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Why do 13" MBP screens look better than PC laptops?

jbachandouris

jbachandouris

macrumors 603
Original poster
Aug 18, 2009
5,994
3,223
Upstate NY
I have been researching a new laptop and I have a MB/MBP question regarding the screens: How does Apple make these screens look sooo much better than a PC laptop with a higher resolution? The baseline MB/MBPs are 1280X800. My present laptop is that resolution and doesn't look half as good (LCD of course), but some of the newer PC laptops I have seen have dedicated video, higher resolution, and an LED display yet the Macs still look better. Why?

:confused:
 
jbachandouris said:
I have been researching a new laptop and I have a MB/MBP question regarding the screens: How does Apple make these screens look sooo much better than a PC laptop with a higher resolution? The baseline MB/MBPs are 1280X800. My present laptop is that resolution and doesn't look half as good (LCD of course), but some of the newer PC laptops I have seen have dedicated video, higher resolution, and an LED display yet the Macs still look better. Why?

:confused:
Click to expand...

It's all about the quality of the LCD panels. Apple may do some color-calibration on them, but other manufacturers make the panels; Apple just chooses which ones to include in their products (as do Dell, HP, etc).

Generally, PC makers use crappy screens to save on cost. That's one big reason why PC laptops are, on average, cheaper than Macs - and it's a factor that rarely shows up on a spec sheet comparison.
 
mattrothcline said:
It's all about the quality of the LCD panels. Apple may do some color-calibration on them, but other manufacturers make the panels; Apple just chooses which ones to include in their products (as do Dell, HP, etc).

Generally, PC makers use crappy screens to save on cost. That's one big reason why PC laptops are, on average, cheaper than Macs - and it's a factor that rarely shows up on a spec sheet comparison.
Click to expand...

So I've noticed. Now to decide between a new MBP and a refurb......
 
What they said is correct as far as I know, but its not to say that other PC dont have some nice looking screens, I have seen some Dells and Sonys with really nice LED screens as well.
 
elpmas said:
That's what googles for ;)
Click to expand...

I agree with people that post that statement most of the time, however, I am not the type of person who posts before a search. I have used Google and it did not answer the question. And yes, I know you were joking.

So, higher quality LED panels are what makes the difference.



nimski62: the new screens are that much better?
 
johnnymg said:
The new 13" LCD panel is VERY good. Apple did this right!
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$1099 + tax. My Mom is a State Employee and Apple will let me buy it as long as she comes with me with her ID (I will be paying, of course!). How nice, getting my first Mac at 42 with Mom. Maybe I'll just eat the extra $100 for dignities sake!
 
Apple generally uses superior screen/panel components in their builds, but in the PC world, you can find comparable screens out there. Search around on these forums for a comparison to the Sony Vaio Z series or the HP Envy.

My Sony Vaio's have generally all been glossy screens and looked incredible, easily as good as my MBP's have.
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
Apple generally uses superior screen/panel components in their builds, but in the PC world, you can find comparable screens out there. Search around on these forums for a comparison to the Sony Vaio Z series or the HP Envy.

My Sony Vaio's have generally all been glossy screens and looked incredible, easily as good as my MBP's have.
Click to expand...

The Envy is out as I want an internal optical drive. I prefer to buy from a brick and mortar store and have yet to see the Vaio Z series, so I'll need to look for it.

Yikes. $2000 and 4-5 hour battery life? I think I'll have to choose an entry-level MBP.
 
Well I don't really think so , I got both laptops sony vaio f high def premium display 1920x1080 1080p screen and the MacBook pro i7 17" glossy and they both look beautiful so yea Sony is a pc laptop but the screen looks crisp and amazing.
 
Cali3350 said:
Apple is willing to spend a few extra dollars per laptop to give a better screen.
Click to expand...
Actually I dont think it costs them anything. First they have a a customer base that is willing to pay a premium, so they get their money back. Seconly they probably SAVE money compared to most PC makers by having just 3 models. This creates tremendous economies of scale in purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, support and repair.

So just having one screen option alone generates cost savings that obliterates any potential incurease in cost from quality of the screen. And the the customer pays a higher price anyway.

What beats me is why the rest of the PC industry hasnt figured this out. They all nickel and dime themselves to death with a bazillion different mediocre models instead of thinking about how less can be more for BOTH seller and buyer.
 
well paying that much of a premium for old tech surely means apple put something decent in, so it probably is the screen :D

even though it isn't an IPS panel alas. I haven't heard anything about yellow glares on the 13" model though, so maybe it is a better batch then the 15".
 
Osamede said:
What beats me is why the rest of the PC industry hasnt figured this out. They all nickel and dime themselves to death with a bazillion different mediocre models instead of thinking about how less can be more for BOTH seller and buyer.
Click to expand...

Blame Joe Q Public.

All other things being equal a poor contrast TN panel is easier to make than a high contrast one... => lower price.

If you thought that some of todays panels were bad - let me tell you about the Compaq Contura Aero with a STN colour 8inch screen...

For business use, one could also argue that the screen viewing angle & colour accuracy are unimportant.

Some of the manufacturers offer better screens as upgrades e.g. superbright 400+nit panels (Lenovo) for working in the middle East. RGB LED Backlight for improved colour saturation (Dell), IPS screens (some older Thinkpads) etc...
 
OP apparently hasn't seen the Dell Studio XPS RGBLED screen. It blows away any :apple: laptop screen.

Keep in mind that PC laptops are expected to be at a much, much lower price point than Apple - PC users typically want everything crammed in at under $1k.

I'm pretty sure that there is nothing remotely special about Apple screens in the recent notebooks, perhaps better color profiling through OSX; things of that nature will make a difference. It's all TN panels in the end.
 
coming from a mac mini with a Samsung screen (23" for about 300 Eur) I'm really happy about the difference.

I'm now actually planning on selling the Samsung to get an external Apple display for my MBP.
 
The color profiles for the most part under OS X. Otherwise the glorious TN panels that Apple picks are above average.

My Late 2007 Macbook's panel is abyssmal though.
 
i dont know what you guys are talking about. They have absolute crap viewing angles. I was really hoping that apple would incorporate IPS panels in their latest update.
 
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