ASUSTeK to Use LED-backlit Panel in All Notebook Computers by End of 2009; LED Backlight Penetration Rate to Rise in Time

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After Taiwan’s major computer provider Acer recently heightening the proportion of LED-backlit Notebooks, Asus, another major maker in the industry, announced that it would also boost the proportion of its LED-backlit Notebooks, and estimates to use LCD panels with LED backlight in all Notebook computer products by the end of 2009, including high-end ultra-thin Notebook, middle- and low-end Notebooks.

Currently, the prices of traditional CCFL backlight and LED backlight have been narrowed for Notebook LCD panels, or even almost eliminated for the Netbook panels. The 8.9inch and 10inch Netbooks have generally adopted LED backlight and are sold at not so high prices at the same time.

Among high-end standard Notebook products, in ultra-thin Notebooks is LED backlight technology mostly applied, though with comparatively higher prices too. And the technology is also being introduced into the low-priced regular Notebooks. For instance, Acer has released a 14inch LED-backlit Notebook which is sold for barely more than NTD 30 thousand. And ASUS had already introduced LED backlight early in 2008 into its 10inch N10, 12inch N20 and 15inch N50, and its recently released 11inch U1, U2 and 12inch S6 models of ultra-thin Notebooks which weigh barely heavier than 1kg are also utilizing LED backlight technology, with prices ranging between NTD 40,000~60,000.

ASUS pointed out that the current 40 per cent proportion of Notebooks utilizing LED backlight will climb to more than 80 per cent in the future, with products adopting traditional backlight being washed out.

Acer’s TimeLine series is to be released in May. And the new ultra-thin Notebook products will all adopt LCD panels with LED backlight.

Viewpoint of LEDinside

LEDinside analysts point out that the steep dropping of LED price in later half of 2008 has encouraged the NB brand manufacturers to introduce LED backlight, and the new products to be released in later half of 2009 are almost all LED-backlit. According to LEDinside’s survey, the LED NB(including Netbook) penetration rate in 1Q09 will be above 20 per cent, and the percentage will reach above 30 per cent in 2Q09. In second half of the year, the introduction of CULV which stresses the thinness, lightness and energy-saving of the product will also help increase shipment of LED NB. Therefore, LEDinside estimates the penetration rate of LED NB in 2009 will be above 40 per cent.