Res or Graphics settings

If you can't max a game out, would you have the game at a higher resolution with settings turned off/low or the game on a low resolution with most settings on/high?

I have a laptop with an 8600m gt which is hardly powerful so i usually get round this by playing in a window with everything cranked.

The window is usually 960 x 600 on a 1440x900 external samsung display which isn't too bad.(i.e it isnt too small a window on a 19")

A lot of the games I play, I can pretty much max out anyway - orange box, tombraider aniversary/legend even at 1680x1050 on my lappy screen but the majority are run in a window.

ya know i dont complain about having to use my hand me downed pc that my younger bro uses it can do alot for what is considered "legacy parts". worst ive ever done is rainbow 6 vegas on low.

Low, because i use a crt and sit a little bit back from my monitor(monitors on a table in the middle of the room, i usually sit on a couch at the corner of the room.)tab132

low what? res? or settings?