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Notebook LCD Display Comparison
The screen size and resolution comparison tables compare common notebook TFT flat-panel displays from different brands. The characteristics of today's built-in LCD screens of portables are listed side by side.The compared screens are presented two lists, the first focusing on the pixel related aspects and the second on the physical area aspects. All selected displays are for stationary or mobile use in laptops. Some of the shown values are calculated and can differ in reality (i.e. visible display diagonal).
Notebook LCD Monitor Comparison (Pixel Table)
This table shows the screen resolution, pixel density (pixel pitch in pixels per inch, ppi), size of one square pixel, aspect ratio of the screen, number of pixels (megapixels or MP), and pixel area gain compared to a 1024 by 768 pixel XGA resolution for various display sizes (measured by the viewable diagonal).
| Size | Resolution | Density | Pixel Size | Ratio | Pixels | Gain |
| 10.1" | 1366 x 768 | 155.2 ppi | 0.1637 mm | ~16:9 | 1.00 MP | 133% |
| 11.6" | 1366 x 768 | 135.1 ppi | 0.1880 mm | ~16:9 | 1.00 MP | 133% |
| 12.1" | 800 x 600 | 82.6 ppi | 0.3073 mm | 4:3 | 0.46 MP | 61% |
| 12.1" | 1024 x 768 | 105.8 ppi | 0.2401 mm | 4:3 | 0.75 MP | 100% |
| 12.1" | 1280 x 768 | 123.4 ppi | 0.2059 mm | 5:3 | 0.94 MP | 125% |
| 12.1" | 1280 x 800 | 124.7 ppi | 0.2036 mm | 16:10 | 0.98 MP | 130% |
| 12.1" | 1400 x 1050 | 144.6 ppi | 0.1756 mm | 4:3 | 1.4 MP | 187% |
| 13.3" | 1280 x 800 | 113.5 ppi | 0.2238 mm | 16:10 | 0.98 MP | 130% |
| 13.3" | 1440 x 900 | 127.7 ppi | 0.1989 mm | 16:10 | 1.24 MP | 165% |
| 14.1" | 1024 x 768 | 90.8 ppi | 0.2798 mm | 4:3 | 0.75 MP | 100% |
| 14.1" | 1280 x 800 | 107.1 ppi | 0.2373 mm | 16:10 | 0.98 MP | 130% |
| 14.1" | 1280 x 1024 | 116.3 ppi | 0.2185 mm | 5:4 | 1.25 MP | 167% |
| 14" | 1366 x 768 | 111.9 ppi | 0.2269 mm | 16:9 | 1.00 MP | 133% |
| 14.1" | 1440 x 900 | 120.4 ppi | 0.2109 mm | 16:10 | 1.24 MP | 165% |
| 14.1" | 1400 x 1050 | 124.1 ppi | 0.2047 mm | 4:3 | 1.4 MP | 187% |
| 15" | 1024 x 768 | 85.3 ppi | 0.2977 mm | 4:3 | 0.75 MP | 100% |
| 15.2" | 1152 x 768 | 91.1 ppi | 0.2789 mm | 3:2 | 0.84 MP | 113% |
| 15.4" | 1280 x 800 | 98 ppi | 0.2591 mm | 16:10 | 0.98 MP | 130% |
| 15.2" | 1280 x 854 | 101.2 ppi | 0.2509 mm | ~3:2 | 1.04 MP | 139% |
| 15.6" | 1366 x 768 | 100.5 ppi | 0.2529 mm | ~16:9 | 1.00 MP | 133% |
| 15.4" | 1440 x 900 | 110.3 ppi | 0.2303 mm | 16:10 | 1.24 MP | 165% |
| 15.2" | 1440 x 960 | 113.9 ppi | 0.2231 mm | 3:2 | 1.32 MP | 176% |
| 15" | 1400 x 1050 | 116.7 ppi | 0.2177 mm | 4:3 | 1.4 MP | 187% |
| 15.6" | 1600 x 900 | 117.7 ppi | 0.2158 mm | 16:9 | 1.37 MP | 183% |
| 15.4" | 1680 x 1050 | 128.6 ppi | 0.1974 mm | 16:10 | 1.68 MP | 224% |
