Rant: 16:9 screens

[Umfriend]

Why, WHY on earth are virtually all screens and laptops downgraded to 1920x1080?

I realise HD movies are in that resolution but is a black border of 60 points below and above really that terrible? I mean, you've got a bazel to, right? Those 120 pts make up more than 10% of usable computing screen real-estate. Given that there is a fixed cost for menus and statusbars below, the net loss is far larger even.

I'm pissed.

[Tjalfe]

Why, WHY on earth are virtually all screens and laptops downgraded to 1920x1080?

I realise HD movies are in that resolution but is a black border of 60 points below and above really that terrible? I mean, you've got a bazel to, right? Those 120 pts make up more than 10% of usable computing screen real-estate. Given that there is a fixed cost for menus and statusbars below, the net loss is far larger even.

I'm pissed.

simple, the wider the screen, the bigger they can call it, using less glass, hence cheaper

[UtwigMU]

I agree, I don't like 4:3 going away, 16:10 is passable but 16:9 is pathetic, what's next 15" laptop with 1280x536 2,39:1 screen?

[VJ]

The Sony Vaio P has 1600 x 768... Not quite 2.39:1, but closer than all others...

Jörg

[Tjalfe]

it does totally suck, but even as the screen gets smaller, they still measure 15" across, so great for the marketing people

[Umfriend]

But even the 17.3" or 18.4" screens have 1080 now wheras you could get 15.4" 1920x1200!!

Damn buggers

[cjolley]

You guys make me feel better.
Judging by the laptop market, I thought I was the only one who felt this way about it.

Becky's 8 year old old 4:3 x15" Dell 600m is bound to bite the dust permanently in the not too distant future.
Does anyone make a reasonably priced 4:3 laptop any more?

[Jammrock]

You can still get 1900x1200 screens, you just have to jump into the workstation arena to get them. The Dell Mobile Precision M6500 has a 17" 1900x1200 (WUXGA) with RGB LED backlighting. It's supposed to be one of the best LEDs you can get for a laptop. But you have to spend a lot of money to get it.

The M4400 used to have a 1900x1200 15.4" but it's gone from their site now.

I never missed 4:3 until I started coded. Now I'm sining "preach on brother umfriend!"

[UtwigMU]

My Thinkpads are 1600x1200 and 1400x1050 IPS .

[Kooldino]

it does totally suck, but even as the screen gets smaller, they still measure 15" across, so great for the marketing people

But don't they measure diagonally?

[cjolley]

Sure, but think of a screen 15" wide and 1/4" tall.
That would technically be a 15" screen but have virtually no usable area.

Would you rather have that, or a 10.5" x 10.5" screen, also 15" diagonal?


At the same dpi, a widescreen has far fewer pixels than a regular screen.
So they are cheaper to make.

[Fat Tone]

I agree it sucks. I have a Dell 2407. I had a cheapo DMG of the same size and res next to it but that died. I ended up with a 1920*1080 next to it and the difference is frustrating. You can still get the taller ones but there is a premium.

our 17" Dell Vostros have 1920*1200. I couldn't imagine doing serious work on anything less.