NEC lays off 20,000, leaving LCD business [Archive]

Oversized Rooster

Feb 2nd, 2009, 12:11 PM

maybe they will sell off their lcd division and another reputable company will pick it up

I sure hope that doesn't go the way that IBM sold Lenovo to some Chinese company. Never been the same since then of course...

Frankie3s

Feb 2nd, 2009, 12:55 PM

maybe they will sell off their lcd division and another reputable company will pick it up

Exactly. Someone out there will want it.

Frankie3s

Feb 2nd, 2009, 12:56 PM

xpat

Feb 2nd, 2009, 01:45 PM

I sure hope that doesn't go the way that IBM sold Lenovo to some Chinese company. Never been the same since then of course...

Ah so true. I still have two original IBM built notebooks and they just won't die.

I have two Lenovo computers from before they bought IBM, one when they were still known as Legend, and a new Thinkpad. All equally good computers.

It's a shame NEC is pulling out, they built some of my fav LCDs.

Jon Lai

Feb 2nd, 2009, 01:49 PM

I sure hope that doesn't go the way that IBM sold Lenovo to some Chinese company. Never been the same since then of course...

To be honest they're not that bad. We have 4 Thinkpads - 3 IBM and 1 Lenovo. The IBMs sure "feel" better than the newer ones but I would still recommend the current Thinkpads to others for the same purpose that the IBM Thinkpads served. There are things here and there that were compensated, but generally speaking I think it still lives to the Thinkpad name.

KorruptioN

Feb 2nd, 2009, 01:53 PM

And so...one of the last good sources for IPS panels walked off into the sunset...

:(

Oversized Rooster

Feb 2nd, 2009, 01:56 PM

To be honest they're not that bad. We have 4 Thinkpads - 3 IBM and 1 Lenovo. The IBMs sure "feel" better than the newer ones but I would still recommend the current Thinkpads to others for the same purpose that the IBM Thinkpads served. There are things here and there that were compensated, but generally speaking I think it still lives to the Thinkpad name.

As long as Lenovo still rides their models on the initial IBM designs, quality, durability and reliability will be alright. Once Lenovo starts spitting out entirely new (from scratch) laptop models, this is when you'll see it go downhill. What I mean by downhill is that those laptops will come down to the level of mainstream machines and lose that "Thinkpad" feeling.

The majority of current Lenovo models are still just "improved" IBM designs.

JAC

Feb 2nd, 2009, 02:51 PM

The majority of current Lenovo models are still just "improved" IBM designs.

If by "improved", you mean reduced quality to cut costs, then yes, you are correct.

Jon Lai

Feb 2nd, 2009, 03:02 PM

If by "improved", you mean reduced quality to cut costs, then yes, you are correct.

To be fair they were improved. Correct me if I'm wrong, but IBM never released widescreen laptops - widescreen Thinkpads appeared after Lenovo took them over.

Of course costs were cut here and there, such as keyboard flex is now apparent (albeit very minimal) in current Thinkpads compared to previously.

Jon Lai

Feb 2nd, 2009, 03:04 PM

As long as Lenovo still rides their models on the initial IBM designs, quality, durability and reliability will be alright. Once Lenovo starts spitting out entirely new (from scratch) laptop models, this is when you'll see it go downhill. What I mean by downhill is that those laptops will come down to the level of mainstream machines and lose that "Thinkpad" feeling.

The majority of current Lenovo models are still just "improved" IBM designs.

I wasn't aware you were referring to the non-Thinkpad Lenovo laptops, because I don't think those are out in the Canadian markets anyways. I've seen friends with an IdeaPad, however. I haven't even touched it but it looked like a Dell to me.

I doubt they'll drop the Thinkpad line though, because the takeover from IBM was basically for the Thinkpads. For them to even manipulate the engineering behind Thinkpads would probably put their investments in the brand into thin air.

Gee

Feb 2nd, 2009, 03:23 PM

To be fair they were improved. Correct me if I'm wrong, but IBM never released widescreen laptops - widescreen Thinkpads appeared after Lenovo took them over.

