LCD resolutions and laptops

[Raloth]

I've always wondered about this, so I figured it was time I asked.

There are 12.1" laptops with a resolution of 1280x800. The other day I saw a 15.4" laptop with a resolution of 1680x1050. This particular model blew away my CRT in terms of contrast and crispness. However, as I shop around for LCD panels to replace this clunky thing, I'm left scratching my head. Why is a 15.4" screen able to accommodate such a high resolution when you can't find a standard desktop display with that kind of resolution until 20.1"?

Obviously price is a concern. I'm sure the desktop models also achieve better contrast, color reproduction, etc. than their laptop counterparts. Still, shouldn't there be a niche market for this kind of thing? Personally I would love to have a 19" 1920x1200 display, but such a thing doesn't seem to exist. Some insight would be appreciated .

 

[josh6079]

I've wondered the same thing. Does anyone know?

 

[SunSamurai]

They are wide screen, look at the laptop. Its widescreen. Why? Becuase the keyboard is wider than it is long.

The laptop is a differant beast than the desktop. Its an all in one thing. Its something you cany really upgrade without getting a new one. CVoupel that with it being again, an all in one and what do you want with an all in one? To be able to carry it around with you. makeing it small. makeing a 20" LCD on a laptop rather rediculose, therefore you simply slap more resolution in the logical screen size for what the device is used for and come out with the same screen realestate to be close to your LCD at home that you dont have to lug around.

 

[Raloth]

Originally posted by: aeternitas
They are wide screen, look at the laptop. Its widescreen. Why? Becuase the keyboard is wider than it is long.

The laptop is a differant beast than the desktop. Its an all in one thing. Its something you cany really upgrade without getting a new one. CVoupel that with it being again, an all in one and what do you want with an all in one? To be able to carry it around with you. makeing it small. makeing a 20" LCD on a laptop rather rediculose, therefore you simply slap more resolution in the logical screen size for what the device is used for and come out with the same screen realestate to be close to your LCD at home that you dont have to lug around.

Yes, but why don't they apply the same high pixel density to standard 20" displays to make, say, a 2560x1600 display? Hardcore gamers would drool over something like that.

 

[Dman877]

I think it has more to do with viewing distance. Since laptops are all-in-one, the manufacturers know users are a certain (and necessarily close) distance from the screen so high res is optimal for allowing a large desktop since someone sitting so close will still be able to read text. Now sit back from those smaller high res displays say 3 to 4 feet, and the text gets way too small to read. Since most desktop monitors are further away, the res has to be lower so text isn't miniscule.

EDIT: And why would gamers drool over 2560 x 1600? That kind of res takes too much graphics card for most budgets and for a 20 inch display, you wouldn't notice a dif between that res and 1680x1050 anyway.

 

[postmortemIA]

^I agree - It would be impossible to read anything with laptop's screens high-quality dot pitch on regular monitors.

I have 20" LCD with 1600x1200 resolution and 0.255 dot pitch. Right now that is one of hi-q dot pitch that you can buy considering LCD desk monitor. It is challenging to read from any distance.

 

[TheRyuu]

Right now, my VP930b 19in LCD (1280x1024) has a nearly .3 dot pitch (.299 or somthing like that). Those be some pretty big pixels.

My new VX2025 (20.1, 1680x1050) has a dot pitch of .255, now I didn't get it yet but something tells me the text is going to be a little smaller at native res.

 

[postmortemIA]

0.294mm- and text looks pretty pixelated.

 

[us3rnotfound]

15" @ 1600x1200
IBM Flexview, FTW!