Concensus on M11x LCD displays? Samsung vs LG vs AUO?

I ordered a cyber monday M11x R1 for $499. After I ordered it, I can see the detail of some components, and it shows the display as having the Samsung LCD. What should I expect from this display? Did they fix the brightness issues of the original launch displays or are they still a little dim? Thanks.

 

Generally people are pretty pleased with the Samsung and for those who have had their LCD panel replaced like it better than the AUO. The LG seems to be rarer than the others. I suspect that these are relatively cheap panels that vary widely one to the next. One persons AUO, Samsung or LG compared the same model side-by-side could have markedly different output characteristics.

Just keep your expectations in check and you'll be ok. Then again, you've already had an R1. Nice to have you back!

 

Thanks. My biggest caveat is use outdoors. My current netbook is great outdoors. Screen is quite bright. But I have to sell it to offset costs for this M11x. I guess I still have 21 day return if it doesn't meet my needs, although I really want a gaming capable subcompact notebook/netbook.

 

Outdoor use with any of the panels is going to be substandard due to the ridiculously reflective screen element they chose to slap on the M11x. All for the sake of being able to add "Edge to edge "glass"!" to the marketing slick. I often take mine out on my covered deck and it's a struggle to minimize the glare.

My AUO panel is fairly bright, but others with that panel have reported that theirs were pretty dim. Again, I think that's attributable to less stringent standards that's typical for this class of inexpensive, dime a dozen panel.

 

I have a Samsung LCD and have been pretty impressed by the brightness. 50% is around the level of my old Gateway M-152XL and full brightness is close to my desktop's 23' Acer LCD.

I got a Green Onion Anti-Glare screen protector which definitely helps visibility outside, though some people find it adds too much graininess and compromises image quality.

 

Is the green onion screen protector the one offered by dell? Because if I decide to keep the M11x, I'm definitely buying one. I'm not so picky about the graininess unless it's like looking through a screen door.

 

Yes. Unless I'm mistaken that still the only one that's made specifically to fit the M11x's screen.

 

Was also the easiest screen protector I have ever installed. After having nightmares installing a screen protector on my ipod touch, psp, and ds lite over the years I kind of dreaded putting on a relatively larger screen protector. I was able to put it on with one try and only have a stand of fur under it on the bezel so I didn't even bother trying to fix it.

 

It's currently sold out at dell Anywhere else to buy it?

 

Looks like Amazon has it in stock: Amazon.com: Green Onions RT-SPM11X02 A2G Screen Protector for Netbook: Electronics

Not elegible for Prime though T-T

 

Cool thanks. Cheaper than at Dell. I may just wait until I get my machine and decide I'm going to keep it.

 

The quality of the LCD panels used in the M11x definitely have a lot of variation. My first R2 came with an AUO screen that was extremely dim. Because of defects I had the screen replaced twice, both with Samsung screens. I felt both of these were brighter and of better quality than my first AUO. I kept having problems so I eventually got a replacement machine and it came with another AUO. This time, however, the screen was just as bright as the Samsung screens and of way better quality than the first AUO I had. Though I’ve never had the LG screen, I don’t think there’s much consistency in the quality control of the LCDs in the M11x, and it seems like there’s a bit of luck involved regardless of the panel manufacturer.

 

Well, I watched soccer world cup outside so it is possible, it's just such a pain. I had AUO display replaced with another AUO and both are relatively bright. The problem outside was reflection, not the brightness.

 

I got a Samsung and I grew to like it more than the 2 AUOs I had before.

 

So far this is sounding good at least regarding a Samsung panel. Maybe the complaints or returns for AUO were too high so refurbs they put in Samsung panels.

I do think reflection is an issue, but if the brightness was high enough you wouldn't have to worry about it. The Envy 14 I owned for a little while had a very reflective screen, but it was so darn bright it never really mattered. I had the 1600x900 one that was touted to be one of the best, and brightest. It was a very nice screen.

 

I've had one AUO panel on initial purchase and found it to be Grey and washed out.

Have had 2 panel replacements since and 1 complete unit exchange all were Samsung panels. All were markedly better than the AUO, but there were varying degrees of Picture Quality between the 3.

I liken it to the same as how every CPU and GPU of the same model/series/batch still all OC differently and it's a lottery.

My replacement unit has the best Samsung PQ so far, and I love it so much that it has me stressed on the hinge issue. For as when/if the hinge breaks, then there's going to be a panel replacement and thus a risk of getting another Samsung panel with not as good PQ.

I am starting to think the LG panels are a fluke. I've only seen literally 2 people on these boards claim to get that panel. I'm not saying they didn't, but I'm thinking they got LG's because at the time Alienware was completely out of Samsung or AUO's and used LG as a substitute those few times (and any others not mentioned on here)

And maybe they got lucky and got a better panel then the Samsung? If so, good for them.

