Results 1 to 16 of 16
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    623

    Where have all the wuxga laptops gone?

    I already have an external monitor but why is 1920x1080 the highest available resolution option when buying a new laptop anymore? Sure, Macbook pros come in the 16:10 ratio but they also fucking start at $2500 comparably equipped. And i can't stand anything Apple. Even the new models at xoticpc are all 1080p.

    I just got a new Dell from their outlet store. Probable fail but it was the best value for the $. I didn't think i'd be missing those 120 pixels but i just can't get used to the display, even after shrinking the font. For me, it makes a big difference when editing vertically-oriented photos. Maybe it wouldn't be as frustrating if the damn screen was edge to edge vertically instead of having all this useless logo-ed real estate along the top and bottom of the screen. It's not just dell but hp and the boutique manufacturers as well. It seems they could easily trim 1" off top/bottom of the screen borders, thus reducing the base dimension also.

    Does anyone else find this infuriating or know the reason for it? I might be less aggravated if i knew there was a logical explanation for it. I'm guessing some sort of windows hardware/software compatibility thing but wtf?
    Last edited by leftfield; 03-27-2012 at 09:19 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    [a] Van [down by the river]
    Posts
    1,511
    1920 x 1200 for an external monitor?

    Most laptops only support single link DVI... which is limited at 1920x1200...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    623
    Quote Originally Posted by kalisto View Post
    Most laptops only support single link DVI... which is limited at 1920x1200...
    Right. So why then is the max resolution of newer 17" laptops only 1920x *1080* instead of the 1920x *1200* that used to be offered?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    1,495
    Probably because most people are fine with 1080 since the most resolution-intensive thing most people do is watch Blu-ray. For 1920x1200 you have to look at high-end laptops (e.g. for gaming) which unfortunately cost a lot more.

    I have an Alienware 17" laptop running at 1920x1200.
    Gallery || Facebook || Instagram
    Go that way, really fast...if something gets in your way, TURN!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    623
    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzz View Post
    Probably because most people are fine with 1080 since the most resolution-intensive thing most people do is watch Blu-ray. For 1920x1200 you have to look at high-end laptops (e.g. for gaming) which unfortunately cost a lot more.

    I have an Alienware 17" laptop running at 1920x1200.
    But even the new alienware only have a max resolution of 1080. Fuzz, i'm guessing you have either the m17x r1 or r2. It isn't an option on the r3.
    Granted, the 1920x1080 is a 16:9 which does match widescreen movie format. Still. Besides editing vertical photos, anyone who works with spreadsheets has to miss the extra pixels of the 16:10 format.
    Apple is the only company i've found still offering 1920x1200.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    1,495
    Quote Originally Posted by leftfield View Post
    But even the new alienware only have a max resolution of 1080. Fuzz, i'm guessing you have either the m17x r1 or r2. It isn't an option on the r3.
    You're right, mine is an M17x R2, and they don't have the 1920x1200 option anymore. That is quite strange that they would downgrade.
    Gallery || Facebook || Instagram
    Go that way, really fast...if something gets in your way, TURN!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    mmmbbbboulder
    Posts
    385
    Panasonic Toughbook 52. It's also $2500 but at least it'd be indestructible and let you keep windows. There really are no options out there, are there. I suppose an external monitor or desktop is out of the question...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    coloRADo
    Posts
    2,116
    My Lenovo T420 has indeed a single-link DVI, but also has a Display Port out (original full-size Display Port, not Apple's butchered version) which supports Dual DVI resolutions (I hooked it up to my friend's 30" 2600x1900'ish LCD, wow!), and plugged into a docking station it supports concurrent output from all 3 outputs (DVI, VGA, Display Port). i.e. you can figure something out.

    But I agree ... I had a 17" 1920x1200 Dell Laptop several years ago, hate that I can't find that resolution anymore.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    1920x1080 is true 16x9 HD video aspect. You have to letterbox the 1900x1200 monitors, so what's the use?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    dude. You can do that on a 16x9 monitor too.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    623
    Quote Originally Posted by Tippster View Post
    1920x1080 is true 16x9 HD video aspect. You have to letterbox the 1900x1200 monitors, so what's the use?
    More vertical real estate. Makes a big difference when dealing with spreadsheets. And it just looks a helluvalot tighter and sharper.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    341
    Quote Originally Posted by Tippster View Post
    1920x1080 is true 16x9 HD video aspect. You have to letterbox the 1900x1200 monitors, so what's the use?
    How much time does anybody who's not in video production actually spend watching HD video on their computer, though? It's an awkward aspect ratio for web broswing and office stuff, and downright terrible for working on vertically-oriented photos. I'd take a 4:3 display on my laptop if they still made good ones.

    Anyway, aspect ratio and resolution are a huge deal, to me at least. The 1680x1050 display available on the 15" MBP is amazing, and is a large part of why I'm using one, along with the fact that it's hard to find another laptop with similar specs that isn't a monster 17" desktop replacement.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    I'd say a huge chunk of computers get used to watch streaming HD Video, CDs upconverted to HD (or not - most movies come packaged in 16x9), or BluRay if they have the drive. The difference in native vs. stepped on video is huge, and most people don't really give a damn about critical photo processing.

    I agree with the shortcomings, but there has to be an obvious reason why they changed aspect ratios. I bet this is it. You market to the masses.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by leftfield View Post
    I already have an external monitor but why is 1920x1080 the highest available resolution option when buying a new laptop anymore? Sure, Macbook pros come in the 16:10 ratio but they also fucking start at $2500 comparably equipped. And i can't stand anything Apple. Even the new models at xoticpc are all 1080p.