Of course costs were cut here and there, such as keyboard flex is now apparent (albeit very minimal) in current Thinkpads compared to previously.

IBM would never have released a Wide Screen ThinkPad.

It is actually cheaper to buy a wide screen compared to standard ones. That is why Lenovo did it. To cut down the cost of the glass.

They have also close the premium gap on the ThinkPad line compared to traditional notebooks. They can only do that by cutting costs. I think the ThinkPads are still the best notebooks out there. But only the T and X series. Everything else is crap.

Even the current generation T and X Series are not as well built as the IBM ones.

Fahrenheit

Feb 2nd, 2009, 08:31 PM

Too bad for NEC, I like their products.

alkaholikc

Feb 2nd, 2009, 08:48 PM

Now maybe I can someday afford their 82" Screen... its currently sitting @$59,999.00 :P

mlc2000

Feb 2nd, 2009, 09:24 PM

I worked for NEC in the late 80's.
They had some superb products.... including the first HDTV.

slippy

Feb 2nd, 2009, 10:16 PM

My old NEC 15" LCD is still going strong! Sad to see them go, but you never really see them anymore in the crowd of Samsung, LG, Acer, etc.

renhui

Feb 2nd, 2009, 10:28 PM

Not true.

The Z series was actually designed during IBM era!

IBM would never have released a Wide Screen ThinkPad.

It is actually cheaper to buy a wide screen compared to standard ones. That is why Lenovo did it. To cut down the cost of the glass.

They have also close the premium gap on the ThinkPad line compared to traditional notebooks. They can only do that by cutting costs. I think the ThinkPads are still the best notebooks out there. But only the T and X series. Everything else is crap.

Even the current generation T and X Series are not as well built as the IBM ones.

loybond

Feb 3rd, 2009, 02:31 AM

IPS panels are nice, but a company needs to stay competitive. NEC should have a had a broader line up, with cheaper TNs and MVAs that pay the bills. This sounds a little like Pioneer...

Sgt_Strider

Feb 3rd, 2009, 02:52 AM

IBM would never have released a Wide Screen ThinkPad.

It is actually cheaper to buy a wide screen compared to standard ones. That is why Lenovo did it. To cut down the cost of the glass.

They have also close the premium gap on the ThinkPad line compared to traditional notebooks. They can only do that by cutting costs. I think the ThinkPads are still the best notebooks out there. But only the T and X series. Everything else is crap.

Even the current generation T and X Series are not as well built as the IBM ones.

I never owned an IBM Thinkpad, but I have a Lenovo Thinkpad X200 and the build quality is quite good compared to other ultraportable laptops out there. I'm satisfied with mine.

Sgt_Strider

Feb 3rd, 2009, 02:53 AM

IPS panels are nice, but a company needs to stay competitive. NEC should have a had a broader line up, with cheaper TNs and MVAs that pay the bills. This sounds a little like Pioneer...

They do sell LCDs with TN and MVA screens.

trinh

Feb 3rd, 2009, 05:16 AM

I felt bad for NEC too, good product I still have my first NEC 15" LCD way back sometimes ago.

Jon Lai

Feb 3rd, 2009, 09:39 AM

IBM would never have released a Wide Screen ThinkPad.

It is actually cheaper to buy a wide screen compared to standard ones. That is why Lenovo did it. To cut down the cost of the glass.

They have also close the premium gap on the ThinkPad line compared to traditional notebooks. They can only do that by cutting costs. I think the ThinkPads are still the best notebooks out there. But only the T and X series. Everything else is crap.

Even the current generation T and X Series are not as well built as the IBM ones.

Like I said, there are things here and there that were compensated, but not enough to say Thinkpads are no longer what they used to be.

Agreed, widescreen panels are cheaper, but it's also what the customers want nowadays. If it can both increase popularity as well as reduce cost, why not? You'd be surprised at how accepted widescreen is by businesses.

ShadowVlican

Feb 3rd, 2009, 11:40 AM

And so...one of the last good sources for IPS panels walked off into the sunset...
my first thoughts exactly....

loybond

Feb 3rd, 2009, 05:14 PM

They do sell LCDs with TN and MVA screens.

