[corp miler]

I'm considering upgrading to a new PB when they are out -- either a 15 with a second monitor or the 17. Does the 17 have the same aspect ratio as the 15? When apple increase the Pismo 14.1 to the ti 15 the screen only added horizontally ala widescreen. Perhaps great for multimedia and watching DVDs but for page layout this wasn't very useful. From what I've seen the 17 screen looks wider but not taller.

[Over Achiever]

Ok...doing some dirty math using the diagonal and the aspect ratios, I get the following for the sizes of the screens:

15.2" (3:2) = 12.65" x 8.43" (1280x854)
17" (16:10) = 14.42" x 9.01" (1440x900)

[NathanA]

Originally posted by Over Achiever:
Ok...doing some dirty math using the diagonal and the aspect ratios, I get the following for the sizes of the screens:

15.2" (3:2) = 12.65" x 8.43" (1280x854)
17" (16:10) = 14.42" x 9.01" (1440x900)

Except that the 15.2" is also widescreen like the 17", not the more squarish form you've described it as with your measurements.

-Nathan

[corp miler]

Interesting. If your math is correct the 17" (16:10) is basically a widescreen version of the orginal 14" (4:3) -- about the same height but wider. The extra 2-3 inches on the side is nice for tool pallets, but it won't help as much for page layout as a true 17" monitor. Perhaps a loaded 15 and a monitor is the way to go. Do you know if the PB video card supports multiple monitors or just video mirroring?

[Commodus]

At least the 15" and 17" models support video spanning; I'm not sure about the 12" model, but it's not being discussed here.

And in double-checking the specs at Apple's website, the 15" model has a 3:2 ratio while the 17" model has 16:10, just as was said here earlier. The 17" is undoubtedly wider in its ratio, though.

I would only get the 15" plus a separate display if I absolutely needed as much visual space as possible when at home. The 17" will be more resistant to scratches, will run a bit more quickly, has built-in Bluetooth and 802.11g networking, has a Firewire 800 port... my belief is that if you're going to go all-out on getting a laptop, make it as future-proof as possible.

[corp miler]

I'm use to working in front of a 20" with a 15" for support apps -- sort of command central. I need something bigger than my 14" Pismo when working from home. I was excited about the 17" but that may not suit my needs for the hefty price tag. Doesn't the 15 come in a couple configurations, one with the superdrive and FW800?

[dialo]

Originally posted by corp miler:
either a 15 with a flat screen

as opposed to the 15" CRT powerbook?

[dialo]

Originally posted by corp miler:
I'm use to working in front of a 20" with a 15" for support apps -- sort of command central. I need something bigger than my 14" Pismo when working from home. I was excited about the 17" but that may not suit my needs for the hefty price tag. Doesn't the 15 come in a couple configurations, one with the superdrive and FW800?

It does not come with FW800, though you can get it with superdrive. It also has a MUCH higher resolution than your Pismo, meaning a lot more desktop. I find no need for more space.

The 15" is much more square.

[Over Achiever]

Originally posted by NathanA:
Except that the 15.2" is also widescreen like the 17", not the more squarish form you've described it as with your measurements.

Well it depends on which 15" powerbook you're talking about. The current 15.2" tibooks are 3:2 or 15:10. The rumored 15.4" alubooks will probably be 16:10...but one can't be sure about that yet.

Just to throw the numbers out there:
14.1" (4:3) = 11.28" x 8.46" (1024x768, 90.8 dpi)
15.4" (16:10) = 13.06" x 8.16" (1280x800, 98.0 dpi)
15.2" (3:2) = 12.65" x 8.43" (1280x854, 101.2 dpi)
17" (16:10) = 14.42" x 9.01" (1440x900, 99.9 dpi)

So the increase in pixels of the 17" alubook from the 14" pismo is 65%, and the increased screen space is 36%.

Comparing the 17" to the 15.2" powerbooks, the increased number of pixels is 19%, and the increase in screen space is 22%.

[corp miler]

What about the 12 as an option? Would the video card drive an 17-19 external monitor? For about the same price as the 15 I could go with a little 12 and a monitor.

Over Achiever what's the aspect ratio on the 12?

[Over Achiever]

The aspect ratio on the 12" is 4:3 (1024x768). It can drive external moniters up to a resolution of 1600x1200.

[Eug]

Originally posted by Over Achiever:
Well it depends on which 15" powerbook you're talking about. The current 15.2" tibooks are 3:2 or 15:10. The rumored 15.4" alubooks will probably be 16:10...but one can't be sure about that yet.

Just to throw the numbers out there:
14.1" (4:3) = 11.28" x 8.46" (1024x768, 90.8 dpi)
15.4" (16:10) = 13.06" x 8.16" (1280x800, 98.0 dpi)
15.2" (3:2) = 12.65" x 8.43" (1280x854, 101.2 dpi)
17" (16:10) = 14.42" x 9.01" (1440x900, 99.9 dpi)

So the increase in pixels of the 17" alubook from the 14" pismo is 65%, and the increased screen space is 36%.

Comparing the 17" to the 15.2" powerbooks, the increased number of pixels is 19%, and the increase in screen space is 22%.

Yep, the 15.2" is far from being squarish. 3:2 is the aspect ratio of 35 mm film.

Anyways, another way of looking at this is that the 15.4" gains 0% horizontal resolution over the 15.2" and loses about 6% vertical resolution.

Indeed, despite the wider screen, the 15.4" may actually be very slightly smaller in overall physical surface area compared to the 15.2", and it's about 6% smaller in usable desktop space. It will be bigger in viewing widescreen movies though, since less of the screen will be wasted. The 15.4" will in contrast be smaller for viewing 4:3 movies though.

By the way, 100 dpi is around what I think is perfect for a laptop dpi, using OS X.2. I'm glad to see that Apple agrees, with the 15" and 17" P'Books.

[seanyepez]

I wouldn't mind slightly lower pixel density on the rumored 15.4-inch PowerBook G4. My 15.2-inch PowerBook is on the small side.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Over Achiever:
The aspect ratio on the 12" is 4:3 (1024x768). It can drive external moniters up to a resolution of 1600x1200.

This is very nice. I would like to know if it supports 1600x1200 on an external monitor only when spanning or also when mirroring. I know that the internal does only 1024x768, but I was thinking that maybe when you mirror and want 1600x1200 the internal screen just goes black...

I'm interested in displaying the 12" video output to my old VGA CRT monitor at work. It would support 1600x1200. So I don't want/need spanning, I just want the iBook to display 1600x1200 onto my external VGA monitor. Will this work out of the box or do I need some kind of OF hack (like on the 12" iBooks)?

[Over Achiever]

That should work right out of the box. Just close your powerbook, connect the external moniter, and then you can set the external moniter to be at any resolution. That should definately work.

As for keeping the powerbook open, and the internal screen turning black, I think that should work as well, but I'm not certain. I'm sure if you press F7 (or Fn-F7...i can't remember which) enough times, you should get the option for the internal moniter off and only using the external moniter.

Hope this helps.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Over Achiever:
That should work right out of the box. Just close your powerbook, connect the external moniter, and then you can set the external moniter to be at any resolution. That should definately work.

As for keeping the powerbook open, and the internal screen turning black, I think that should work as well, but I'm not certain. I'm sure if you press F7 (or Fn-F7...i can't remember which) enough times, you should get the option for the internal moniter off and only using the external moniter.

Hope this helps.

Yes, thanks! I was hoping there would be some option w/o closing the lid, because I wasn't planning on buying an additional keyboard...