Possible to give me a detailed account/opinion of the 16x9 screen?

I'm seriously debating picking one up. I'm making a major overhaul to my computer systems (picked up two m17x's, replaced my HP Envy with SB XPS 15, etc). I'll have the room and money to pick up one of these, but I'm very wary of WLED's ( I generally dislike how washed out they look).

Can anyone state their opinion of the 16x9 screen, preferably comparing it to other laptop screens they've seen? And if anyone is capable of measuring the contrast ratio, black levels, gamut %, etc, that would be fantastic. Thanks.

I know it's not going to be a "blow you out of the water" display, but if it's at least better than average like the m17x R3 screen, I may consider it.

 

Gamut is 45% I believe...

 

So much for that. Thanks.

 

The screen on my M14x is comparable in brightness and settings to the RGBLED I had on my old Studio XPS 1645. Compared to my past HP laptop, the screen was much brighter (even on the lowest setting) and more pleasurable to look at.

 

It really is an excellent screen. I find that it is very bright, and the colours are very vivid. If you are concerned about numbers, I think you will be better off actually seeing it. It really is great to look at, and is very sharp.

 

This is good to know, thanks. I too had a Studio XPS (1640) with the RGB LED and that screen was really nice.

 

"Good, but not great" would be my summary. Excellent clarity, good brightness, but seems to be slightly too much blue in the default colour balance.

For me, it's only noticable when alongside the Apple Cinema display I use in my office or an IPS display though. The rest of the time it's good enough that you don't notice its minor shortcomings.

 

The screen is a lot better than the typical laptop screens I see at the office. The gamut is not particularly wide (don't have a way of measuring the number) but videos and photos appear to display well (bright and natural looking) on the screen nonetheless. The horizontal and vertical angle of views appear adequate. Of course, this screen does not compare to my wide gamut IPS monitor. (In direct comparison, the M14x screen looks a little washed out compared to that or to Sony's new 3D F laptop, the latter having the best laptop screen I've ever seen.) You weren't considering doing any photo/video editing with this screen, were you? (I don't see how anyone could seriously do this with a 14 inch screen anyway.)

The most serious objection I can think of that anyone would have with this screen is the fact that it is glossy. I can live with it but I can see how others would find that too annoying. I haven't tried it outdoors in the sun yet -- I'm sure it would be bright enough but the reflectiveness may be an issue.

L.

 

Well, screen be damned, I just bought an (expensive, yeesh) m14x today. My XPS 15 is going to my fiance, and I realized that as much as the screen quality is important to me, the rest of the m14x I consider to be near perfect. So I have to "suck it up" and I'm still holding out hope I'll be pleasantly surprised.

I do intend to try and calibrate the display to the best of my abilities.

And yes, I do dabble in photo editing but I use the RGB on my R2 for that .

 

I'd say screen is decent... not bad, not great...
Compared to the 2008 Pre-Unibody Macbook Pro I used to have... I'd say, not as good.
Compared to the Asus 120hz.. I'd say not as sharp and color accurate...

It's decent enough though....

 

How are the colors? Does it appear to be a 45% gamut panel (*vomit*)?

I've heard mixed opinions here. Some state they think the info is incorrect on the Dell site (Dell site has had a LOT of incorrect info, so it's not impossible) and the color reproduction is beyond what a 45% gamut screen (ala the barf screen on the m11x) would be capable of.

Others state the screen isn't so good.

I really don't know what to expect. Obviously people who haven't seen an IPS, RGB, B+RG, or even a high quality WLED will think this m14x 900p screen is awesome, so their opinion won't be as objective. Likewise, someone like me is jaded because I've used RGB and can't go back! So what most would say is average, I would say is crap.

I owned an m11x R1, and the screen was so bad I just couldn't keep the system. Every time I looked at it I felt like I had been ripped off for paying so much money on a laptop with a godawful screen.

Can anyone confirm the display is, at the least, better than that?

Which, oddly enough, circles me back to my original point because Dell lists the m11x screen as 45% gamut along with the 900p m14x screen. Hopefully there's a large difference in quality between the two (please god), meaning it's possible the gamut information is wrong as I mentioned.

 

It's pretty ridiculous this one niggling issue is causing me a substantial amount of purchase anxiety, but like I said, I can't really stomach spending a lot of money on a system lacking a quality display.

Quality displays:

Sony Vaio Z
Envy Radiance (which is a souped up WLED)
IPS Dreamcolor (HP Elitebook)
RGB (Dell Precision/m17x R2)
XPS 15 B+RG
MBP's
Hell, even the m17x R3's WLED is pretty good once you jack the saturation up a notch. Definitely better than average.

In my opinion, every Alienware should be offered with a "souped up WLED" (like the Radiance on the Envy 14 with 82% gamut, 350 nits brightness, and 850:1 contrast!) as an option. Premium systems command premium components all the way around, and this generation, IMO, the displays have been lacking.

Some people will undoubtedly think I'm nuts for being so concerned and picky about the display as the average consumer doesn't think much about it. But for me, it's the most important component in the laptop because it's the one you're using the most. Good displays change the way you look at the laptop.

I wish I could start a movement pushing mainstream reviewers to be HARSHER on the standard crap-led displays that most manufacturers are cheaply unloading on their customers. It irks me that most reviewers don't even fairly critique the display with specs, like any other computer component. "Eh, looks good! Pretty bright!" Ala CNET's terrible reviews (IMO).

Sorry for the long winded post, but I'm trying to make a point here! Heh.

