You may be wondering why you need to know your laptop’s screen size and the exact dimensions of your device. One of the most obvious reasons is that you may want to buy a case to carry it or protect it.
It’s also useful to know the exact dimensions of your laptop screen in case you need to replace it. Or you may be thinking about buying a new laptop and want to buy one that has the same screen size as your current one.
Whatever the reason you need to know the size of your laptop screen or laptop dimensions, we have all the answers for you in this complete guide. After reading this guide, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to get the exact measurements.
Table of Contents
How to measure your laptop screen—two methods
There are two methods you can use to measure the size of your laptop screen. The easiest method is to use a tape measure or ruler and measure from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of your laptop screen.
The other way to find out your laptop’s screen size is to check your laptop manufacturer’s specifications. If your laptop came with a user manual, it’s likely that the dimensions of your screen can be found there. If not, you can check the manufacturer’s website for the information.
How to measure laptop screen size
To measure the size of your laptop screen, it’s better to use a tape measure (for measuring clothes) than a ruler. The reason is that the standard measurements for a laptop screen are in inches. If you live in a country that uses the metric system, you’ll need to convert the metric measurements to inches. There are online converters for this as well.
You’ll need to measure your laptop’s screen diagonally, so you’ll need to choose a starting point. You can start at the bottom left or bottom right of your laptop’s screen. It doesn’t matter which of these two points you choose.
Keep in mind that you only want to measure the size of the screen, not the case that holds it in place. So start measuring at the corner where your screen can be seen outside the case.
Now you need to extend your tape measure in a straight line diagonally to the opposite corner of your laptop screen. So if you started at the bottom left corner, you need to measure to the top right corner and if you started at the bottom right corner, you need to measure to the top left corner.
If you’re wondering why you need to take a diagonal measurement, it’s because of the screen and laptop manufacturers. A diagonal measurement results in a larger screen size, which is a good selling point.
You’ll find that most online retailers and stores that sell laptops will quote the screen size in tenths of an inch. Unfortunately, that’s not helpful because most standard measuring tapes use sixteenths of an inch marks. If that’s the case, you’ll need to convert your screen size to the nearest tenth of an inch.
If you measured your laptop’s screen size in centimeters, the conversion process is a little easier. You can use an online converter that gives the results in tenths of an inch, so you don’t have to guess. Alternatively, you can do a manual calculation by dividing the number in centimeters by 2.54.
Maybe you measured the size of your laptop screen in inches, but want to know the measurement in centimeters? Just multiply the inch number by 2.54. For example, if your laptop screen measures 13.2 inches, that’s 33.528 centimeters. Again, you can use an online converter.
Know the height of your machine
Knowing the height of your laptop could be important for you. To properly measure the height of your device, you need to close the laptop screen and make sure it’s locked into the brackets in the case.
Pick a side of your laptop and place your tape measure on the bottom. If your laptop has a slope when you close it, measure the thickest part. Finally, extend your tape measure to the top of the screen when it’s closed. You’ll find that most laptops are no more than 2 inches tall.
If you want to convert the size in inches to centimeters, you can multiply by 2.54 or use an online converter.
Measuring the width
Choose either the front left corner or the front right corner and place your tape measure here. We recommend you start with the front corner, because then you won’t have to deal with overhanging openings.
Lay your tape measure across the laptop until you reach the opposite front corner. Most laptops have rounded edges, so make sure you measure to the end of the rounded edges. Your laptop probably measures about 14 inches. If you want to convert to centimeters, just multiply by 2.54 or use an online converter.
Measuring the depth
Position your tape measure at a back corner, either left or right. Now drag your tape measure along the side of your laptop, making sure it’s taut and straight. If your laptop has rounded edges, include them in the measurement.
Again, you can convert the inch measurements to centimeters by simply multiplying by 2.54 or using an online conversion program.
Why not use a ruler?
Can you use a ruler to measure the size of your laptop? Yes, you can, but a ruler isn’t flexible, so it’ll be a more difficult task. Also, you should keep in mind that most laptops have rounded edges, which you can easily compensate with a tape measure, but not with a fixed ruler.
Of course, if you don’t have access to a tape measure, a ruler is the next best thing. However, you need to be aware that the measurements you take probably won’t be as accurate as with a tape measure.
It’s all about screen size
When a laptop is advertised as 14 inches, it doesn’t refer to the actual width of the laptop. Instead, it refers to the size of the laptop screen. This can be confusing to laptop novices, but it’s what it’s.
We’ll explain with a few examples. Apple claims a size of 13.3 inches for the MacBook Pro. But the laptop isn’t 13.3 inches wide. It’s actually 11.97 inches wide. A 13.3-inch X395 Lenovo ThinkPad measures 12.28 inches in width.
Some common Screen sizes
With all of this screen size measuring, you may be wondering what the most common sizes of laptop screens are. Here are some popular examples:
- 11.6 inches
- 12.1 inches
- 13.3 inches
- 14 inches
- 15 inches
- 15.6 inches
- 17 inches
Generally, laptop screens start at about 11 inches at the smallest end and go up to about 17 inches at the largest end. So you’ve got a lot of choices here. When buying a new laptop, first decide on the screen size you want. You’ll have to pay more for a larger screen.
Final words
You now know how to measure the screen of your laptop and also know the height, width and depth. Use this information when buying a bag for your laptop or comparing it to other laptops. Remember that the size of the laptop specified by the manufacturers is always the screen size and not the width of the device.
I found this solution many time thank you for sharing information