Laptops with a something better than a TN panel?

[videobruce]

I'm looking for a Laptop with a non TN panel. I can only assume all of the ones advertised locally use the cheaper TN panel with the narrow viewing angle.
Are there any Laptops that don't have the cheaper TN panel?

Doing some initial research only told me "Better Laptops have a wider viewing angle"., which told me nothing. I found no mention of the type of panel any of these use!

 

[TheStu]

I think that almost all laptops use 6bit TN panels, however some have better viewing angles than others which may be indicative of, if not a non-TN panel, then certainly a higher quality one.

 

[IlllI]

scroll down to the middle of the page where they talk about lcd choices http://www.anandtech.com/guides/showdoc.aspx?i=3685&p=7
it looks rather grim.

 

[Absolution75]

It would seem the lenovo x200 tablet has an LED IPS panel in it. I don't know if regular x200 does or not though.

The screen is really nice, not quite as nice as my Dell 2007WFP, but it is a lot nicer than my old x61t (dim and poor viewing angles). The x200 tablet's screen is very bright and clear. Viewing angles aren't quite as high as my dell monitor, but there isn't much color shift (not nearly as much as any TN panel). The screan does DIM when viewed at > 160 degree angle though.

Lenovo uses an In-plane Switching display (IPS) in all versions of the X200 Tablet, but incorporates a different covering and backlighting method for each version. IPS displays are renowned for their color accuracy and superior viewing angles, which is a must if you are viewing the screen from many viewing angles. In the two models we reviewed, each showed the identical screen part number, but looked vastly different when put side by side. The touch-sensitive layer put over tablet screens almost always gives the display a hazy look, but this was the first time we saw both versions side by side. Below in the screen comparisons shots, the model on the left is the standard X200 Tablet, while the one on the right is the multitouch version.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5287

 

[videobruce]

For whatever reason I never received notifications.
Thanks for the review link. That Lenovo is 2x what I would want to spend.

 

[Zap]

I was looking at the Sony Vaio Z series yesterday (online) and they seem to have something better than TN panels because some reviewers applauded their viewing angles.

 

[C1]

You will not like the cost of any IPS notebook (if there even is such a thing). Besides, IPS needs more backlight which generally requires also more power to run. A possibility would be to custom order a Fujitsu notebook with the CE (ie, Color Enhanced) panel option.

 

[videobruce]

Still not getting notifications (yes I check that notifications are turned on and the e-mail address is correct).

I did see a mention of one Sony Laptop that stood out, but Sony was not on my list.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Almost no laptops use IPS panels these days. The only exception is tablets. The ThinkPad X200 Tablet may be 2x what you want to spend, but that's the case then you're looking to spend under $1K, if not under $700. You will *not* get a new laptop with a good display for that price.

You might look at ThinkPad T60 and T61. The 15-inch versions (not 15.4", these are 4:3 aspect displays) had an IPS screen option and you might be able to find some used ones. Expect to pay a premium for that screen though.

 

[herm0016]

check out the dell studio xps. the panel on it was rated better then most desktop monitors.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3509
http://www.anandtech.com/show/2746

 

[videobruce]

I read though the reviews and that Laptop has major issues with heat and it also has QC issues. Besides, it's a glossy screen.

 

[poofyhairguy]

TN panels are standard fare on modern laptops.

You want one without? Get on ebay and get into the used market.

 

[IlllI]

well if you are willing to pay, hp has an 'elitebook' laptop that has a 30 bit ips lcd panel. they call it "dreamcolor" http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5583


edit: seems like there might be some confusion as to whether this is true or not http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=86215

 

[Throckmorton]

I read though the reviews and that Laptop has major issues with heat and it also has QC issues. Besides, it's a glossy screen.

Now you want matte screen? Hah!

Even if you did find a non TN matte screen, I bet it would be one of the grainy looking ones

 

[Emulex]

yeah the 8730w/8740w are not really laptops - they are desktops squeezed into a small form factor lol.

i have a low end 8730w and it pulls 7500 3DMARK06 - it was free - i don't complain about free

 

[Commodus]

I wouldn't dwell so much on whether it's IPS or TN so much as just the actual, practical quality of the display.

For example, the 15-inch MacBook Pro uses a TN panel, but its quality is actually very good. I'm not sure what panel the Dell Studio XPS 16 uses, but the RGB LED option gives it an exceptionally rich display, too.

 

[Emulex]

well keep in mind alot of folks throw LED sidelit around now which is 100% completely not the same as RGB LED backlighting.

the hint is simple: 176/176 or 178/178 are the good panels - no TN can touch that. most good panels are 8 bit.

Man after using this e248wfp cheapie for a day i almost barfed in my mouth (my old 24" died s-MVA). It was so painful to use looked like i was running in 16 bit color mode AFTER calibrating it.