Laptop LCD Roundup: Road Warriors Deserve Better
by Jarred Walton on May 22, 2007 5:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Displays
Viewing Angles
Viewing angles are one of those specifications that have become very inflated by the manufacturers. The basic requirement is that a display has to maintain a 10:1 contrast ratio in order to qualify as "viewable". The reality is that most LCDs are unfit for viewing outside of about a 45° arc, and on laptops you may not even get that much of a viewing arc. While we doubt that most people would want to view a display from an oblique angle, the typical positioning of a laptop - sitting on your lap only a couple feet from your eyes - can make viewing angles more important. Unfortunately, as all of the LCDs appear to use TN panels, that means viewing angles become more important and the technology becomes less satisfactory.
We used a Canon Digital Rebel SLR camera to take shots from head-on as well as from the left, right, top, and bottom at ~30° angles. We then combined the images into a single representative shot, showing how brightness and contrast ratios are affected in off-angle viewing. The camera was set to manual mode and an ISO value of 400 with an exposure time of 1/60s. While there's no substitute for actually sitting in front of a display yourself and using it, we did our best to use settings that generated images similar to what we saw in person. With all of the laptops photographed under the same conditions and with the same settings, the relative appearance of the images is at least as important as how each image looks individually.
Again, the ASUS G2P clearly comes out on top and offers the best overall viewing angles. The Dell XPS M1710 and MSI S271 are somewhat similar, though we would give the edge to the Dell laptop. The ASUS A8Js on the other hand ranks at the bottom, particularly in the areas of vertical viewing angles. On desktop systems, horizontal viewing angles are often more important, but in everyday use we find that vertical viewing angles are definitely a problem with many laptops. A slight tilt of your lap or a straightening of your back, and the perceived image can quickly become washed out.
Viewing angles are one of those specifications that have become very inflated by the manufacturers. The basic requirement is that a display has to maintain a 10:1 contrast ratio in order to qualify as "viewable". The reality is that most LCDs are unfit for viewing outside of about a 45° arc, and on laptops you may not even get that much of a viewing arc. While we doubt that most people would want to view a display from an oblique angle, the typical positioning of a laptop - sitting on your lap only a couple feet from your eyes - can make viewing angles more important. Unfortunately, as all of the LCDs appear to use TN panels, that means viewing angles become more important and the technology becomes less satisfactory.
We used a Canon Digital Rebel SLR camera to take shots from head-on as well as from the left, right, top, and bottom at ~30° angles. We then combined the images into a single representative shot, showing how brightness and contrast ratios are affected in off-angle viewing. The camera was set to manual mode and an ISO value of 400 with an exposure time of 1/60s. While there's no substitute for actually sitting in front of a display yourself and using it, we did our best to use settings that generated images similar to what we saw in person. With all of the laptops photographed under the same conditions and with the same settings, the relative appearance of the images is at least as important as how each image looks individually.
 ASUS A8Js  ASUS G2P  Dell XPS M1710  MSI S271 |
| Click to enlarge |
Again, the ASUS G2P clearly comes out on top and offers the best overall viewing angles. The Dell XPS M1710 and MSI S271 are somewhat similar, though we would give the edge to the Dell laptop. The ASUS A8Js on the other hand ranks at the bottom, particularly in the areas of vertical viewing angles. On desktop systems, horizontal viewing angles are often more important, but in everyday use we find that vertical viewing angles are definitely a problem with many laptops. A slight tilt of your lap or a straightening of your back, and the perceived image can quickly become washed out.
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strikeback03 - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
The first page mentions that you don't know of any laptops which use an LCD that isn't a TN panel. The Flexview Thinkpads use IPS panels, and they are nice. Any chance of getting one of those in the comparison?n7 - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
And Macbook Pros use IPS.Sadly, i'd say 99% of notebooks have garbage for displays.
Only good thing to come from notebook displays is glossy finishes, as now that's finally spreading nicely into the desktop segment.
bldckstark - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
Apple is currently being sued for poor display quality. Word is they are using TN panels in both Pro and regular versions. I guess we will find out more soon, since this is another high profile (if unwarranted) case against Apple.n7 - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
They aren't using TNs in the Macbook Pros, at least not all the ones i've seen.In the regular Macbooks, yes, they use TNs, like everyone else.
strikeback03 - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
Personally I hate glossy finishes, thankfully neither my laptop or desktop have one.I thought I had read somewhere that some Macbooks used IPS as well. They are certainly popular amongst traveling photographers.
drwho9437 - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
While Flexview is IPS, it is not offered at the moment (CTO though perhaps in prebuilt T60 models still).It is unknown if Lenovo will bring it back, but it was one of the few panels out there that had good color by most accounts. There were objective measurements done at the Thinkpads.com forum once upon a time...
I myself didn't get flexview due to the size and cost. I'm quite happy with my T60, but i a 14" wide or standard IPS display is marketed in a Lenovo package, I will certainly be tempted. I don't think I can go back to 'regular' laptops after using my Thinkpad.
Pirks - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
ditto here, I saw IPS screen on a Thinkpad and it was gorgeous compared to other shitty apple and dell notebooks I saw. so I was seriously surprised to find out that Anand guys don't know about it. guys, your credibility has plummeted down in my eyes. to not know anything about IPS displays in Thinkpads - what kind of techies are you anyway? sheesh... overclocking, overclocking... blah blah... while not knowing about such an OBVIOUS thing as IPS based Thinkpad... sigh :-(DigitalFreak - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
Dude, STFU.JarredWalton - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - link
Not everyone knows everything about every computer part. I'm glad someone makes a laptop with a non-TN panel, and I have updated the article text. As it said, we were "as yet unaware" of such laptops, and we are now aware. Hopefully Lenovo will be good enough to get us a unit for testing. The point stands that only one manufacturer so far (I think?) makes such a laptop, no one makes a major point about advertising the laptop panel specs or type, and as far as I can tell it's only in the 12.1" X series. We definitely need more such notebooks.strikeback03 - Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - link
Suppose it might now be available on the X series (I haven't kept up with laptop specs much recently). Previously Flexview was only available in 15" 4:3 ratio panels in SXGA and UXGA resolution, on some T and R series models. Whoever was making the panels might have folded up shop though if a few Thinkpads were the only laptops using that panel.