2008 Q1 LED NB Price and Product Analysis

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LED and CCFL NB have a price gap of 50%, but such gap is expected to narrow soon.

LEDinside recently has gathered further information about NB with LED backlight on the market. Until February 2008, prices of LED NB range from US$2,100 to US$3,100, while CCFL NB equipped with similar hardware cost $1,280 to $2,000. CCFL NB and LED NB have a price gap of at least 50% (indicated in Figure 1), says LEDinside. Although with advantages in weights, sizes and energy consumption, it is still quite costly to have an environmental, energy-saving and light LED NB.

Figure 1: Street Price of LED NB and CCFL NB, Feb-08

Since there is no 11.1-inch CCFL NB available on the market, no meaningful comparison can be made at this time; however, from 12.1-inch to 17-inch models, prices of LED NB are $1,000 higher on average than those of CCFL NB, according to LEDinside’s data. Sizes do not directly correlate with differences in pricing. Evidence implies that pricing of LED NB is based on CCFL NB prices plus fixed margins.

Figure 2: LED NB & CCFL NB Street Price Comparison, Feb-08

As to NB sizes, the survey reveals that ten kinds of 12.1-inch LED NB are currently on the market, followed by 13.3, 11.1, 14.1, 15.4, and 17. 13.3-inch LED NB are still rather popular, while more and more products launched with 14.1, 15.4, and 17 inches LCD screens. This trend suggests that producers feel positive about utilizing LED NB applications in all sizes in the future.

Figure 3: Comparison of LED NB Model Number by Size, Jan-Feb 08

Except acer, LED NB has become one of major developments to almost all NB producers, including HP, DELL, Toshiba, Apple, Asus, SONY and Fujitsu. SONY has the most LED NB models (nine), followed by Apple (six), Toshiba (four) and Fujitsu (four).

SONY and Apple are both renowned for their product design. LED backlight panel can effectively reduce product weights. Because of Japanese consumers’ obsession with smaller and lighter products, Toshiba and Fujitsu, two Japanese brands, launch LED NB prior to other companies.

Figure 4 : Comparison of LED NB Model Number by Brand, Jan-Feb 08

With a closer look of LED NB, LEDinside finds out that all other companies, except SONY and Apple offering three sizes, have different strategies. For example, Toshiba focuses on 12.1-inch NB, while Fujitsu on 14.1, HP on 12.1, and DELL on 13.3. This proves that these brands have distinct ideas towards major LED NB market in the future. No consensus is reached yet.

As the market becomes more concerned about environment, energy consumption and weights, the percentage of LED NB will be on the rise. AUO recently declares LED backlight will be adopted in all NB products in 2012, which clearly signals the coming of a LED NB era. Technical obstacle on light guiding plate (LGP) will be eventually overcome. When designing LED backlight panel, lower cost has become a common concern, which influences the thickness of LGP. Yield rate improvement will cut down LED backlight costs and reduce LED NB prices further. LEDinside predicts LED NB will grow prominently in models and penetration rates in 2008.

Figure 5: Comparison of LED NB Model Number by Brand and Size, Jan-Feb 08