But no new owners seem to be reporting LG. It seems the majority now is Samsung, with I'd bet any remaining stock of AUO's still showing up are stock that's being cleared and phased out.

I have no facts to back this up and am just hypothesizing.

I liked all the Samsung panels I've had. You should be happy with yours. If not, then you can always play the panel lottery and claim dust under the screen or faulty hinges and get the panel switched out.

What I noticed that kinda is lame about that is, the hinges never seem to be as tight when replaced/repaired by an in home tech as they are when the unit arrives from factory.

But I'd rather have loose hinges and a better panel than vice versa.

How would OLED work as a potential panel in the next revision? Wouldn't it provide better PQ? If Samsung can put them in similarly priced Android phones and tablets, I wonder how much more it would cost to do it for an M11x?

While I like my panel just fine, a better panel is #2 on my wish list for the next revision.

Good Times...

 

Do you think there'd be any way they'd move to a 12" or 13" screen? I know it's the M 11x, but considering the size of the machine a 13" screen would be a much better fit. Just do some minor design changes and call it the M13x. Why not? I'd buy that over the M11x any day even if it had the same hardware.

 

What's the consensus on the overall display quality? I've heard that the display is quite average, which may not be that good based on what the average display looks like, especially on a netbook. Since I'm used to my 2008 unibody MacBook Pro screen, I'd like the M11x to at least match it in contrast and color, otherwise screen quality could make it feel like a step down for me playing on the M11x.

 

Everyone has their own ideas about what constitutes good qualities for a display. I can only speak for the AUO panel in that it's not even close to the same league anything Apple has ever put into a notebook.

Not. Even. Close.

I'd be willing to bet that the marginal improvements you see with LG and Samsung panels aren't going to be any closer either. The contrast ratio and minuscule color gamut of these cheap panels are /at best/ adequate. Ok for the non-discerning general public and that's about it.

 

I just ordered one and do not see a brand or type listed in the parts list for the LCD? Do you not know until you receive it?

 

That is correct. You don't know until you receive it.

They don't list the brand so that they won't be tied to a single vendor. If all they list is an 11.6" LED 1366x768 display, then they can buy that display from anywhere and give you an LCD panel of any quality, as long as it meets the specs they advertise.

 

I gotta agree with you there. The LCD is probably the biggest gripe that most reviewers have is with the relatively poor quality of the panel. It has poor vertical viewing angles, low contrast, low brightness, and is highly reflective. Probably the worst part is how there is so much wasted space on the bezel.

Alienware could have put a nice 13.3" panel in there, and just sold it as an Alienware M13x. As it stands today, the M11x is listed as an 11.6" laptop, but weighs as much as most 13.3" laptops anyway. I say, might as well just make a kick-butt 13.3" laptop, than an 11.6" laptop with compromises.

If I could snap my fingers and have any wish I wanted for the M11x... it would be for Alienware to find a vendor that makes an 11.6" panel with incredible image quality, for them to redesign the hinges, and then for my hinges to immediately break so that I get this awesome new screen / part replaced for me under warranty.

 

Once I ordered my laptop, in my confirmation email, and under product description where it listed my M11x, it had a link that said "view more" and brought up a product page with all the detail. This was for a refurb though, so maybe they don't have that for new builds since they could build with any vendor's component on the line.

 

The screen could very well be a dealkbreaker for me. Why? If it's a decent step down from my Samsung monitor and my MacBook Pro, I can see the screen quality as being why I'd grab my MacBook Pro for gaming instead despite the M11x getting slightly better 3DMark 06 scores since screen quality pop can make anything look better.

 

I have a Samsung and I must say it is probably the biggest gripe I have with this beast of a laptop. It's not that the screen is horrible, be it slighty washed out and not very bright, it's just the fact that this is a high quality laptop with a lackluster screen that is not at the same standard, which is a bit disappointing considering the price I paid for it.

I have seen the screen on the new 11inch MacBook Air compared side by side with the M11x and it blows the M11x screen out of the water. If only we could substitute the MacBook Air screen in the M11x, it would be a match made in heaven.

If only some brave soul out there was game enough to give it a try...

 

Yes, the MacBook Air is definitely a better general-purpose notebook. It is lighter and has a better screen, at the expense of having about -25% to -30% drop in gaming power, and losing a right mouse button.

It's definitely a nice machine. I would have seriously considered buying a 13.3" Macbook Air and putting Windows on it, if it was available when I was laptop shopping.

However, I think I probably still would have bought the M11x anyway. I'm willing to live with the shortcomings of the M11x, for its superior gaming prowess and the fact that I can use my plethora of Dell AC / auto / air chargers that I've collected over the years.