Yes, I'm a little nuts about displays. But I feel very strongly that a paradigm needs to shift to the day where premium laptops all have premium display options, instead of there just being random gems of goodness (see all the displays I listed above, for example).

You don't need to be a photoshop guru to appreciate the beauty of an RGB display.

 

It also irks me that Apple is the only company that thinks every one of their customers is worth a premium display, yet all they get is a ****-storm for how "overpriced" their computers are.

Oh wait, I guess I understand why no other manufacturer really pushes out good displays. -_-;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Epiphany moment.

And I understand that many of the "advanced displays" are supremely expensive, but take a look at the HP Envy 14, for a sec. That Radiance display is INCREDIBLE, and it's "only" a WLED (which are considerably cheaper than the "better" alternatives). It's only a WLED, that was injected with incredible quality.

That's all I ask. Quality!

Gimme!

 

I am with you mate! That and the fan noise are the only thing putting me off an m14x.

I dont even mind if I have to pay to upgrade the screen, I just want to have the option.

I also owned an m11x and returned it because of the screen. Other than that, it was an awesome peice of kit. If dell offered a better panel I would have bought another. I even contemplated trying to source a mba 11" panel.

 

Screen good not great. No rubbish halo or backlight bleed to speak of versus other cheap displays.

Not as good as a macbook pro 13" and not the best display I have owned.

I'd say an eight out of ten. Viewing angles very good, you dont need to keep your head in the same position.

Also viewing movies with black borders, you dont get a grey border at the bottom and a black one at the top.

So its pretty good. I dont think its as good as an RGB LED they tout, but not having compared the two. Who knows

 

Hey All, just ordered my M14x on 5/24. I had and returned and m11xr2 becasue the display was a total joke. I am really hoping I am satsified with this screen. I use an asus ve278q as for my desktop, so I am pretty spoiled when it comes to color quality etc... I will post back as soon as i get it!

 

Right?!
I sort of hate how limited the choices are on the MacBooks... And how you have to pay $2000 for a MacBook with a decent gaming graphics card...

But after dealing with the issues with the m14x... I seriously miss my MacBook pro.... From years ago. Thing had a 8600m and performed better than the m14x on batter... Which is extremely sad.

 

Glad to see others feel the same. I'm being pro-consumer here, so I hope everyone sees me as lobbying FOR you.

Even if you don't care about or need a good display, it should always be an option on a premium system. Alienwares ARE marketed as premium systems.

Dell Inspiron's do not need to have a sick display! That's not the point of the system. Same with other budget/entry level systems designed for productivity and light entertainment.

But any high end multimedia, gaming, or professional machine SHOULD ALWAYS be offered with a display worthy of the pricetag. I mean, you're looking at what $150 for the B+RG on the XPS 15? For a system over $1,000, that's VERY reasonable and VERY worth it.

Okay, /rant over .

I'm excited to get my m14x, I truly am. And I'm still holding out hope the screen will pleasantly surprise me.

 

I agree the laptop displays that you see at your local BestCry stores are mediocre at best you wil have a highend laptop that comes with a screen that is as dim as you can find. I still like my wife's DV9000 with the ultra bright 72gamut screen if only the hinges had not broke on that one too!!
I removed the outer shell and just let her use it with the metal frame.

 

FWIW - I think its great, and I would definitely choose the 1440x900 screen over the lower resolution. Stop nitpicking and choose what you want already. If you are looking at Alienware, obviously you aren't looking for a budget PC.

 

If you are spending over $1500 on a laptop I think that gives you the right to nitpick! If I buy a budget laptop I would learn to live with the flaws as I would know it was cheap for a reason. When I buy a premium brand I want a premium product.
Plus to me the screen is one of the most important aspects of a laptop as you spend all your time gazing at it.

 

I'm not sure I understand the point you're trying to make.

Either way, thanks for the opinion on the display.

 

That and, it's really the only thing I have to nitpick about because Alienware designs such awesome laptops. I have the m17x R3 so I know what to expect as far as build quality, and while the soft touch rubber is controversial, I personally love it.

Better than my metallic tank R2? Ehh, no. But awesome in a different direction.

 

I agree, even though I wouldn't have opted for it myself, I would like the option of a better screen. That's why I hate the way their discounts work, yeah it's $100 off but they upgrade the base model by default so you spend more money. And the part that's discounted is normally something that's not important or you can actually save money on if you had the option, like more ram or hard drive. I'd like the choice to discount what I want to discount. So I think this goes beyond the screen, I think it's about consumer's choice.

But in that regard, I don't think we would've had the option for an RGB screen on 14 inch anyhow, as I believe (correct me if I'm mistaken) that RGB screens for the 14 inch are hard to come by and are probably more expensive. They would have had to have those screens ordered in massive quantities in stock to accommodate for the orders that would've added those screens. The problem may be that they were unsure of how many people would be able to afford and how many of those would actually opt for the better screen. They wouldn't want to order too much and have all those screens and money wasted. I'm thinking they went with the least expensive options.

 

I kind of have to agree with you CrossXedge- The RGB screen would have been rather cost prohibitive (Are there any 14" RGB laptops out now?).

But I will say this however; I had the XPS 1640 with the 16" RGB LED display and it was fantastic! Watching BluRays on it was a thing of beauty. Too bad that the gpu (which was the best offered for it at the time) was lacking otherwise I'd probably still have it. Anyway, that's the end of my rant on the RGB subject.

 

No complains about the screen here, only if you want to use it out doors, i will say is no good!

Indoors is very good!