The scores the same...a loss
is it better to lose or resign?
To resign or be matted.....I think its a question of ego. Basically, it is the same impact to your rating (a loss), but if you are in the middle of a tournament, resigning in a position where your are 200% certain is a loss might make sense since you will be able to relax prior to the next round.
On the other hand, I have had 2 games in recent tournaments where I was about to resign since the position was definitely loss. Out of nowhere, my opponents made incredible blunders which gave me the victory in a couple of moves. So please, before resigning, make sure you can assess the game in the board....and your opponents ability to complete the plan at hand.

Chess isn't football. Losing by four goals doesn't impair your playing strength. Having one rook less does.
I resign when the position is lost-but that's a matter of preference.

i resign because i have realized that a loss is chasing me down and will soon be hammered by checkmate.
i lose because i get blindsided by a checkmate (never saw it coming...BAM!)
resign +lose= LOSS

why waste your time if it is over. it is just a stinking game of chess anyway. i wing most of my moves, and never lose any sleep over a loss. good thing because i need to work

It will happen, as you gain more and more experience and learn more about the game of chess, that you will begin to know when to play on and when to fold. You will just know and that knowledge will come with the more games you play and the more opponents you play.

While it might be fun and profitable to watch a brilliant line of play or an outstanding combination from a seemingly equal position, to continue to play a lost position and force your oppenent to dismantle you is an insult IMHO. Where there is no win and little chance to eek out a half point call it a day and analyze where you went wrong. If your opponent is in extreme time trouble in live chess or OTB Make him play his way out of trouble then resign.

I thought that this was a question of etiquette.
When you know you are going to lose, do you resign or let your opponent finish you off?

I think it was a question of impact to rating. The etiquette component of this discussion has been done to death here.
Hi,
Just wondering what the difference is to your score if you're check mated or resign first or indeed time out?
Cheers
Trevor