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16.5-inch LCD for Notebook PC

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the its-huge dept.

An Anonymous reader dropped us a note saying that Samsung has introduced a 16.5-inch LCD with a 4:3 aspect ratio for notebook PC. The first generation of 15" laptops looked like tanks- but it really would be smooth to have a super thin (I've been tapping on a VAIO lately) laptop with that size screen. Maybe in a few years.

1 of 91 comments (clear)

  1. Think practically -- this is way too big. by InfiniterX · · Score: 3

    I just got a Dell Inspiron 7000 with the 15" display, and I think it's great. The machine has a couple gotchas though, all of which (I think anyway) stem from the huge screen. I have no idea how a 16.5" screen would work but I'll speak from experience about the I7K:

    1. The notebook weighs 9 pounds. If you have to walk real far with this, it will kill your shoulder.

    2. The physical case is huge. Frankly I like that part, because it gives the notebook a nice solid feel (not like those Sony ones which feel as flimsy as a matchbook). It still fits comfortably on a lap, but I think if it were any bigger, it would be uncomfortable.

    3. The bigger the screen, the more chance you have to end up with dead pixels. I remember reading on Dell's customer service discussion board that the 15" displays on the I7K notebooks have 2.3 million transistors in them... statistically, the chances of any one of those failing is higher since there are more to 'possibly' fail. What this translates to is more possibility of having dead pixels on your screen. My notebook came with one dead pixel, and from what other people have told me it's a common thing on such big screens. Luckily if the problem gets worse, the warranty covers it.

    4. Just where would the screen go? The I7K screen is actually as big as the base of the laptop, so when the lid is shut, the lid actually hangs over the edge. I'd hate to see how they can wrangle a 16.5" screen into it.

    5. Think of the power consumption... the I7K has a huge battery which (according to the Linux APM meter) still holds 3 hours worth of power, as long as you're not playing Half-Life. Another inch and a half's worth of backlight could eat into your power requirements and require a bigger battery... adding more weight.

    I'm sure someone will make a laptop with a 16.5" screen. It might be great for graphic artists to show things to clients, or in other situations where portability doesn't matter. But I wouldn't expect this thing to go far in the normal portable PC market, it's just *too* big.