    I just got a new Dell from their outlet store. Probable fail but it was the best value for the $. I didn't think i'd be missing those 120 pixels but i just can't get used to the display, even after shrinking the font. For me, it makes a big difference when editing vertically-oriented photos. Maybe it wouldn't be as frustrating if the damn screen was edge to edge vertically instead of having all this useless logo-ed real estate along the top and bottom of the screen. It's not just dell but hp and the boutique manufacturers as well. It seems they could easily trim 1" off top/bottom of the screen borders, thus reducing the base dimension also.

    Does anyone else find this infuriating or know the reason for it? I might be less aggravated if i knew there was a logical explanation for it. I'm guessing some sort of windows hardware/software compatibility thing but wtf?
    I completely agree with this poster's viewpoints, that's why I had to register and make a comment on the issue. As tech is being steered by a new generation of business groups in the corporate side of the industry; Including those that start making financial based decisions on the manufacturing side of companies who make monitors for instance, the engineers' decision and in many cases the trained personnel to make decision for these companies have been silenced or completely eliminated. Monitor makers in the last few years have silently transitioned the unaware consumers to a lower resolution product based on what consumers utilize their computers largely for. But this is the moderate consumer which outnumber the more adept & knowledgeable computer users. This has made the normal progression of technology to be able to be halted in a way as to "milk" the consumer dollar with a product that is cheaper to manufacture and is eeasier to read by young children and way older senior citizens(those that expand the market base even more). This is a shame no matter how you look at it really. On one side we have the industry itself.. You know engineers are not designing new architetures with netbooks or iPads and are still likely utilizing technology that wasn't necessarily computationally superior, but has lasted this long due to technology not improving significantly at the same time, at least not as close to the progression that it naturally should have been (I am implying controlled technological advancement based on a business objective). But al this does NOT matter!
    I am as fukking pissed off at this stupid trend as the original poster of this thread and just purchased one of the last (if not the last) laptops that have the WUXGA 1920x1200 resolution (14:10 aspect ratio), the Dell M4400 (although 8GB max RAM). And, I might buy a couple more models as well! Because I love the resolution and aspect ratio for my work. You see I am an engineer as well as work with radiological information; I also make a lot of spreadsheets. Like the poster mentioned, it is the real estate that I am most interested in that makes my work efficient. productive and even fun at times. Let me just end by saying that I believe a lot of our current stagnation as well as issues that could be easily avoided in our current world are brought about by the same out of touch ignorance, that seems to be more successfully propagated than innovation or proper technological advancement. Stupid Stupid Stupid!!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by leftfield View Post
    But even the new alienware only have a max resolution of 1080. Fuzz, i'm guessing you have either the m17x r1 or r2. It isn't an option on the r3.
    Granted, the 1920x1080 is a 16:9 which does match widescreen movie format. Still. Besides editing vertical photos, anyone who works with spreadsheets has to miss the extra pixels of the 16:10 format.
    Apple is the only company i've found still offering 1920x1200.
    Dell has ruined Alienware (probably the goal) as far as halting or in effect "governing" the innovation strategies they once had. The were the most powerful laptop surpassing Dell's highest quality Precision models in the past. I think they have lost track of why that really was ... and that was the fact they offered higher resolution, faster, more powerful computers...
    I use 1920x1200 on my 24's at home and work , as well as my ( good ) laptops. 16:10 aspect ratio with 1920x1200 WUXGA forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Bravo Delta.
    Posts
    6,135
    Quote Originally Posted by m047375 View Post
    I completely agree with this poster's viewpoints, that's why I had to register and make a comment on the issue. As tech is being steered by a new generation of business groups in the corporate side of the industry; Including those that start making financial based decisions on the manufacturing side of companies who make monitors for instance, the engineers' decision and in many cases the trained personnel to make decision for these companies have been silenced or completely eliminated. Monitor makers in the last few years have silently transitioned the unaware consumers to a lower resolution product based on what consumers utilize their computers largely for. But this is the moderate consumer which outnumber the more adept & knowledgeable computer users. This has made the normal progression of technology to be able to be halted in a way as to "milk" the consumer dollar with a product that is cheaper to manufacture and is eeasier to read by young children and way older senior citizens(those that expand the market base even more). This is a shame no matter how you look at it really. On one side we have the industry itself.. You know engineers are not designing new architetures with netbooks or iPads and are still likely utilizing technology that wasn't necessarily computationally superior, but has lasted this long due to technology not improving significantly at the same time, at least not as close to the progression that it naturally should have been (I am implying controlled technological advancement based on a business objective). But al this does NOT matter!
    I am as fukking pissed off at this stupid trend as the original poster of this thread and just purchased one of the last (if not the last) laptops that have the WUXGA 1920x1200 resolution (14:10 aspect ratio), the Dell M4400 (although 8GB max RAM). And, I might buy a couple more models as well! Because I love the resolution and aspect ratio for my work. You see I am an engineer as well as work with radiological information; I also make a lot of spreadsheets. Like the poster mentioned, it is the real estate that I am most interested in that makes my work efficient. productive and even fun at times. Let me just end by saying that I believe a lot of our current stagnation as well as issues that could be easily avoided in our current world are brought about by the same out of touch ignorance, that seems to be more successfully propagated than innovation or proper technological advancement. Stupid Stupid Stupid!!
    Learn language efficiency.
    Quote Originally Posted by Socialist View Post
    They have socalized healthcare up in canada. The whole country is 100% full of pot smoking pro-athlete alcoholics.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •