Laptop LCD Roundup: Road Warriors Deserve Better
by Jarred Walton on May 22, 2007 5:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Displays
Brightness and Contrast Ratio
For these tests, we depend on the hardware colorimeter and software to help calibrate and measure the results from the displays. As previously stated, we use a Monaco Optix XR (DTP-94) colorimeter and Monaco Optix XR Pro software. On desktop displays we normally do some basic calibration to try and select an optimal brightness level, and we also look at the maximum and minimum brightness available. At least for the laptops we've seen so far, we really see no purpose in reducing the maximum brightness level except when running off of batteries. The ASUS G2P might be bright enough that that's an option, but the other three laptops already feel rather dim to begin with.
Objective testing confirms our impression that the ASUS G2P is easily the brightest display out of these laptops. The black levels may not be as dark as some people would like, but the net result is that you get a nice bright picture with a good contrast ratio. The ASUS A8Js goes the other route, offering mediocre whites and the worst blacks out of any of the laptops. This results in a very low 231:1 contrast ratio. The Dell and MSI laptops are similar in that both have dark blacks but only moderate whites. While this ends up giving the Dell XPS M1710 the highest contrast ratio, we definitely prefer the overall experience of using the G2P display.
For these tests, we depend on the hardware colorimeter and software to help calibrate and measure the results from the displays. As previously stated, we use a Monaco Optix XR (DTP-94) colorimeter and Monaco Optix XR Pro software. On desktop displays we normally do some basic calibration to try and select an optimal brightness level, and we also look at the maximum and minimum brightness available. At least for the laptops we've seen so far, we really see no purpose in reducing the maximum brightness level except when running off of batteries. The ASUS G2P might be bright enough that that's an option, but the other three laptops already feel rather dim to begin with.
Objective testing confirms our impression that the ASUS G2P is easily the brightest display out of these laptops. The black levels may not be as dark as some people would like, but the net result is that you get a nice bright picture with a good contrast ratio. The ASUS A8Js goes the other route, offering mediocre whites and the worst blacks out of any of the laptops. This results in a very low 231:1 contrast ratio. The Dell and MSI laptops are similar in that both have dark blacks but only moderate whites. While this ends up giving the Dell XPS M1710 the highest contrast ratio, we definitely prefer the overall experience of using the G2P display.
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Axbattler - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
I am also very interested in this. I know that the Sony screen tend to be a love or hate affair: on one hand they are bright and and clear, but many can't get past the reflection. I'd like to know if there are any monitors that's similar to Sony's minus the refection.figuerc - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
My Thinkpad X60 tablet still comes with an IPS screen and it is the best screen I have ever used period.Pirks - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
yeah, this article is a waste of time considering they have omitted IPS screen notebooks. I saw the title, thought "yess!!" and went to read it, you know I always wanted to see good comparison between IPS and TN notebook displays... and in the first page they write "uh we don't know about any notebook with IPS panel" - WTF?! alright Anand and Co, it was agood job, you barely made it but to make TRYLY high-quality article you really have to include at least one IPS thinkpad. I'll keep waiting for your _proper_ notebook screen comparison article, it's likely you do it firstafter all I haven't seen decent notebook TN panel reviews online before yours, so once you add an IPS notebook - job's done!
DigitalFreak - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
Again Pirks, STFU.Pirks - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
sorry for typos, I pressed post button too quick, should be truly not trylyJarredWalton - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
This is a starting point Pirks, not an end point. I tried to make that clear. All notebooks that we review in the future will include a more in-depth review of the display. As for getting the Lenovo Thinkpad X60 (or something similar if there are other IPS laptops), we're working on it. Unfortunately, previous attempts to contact Lenovo for a review unit have been unsuccessful, so we review what we have.Pirks - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
okay, okay, if this is just the beginning - I'm going to STFU, if only to make DigitalFreak quietwaiting for your IPS notebook reviews, and thanks for making this just the beginning - I really like the idea of the article, and IPS panels is the only things that's missing
I wasn't criticizing the article per se, I only disliked the omission of the IPS panels. sorry for not stating it clearly
JarredWalton - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
I knew what you meant, and I was glad to find out that I was wrong and that there were some non-TN panels available in laptops. I'll be curious to see if the IPS models (assuming I can get some sent my way) perform noticeably better. After all, the best of the laptops I've looked at so far still trails behind desktop TN models, most likely due to backlighting and power concerns. It could be that the IPS laptops follow that trend.Pirks - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
hey Jarred, here's another mistake you made in the article: "LED backlighting is one technology that holds a lot of promise, and it has only just begun to show up on desktop LCDs" - now don't you know that Sony has been selling notebooks with LED backlighting for some time already? why have you said that it only appeared on desktop LCD while in fact Sony was making notebooks with LEDs waaay before desktop LCDs with LED appeared?Pirks - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
exactly! this is why I'm waiting for your IPS panel notebooks article veeery impatiently! bring it on! :)