According to the Omdia research report, due to the oversupply of LCD panel production capacity, some notebook computer brands are taking this opportunity to develop new sizes for users in different industries. Every notebook computer panel manufacturer has built LCD panel factories with different generation line sizes; each panel factory adopts panel cutting equipment and technologies of different generation lines for notebook panel sizes suitable for customers in various fields. The size trend of mainstream notebook PC panels has been determined, but the size of high-end notebook PC panels has yet to be developed.
In the future, the display panel size of notebook computer panels will show a trend of diversification for different industries
According to Omdia’s “Large Display Panel Technology Tracker – Q3 2022 Analysis,” most PC brands have partnered with panel makers to define mainstream notebook panel sizes for new models in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, a variety of mainstream notebook computer panels with different sizes and 16:10 ratio screens have been mass-produced. However, both computer brands and panel manufacturers are still looking for and developing new notebook computer sizes suitable for users in various industries. For example, business users prefer laptops with low power consumption and slightly smaller form factor, such as 13.x, 14, or 15.x inches; gaming experts or designers prefer 16 or 18 inches; .x or 14 inches; and 15.x or 16.x inches for high-performance notebooks used by a semiconductor or IT engineers. Computer brands and panel manufacturers can easily meet the needs of all customers for different target sizes through products of different sizes.
Figure 1 shows mainstream laptop displays, with a gradual shift from 16:9 to 16:10. This transition will take at least three years because PC brands first need to digest the 16:9 panel inventory in their hands.
Below are high-end laptop size trends, including those in development. Computer brands are seeking new high-end laptop sizes as panel makers ramp up low-temperature polysilicon and oxide capacity, as well as new larger-sized MacBook laptops. As a result, Dell, Lenovo, and Asus are all planning to use 14.5-inch laptop panels for their mid-sized premium laptop models. Some brands are also considering 16.3- or 16.5-inch panels for larger premium notebook models. For high-end 13. x-inch notebooks, panel makers and PC brands alike are looking for sizes and panel cuts that fit into small form factor high-end models. The screen-to-ratio shift in high-end laptops will take longer than mainstream laptops because brands don’t know if their high-end laptop size shifts will be successful.
Figure 2: Advanced laptop displays transitioning to 16:10
The Omdia report predicts that mainstream notebook models will be reduced from five to four sizes in the future, but the size of high-end notebooks is still uncertain. For high-end notebooks, brands compete not only on size, but also on ecosystems of notebook models, processor and graphics configurations, exterior design, software usage, and performance and features customers experience. Currently, Chinese and Korean panel makers are very interested and willing to invest in future high-end laptop panel sizes with new features such as transparency, wide color gamut, and HDR 1400.
