How to tell if it's standard or widescreen display?

[cjacek]

Hi,

I'm currently looking at IBM Certified Pre-owned Laptops (the IBM site, not Lenovo). I don't trust the photos they provide so is there a way to tell (from the specifications) which model has the standard or widescreen display?

Thanks for helping me out.

[Johan]

Well, if you simply post a link to the ThinkPad(s) that you're looking at, I'm certain someone helpful forum-member will gladly assist you all detailled specifications!

Generally, you should be able to find overall specifications for any ThinkPad, provided you know its MTM, such as e.g. 2007-QPG for a T60 using the method described in How to find ThinkPad-specifications on Lenovo.com?

Otherwise, the most precice information about any ThinkPad can be found through knowing its MTN in association with the serial number of the particular machine, for a T60 the MPN e.g. being 2007 (four digits) and the serial-number being e.g. L3-78FG4 (seven-figure digits/letters), and then do a Parts Lookup through the URL linked to by underclocker in this post in the thread Why does Lenovo's "Parts Lookup" site not (always) work??

Standard (4:3 format) versus widescreen LCD formats (16:9 and 16:10) can be found on e..g Computer display standard.

PS: Kindly update your profile with your location... thanks in advance!

Johan

[cjacek]

Hi Johan,

Thanks for the reply (Location updated ).

See, the problem is that the advertised laptops don't have all the info provided. Please see here:
http://www-304.ibm.com/shop/americas/we ... langId=124

Can you please take a look for me?

Thanks!

[cjacek]

OK, I was able to use some of the info you provided and did a search on one of the models.
I went to the Lenovo site using http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... ry=2373Q1U (the search is on the right).
I then tried inputting, just as an example, the T61 .. first model on the IBM site. They put it as T7665VNH but had to drop the "T" and searched 7665VNH. It then indeed gave me more details but I still can't decipher. Should I be looking at resolution? The photo looks like it's widescreen. It says:

Based 7665-CTO: T7500(2.2GHz), 2GB RAM, 100GB, 14.1in 1440x900, 128MB nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11agn(n-disabled), Cingular WWAN, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, FPR, 6c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32.

Does "1440x900" mean that it is widescreen?

Thanks again

[cjacek]

Then I did another T61 (6464A13) and it says: "1280x800". Is that also widescreen? The photo looks like it. It also says "Based on 6464-4YU" (like the other before said "Based on 7665-CTO")..... and then I was able to find more info online through some detective work. Am I going in the right direction? Seems like the two T61 are widescreen?

[Neil]

Yes, both of those are widescreen. Any 16x10 or 16x9 aspect ratio is widescreen. The old format was 4x3 or 5x4, so any resolution with those aspect ratios is not wide.

BTW, which do you prefer, and which are you shopping for?

[RealBlackStuff]

If it is one of these:
1024x768
1400x1050
1600x1200
2048x1536
it is NON-widescreen, Standard 4:3.

The others are widescreen.
(much easier to remember).

As to T61 laptops, AFAIK any TYPE that starts with 6xxx or 7xxx is a widescreen model.
The 4:3 T61 all start with TYPE 8xxx, but not all 8xxx are 4:3 to confuse the issue...

[pianowizard]

Does "1440x900" mean that it is widescreen?

Just divide the first number by the second number. If it's 1.33333333 or lower, it's "standard" (which is a bad term because this aspect ratio has been almost completely phased out), but if it's higher, it's widescreen, which is the standard now. 1440 divided by 900 is 1.6, so that's widescreen. 1280 divided by 1024 (which is the resolution of my Dell Inspiron 7500) is 1.25, and so that's a "standard" screen. Again, "standard" is an incorrect term, so I refer to these screens as "tallscreen" instead.

[RealBlackStuff]

Correction: Standard is 4:3.
Your 1280x1024 screen is 5:4, which is not standard (but great to work with, my main 19" LCD monitor has 1280x1024).

[Johan]

Based 7665-CTO: T7500(2.2GHz), 2GB RAM, 100GB, 14.1in 1440x900, 128MB nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11agn(n-disabled), Cingular WWAN, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, FPR, 6c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32.

Aaaargh!! Beware of such a thing; a T61 with the (very in-famous!) nVIDIA GPU.... see why e.g. in the threads Is my T61 a ticking time bomb? or Should I send the T61 back because of the faulty gfx chip? or Looking at an outlet-purchased T61...need help deciding!

Johan

[RealBlackStuff]

Here's an overview of all the screen resolutions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_resolution

[pianowizard]

Correction: Standard is 4:3.
Your 1280x1024 screen is 5:4, which is not standard (but great to work with, my main 19" LCD monitor has 1280x1024).

I see your point, but I was just sticking with the OP's definition of "standard" as "non-widescreen". Like I said, we should call neither 4:3 nor 5:4 "standard". IMO, widescreen should now be considered "standard", whereas non-widescreen should be called "tallscreen". To be even more precise, I would say the only aspect ratio that deserves to be called "standard" is now 16:9, because 16:10 is no longer common for laptops.

As you can see, things get really confusing as soon as the word "standard" is used. Laptop aspect ratio is not like gasoline, where "regular" always means the cheapest grade. Instead, laptop standards change once every few years. I say we should avoid it altogether, and instead specify the aspect ratio: 5:4, 4:3, 16:10, and 16:9.

[cjacek]

You guys are great! Thank you all very, very much. You've been most helpful and I'm grateful for the time you took to reply.

[ilakast]

"Happened" to get a 14.1'' 770Z and got a comparison photo with a 13.7'' 770X, for anyone hunting on ebay for the rarer SXGA without the need to ask sellers for the type of the machine. (Instead of creating a new topic, decided to squeeze it in here)