're close, you can run a higher resolution. I like to be farther back though, so I run mine about one notch lower than most monitors of the same size.
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}