Was the pricing prohibitive? It must be that or crappy distribution, because I haven't seen NECs commonly for a long time. Sad though, I really like IPS panels amongst LCDs.

Sgt_Strider

Feb 3rd, 2009, 11:20 PM

Was the pricing prohibitive? It must be that or crappy distribution, because I haven't seen NECs commonly for a long time. Sad though, I really like IPS panels amongst LCDs.

I can't say because we all have different opinions on what constitute as expensive. The IPS monitors that NEC sells are generally >CAD$1000. You do get what you paid for though. If I were to purchase a TN screen, I probably wouldn't buy a NEC monitor. Currently I'm using a dual monitor setup with S-IPS screens and yes, they are great.

loybond

Feb 4th, 2009, 09:30 PM

I can't say because we all have different opinions on what constitute as expensive. The IPS monitors that NEC sells are generally >CAD$1000. You do get what you paid for though. If I were to purchase a TN screen, I probably wouldn't buy a NEC monitor. Currently I'm using a dual monitor setup with S-IPS screens and yes, they are great.

I bought 30" Dells that use S-IPS panels for under a grand. Can the smaller NECs really be THAT much better? This has been Pioneer's problem too... they're better, probably more so than NEC vs. Dell IPS screens, but most people can't justify double the price of other screens of the same size and spec.

Sgt_Strider

Feb 5th, 2009, 12:28 AM

I bought 30" Dells that use S-IPS panels for under a grand. Can the smaller NECs really be THAT much better? This has been Pioneer's problem too... they're better, probably more so than NEC vs. Dell IPS screens, but most people can't justify double the price of other screens of the same size and spec.

I don't know man. I'm sure there are people that do buy NEC IPS monitors. Most people don't have the money to buy one. If it was more affordable, I'm sure people would buy them.

Landis

Feb 5th, 2009, 02:30 AM

Ah so true. I still have two original IBM built notebooks and they just won't die.

Aye, my father works for IBM and these fellas he bought years ago still work like a charm for basic computing.

Same with old Blackberrys-- the things keep on ticking!

recordman

Feb 5th, 2009, 03:33 AM

Sgt_Strider

Feb 5th, 2009, 04:12 AM

I bought a 18.1" NEC back in early LCD days. The thing costed $1200 and was worth every penny. I then later sold it and got a Dell 2005 (S-IPS). I now also have a Dell 2709 (MVA?) The 2005 actually looks better. Once you've tried S-IPS, it's hard to go to other panel types.

I'm not sure what panel the Dell 2709 uses, but I use to have a Dell 2405FPW and that used a S-PVA panel. To be honest, I don't think the differences between that LCD and my current S-IPS screens are that great. Obviously it's great to have S-IPS screens, but I probably would have been happy with the S-PVA panel anyways.

Jon Lai

Feb 5th, 2009, 10:01 AM

I'm not sure what panel the Dell 2709 uses, but I use to have a Dell 2405FPW and that used a S-PVA panel. To be honest, I don't think the difference between that LCD and my current S-IPS screens are that great. Obviously it's great to have S-IPS screens, but I probably would have been happy with the S-PVA panel anyways.

+1

I'm also quite happy with the dual MVA Westinghouse 24" that I have in my setup right now. Personally, anything is better than TN, and anything else looks just about the same. I've never tried S-IPS though, but I have tried and returned a Dell 24" PVA monitor.

Sgt_Strider

Feb 5th, 2009, 12:35 PM

+1

I'm also quite happy with the dual MVA Westinghouse 24" that I have in my setup right now. Personally, anything is better than TN, and anything else looks just about the same. I've never tried S-IPS though, but I have tried and returned a Dell 24" PVA monitor.

I would agree with you on that. At the time I migrated over to S-IPS screens, I bought into the hype. I'm not saying that I regret having S-IPS screens, but I wouldn't say the difference is night and day between S-PVA and S-IPS. Again, this is just my opinion and I'm sure some people will beg to differ.