Reasons for 16:9 Becoming Mainstream
As the saying goes, everyone has their own preferences, and 16:9 monitors have been around for over a year now. The online debates haven't drowned out the passion for 16:9. Even amidst the financial crisis of 2009, 16:9 resolutely became the mainstream in the new monitor market.
Although many people strongly resisted the new products imposed on them by manufacturers, they reluctantly accepted the reality that 16:9 was gradually becoming mainstream. As the saying goes, existence has its reasons, and today I'll discuss the reasons why 16:9 has become the mainstream monitor aspect ratio.
Reason 1: Advances in LCD panel production line generations have driven 16:9 to the market mainstream
LCD panels are cut from a large LCD substrate, and the generation number of the production line determines the size of the substrate.
The image below shows a high-generation LCD substrate that can be cut into eight large LCD panels. As production line generations advance, the LCD substrate area increases, and LCD panel manufacturers have more cutting options. However, this diversity ultimately boils down to one principle: production cost.
PANEL Substrates
High-generation production lines primarily cut large-size LCD TV panels. Cutting 16:9 LCD monitor panels is the most effective way to improve the utilization rate of LCD substrates and reduce production costs.
AUO (AU Optronics) LCD Panel Production Line Generation Analysis
We see that major panel manufacturers have already begun cutting LCD substrates on high-generation production lines such as 8.5, 9, and even 10 generations. From the early 1st generation lines to the 8th, 8.5, and even 9th generation lines that many manufacturers are now operating, it can be said that the emergence of 16:9 LCD monitors is closely related to the upgrading of production lines.
Taking a 23.6-inch 16:9 widescreen as an example, the cutting efficiency for this specification is 84% on a 7th generation line, 90% on a 7.5th generation line, and can reach 96% on an 8.5th generation line.
Therefore, we see that Samsung and LG Display, which currently have 7th generation lines, are not focusing on the 23.6-inch size, but instead are promoting the 23-inch size with higher cutting efficiency. Meanwhile, Chimei, which has 7.5th generation lines, favors the 23.6-inch size.
Based on cutting efficiency, 16:9 became the preferred choice for upstream panel manufacturers in the era of high-generation LCD production lines.
Reason Two: Reduced Panel Area, Lower Costs?
Besides the significant cost advantage of 16:9 in terms of cutting efficiency, for LCD screens of the same size, 16:9 has a smaller area than 16:10. Calculations show that, under the same screen size, 4:3 screens have a 1.6% smaller area than 5:4 screens, 16:10 screens have a 6.4% smaller area than 4:3 screens, and 16:9 screens have a 5% smaller physical area than 16:10 screens.
Comparison of 16:9 and 16:10 screens of the same size
Don't underestimate this 5%; the cost savings for manufacturers after mass production are substantial. Furthermore, the 16:9 cutting method allows for higher utilization of the LCD substrate, further reducing costs.
Reason 3: Reduced Backlight Count Leads to Lower Costs
We know that a typical 19-inch 16:10 monitor uses four backlight tubes, but an 18.5-inch 16:9 monitor, due to its flatter screen, only needs two tubes plus a brightness enhancement film to achieve normal brightness. Similarly, a traditional 24-inch 16:10 monitor often requires six tubes to ensure uniform brightness, but with the flatter 16:9 screen, four tubes are sufficient.
At the same time, for manufacturers, reducing the number of tubes results in lower power consumption, better meeting increasingly stringent energy efficiency standards.
In summary: The unique supply chain structure of LCDs determines the absolute bargaining power of upstream panel manufacturers. As upstream panel manufacturers generally upgrade their production lines to higher generations, 16:9 monitors are destined to be the mainstream development trend for monitors.