3D on laptops as of October?

At the most recent electronics IFA the trends for the coming months showed a significant move towards 3D TVs. The paucity of 3D monitors was however in marked contrast. This technology is nevertheless likely to be hitting the market shortly, somewhere where we weren't expecting it: on laptops! Acer look like being the first to offer such a machine, as soon as Windows 7 is out, that’s to say as of next month!

Will this be a passing fashion or a real technological advance? This is the first question that comes to mind when you see 3D entering a new section of the market. Laptop manufacturers have decided to jump on the bandwagon. Dell and HP have already announced that they are getting such models ready in collaboration with Wistron, while Sony and Lenovo are in negotiations to develop 3D on their models.


The machine unveiled by Acer has a 15.6 inch screen (developed in partnership with Wistron), that is based on the same principle used for the Samsung 2233rz screen. This implies the use of stereoscopic glasses with LCD panels, with a display frequency of 120 Hz (60 Hz per eye). Acer have announced that they are working on a machine that won’t require glasses.

That said, is it really worth having 3D on such a small screen? Screen size can have a big impact on the 3D effect and we've already noted that it’s less than convincing on small screens, particularly for films. You have the impression of looking at the action through a window (which is already the case with 3D that said).

3D before quality?

We would prefer to see laptop manufacturers using quality LCD panels, with good contrast, accurate colours, good viewing angles (something other than TNs for example, especially on larger screens) and good responsiveness. Venturing into 3D technology is no doubt worthwhile in the medium term (although how worthwhile on laptops is a moot point), but above all after improving the panel quality of current models. Lets hope then that the quality of screens will also improve, and that 3D won’t just be another sales tool.

Product survey: Laptops