Why didn't 21" laptops become popular?

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0996451

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It seems like there hasn't been much offered >18". Even in China?

After phablets became the norm, I would've thought the same would be seen with laptops. Even tablets seemed to lag in larger sizes.

What's stopping it?
Backpack size? Battery life/99wh airline limits? Weight?
People are willing to pay $2,000-4,000 for laptops.
Profitability/manufacturing cost?

I tried looking at some Chinese retail sites, but couldn't find much. I know there are some ODM manufacturers, but I don't think they make >17-18" sizes.

I wonder how market share breaks down by screen size.
Most desktop users are going with 27/32" now right?

Seems like >2017-2019, or 8-10th gen Intel, processing speed mostly surpassed average consumer needs. Where's the development of other areas? I'm surprised portable docks aren't very common either.
 
pendragon1 said:
too friggin yuge and heavy, same reason theres hardly any over 17"....
Click to expand...
This, sure the sales number back it up also, otherwise they would be making larger ones. I feel most people who buy a laptop, want some level of mobility, and not carrying around a 5lb+ device all the time...

If you need screen real estate, you can just buy a portable monitor and now have 2 screens, even better!
 
Because screw carrying that thing around. The larger laptops weren't as popular. Portability is why laptop even exists.
 
The current Vivobook 18 weighs 5.7lb, and is 15.8" x 10.8" x 0.75" (check how much empty space there is in the chassis- though it may also be cheaply designed for foreign markets)
The 17" LG Gram ~3.1lb
An Alienware M18 ~9.3lb

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I think I could live with the extra weight & bulk.
The argument I see is for people who have finished school. And are probably looking for desktop replacements at home, or find themselves using their laptops more than their desktops.

I was looking at a Nuc + lapdock. Or portable monitor.
Pros:
-relocates heat
-might be lighter weight
-might be quieter
-might offer a better screen, or screen choice
-might be more powerful, expandable, or throttle less
-might interface with an eGPU better

Cons:
-kills the point of a laptop. Usually requires multiple cables. Might not run off battery (so you'd have to shut down if moving around the house). Probably more expensive than a laptop. Kind of a PITA. If you don't buy a lapdock... how do you effectively use it on a couch/chair.
-selection of portable monitors also kinda sucks

Idk. I'm at the point where a 3070/4070 covers 98% of my needs. And the rest is mostly a toy for AI or excess.
My desktop collects dust/is used for archiving & AAA gaming mostly. Or like transferring files with SATA ports & hard drives.
What bothers me most about my current laptop is screen brightness + size. Just a little too small for comfy dual window use for me. I think I switched to a 32" monitor in 2017ish? Up from a 27" since 2010. I can't remember what a 21-23" monitor is like, I doubt informed people still buy them. Personally never been into dual monitors. Idk why we're still on 15.6"/17.3" laptops

To me, it'd be great to be sitting at my desk, typing this out on a 21" screen. Then move to the couch/kitchen, and bring it with me or watch a video. Basically something that sits on a desk 75% of the time, then gets moved between bedroom/kitchen/living room/outside, without worrying about file transfers/syncing, or shutdowns, or hooking up to an external monitor as often.
Oh, and it'd make 1440p/4k a little more practical.

I guess the other argument is AR glasses. Or maybe stuff like Samsung Dex (Dex & screen mirror have always sucked in my past experience)
 
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Back (this was a long time ago btw) when big laptop screens "were a thing", I used to joke about a laptop bag on wheels (like luggage) that people would use to "carry" their laptops around.
 
While I love bigger screens, they're heavier and bulky. Portable monitors are great right now, they're light and thin. The 18" ones are perfect for portability, but I think 21" ones are a bit too big. I've got a 24" portable monitor, and I would only pack it in the trunk for road trips.

Mini-PC's also do a better job with heat dissipation than laptops. Mount the mini-PC to a portable monitor with a VESA mount, have a portable monitor cover that has a fold-up keyboard, and put a magnet on a mouse, and you got something better than a laptop, since everything can be upgraded. It's just not as nice looking. It's a project I've been wanting to do, but never had a chance to get to it.
 
0996451 said:
And are probably looking for desktop replacements at home, or find themselves using their laptops more than their desktops.

I was looking at a Nuc + lapdock. Or portable monitor. ... Usually requires multiple cables.
Click to expand...

Monitor with an USB dock with a USB C port that support video (same on the Laptop side of things) make this really easy in modern day, a single cable that charge the laptop and connect the mouse-keyboard-monitor in one go. Unplug and simply use the laptop as a laptop when needed.

Now you have a cheap 27-32 inch monitor instead of an expensive 21 inch one, real keyboard, etc.... and a cheaper laptop that can still be easily used as a laptop.

Back in the days you needed to buy a dock and multiple cable, not anymore.
 
I tried a 17" Sager desktop replacement laptop about 15 years ago. Lugging it (and the massive power brick) to job sites for a week was all it took to rid me of the DTR laptop fantasy.
 
Folks say "it's only a few more pounds, toughen up..." until they're racing across campus or an airport with a 9lb brick of a laptop straining their shoulders and taking all the free space in their bag.

That's not to say you should only ever consider thin-and-light laptops, but there are limits to how much bulk you can add before most people reject the idea.
 
Once a laptop gets heavy enough that you only want to move it around by carrying it on short trips between buildings and the cargo area of a motor vehicle it's not actually a laptop anymore. Nope, that's a luggable.
 
Yeah my thought was the market of 25-60yo, who use it at-home only.
-17" LG Gram 14.9 x 10.2 x 0.75, 3.0 lb
-21" portable monitor @ 19.5" x 11"
That's @1.4x larger- which would translate to 4.5lb ??? Something that light doesn't seem possible to me.
Portable 21" monitors are @6lb; so adding 2lb for a base doesn't seem out of the norm. That makes it 5-8lb, it's pretty decent for a big laptop.

Idk the relating cooling weight/thickness requirement to wattage. Idk if <25w, or 45-65w, would be a better compromise
 
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