M6600 and M4600 are coming in Feb.

High end FHD panels (TN) cost closer to 80$ each when buying in bulks directly from the manufacturers. IPS panels cost more for a reason. For instance, HP has a special arrangement with LG for a limited quantity of 15" and 17" panels. These panels are not available for direct purchase, they don't even have a proper model number and require lid modification - can't be installed in other notebooks due to a non-standard thickness and other dimensions. Also, HP had to do a lot of firmware and driver tweaking to iron out all the issues. The screen doesn't work out of the box on other notebooks. We tried installing the panels into Alienware and Clevo machines with very poor success. As of today, there's no easy and cheap way of getting an IPS screen.

The positive news is Dell is also heading the IPS route with the M6600 and possibly M4600. This will result in increased production levels and most likely, lower prices. But there's no hope of getting an IPS RGB LED for 100$. The way it looks to me, the new gen of IPS panels will be in the 300-500$ range.

 

They charged $300 something for the RGB LED TN so I expect them to charge just as much or more for the IPS.

 

^^ Exactly. The RGB LED TN is way less expensive and much much more abundant (M17X, M6500, Lenovo W70xx, etc) and yet look at the price.

 

Agreed. To mars2k10, IPS is expensive to make and not many vendors will make it. OEMs have to pay a huge price tag to even convince a vendor to produce and even if they produce, the vendors will produce by demand basis to the OEM when requested. Therefore, if there is no demand for them, the vendor doesn't make any. IPS is not really a part of the vendor's revenue maker, they are doing it as a privilege and a price when necessary.

 

This is the thing I don't understand: If companies like HP and Dell can make deals with vendors to produce these exotic IPS panels and use non-standard backlighting technology, why can't they convince them to produce panels with resolutions of 2048x1152 or 2134x1200?

It seems like it'd be easier for a company to produce a 2048x1152 TN panel than it would be for them to use an entirely different manufacturing process and produce IPS panels.

I know I've mentioned this before, but it still doesn't make any sense. Would it really be that hard to manufacture and market an 1152p screen?

 

is there going to be a M6600 covet version ?
not seen any mention of one!

 

I have communicated that we will start taking orders by 5/10, the latest.

 

I don't have an exact date to provide right now sorry. All I can say is coming soon.

 

I find that strange as well. It's so pathetic that 1920x1080 is the max for 13.1", 15.6", 16", 17.3" and 18.4" laptops.

I just received my second 2048x1152 desktop monitor today, the Samsung 2343BWX. My first one was the Dell sp2309w. It's a wonderful resolution.

 

Sorry, by "it," I meant the FHD multitouch display for the m4600