 

I have an Au Optronics Corp and I like it. I have no problems with it except for the glare. It is plenty bright for me and the angle is very good too. I have the laptop on a chair (I'm on my M17x right now) and I can see the lcd perfectly. If someone has a problem with the lcd, they should have looked elsewhere for a laptop and not compare it to a mac. Really, you should know what you're getting before you purchase.

 

The problem is the inconsistency of the displays. They seem to be all over the place in image quality and brightness. Just because yours is good and works for you doesn't mean everyone else's is the same.

Not to mention that at the same price point one should expect similar quality in components. Overall it's just a bad design decision with the super reflectivity to not include a bright and clear display.

 

Ok... I feel like a total dummie... Where can I see what LCD I have...

I am looking in device manager under monitor and it shows "General pnp minotor"

 

It might be different for refurbs and new builds but if you go to the Dell website and login, then go to My Systems and Peripherals, click the service tag for your m11x, should bring up a list of your parts in your m11x.

In my list there is the following listing:
1 9MGG7 MODULE..., LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY..., 11.6HDF, WLED, TLF, SAMSUNG...

 

Almost there. Right click General pnp monitor, choose properties, details, hardware ID. You will see a code for the monitor. Just google that code and it'll tell you.

 

So, as it stands it's still a crap shoot on monitors... that's too bad. Screen quality is a major selling point to someone else looking over your shoulder at a lappy, they really should concentrate here. I'd happily pay more for a truly good screen ala Mac Books, etc.

I checked mine and its an AUO ... the brightness and contrast are good enough for casual use, but the blue shift is clearly evident. I'm wondering if I get an R-2(or R-3 if one appears) what the odds are on getting a Samsung... really makes me wonder what the M13x/M14x that is speculated and supposedly touted by a rep might have. Who am I kidding, probably another Samsung

 

If they do come up with a 13" with a full mobile i5 at a reasonable pricepoint I'm selling this M11x in a heartbeat.

 

What do you mean "hook up"?

 

Found it interesting how this computer critic recently said "If you've ever wanted to know what a laptop display should look like, well, go find an Alienware M11x." Maybe Alienware just sends critics the best displays (Samsung displays?), or does the critic just have a bad opinion?

PC Perspective - Alienware M11x 11-in Core i7-640UM Gaming Notebook Review

 

He might have gotten a better-manufactured display. PC Perspective knows their stuff - they are definitely good reviewers.

I recently had my laptop display replaced. The new replacement was an AUO, and of much better quality than my previous display (also AUO). The review was written just a few weeks ago (Dec 9th, 2010). I wonder if the more recently-manufactured AUO displays are better quality than the old ones.

 

I've tried to get a feel reading the forums, but does anyone have any kind of guess as to the odds on getting an AUO vs a Samsung in an R2?

Weird as it sounds, I may take my R1 and turn it into a "Hackintosh" and see if I can load OS X Snow Leopard on it, and get an R2 (or M13x) for my portable gaming fix, etc.

Maybe I can put one of those Apple stickers over the Alienhead lid logo with it cut so the head is at the center LOL - I'll be under attack from fanboys on all sides

He mistyped, he was trying to say "shouldn't" - seriously, I imagine he had a ringer sent to him, happens all the time if the reviewers don't go pull a production unit off the street. This kind of thing is rampant among video card reviews and cars as well...

 

I absolutely have to think this was a typo too. There are just too many other panels out there that wipe the floor with the best you might find on an M11x. At best any one of many the display characteristics are simply OK, whereas others are sub-par.

If it wasn't a typo then he either got something we haven't seen or he's not a very good judge of displays.

EDIT: After RTFA, it's clear he has no clue.

 

Why was your display replaced?

It's possible that newer AUO units are better, but I think it's been mixed since I've been keeping tabs on what people have been reporting since June. Glad you've seen an improvement.

 

I didn't even have to google the ID... once I was there, I found out that I have an AUO 105c

My screen seems a little dim compared to others that I have seen... so maybe thats why...

With it being an r1 with the original screen... I bet I would see an improvement if I had it replaced... too bad nothing is wrong (Even my hinges seem to be holding up well)

 

You're just not trying hard enough

 

True... but if I do end up trying to get warranty work... things could be much worse.

 

I don't think what the critic said was a typo, he goes on to say "The display of a gaming laptop should be designed to make games look amazing, and that's what the display on the M11x does. I've used high-definition televisions with inferior image quality.

This praise aside, the display is small. There is really no getting around the fact that, although of superior quality, the display on the M11x just isn't very big compared to most gaming laptops."

I could always try emailing him and ask to check which display he has if that will make everybody happy.

EDIT: I did email the autor of the review asking if he could find and send me the code of his Alienware M11x display.

