[help] how to read/understand monitor size

[PLAfiller]

Hi all,

it may sound really stupid, but I can't understand how to convert sceen size from inches to centimeters. My mom wants to buy a 14 inch laptop and she asked me if I could show it with a ruler. However, when I multiply 14 inches by 2.54 cm- I get 35.56- which is HUGE compared to the physical size of the laptop. It's smaller than my 15.6 inch one. So apparently I don't know how to read monitor sizes. How do I transfer 14 inch to my ruler? I looked around, but my string is not good enough and the search results I get are incosistent. This thing bugs me really.

 

[Aquinus]

Monitors are measured from opposite corners. So just measure the two corners of the screen that are furthest apart and that will give you display size.

To the edges of the panel is the viewable size. To the very edge of the monitor is the full size.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

That answer is correct. You're probably thinking that the dimension that they provide is either the width or the height, but that is not accurate. Check out the following chart:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LCD_screen_sizes.svg

That monitor is about 28 cm wide by 21 cm high (11" by 8.25").

 

[patrico]

yeah its a diagonal measurement to get screen size, and its not always whats advertised btw eg 24inch could really be 23.5inch

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Monitors are measured from opposite corners. So just measure the two corners of the screen that are furthest apart and that will give you display size.

To the edges of the panel is the viewable size. To the very edge of the computer is the size.

This. Measure diagonally.

Also if you need to convert units, just put it into google. For example,

"24 inches to cm"

Google will do the calculation for you.

 

[PLAfiller]

Thanks guys. I tried and it's better. I knew about diagonal, but I thought I should go from plastic end to plastic end. It's enough though.