why no 16:10 screens?

[kaitanium]

is there any reason why lenovo (and practically all other pc notebook manufacturers) dont make their laptop screens in 16:10 like apple? especially lenovo since theres so much wasted space in the frame of the lcd assemble/lid!

[Oglon3r]

I'm going to go ahead and say it was due every company race to the bottom.
Meaning lower prices may sell more and one of the ways to cut prices was the switch from 7200rpm HDDs to 5400rpm HHDs, as well as the 16:10 to 16:9 switch.
I believe lenovo still offers 16:10 but only in custom orders. The price difference in these custom ordered screens will then make it obvious as to why 16:9 became the preferred market standard.
Apple on the other side can afford 16:10 screens and hit the customer with the prices we have seen in the retina computers. In my opinion they are taking a great approach as people are noticing the screen real estate apple can offer while everyone else stays behind.

[ajkula66]

I believe lenovo still offers 16:10 but only in custom orders.

No they don't. Not as CTO, and not for any model line.

[kaitanium]

hmm that is a good observation and makes total sense. every company other than apple can only compete on features and price whereas apple has the enthusiast and buyers who will pay whatever to be in the apple club.

darn it lenovo!! so no customer orders huh...so sad. there is a good 2inches of space on that assembly wasted.

[Core Share]

Lenovo does have a rusted-on ThinkPad devotee base, why not ask them what they want.

Meh - if I want to watch HDTV content I'll watch it on my HDTV.

16:10 - hah! - I am a 4:3 throw-back; I'd love to see some 2014 models with such screen real-estate.

[kaitanium]

hah, lots of people here are 4:3 throwbacks!

anyone know if a t410 screen is able to be put on a t420/430?

[ajkula66]

anyone know if a t410 screen is able to be put on a t420/430?

No way, no how.

[Oglon3r]

No they don't. Not as CTO, and not for any model line.

oh Dang i could've swore they were like dell. I believe dell still does... Especially for enterprise and business costumers.

[kaitanium]

blasted lenovo.

[ajkula66]

blasted lenovo.

Well, them and pretty much everyone else...not that it makes it right by any means.

I don't believe that anyone but Apple offers 16:10 right now. Panasonic offers 4:3 on one model. Or two.

Everything else is 16:9 and likely to become 21:9 sometime soon...

[ajkula66]

16:10 - hah! - I am a 4:3 throw-back; I'd love to see some 2014 models with such screen real-estate.

Here's one for you:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=108270

[jdrou]

16:10 - hah! - I am a 4:3 throw-back; I'd love to see some 2014 models with such screen real-estate.

Only if it was 1600x1200 (or 2048x1536). Actually 16:10 or even 16:9 would be OK as long as it was more than 1080 vertical pixels (1920x1200, 2048x1152, etc.).

EDIT:

Here's one for you:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=108270

Nice but not exactly a 2014 model.
I was very tempted to buy a QXGA Frankenpad that was for sale a few months ago.

[ajkula66]

Nice but not exactly a 2014 model.

Well, that's as good as it gets for a 4:3 IPS machine in 2014. While I wouldn't mind throwing a W520 planar in there, it's not going to happen

I was very tempted to buy a QXGA Frankenpad that was for sale a few months ago.

A lot of members were but no one reached for their wallet with serious intentions...I was surprised...but had no doubt that it would sell well, and in the end it did, albeit not here...

[Core Share]

Here's one for you:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=108270

Oh, joy, oh drool...

Thank you.

[QWERTY Andreas]

I think apple will move over soon.. Its all about what panels they can get.

[ajkula66]

I think apple will move over soon.. Its all about what panels they can get.

Only if they want to...when you're Apple, you make the rules and say what's fair, to paraphrase Neil Young...

[sir_synthsalot]

I think apple will move over soon.. Its all about what panels they can get.

It's not about what panels you can get, it's about what panels you get get the cheapest. I think Lenovo moved to 16:9 because they are the cheapest, not because it's what they can get. I can't see why manufacturers can't make a panel with any specifications you give them, but it will cost more than the cheapest 16:9 panel they can get their hands on (it seems like this is what they are using right now). It is about the race to the bottom.

