12.1 inch screen i.s.o. 11.6 inch

[mutsaers-vr.nl]

What about a 12.1 inch screen in the 11.6 inch enclosure for a new MBA ? That would be really cool I think there should be enough room in the bezel area. Any thoughts ?

 

[Hellhammer]

The diameter of 11" MBA is 14" so a 12.1" screen would fit in theory. However, there must be a reason why Apple went with 11.6", you need the bezel to hold the screen in place etc.

 

[mutsaers-vr.nl]

It would be nice tough if it is possible because than the real estate would be almost that of the 13 inch since the 11 inch has a figher resolution screen. Maybe the 11inch screens where available at low costs last year ?

 

[firewood]

More expensive. Heavier. Would reduce battery life. More fragile & likelier to break because of less bezel to protect it. So probably not a good trade off currently.

 

[jamisonbaines]

I don't agree with those of you making excuses as to why they shouldn't fit a larger screen in there. The bezel on the 11.6" is huge, it appears larger than any other present Apple laptop. I'd imagine the main reason it isn't 12.1" or larger is to keep it in a separate realm from the 13.3", perhaps when they are able to make the 13 a 14, the 15 a 16 and the 17 an 18 they'll make the 11 a 12. Maybe they'll just shrink the cases and keep everything the same standard screen sizes, though that wouldn't work with the keyboard on the 11.

People want an edge to edge screen on the iPhone. At some point that feature will find it's way to laptops.


The best would be making the 11 into a 12+ in the same case size, redesign the 13 as a 15" equivalent with very little bezel and a case size similar to the present 13 and then combine the 15 and 17 inch lines into one. Then keep the standard MacBook at 13 with a similar bezel as we presently see.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I don't see it as impossible and wouldn't rule it out completely - if not now, at some stage; besides, it would be a sort of homage, or salute, to the immortal and iconic Power Book of old.

 

[Faux Carnival]

Not happening. It's not a design issue. They just have tons of 11.6" panels in stock.

 

[firewood]

besides, it would be a sort of homage, or salute, to the immortal and iconic Power Book of old.

The original PowerBook 100 had a 9" monochrome display with an even larger bezel. 11 is closer to 9 than 12 is.

 

[ahmak]

The bigger, the better (within the limits of portability). Even 12.5 should fit in the form factor of the little MBA, considering it is 11.80" wide and asus 1215n has 12.1 screen in 11.65" width.

Well, if Apple goes to 12.5 screen with 16:10 ratio, 1440/900 res.,same form factor as the 11 MBA (height and width), bigger trackpad, 10h battery life and base price at 1 grand I will certainly buy my first mac.
They should discontinue current 11 and 13 models and concentrate on one superb mobile machine.
This of course is not likely to happen, as the new Lion puts accents on "full screen" mode on apps and no scrollbars, which are steps in optimizing the experience on small displays. I've been there already, struggling for real estate on the 12 inch screens for the last 10 years.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The original PowerBook 100 had a 9" monochrome display with an even larger bezel. 11 is closer to 9 than 12 is.

fair enough, and thanks for that; I had always assumed it was a 12" - and it was spoken of with such awe & affection (the sort of attachment that was rare enough between human and computer); so, in essence, it appeared much as a 12" would, but that would be accounted for by a larger bezel?

Cheers

 

[Abstract]

If they bumped the 11.6" screen to 12", they'd probably need to bump the 13.3" MBA's screen to 14" just to ensure that the 2 products are differentiated and have their own target audiences.

I presume Apple are eventually going to switch all their laptops to SSDs and make them ultra-thin. I also presume that a 15" MBA will be added to the lineup (along with 13", 15", and 17" versions of the MBP with an SSD), but this wouldn't happen if there was already a 14" MBA. So would Apple add a 16" MBP?

Their laptop models would be all over the place.

 

[firewood]

...and base price at 1 grand I will certainly buy my first mac.

No problem. All you have to do is start a business that can manufacture this 12.5" display in massive volumes for the same cost (or less) to Apple as it can buy the 11.6" displays, with the same display quality, ruggedness against breakage, weighing no more, and using no more power for the same brightness, and maybe you'll get what you want and sell zillions...

Or more likely, go bankrupt trying.

 

[Scarrus]

No problem. All you have to do is start a business that can manufacture this 12.5" display in massive volumes for the same cost (or less) to Apple as it can buy the 11.6" displays, with the same display quality, ruggedness against breakage, weighing no more, and using no more power for the same brightness, and maybe you'll get what you want and sell zillions...

Or more likely, go bankrupt trying.

I still am against beeing ripped of!

 

[Duke15]

I agree, border to border screen is beginning to feel overdue in electronics in my opinion. They should keep the MBAs the size they are just make the screens a little larger. Hopefully it will happen, im assuming not this refresh but the following one. They will have to do somehting drastic to change it and thats one thing to do, think theyre running out of physical things to change on it, cant get that much thinner, so make the screen bigger i guess.

 

[Stetrain]

The original PowerBook 100 had a 9" monochrome display with an even larger bezel. 11 is closer to 9 than 12 is.

He was probably referring to the 12-inch PowerBook.

 

[ahmak]

No problem. All you have to do is start a business that can manufacture this 12.5" display ...

All i have to do is just to go out and spend $1540 on 11MBA (that's the price of the base model in my country). However, I know the value of my $1540 and it doesn't equal to what this machine can offer at the moment. Things may change, they always do.
The point is that it is possible to fit 12.5 inch screen in the 11MBA's form factor (except for the depth). Leave the price aside, it is subjective, expensive for me, cheap for you, etc.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

He was probably referring to the 12-inch PowerBook.

Yes, I was; I had always thought it was a 12".

Cheers

 

[2IS]

The diameter of 11" MBA is 14" so a 12.1" screen would fit in theory. However, there must be a reason why Apple went with 11.6", you need the bezel to hold the screen in place etc.

They don't need a bezel that thick. It's thicker than the 13"

I'm pretty sure the reason is cost. 11.6" panels are readily available

 

[firewood]

I still am against beeing ripped of!

And Apple can't rip you or anyone else off. Apple store employees are not heavily armed and blocking the exits. Customers can always go shop somewhere else.

But an increasing number of customers are buying MBA 11's instead. More than most competing 12" netbooks with narrower bezels. So why should Apple do what those losers are doing?