dr_st wrote:Plenty of other ways to waste time on the internet.
Like posting on thinkpads.com, haha!
IPS screens cost more than TN screens, no doubt about that. Perhaps the price difference has come down a little bit over the years, and the cost of LCD screens regardless of technology has gone down a lot as well - A >20" IPS desktop monitor costs 200USD these days. That's almost half of the price of 5-year ago.
I think the question is - Are we at the point for the next step in screen technology in the consumer market? The answer seems to be yes with the new iPad being the harbinger. Of course, it's (IMO) an evolution step that will play out over many years, and likely to remain a niche market for some time.
Besides, one have to mind that, besides manufacturing cost, IPS screens consumes more power than her TN counterparts. It could be a significant factor that hinders its adoption on mobile devices.
At the same time, the new iPad screen is not all positives either - Because of the higher pixel density, it needs more LED for backlight and therefore has higher heat output, consumes more power and needs a bigger/higher-density battery, which contributed to the increased weight and thickness compared to that of iPad 2.
Cheers.