| 15" | 1600 x 1200 | 133.3 ppi | 0.1905 mm | 4:3 | 1.83 MP | 244% |
| 15.4" | 1920 x 1200 | 147 ppi | 0.1728 mm | 16:10 | 2.2 MP | 293% |
| 16" | 1920 x 1080 | 137.7 ppi | 0.1845 mm | 16:9 | 1.98 MP | 264% |
| 17" | 1280 x 800 | 88.8 ppi | 0.2861 mm | 16:10 | 0.98 MP | 130% |
| 17" | 1440 x 900 | 99.9 ppi | 0.2543 mm | 16:10 | 1.24 MP | 165% |
| 17.3" | 1600 x 900 | 106.1 ppi | 0.2394 mm | 16:9 | 1.37 MP | 183% |
| 17" | 1680 x 1050 | 116.5 ppi | 0.2180 mm | 16:10 | 1.68 MP | 224% |
| 17.3" | 1920 x 1080 | 127.3 ppi | 0.1995 mm | 16:9 | 1.98 MP | 264% |
| 17" | 1920 x 1200 | 133.2 ppi | 0.1907 mm | 16:10 | 2.2 MP | 293% |
| 20.1" | 1680 x 1050 | 98.6 ppi | 0.2577 mm | 16:10 | 1.68 MP | 224% |
See the table below to compare the gain in physical size of the active or viewable screen area to the extra real estate in pixels (resolution gain in pixel). The aspect ratio also affects the gained area in cm2.
Notebook LCD Monitor Comparison (Area Table)
The following table shows the active diagonal, screen width, screen height, aspect ratio, viewable screen area and physical area gain compared to a 12.1-inch 4:3 monitor for various display sizes.
| Size | Diagonal | Width | Height | Ratio | Area | Gain |
| 10.1" | 25.65 cm | 22.36 cm | 12.57 cm | ~16:9 | 281 cm2 | 62.0% |
| 11.6" | 29.46 cm | 25.68 cm | 14.44 cm | ~16:9 | 371 cm2 | 81.8% |
| 12.1" | 30.73 cm | 24.59 cm | 18.44 cm | 4:3 | 453 cm2 | 100% |
| 12.1" | 30.73 cm | 26.35 cm | 15.81 cm | 5:3 | 417 cm2 | 91.9% |
| 12.1" | 30.73 cm | 26.06 cm | 16.29 cm | 16:10 | 425 cm2 | 93.6% |
| 13.3" | 33.78 cm | 28.65 cm | 17.9 cm | 16:10 | 513 cm2 | 113% |
| 14" | 35.56 cm | 31.00 cm | 17.43 cm | 16:9 | 540 cm2 | 119% |
| 14.1" | 35.81 cm | 28.65 cm | 21.49 cm | 4:3 | 616 cm2 | 136% |
| 14.1" | 35.81 cm | 30.37 cm | 18.98 cm | 16:10 | 576 cm2 | 127% |
| 14.1" | 35.81 cm | 27.97 cm | 22.37 cm | 5:4 | 626 cm2 | 138% |
| 15" | 38.1 cm | 30.48 cm | 22.86 cm | 4:3 | 697 cm2 | 154% |
| 15" | 38.1 cm | 31.7 cm | 21.13 cm | 3:2 | 670 cm2 | 148% |
| 15.2" | 38.61 cm | 32.12 cm | 21.43 cm | 3:2 | 688 cm2 | 152% |
| 15.4" | 39.12 cm | 33.17 cm | 20.73 cm | 16:10 | 688 cm2 | 152% |
| 15.6" | 39.62 cm | 34.54 cm | 19.43 cm | 16:9 | 671 cm2 | 148% |
| 16" | 40.64 cm | 35.42 cm | 19.92 cm | 16:9 | 706 cm2 | 156% |
| 17" | 43.18 cm | 36.62 cm | 22.89 cm | 16:10 | 838 cm2 | 185% |
| 17.3" | 43.94 cm | 38.30 cm | 21.54 cm | 16:9 | 825 cm2 | 182% |
| 20.1" | 51.05 cm | 43.29 cm | 27.06 cm | 16:10 | 1'171 cm2 | 258% |
TFT flat-panel displays with these characteristics and specifications are made by Acer, Apple, Asustek Computer, Dell, Fujitsu-Siemens, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard (HP), IBM, Lenovo, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba and other hardware manufacturers.
