7 ms·

Someone please bring back 14" Laptops with 4:3 screens!

by yoodenvranx 9y ago

walterbell 9y ago
Apple sells 4:3 screens in the iPad Pro.
- khedoros1 9y ago
  And the iPad Pro isn't a laptop. It's a tablet running a locked-down, irreplaceable mobile device OS.
  - tosstossy 9y ago
    It demonstrates panel availability, which has been argued in the past as why no modern 4:3 thinkpads will be produced.
    - khedoros1 9y ago
      It demonstrates panel availability up to 12.9 inches, but not necessarily up to 14.
      - tosstossy 9y ago
        That's perfect for an X series, a real one, like the X[346]0 line which ended with the wide screen takeover.
        khedoros1 9y ago
        Right, but the originator of the thread was talking specifically about 14" laptops.
        rhizome 9y ago
        A small screen increases the risk of a small keyboard.
    - zokier 9y ago
      Apple can buy panels in any shape or size they want, that doesn't demonstrate general panel availability in any way. Do you think the notched display in iphone is an off-the shelf module?
      - tosstossy 9y ago
        Do you think the panel supplier wouldn't be happy to sell more of a panel Apple made very cheap for them to manufacture at scale?
        solatic 9y ago
        You can bet that Apple makes those suppliers sign exclusivity contracts, less to keep the panels out of the hands of competitors like Lenovo and more to keep the panels out of the hands of counterfeiters/knockoff-artists.
        4ad 9y ago
        And yet you can buy that exact LCD on ebay.
        icebraining 9y ago
        Can you buy 5000 of them on eBay?
        walterbell 9y ago
        For the 9.7” and 12.9 screens, you can buy 5000 4:3 LCD panels per week: https://m.alibaba.com/product/60629586392/wholesale-9-7-Inches-lcd-screen.html?spm=a2706.7843667.1998817009.60.2VqILZ https://m.alibaba.com/product/60629586392/wholesale-9-7-Inch... https://m.alibaba.com/product/60590281374/Original-Multi-Touch-Capacitive-Screen-12.html?spm=a2706.8301176.prew843968.13.24d99828Bs8sCa https://m.alibaba.com/product/60590281374/Original-Multi-Tou...
firewalkwithme 9y ago
Yes!
cgag 9y ago
my kingdom for anything better than 16:9 in a thinkpad though it looks like other manufacturers besides lenovo and apple are starting to make good laptops now, so maybe i'll finally be able to ditch them in a few years
Zak 9y ago
I'd be thrilled if someone put the 13" 4:3 (or should we call it 16:12 for marketing?) screen from the iPad Pro in a laptop.
redacted 9y ago
Surface Book has 3:2 which is really nice, quite expensive machine though (I love mine, and have been lucky not to have any of the issues that seemed to plague them in their early days)
- satysin 9y ago
  The Surface Book has a great screen but my god that machine was an absolute nightmare for the ~2 months I had it. Microsoft seriously screwed up on QC. Not to mention it was just way over-engineered. All people were asking for was a Surface laptop. Microsoft's own MacBook Pro but they just had to do something "unique" and it was a mess. Now we have the Surface Laptop that comes with a gimped version of Windows[0]. Honestly I just don't understand Microsoft. [0] Yes you can upgrade it to Windows 10 Pro for free until the end of the year but then it is an extra $50!
- fencepost 9y ago
  Isn't the Surface Book the one that iFixIt rated as "[unrepairable, made of glue]"?

Someone please bring back 14" Laptops with 4:3 screens!

walterbell 9y ago

Apple sells 4:3 screens in the iPad Pro.

khedoros1 9y ago
And the iPad Pro isn't a laptop. It's a tablet running a locked-down, irreplaceable mobile device OS.
- tosstossy 9y ago
  It demonstrates panel availability, which has been argued in the past as why no modern 4:3 thinkpads will be produced.
  - khedoros1 9y ago
    It demonstrates panel availability up to 12.9 inches, but not necessarily up to 14.
    - tosstossy 9y ago
      That's perfect for an X series, a real one, like the X[346]0 line which ended with the wide screen takeover.
      - khedoros1 9y ago
        Right, but the originator of the thread was talking specifically about 14" laptops.
      - rhizome 9y ago
        A small screen increases the risk of a small keyboard.
  - zokier 9y ago
    Apple can buy panels in any shape or size they want, that doesn't demonstrate general panel availability in any way. Do you think the notched display in iphone is an off-the shelf module?
    - tosstossy 9y ago
      Do you think the panel supplier wouldn't be happy to sell more of a panel Apple made very cheap for them to manufacture at scale?
      - solatic 9y ago
        You can bet that Apple makes those suppliers sign exclusivity contracts, less to keep the panels out of the hands of competitors like Lenovo and more to keep the panels out of the hands of counterfeiters/knockoff-artists.
        4ad 9y ago
        And yet you can buy that exact LCD on ebay.
        icebraining 9y ago
        Can you buy 5000 of them on eBay?
        walterbell 9y ago
        For the 9.7” and 12.9 screens, you can buy 5000 4:3 LCD panels per week: https://m.alibaba.com/product/60629586392/wholesale-9-7-Inches-lcd-screen.html?spm=a2706.7843667.1998817009.60.2VqILZ https://m.alibaba.com/product/60629586392/wholesale-9-7-Inch... https://m.alibaba.com/product/60590281374/Original-Multi-Touch-Capacitive-Screen-12.html?spm=a2706.8301176.prew843968.13.24d99828Bs8sCa https://m.alibaba.com/product/60590281374/Original-Multi-Tou...

firewalkwithme 9y ago

Yes!

cgag 9y ago

my kingdom for anything better than 16:9 in a thinkpad though it looks like other manufacturers besides lenovo and apple are starting to make good laptops now, so maybe i'll finally be able to ditch them in a few years

Zak 9y ago

I'd be thrilled if someone put the 13" 4:3 (or should we call it 16:12 for marketing?) screen from the iPad Pro in a laptop.

redacted 9y ago

Surface Book has 3:2 which is really nice, quite expensive machine though (I love mine, and have been lucky not to have any of the issues that seemed to plague them in their early days)

satysin 9y ago
The Surface Book has a great screen but my god that machine was an absolute nightmare for the ~2 months I had it. Microsoft seriously screwed up on QC. Not to mention it was just way over-engineered. All people were asking for was a Surface laptop. Microsoft's own MacBook Pro but they just had to do something "unique" and it was a mess. Now we have the Surface Laptop that comes with a gimped version of Windows[0]. Honestly I just don't understand Microsoft. [0] Yes you can upgrade it to Windows 10 Pro for free until the end of the year but then it is an extra $50!
fencepost 9y ago
Isn't the Surface Book the one that iFixIt rated as "[unrepairable, made of glue]"?