If your resolution is 1280*1024, I guess you have a lcd monitor. If you go lower than the max resolution on a lcd monitor, things tend to get "smoothed". Maybe you could try to activate "cleartype" in your display properties, but I don't know if it will really help. Anyway... using a resolution of less than 1280 on a lcd will always have two side effects : blurring the picture and distorting it. Maybe you should try to stick to that resolution.