This is confirmed. Fixed with Options "MonitoryLayout" "TMDS, NONE" (for example). The ati driver sometimes thinks there's a second monitor where there is none, then "queries" this emptiness and thinks that better not to use anything higher than 640x480. There's some information in some bugs of the freedesktop.org bugzilla, if someone is interested in trying to fix the problem.
** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-ati (Ubuntu) Status: Needs Info => Confirmed -- Resolution in X will not go above 640x480 on Radeon X800 https://launchpad.net/bugs/44873 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs