# Why is my laptop screen 1/2" thick but my LCD TV is 2" thick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952 "2007-10-08T16:53:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/1 "2007-10-08T16:53:49Z")
Got a new 1080p LCD TV recently so that I can now watch the Ravens suck in HD in two rooms of the house ☹ It is a 47" LG. Why is it 2" thick while my laptop screen is only 1/2" thick? If it is to enclose the associated electronics, why not put those in a standalone box with a cable to a nice super thin display? The only thing I can think of is that a 1/2" thick 47" assembly would flex and break so the depth is beefed up a bit to prevent this. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/2 "2007-10-08T16:59:07Z")
The main reason is that it is more expensive to make the screen really thin. In the case of TVs 2 inches is thin enough but in a laptop 2 inches is unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/3 "2007-10-08T17:04:38Z")
Hmmm…so if I was to take a screwdriver to my new telly, how thick would the actual LCD panel be? 2"? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/4 "2007-10-08T17:12:17Z")
I think flexing and back lighting are important factors. Laptops used to use very small florescent tubes IIRC, I think its moved to LED’s now. it seems like both fairly expensive to upsize to 47in, larger light sources would appear to be cheaper and more even. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/5 "2007-10-08T17:33:48Z")
Lots of reasons. The electronics your laptop screen needs, like a power transformer, are located in the main part of the laptop rather than behind the screen. In a TV, those electronics are behind the panel. Large LCD panels need lots of backlighting to make them bright enough to compete with a well-lit room, so that’s behind the panel too. All of that backlighting generates a lot of heat, so there are generally fans behind the panel. Models with built-in speakers need to be thick enough to accommodate the speakers. You need space for all of the various connections (HDMI, component, s-video, etc.). There is a lot of stuff behind the panel in an LCD TV. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/6 "2007-10-08T20:36:31Z")
[QUOTE=Gus Gusterson] Lots of reasons. The electronics your laptop screen needs, like a power transformer, are located in the main part of the laptop rather than behind the screen. In a TV, those electronics are behind the panel. Large LCD panels need lots of backlighting to make them bright enough to compete with a well-lit room, so that’s behind the panel too. All of that backlighting generates a lot of heat, so there are generally fans behind the panel. Models with built-in speakers need to be thick enough to accommodate the speakers. You need space for all of the various connections (HDMI, component, s-video, etc.). There is a lot of stuff behind the panel in an LCD TV. [/QUOTE] I understand that which is why, in my OP, I suggested all that stuff goes in a separate box. Yes the backlights would remain and maybe fans although none of my flat panels have fans. Nothing else. How thick would it be? ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/7 "2007-10-08T20:57:53Z")
[QUOTE=MrFloppy] I understand that which is why, in my OP, I suggested all that stuff goes in a separate box. Yes the backlights would remain and maybe fans although none of my flat panels have fans. Nothing else. How thick would it be? [/QUOTE] I don’t have a measurement, but this link should give you an idea of how thin an LCD TV can be. Some models from Sharp have a new form factor. The edge of the TV is very thin, but there are a few bump-outs for electronics and the mount for the stand which keep the overall thickness at a few inches. If they took away all of the stuff in the bump-outs (and put it into your separate box), you’d have what is probably the thinnest LCD TV (of that size) that you could have. [http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/breaking/sharp-unveils-d64u-the-thinnest-aquos-lcd-tv-line-ever-289540.php](http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/breaking/sharp-unveils-d64u-the-thinnest-aquos-lcd-tv-line-ever-289540.php) ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-laptop-screen-1-2-thick-but-my-lcd-tv-is-2-thick/421952/8 "2007-10-08T21:09:14Z")
Actually, if OLEDs work out, you should be able to get a VERY thin display. And they’re starting to appear over the commercial horizon: > **[OLED TV Technology](http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/oled_tv_technology.htm)** > > OLED TV technology to compete with SED, LCD, and plasma flat screens. Sony is selling a small one now: [http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,137884-c,tv/article.html](http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,137884-c,tv/article.html) This guy thinks affordable big OLED screens are 5-6 years off: > **[CNET: Product reviews, advice, how-tos and the latest news](https://www.cnet.com/)** > > Get full-length product reviews, the latest news, tech coverage, daily deals, and category deep dives from CNET experts worldwide.