Laptop Displays

Laptop displays and the various terminology used in describing and specifying them are discussed here.

Laptop display sizes

The laptop screen size is specified in terms of the diagonal measure. For example, 10″ netbook has a display which measures 10 inches diagonally.

LCD screens

Mostly LCD (liquid crystal display) is used for laptop screens. Many times LCD is also colloquially referred to as LCD display.

Why not plasma for laptop monitors? One of the most obvious answers to this is – plasma monitors suffer from a problem called ‘burn-in’, where any image displayed for a long period of time on the screen, gets its image burned on the screen. Another probable reason could be – at high altitudes, where the air pressure is low, the plasma screens emit a buzzing noise. LCD screens don’t suffer from these problems. Moreover, the LCD viewing angle is lower than that of the plasma screen, allowing only the user before it to view it easily. Thus for a laptop, LCD screen is preferred.

AMOLED screens

Recently, AMOLED screens have started becoming popular in mobile PCs. AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. The AMOLED screen consumes lesser power than the LCD laptop screens. Plus, they also present better colour reproduction and better brightness. One negative aspect here is that its longevity is lower than that of the LCD screen.

LED backlight

Most LCD screens employ LEDs (light emitting diodes) to generate illumination from the back or the sides, to enable better readability in poorly lit environments. AMOLED screens have self luminous diodes and hence don’t require explicit back lighting. Thus, they consume lesser power than LCD monitors.

Viewing angles

Viewing angle refers to the side-to-side or top-to-down angle that allows for comfortable and clear viewing. Beyond these angles, the display will not be clearly visible.

Contrast ratio

This is the ratio of the amount of light emitted from the brightest colour (white) to the the amount of light that passes through at the darkest colour (black) on the screen. The higher this ratio the higher the levels of brightness offered.

Screen resolution

This refers to the number of columns and rows of pixels that make the display. The pixel is the smallest programmable unit of a display. Imagine the laptop display to be a grid. Each box in this grid can show the most basic element, that is possible to display. If the screen has more number of pixels, or more resolution, the more the amount of detail that can be displayed and hence the better the clarity.

Note:- The resolution of a screen can be increased or decreased in the display settings. When the resolution is decreased, the physical boxes in the grid remain the same. Only the pixels are reduced. In other words, multiple boxes in the grid form one pixel.

Most of the 10-13″ netbook displays come with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Some of the entertainment and gaming oriented netbooks even come with 1366 x 768 pixel-resolution. The term high definition (HD) is mainly used to refer to “high pixel” TV screens, which offer much much higher resolution than that of standard TV screens. Resolutions of 1280 x 720 pixels and above are usually considered as high definition. Something below this, falls in the low resolution category. The 18-19″ screen laptop comes with what is called full HD resolution, which is 1920 x 1080 pixels. Some of the 15-17-inch workstations which are designed for gaming and multimedia, also come with full HD resolution. The normal 15-17″ screen laptop resolution offered is 1366 x 768 pixels.

Aspect ratio

This is the ratio of the longer dimension to the shorter dimension of the screen. For example for a display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels, the ratio of 1024:768 reduces to 4:3. Thus the aspect ratio of this laptop screen is 4:3. Screens with 1366 x 768 and 1920 x 1080 pixels, have 16:9 aspect ratio. The term ‘widescreen’ is used to refer to aspects ratios greater than the standard 1.37:1.

Glossy screen or Non glossy screen

Glossy laptop displays provide better colour intensity and contrast ratios. However, such screens can turn into mirrors when used outdoors, especially on a bright sunny day, due to the highly reflective surface. That’s when a non-glossy or matte screen laptop comes into the picture. Hence if you require an ultraportable for your travels and other outdoor activities, it is better to go in for a non-glossy screen. On the other hand if you require a laptop for home usage, a glossy one can be better.

Refer the Laptops Buying Guide as well.

Viewing Angles Image via PRAD.de

LCD vs AMOLED screens image via OLED-Display.net