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Windowlicker

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2003
713
1
Finland
We had a discussion with my co-worker about the quality of the 12" displays on the powerbooks. we were wondering why the picture isn't as good as on the 15"ers.

You won't get any of that wave kind of thing when shaking the display of the 15" but you do with a 12" Book.

One would think it's easier to make a 12" display, but my thoughts were it would be much more expensive to make a 12" display as good on quality as a 15", but that doesn't really make any sense.

so what I'm asking is that you tech guys out there tell me what's the big difference between these two displays that make the 12"er worse -- and why isn't the 12" made better.

thanks in advance
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
No issues here with my PB 12" rev. B.

Very happy with it.

Same here - I'm not sure what you're talking about. The only thing is that the 12" screen could use is to be a little brighter, but it's hardly noticeable. The 15" screen has always had the possibility of stuck or dead pixels. If you're considering a 12" PB, go for it - no worries :).

JOD8FY
 
rev a (maybe b as well) used 12" iBook screens. Rev C ones use the same quality as 15 & 17 inchers. I've never seen a rev a or b in person, but i can say my rev c's screen is beautiful, the only difference is its not widescreen.
 
I've got a rev c 12" and have no problems, so I guess the idea of them being the same as 15" and 17" is true.

As far as smaller LCD screens being not as good, generally speaking, as larger ones, I can provide some sort of an answer. This comes from my trip to Macworld last week, and talking to a <insert name of really cool company that makes large 21" LCD wall hanging photo frames> associate who was really nice. The guy was telling me that, the reason they don't sell smaller LCD wallhanging photo frames is because all the R&D and technological advances in LCDs is going towards the large screen models, since that's where the largest market is. This is the reason why they have huge viewable angles for the larger models, while still not so huge for the smaller (and hence, why they weren't offering smaller models).

As a result, all they were selling was this beautiful (but expensive) 21" model (maybe it was a bit smaller, I can't remember).

I hope that makes some sense.
 
i'm not buying one, just bought a G5. we have these things at work and I think the difference is there...

i'm actually happy with the 12"er, but my co-worker is not..

if you compare the 12" and 15" by changing your vertical watching angle, you can see the 12" colours changing much more than the 15".

...and these are the latest models...
 
propably some sort of eye trick. Or maybe the 12" screen (of your current one) is faulty. Im sure if it was a lage scale problem more people might have complained... just my 2pennies :rolleyes:
 
The resolution is better on the 15", no?

Also..they use different video cards.
 
michaelrjohnson said:
The resolution is *higher*.
Size matters.

My 12" PB (rev. c) screen appears to be the same as the 12" G4 iBook I had. Noticeable colour difference at a changing vertical viewing angle. It's quite annoying, though far superior to the G3 iBook screens. Horizontally, the viewing angle is great.

It's satisfactory, I guess - although Sony have an insane resolution on their new, smaller ultra-portable. Maybe Apple need to consider shopping around.
 
JOD8FY said:
Same here - I'm not sure what you're talking about. The only thing is that the 12" screen could use is to be a little brighter, but it's hardly noticeable. The 15" screen has always had the possibility of stuck or dead pixels. If you're considering a 12" PB, go for it - no worries :).

JOD8FY

it's true that the 12" PBs have a really really small viewing angle, i don't know what gives... I have never even touched a 12" iBook so i can't vouch for its quality, but i think they are the same ones as in the PBs.

I have had a Rev-a 12", rev-b 12" PB, REv-A 15" PB, rev-B 15" PB. the 12" screens are useless...
 
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