# LED/LCD numbers: minor rant **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-lcd-numbers-minor-rant/691672 "2014-06-26T06:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-lcd-numbers-minor-rant/691672/1 "2014-06-26T06:22:51Z")
Why are we still seeing the same 7-stroke LED/LCD numbers that we’ve been seeing for a few decades already? Shouldn’t we be way past this crude type of display? The little characters I’m typing right now are fairly sophisticated in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-lcd-numbers-minor-rant/691672/2 "2014-06-26T06:43:15Z")
Because by far the most prevalent computing device is the humble microcontroller–often with only an 8-bit architecture. These devices cost a few tens of cents and generally don’t have enough computing capacity to drive dot-matrix displays. 7-segment displays are easy and require a low pin count. For microwaves, ovens, etc. they are perfectly sufficient, so there’s just not much demand for anything more costly. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-lcd-numbers-minor-rant/691672/3 "2014-06-26T15:48:49Z")
where the low resolution is OK they are used. there are displays of small dots for better appearance in more costly devices.