Please Advise: 1366x768 or 1600x900 on E6520?

In general, I've found 900P resolutions to be unexpectedly problematic in terms of graphic drivers. If you use an external display, don't bother with the upgrade as it might be more trouble than it's worth. After all, 900P is a compromise and you don't see 900P content.

Personally, I'd either go for the outstandingly bright 1080P display, since that's the native resolution on just about every modern external display and television, or I'd save the $129 and go with the standard display.

Go all the way or don't bother with the upgrade.

 

This is an interesting take - I actually will be using an external display 50% of the time (specifically plan to use port replication/dock & LCD monitor).

 

(cross-post): I sent two Dell chat agents on field trips to verify the screen specs for the e6520. The first one was pretty weak and said they did not have the info available.

The second one took a long time, but eventually came back with these specs:

1366x768: 220 nits, 300:1 contrast, +/- 40 degree horizontal viewing angle

1600x900: 250 nits, 400:1 contrast, +/- 60 degree horizontal viewing angle

So the standard screen is definitely inferior on paper. The question is, will I notice enough? I don't know if 30nits less and a 100:1 decrease are huge or not.

I am concerned about the brightness and contrast difference, but don't care about viewing angle (if anything, I want the screen to be LESS readable to someone on the side).

Otherwise the resolution/readability thing is definitely a concern, one of my existing laptops is a 12" D430 with 1280x800, and everything is too small on it for me. How does 1280x800 on a 12" par with 1600x900 on a 15.6"?

Anyway, I was going to just switch up my order and get the 1600x900 to be safe, but my order that was supposed to ship 4/5 went out suddenly yesterday. So I'm screwed but will definitely consider returning the laptop if the screen doesn't do it for me. I have a chat record of the 1st agent not being able to provide me with proper specs (before the order shipped), so maybe they'll waive the restock if I complain about the screen and cite lack of info from tech rep...??

 

1280x800 in 12" will show up a bit smaller than 1600x900 in 15.6".

You can use this site to calculate the densities of different resolutions in different screen sizes.
DPI Calculator / PPI Calculator

 

Nits and contrast aside, I think you'll very much notice the resolution difference. I dont even like it on a 14", but at least that is somewhat acceptable. On a 15" I find it awful. Go for the better display. You won't regret it. imo.

 

Ok, so although my 6520 was supposed to arrive way out on 4/15, it actually showed up today...!

I'm really busy with work this week and won't be making any big reviews, but I'll just note a few things:

• Overall I like the laptop - the feel, the look, the keyboard, the materials, etc.
  
• Screen --
  • The good: the 1366x768 displays everything in just the right proportion/size I am used to and was looking for.
  • The bad: yeah, the picture quality is pretty bad. Brightness and viewing angles are OK for me, however I can actually SEE line pixel grids coming through the screen! It's like looking at a 1980's tv screen too close, or seeing the dots that make-up a photo in a newspaper. My 4-yr old consumer-grade 15.4" Acer laptop with 1280x800 looks better, as does my 6-yr old Dell 18" 4:3 / 1280x1024 LCD monitor...both are way smoother and do not show any pixel gridlines.
  
  
• Top cover finish - so far this is the one material element I am not thrilled with - it smudges rather easily. There is a finned plastic edge on the top outter-edge of the screen that you can pinch with your fingers to open/close the screen (so you don't HAVE to finger-print up the metal part), which sort of helps, but still. Note-the powder-coat finish on the bottom smudges too (it is the btm though so no big deal).
  
  
• To that end, when I took the laptop out of the box for the first time, I noticed smudges and smears already on the laptop cover, as well on various places on the laptop work surface... I realize the machine will get marked-up plenty by me, but was this thing already broken-in by someone? Or do they not use gloves at the assmbly plant in China?
  
  
• Trackpad - I like it, but I noticed that when I rest my left elbow on the wristpad (to left of the trackpad), the mouse pointer freezes...yes I realize I shouldn't be leaning my pointy elbow into the laptop's restpad, but I've done it for years on other machines with no resulting problem

I am probably going to pursue an exchange for a machine with the 1600x900 screen, as I was going to before the laptop suddenly shipped so early. I'll try to use DPI scaling, and maybe find a smudge-proof cover for the lid? Not sure...

 

Both are poor low resolution screens.

I still dont understand why every 15" notebook doesnt offer a 1920x1200 screen....and why 14" notebooks dont get 1680x1050.

My new e6420 only has a resolution of 1600x900...which sucks for pretty much everything.

Shoot, the vertical resolution is only 132 pixels more than the laptop I owned 12 years ago...they call that progress....please.

 

I'm all for crystal-clear screens, I just don't want the GUI, text and web elements/graphics to shrink as clarity improves.

I've never well-understood screen resolution science. On the TV-side of things, as people move up from 720p to 1080p, the on-screen tv picture doesn't shrink to oblivion. The screen/picture just looks the same and can also display denser content that might be fed to it (i.e., blu-ray).

 

"Text DPI" is your friend.

I personally feel that a 14" notebook should have a resolution of 2560x1600. That could be a DPI of around 215, which is on par with the average smartphone.

If computer manufacturers advertised screen resolutions in DPI instead of resolution, we would see major progress in displays. A 17" notebook with a resolution of 1280x768 is criminal.

How TV resolutions have caught up to computer resolutions is beyond me....

 

Display tech hasnt progressed as much as I would have liked either, but I'm not sure I would consider 1600x900 on a 14" to be low resolution, or that it sucks for everything, considering that the PPI on that is better than just about any desktop monitor. Guess I'll find out when mine arrives.