[ThinkRob]

I can't see why manufacturers can't make a panel with any specifications you give them

Volume and apathy. Lenovo would need to have the volume to order a custom part -- which they certainly have -- but they'd also have to have the customer demand for such a part, otherwise it's just a waste of money [to add something that few people care strongly about]. And guess what? Outside of geeks such as ourselves, most people don't seem to care all that much.

You know what happens when I ask non-technical users about what screen aspect ratio they like? Blank stares. Some might say "oh, yeah, widescreen's good for movies and games". But nobody -- and I mean *nobody* -- I've spoken to who's not a hardware or software geek knows what the difference is between 16:9 and 16:10.

I wish that weren't the case. But it is. I'd love to see a laptop-manufacturing company that catered to hardware enthusiasts and hackers. But I think I might be waiting a while...

[Rochefort]

Still geeks & non-geeks have their screens in front of their eyes !
I dream of an IPS option for the coming Haswell models.....yes, I dream

[ThinkRob]

Still geeks & non-geeks have their screens in front of their eyes !
I dream of an IPS option for the coming Haswell models.....yes, I dream

Hey, I don't disagree. There's a reason I use PVA/MVA panels for my desktop...

That said, my experience with non-geeks is that while they can certainly notice the difference between TN and other types, their response seems to be "eh, this is good enough" -- especially when they learn about the typical price difference.

My bet is that it'll eventually be like high resolution panels: few non-geeks cared about XGA vs QXGA... until QXGA became "retina" and a hot item. If only we could find a way to make PVA or S-IPS into a marketing-drive status symbol...

[Rochefort]

That said, my experience with non-geeks is that while they can certainly notice the difference between TN and other types, their response seems to be "eh, this is good enough" -- especially when they learn about the typical price difference.

I understand the price issue but why Lenovo don't insert an IPS option on their T/W lines!?
Geeks'n professionals don't care about $100 more for a nice'n effective hi-res bright IPS matte panel.

[ajkula66]

I understand the price issue but why Lenovo don't insert an IPS option on their T/W lines!?
Geeks'n professionals don't care about $100 more for a nice'n effective hi-res bright IPS matte panel.

Because Lenovo doesn't care about geeks/professionals.

Had they cared about the latter, we would've never seen the "new and improved" keyboard layout...

[Rochefort]

Because Lenovo doesn't care about geeks/professionals.

Had they cared about the latter, we would've never seen the "new and improved" keyboard layout...

You're right

[ThinkRob]

Geeks'n professionals don't care about $100 more for a nice'n effective hi-res bright IPS matte panel.

Geeks don't.

Beancounters do.

[ZaZ]

Only if they want to...when you're Apple, you make the rules and say what's fair, to paraphrase Neil Young...

Here's an interesting story about Apple.

[pianowizard]

There is no reason for Lenovo to offer more laptops with great screens. In case you guys didn't know, right now, Lenovo is the only brand whose laptop sales are going up. Everyone else is going down, even Apple. This proves that whatever Lenovo has been doing is working, and so Lenovo will just keep doing it.

[ZaZ]

Yes, success tends to breed a confidence that will eventually become a problem.

[scbrown]

The last "professional" laptop offered by Lenovo was the W700 series, and that series had 1920x1200 pix (16:10) screens, I have a W701 and it's a great piece of work. That little bit of extra screen real estate comes in handy many times. I also have kept my old standby T60P which also has a 16:10 screen at 1680x1050 pix. As others have mentioned, the race to the bottom of the quality poll is why you don't see 16:10's anymore.

[Rochefort]

Geeks don't.

Beancounters do.

Beancounters are more numerous,I presume !?

[Rochefort]

The last "professional" laptop offered by Lenovo was the W700 series, and that series had 1920x1200 pix (16:10) screens, I have a W701 and it's a great piece of work.
As others have mentioned, the race to the bottom of the quality poll is why you don't see 16:10's anymore.

You're so right that I keep my heavy HP 8740w
I dream of a W 730s 1' thick with a numpad