Disappointed with Thinkpad displays

I had read a lot of praise about Thinkpads here, and many other places, and that is why I am surprised at my recent experience with them. I have been very unhappy with the displays that I have seen on them.

BEFORE I GO FURTHER, in NO way am I "bashing" IBM.
I thought that ALL the Thinkpads were very solidly built, had great keyboards (of course), etc. I am simply talking about the LCD displays here.

I have recently seen 5 Thinkpads, 3 of which I ordered and had to pay for the shipping and the return shipping to return.

They were (3) T42's, one 14.1" with XGA, one 14.1" with SXGA+, and one 15" with Flexview and SXGA+.
Also, two X40's, similar specs. The displays on all X40's are the same.

Anyhow, the X40's had not very much brightness, and were not tremendously sharp. Most importantly, they had ZERO viewing angles. Tilt the screen one fraction and the whole image went dark or light. There was one tiny sweet spot where you could see the display ok.

The T42's were similar, but had unevenly lit screens. Brighter in the center, dimmer at the edges, had some backlight leakage.
They were brighter at the bottom of the screen from the backlighting, but were not very bright overall. Very unevenly lit.
They also had almost no viewing angle sweet spot.

The 15" Flexview was the best of all of them, but I am not suited to SXGA+ and it was larger than I wanted. I did find the display, although it had decent viewing angles, to be very subdued and soft.

Overall, I was stunned seeing these Thinkpads, after everything I had read on the web and in print about them.

Also seen an HP nc6000 with XGA that was disappointing as far as the display.

I am looking for a 14.1" or smaller notebook with XGA (not high resolution) display that is a GREAT quality display. I don't want a SONY Xbrite or HP Brightview, because they are too reflective, IMHO.
The Fujitsu CV display looks good, and I had considered an S6000 series, but am concerned that it is too flimsy. Also you can't buy full accidental damage coverage on a Fujitsu, it costs $300+ just for screen damage coverage, which I think is too high.

I am actually considering tablet PC's and covertible tablet PC's because you can get a 12.1" screen with 180 degree viewing angles and 600:1 contrast ratio on an XGA panel. How good a convertible tablet pc would be for general laptop use I don't know??

Any thoughts, ideas would be GREATLY welcome.

Also, no disrespect intended to any Thinkpad owner or lover.

If I should have ordered a model that I didn't know about, please point it out to me.

Thanks.

Andrew
Austin, TX

 

I have an X40 currently and I am suprised by what you say.
It has one of the clearest and brightest displays I have seen.
I usually have to turn down the brightness.

As for the Fujitsu machines, they are a very solid built laptops.
They are my favorite after IBM.
But as for the screen the CV has the shiny reflective surface just like the Sony's. I had the 1st machine Fujitsu put out with one
The N3010 beast of a notebook but it was a beautiful screen.
The only thing I did not like was the shiny coating.
_______________________
X40 2371-8LU
1.2P-M 512MB 40GB
B/G Wireless & Bluetooth

 

Does your X40 have any viewing angle tolerance at all??
Can it be moved vertically without the image going dark or light?
Do you consider the X40's display to be any different from the X31???

As for the CV being as shiny and reflective as the SONY, I saw them side by side at FRY's, and thought that the SONY was much more of a mirror-type display. Yes, the Fujitsu also reflected the store lighting, but not nearly as much. I do know that they are both "glossy" type IPS screens.

I really wish that I had been able to find a Thinkpad that I could be happy with.
If you have any specific recommendation, I will try another one, provided IBM will take my order. I am quite sure they will.

Andrew
Austin, TX

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by eriqesque

 

aamsel,

Sorry you had so difficults finding the right Thinkpad. I think you are use to the LCDs with clear glass lik me; and find all others not equal.

Is there a reason you need to have 180 degree viewing angle? If that is want you need; they the Sony Xbrite and its copy cat technology on the others is the ones you want to get. You just have to get use to it. Use it for like a hour and it just very nice after that. I used a Dell 700m for a half hour and in the first 1 or 2 minutes; I thought it was to distracting the glass glare but as you use it; you eyes become adjusted to it and then on it is very nice.

Most true LCD notebooks have limited viewing angle without the 3M film on it and the advance video circuitry.

I kind of thing that in the coming years that will be the standard lcd display for notebooks!

I did end up buying a Thinkpad 600X and it has limit view angle but it a Thinkpad and looks the way I want a notebook to look! Just make do with what ever you happen to have in the final purchase and don't be so fussy is my advise.

 

Sorry, it is about 50 years too late for that!!! [ ]
Andrew
Austin, TX



<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Harry_Wild

 

IBM parts lookup lists them as different suppliers for the LCD's.
The X40 description lists IDTECH and someone else. The X31 lists some other vendors.
That's the way it is with a big company like IBM, they can't depend on a single source for LCD's, and you have no idea, day to day, which one you are going to get.

Andrew
Austin, TX

 

x aamsel:
can you elaborate a bit more on why you didn't like the 15" flexview screen?
Particularly, did you find it just subdued and soft or it suffered the same problems as the 14" screens (uneven lighting)?

I have a 14" sxga+ thinkpad and I too cannot stand the display (doing something that requires color accuracy is a guess, at best), that's why I am now considering the purchase of a flexview model.

I use my laptop to do photo editing (so the slow refresh rate is not a problem). It is usually attached to a CRT (of course) but I'd like to be able to work when I am on the road.

thanks in advance

 

Mainly the Flexview was subdued and dim (my opinion), but it was also just "weird" in a way I can not explain. The viewing angles were much better than the 14.1" models.
Honestly, here is what I would do if I wanted to see one:
1.) Order one from IBM, 30 days to return, no questions, would cost you shipping both ways.
Or....
2.) go to www.thinkpads.com to the T series forums. Post the city/town you live in, ask if anyone has one who lives in that area, and if they will meet you for a cup of coffee or something to let you see it for 15 minutes. Assure them that you don't want to install/change anything, just look at it with them right there.
I have done this successfully to see a few notebooks in the Austin area that were not available for sale here.

Honestly, with the Flexview, you really have to see it. Some people love it, I was truly underwhelmed. It is a strange display, IMHO, and I really can't put it in words.

Also, the 15" T42 is a lot bigger and heavier feeling than its specs indicate. (it weighs and measures what IBM says it does, but it feels larger and heavier.) Again, you would have to see and hold it.

Hope this helps.
Andrew
Austin, TX