Best image slice size for optimum load speed!

[raj_das]

How small should you slice an image for optimum load speed?

Can slicing an image too small slow down the load speed?

Thank you

[whackaxe]

marginally, but just don't slice uslessly

[sidvorak]

raj_das,

Too many slices can lead to more http requests. The more requests, the more chance there is that some of your slices will take longer to download (due to network congestion, etc.)

Keep in mind that often times there isn't much gain in slicing images. The technique itself does not lead to smaller image sizes (unless you end up using low color gifs for some sections and jpgs for others).

Also, you may find that a single image downloads faster and more consitently that several slices. In some cases, very small slices (a couple pixels wide) won't download at all, most likely due to an error in a tcp packet that isn't retransmitted.

Cheers,
Simon

[mindlessLemming]

Size shouldn't be your primary focus when slicing a layout.
What you really need to be looking out for is which slices will display better and be smaller (kB) as gifs and which as jpegs. Mostly solid colours will always come out smaller as gifs, while gradients almost always must be jpeg (you can get a way with small 1px high gif gradients, but that's unimportant).
When you're slicing your image you should try many different options and take the time to compare the results; both in visual quality and in file size.
That will educate for the future and you will make the right choice much faster and with more confidence.

:) Andrew.