Screens with exotic sizes or display resolutions as 10.6" with 1024 x 768, 15.1" with 1024 x 768, 15.1" with 1280 x 768, 15.4" with 1280 x 768 and 17.4" with 1140 x 900 pixels found in today's Samsung or Sony portables are not listed. This data will be included as soon as it gets more popular in the market place.
Today's flat-panel LCDs are available with glossy or matte antiglare screens.
Apple Macintosh Specifics
Screens with 1440 x 900 (15.4-inch MacBook Pro), 1440 x 960 (15.2-inch wide-screen, used in the PowerBook G4) as well as 1280 x 854 and 1152 x 768 (15.2-inch wide-screen, no longer in production) resolutions are at the moment only available for Mac systems.
See the MacBook Pro, PowerBook and iBook details for the available product lineup from Apple Computer.
Related Links
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The display and browser window survey deals with the habits and preferred settings regarding screen and browser windows of Internet users.
Take the Display and Browser Window Survey.
Video Standards
| XGA | 1024x768 |
| SXGA | 1280x1024 |
| SXGA+ | 1400x1050 |
| UXGA | 1600x1200 |
| WSXGA+ | 1680x1050 |
| WUXGA | 1920x1200 |
Glossary
- AMOLED:
- Active-Matrix OLED
- BLU:
- LED-based backlight unit
- CCFL:
- Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp
- cm:
- Centimeter
- CRT:
- Cathode Ray Tube
- DLP:
- Digital Light Processing
- DTV:
- Digital TV
- ELP:
- Electroluminescent Panel
- FED:
- Field Emission Display
- FPD:
- Flat Panel Display
- HCFL:
- Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp
- HD:
- High Definition
- HDMI:
- High Definition Multimedia Interface
- inch:
- 1 inch = 1" = 2.54 cm
- IPS:
- In-Plane Switching
- LCD:
- Liquid Crystal Display
- LCM:
- LCD module
- LCoS:
- Liquid Crystal on Silicon
- LED:
- Light-Emitting Diode
- mm:
- Millimeter, 1mm = 0.1 cm
- MP:
- Megapixels, 1 MP = 1'0242 pixels = 1'048'576 pixels
- OLED:
- Organic Light-Emitting Diode
- PDP:
- Plasma Display Panel
- Pixel:
- Picture Element
- PLED:
- Polymer Organic Light-Emitting Diode
- ppi:
- Pixels per inch (pixel density or pitch)
- RGB:
- Red Green Blue
- SDC:
- Segmented Display Cell
- SED:
- Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display
- SXGA:
- Super Extended Graphics Array
- SXGA+:
- Super Extended Graphics Array plus
- TFT:
- Thin Film Transistor
- TV:
- Television
- UXGA:
- Ultra Extended Graphics Array
- WSXGA+:
- Wide Super Extended Graphics Array plus
- WUXGA:
- Wide Ultra Extended Graphics Array
- XGA:
- Extended Graphics Array
- 1024 x 768:
- Screen width and height in pixel (e.g. 1024 by 768)