Display?

[Casper]

A 16:9 1080p 15" matte LCD display is the most ergonomic and economic choice I think.

16:9 is now the most common form factor, 16:10 would also be a good choice, but I dob't know if it's as widely available. It's a good format for both modern media consumption and productivity. 4:3 isn't really an option anymore, not if you want a modern laptop.

1920x1080 is the optimal resolution I think. Plenty of sharpness, yet not battery draining high. 720p for laptops is really getting outdated for modern machines.

15" is a good blend of productivity and portability. As a student, 13" is a bit too small to keep 2 documents open next to each other, 17" is a bit too large and cumbersome for students.

As for display finishes, I prefer matte. For outdoor use  and my sanity. Glossy displays have beautiful colors, but the fingersprints drive  me crazy, dust and filth aren't easy to clean and the glare can be really annoying. Matte is more a jack-of-all-trades coating.

[duga]

>15" is way too big, both in space and weight. 13.3" is the sweet spot IMHO.

[alecb]

I vote 1920x1080 if it's something like 13''+.  I really like high def stuff but typically that makes it more expensive. I think this project would benefit from having a cheap model that will enable devs to buy it out of curiosity / on a whim. Shouldn't be too high end, at the same time the display should be good enough for very clear text, and have decent viewing angles / not too reflective.

[nemesis]

I vote 1920x1080 if it's something like 13''+.  I really like high def stuff but typically that makes it more expensive. I think this project would benefit from having a cheap model that will enable devs to buy it out of curiosity / on a whim. Shouldn't be too high end, at the same time the display should be good enough for very clear text, and have decent viewing angles / not too reflective.

I agree on that heigh end stuff is nice but we should keep the price in mind so curious people might get interested.

[Gert]

I think 13"+and at least 1440x960 would be good, and I strongly prefer matte display.  I fact I'd even go so far that a glossy display would be a deal-breaker for me. Maybe both options could be offered, glossy and matte?

[Stemby]

Maybe both options could be offered, glossy and matte?

I found this page (in Spanish) quite interesting:

https://slimbook.es/tutoriales/slimbook/77-detalles-de-nuestro-anti-glare-matte-skin

Ciao!

[mpasteven]

Most LCDs are naturally glossy, the matte you find on screens is just an added sheet for the most part.

[Carlos]

Okay, than I go for glossy (with a matte sheet in the package)

[cyrano]

More than half of the LCD panels that are being produced today are native DisplayPort. Especially laptop ones in the popular 13" and 15" 16:9 format.

Price wise, that is the way to go. 4:3 will be way more expensive.

An external DP port is less interesting than HDMI because HDMI is far more universal when it comes to external monitors available everywhere. I mean, how many TV's have you seen with a DP port?

DVI or VGA aren't needed. The number of DVI monitors is fairly limited. And while there are boatloads of VGA screens everywhere, implementing it is relatively costly as it needs a DAC. Most chipsets for laptop screens these days seem to have HMDI and DP only. And HDMI to VGA/DVI/whatever adapters are very cheap and easy to get.

Supporting VGA well would also mean a lot of extra work, as some of these screens aren't multisync at all and some have rare resolutions.

[Carlos]

Good points you made. But don't forget DisplayPort/ HDMI cable.
I would go for DisplayPort

[cyrano]

HDMI is cheaper because it has a far wider market...

[Amitari]

Ugh, I wouldn't like 16:9 at all, 1080 vertical is way too low.

[Shiunbird]

Ugh, I wouldn't like 16:9 at all, 1080 vertical is way too low.

+1.
1920x1200 please.
Or anything 16:10.

[Carlos]

Over 95% of 16:10 notebooks are coming from Apple, AFAIK.
IMO, 16:10 is like 4:3. More exotic these days.