Laptop screen size questions, please help if you are knowledgeable. Thank you!?

Question

I see some stores offering laptops with displays that are 14.1 widescreen, 15.4 widescreen, and 15.4 that doesnt list widescreen as a feature. So tell me, what the hell is the difference between lets say a 14.1 widescreen and a 14.1 "normal" not widescreen one (even though I didnt see a normal sized one.) I debating between a 14.1 widescreen and a 15.4 (no idication of whether it was widescreen or not according to what the specs on each of the ads.) Can anyone help clear up all this crap for me. Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving by the way too all!!!

Answer 1

Picture a rectangle. Draw one, if necessary. You can have one that has short and wide, that has the same diagonal measurement as one that is closer to a true square. The measurement you are reading is from corner to corner.



A widescreen is closer to a 16:9 ratio... height to length. It is closer to a rectangle. A non-widescreen is closer to a 4:3 ratio and is closer to a square.



Do you understand?

Answer 2

Widescreen means that the screen has 16:10 (normal widescreen) or 16:9 (HD widescreen)ratio, while the normal one has 4:3 ratio.



Usually, the latest monitors use widescreen format, because they can have more space for working, like opening 2 Word document in 1 view.

Answer 3

Hi Tim, as for laptops, there isn't a need to indicate it is a widescreen as all laptops have widescreen displays. A indication is only needed in the case of standalone monitors for desktops. The reason why laptop displays are all widescreen is a widescreen takes up less space than a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio screen.



Hope this has cleared your doubts. Cheers!

Answer 4

Well, if it's advertised as "widescreen" that means it's a 16:10 aspect ratio on the screen (computers really don't care for the 16:9 ratio). If it's not advertised as "widescreen" it *could* mean that it's a 4:3 aspect ratio (fullscreen) or it could mean that they just did not bother to say "widescreen" in the add. Most screens nowadays are widescreen as it's the preferred display size for human beings.

Answer 5

It is quite unusual for laptops to have full-screens these days.



Regardless of whether it is full or wide-screen, the size of the screen is measured diagonally from one corner to it's opposing corner on the opposite side (e.g. bottom left to top right).



Full-screens are no longer preferred since most multimedia content (e.g. videos/film) is now designed for wide screen tvs and monitors and may be distorted when viewed in full screen.



The technical details:

A full screen typically has an aspect ratio of 4:3

(for every 4 pixels wide, there are 3 tall)

A wide screen typically has an aspect ratio of 16:9

(for every 16 pixels wide, there are 9 tall).

Answer 6

It simply refers to the actual screen area. Its measured (diagonally) form one corner to the opposite corner. A wide screen looks wide, a normal screen looks normal. The measurement is made the same way on either. A 14 inch screen will measure 14 inches from one corner of the viewable area to the opposite corner.