M6600 - IPS and Quadro 5010M

Dell where is the IPS and Quadro 5010M? Anandtech had a source at Dell tell them the IPS would be available soon after launch... Well almost two months later is not soon. The Quadro 5010M has been stated as launching in June but it isn't here yet either.

I am personally waiting for the IPS but I am considering an HP if it doesn't make it to the market soon. Anyone else sick of waiting for either of these options?

 

My guess is that HP took the easier 8 bit route with their IPS panels.

If you look at the HP 8760W data sheet, it says that it provides "64 times the color supported on traditional notebook displays".

Traditional notebook displays are 6 bit panels. 6 bit = 64 values = 64 shades of Red, Green, and Blue. 8 bit = 256 shades. 10 bit = 1024 shades.

64 shades per channel x 3 channels = 262,144 possible color values for 6 bit panels.

256 shades per channel x 3 channels = 16,777,216 possible color values for 8 bit panels.

Going back to HP's marketing statement of "64 times the color supported on traditional notebook displays" - 262,144 x 64 = 16,777,216. That is the same number used for 8 bit panels.

The video cards in both machines are capable of 10 bit per channel output, but it could very well be that Dell is the only one with a 10 bit panel and 10 bit data feeding it.

If HP made that compromise, then it could explain why they have that panel available already. The problem is that the HP marketing speak is very well crafted.

HP also does not offer Optimus at all on the machines. They also don't offer any AMD card higher than the 5950M.

I am not saying HP cut corners, just saying it looks like they went with a mild refresh instead of giving users new features. Mild refreshes are probably faster to get to the market.

Sorry to hijack your thread.

 

Hp's are true 10bit color for the dreamcolor panels. Most consumer panels are 8 bit color via 6 bit with overdrive for 16,777,216 colors. 16,777,216 x 64 = 1,073,741,824 colors which is equal to 10 bit support.

I agree that the HP's selection of AMD cards are lousy though. Both Dell and HP cannot support optimus with the 10bit IPS panels which screws up multi monitor support. AMD's firepros have much better multi monitor support via eyefinity.

HP also has a slice battery in its favor since battery life is weak for mobile workstations.

 

Can you help me find documentation that HP's panels are being fed 10bit data? This document says that the internal monitor runs at "Up to 32-bit per pixel color depth"

I was able to confirm that the panel itself is a 10bit panel from this pdf - http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13543_na/13543_na.PDF

I have helped write marketing copy and press releases in a former job. I know how people tweak the copy to sound better. There is a reason why they specifically say the machine supports 30bit color, but that the panel has 64x the colors of a normal laptop. Specific, then vague = red flag.

So what about that "32-bit per pixel color depth" - Ah ha! - sneaky again. Its how RGB was speced. 8 bits. Right below it says the DisplayPort will "DisplayPort supports resolutions up to 2560 x 1600, 30-bit color depth at 60 Hz, and full HD (1920 x 1080) monitors, 24-bit color depth at 120 Hz". Now we are back to 30bit again.

I am telling you, that HP Dreamcolor panel is getting 8bit data.