 

Yeah, it wasn't a typo. Chances are the unit was already returned since the review was published 3 weeks ago.

I don't care what panel he had, his extremely limited and subjective comments show he doesn't really understand how to evaluate displays. No measurements were taken, no mention of viewing angles, blackpoint, contrast ratio, etc. He then tries to bolster his view by stating that he's owned HDTV's with lesser IQ. Really, dude?

And his opening statement of "If you've ever wanted to know what a laptop display should look like, well, go find an Alienware M11x." What a ridiculous bit of hyperbole.

 

Matthew Smith of PC Perspective wrote back to me quickly with an in-depth response. Here's what he had to say:

 

My Dell service tag says I have a Samsung display, but Device Manager says it's AUO. I'll go with Device Manager, so I have a few questions for those with Samsung displays: is the Samsung display able to produce a deep shade of black and not suffer from the fairly bad backlight bleed that the AUO panel does?

Damn, I'm a videophile so I really wanted what was reportedly the better display. Still, the AUO is decent after a simple calibration.

 

Device manager is accurate.

My AUO is fairly bright (163cd/m2 measured) and doesn't have much bleed to speak of. It does however have slightly better blackpoint after calibration so try out either of the profiles I've created for the AUO in my sig to see if they help.

One of the biggest contributing factors to weak black levels (lack of shadow detail that's crucial for a lot of games, watching movies and photo/video editing) is that the AUO has such a narrow optimal viewing angle. Any slight deviation from this sweet spot and blacks turn to mush very quickly. I can't speak to the Samsung or LG's angles, but I've heard a few people report that they a little better than the AUO's they had.

The other contributing factor, one which impacts ALL panels used in the M11x, is the highly reflective plastic panel they slapped on in front of the already glossy panel surface. Quality panels have good AR coatings and it's difficult to say whether or not the AUO or any of the other panels used on the M11x does because of the plastic protective screen.

Any reflective element in front of a display is going to cause light diffraction and internal reflections which impacts local contrast. In our case we have the plastic protection screen, which to me is much glossier and reflective than most used in displays that I've seen in the past 10 years. It would have been nice if they'd gone with a high absorption glass like you find in models where any amount of emphasis was put on the display. The gap between panel and screen is compounding the issue too. On the M11x it's evident that the display was an afterthought and that they wanted to keep costs low.

Weak viewing angle + glossy panel + highly reflective protective screen = average display at best. It works. Where we see some variance is the panel that any given M11x ships with (AUO, Sammy or LG) and even there it would seem there's some variance in the AUOs themselves. A matte panel would have been so much better. I really do detest glossy.

Yes there are worse panels out there. Yes there are a lot of better panels out there. Most people really don't care or are as discerning about it. In any event, it is what it is. It's adequate for most things. A little weak for games with a lot of dark atmosphere, poor for photo editing and outright crappy for environments where you cannot control the lighting.

 

Yes, I discovered outer space was actually a very dark GRAY according to my M11x.... NASA lies

Not to mention NASA gets better contrast levels too - lol

 

The display would be satisfactory (but not excellent) if the backlight bleed, which is noticeable under bright lights, wasn't there. Most LCD displays have backlight bleed noticeable in a dark room, but neither my Samsung monitor that is a few years old nor my two year-old MacBook Pro have a noticeable backlight bleed under regular lighting, and I'll add my iPad and iPhone to that list as well. Otherwise, the color reproduction and vibrance are very decent. The display seems to pop without shades of black/gray/brown due to the mediocre contrast and backlight bleed. I did calibrate mine to a better gamma and made the colors warmer with my own profile, but I'll give yours a shot.

Since owners with Samsung displays haven't commented on the backlight bleed of their display: do the Samsung displays exhibit a backlight bleed under normal lighting?

 

To be honest I can't recall anyone bringing up backlight bleed for any of the panels other than you. That's not to say that you or others don't have it. Just to make sure we're clear on what bleed looks like, are the photos in this thread what you're seeing?

What does backlight bleed look like? - AVForums.com

Uneven, sorta blotchy light bleeding through? I've seen that on some cheap panels before - usually more predominant at one or two corners.

Or.

Is it more of a top and bottom, yet even horizontal band of lightness with the middle being dark? If that's the case then I think what you're seeing is the extremely narrow vertical sweet spot. To test see if those bands of lightness move or change as you rotate the screen back and forward - obviously with a black desktop background - no icons showing and taskbar hidden.

Like I said I'm just seeking clarification on what it is you're seeing. My AUO doesn't have what I consider to be a problem with bleed so much as a horridly narrow optimal vertical viewing angle which in a way is essentially not much different. It's entirely possible that I have it backward. I'm really not used to seeing a panel this bad when it comes to blackpoint and viewing angle.