Visual comfort on w3v model?

I noticed the w3 is only XGA.. but it has the glossy coating.

My question is, as I have used Sonys laptops.. when looking at the screen for awhile does the w3 tend to strain the eyes?

I've noticed that with Sonys xbrite.. after reading text on it for awhile, I began to rub my eyes.. although I know the display settings can be adjusted, can they be adjusted on the w3?

Also, since it's only XGA, how is gaming on the w3, any shadowing? screen lag? (won't refresh quick enough)?

Thanks.

 

I can't attest to any gaming, but I spend a heck of a lot of time reading stuff on my W3V, and I find the screen to be worlds beyond anyting else. I can read for a lot longer than on my gf's regular lcd screen without any eyestrain. Text is much clearer, and the glossiness doesn't really cause any reflectivity problems. Think about watching TV with areading lamp on -- yes, if you focus on it, you can see the light reflected on the screen, but when you're watching the program, you're not focusing on the surface of the screen; you're focusing *into* the screen, so you don't really notice the reflection. Think of looking out a window -- it's the same thing. And the W3V screen is bright and adjustable enough that you can compensate for just about any light level you may encounter, from a completely dark room to outside in the sun (I just spent the afternoon at a sidewalk cafe, and didn't have any trouble at all).

 

You're looking at WXGA, but you're looking at it on a 14" widescreen... the pixels basically can't be seen, it's very sharp.

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

Thank you for the input.

 

I have some questions for all W3V owners/users, Justin and anyone else in the know...please try and respond!!!

1) Have any of you hooked it up to an external LCD monitor 19"'s or larger? Did you encounter any problems? What's your opinion on the quality and ease of doing so?

1b) Have any of you used the S-video out feature to watch a DVD using the W3V on a TV or alternate source? How did it work out and do you (or would you) notice any difference from watching a movie playing from a normal DVD player on that same TV?...like would there be a noticeable difference in quality? (TV size doesn't affect the output quality of DVD content from a laptop does it?)

2) I'd love some feedback and opinions on the keyboard and usage...how is it compared to your desktop keyboard...do you experience lots of trouble switching back and forth between the two? Did or do you have any trouble adjusting to it or notice anything worth mention? Justin, can you compare your opinions on how the W3V keyboard/usage compares to the S5n and M5 models (closest to what the M5a keyboard will be like)...thanks everyone!!!

I'd really appreciate some good responses. I've set a date for purchasing my laptop. It's down to two models now! May 30th is going to be the big day! [8D]

 

I thought I was going to buy a 19" monitor for home use, but honestly I don't think I will now -- the W3V screen is good enough by itself.

I spent the afternoon typing, and I think the W3V keyboard is one of the best I've ever used. Notebook or desktop. Obviously it's not as responsive as a typical desktop keyboard -- not nearly as much key travel, of course -- but it's solid, doesn't flex a bit, and not at all mushy. When you press a key, you can definitely tell, even though it's not at all clicky. I'm a writer by trade, so I spend most of my time on a computer working the keyboard, so that is one of the most important aspects for me, and I'm very, very happy with the W3V keyboard. The only reason I'm going to get an external keyboard is so I can lean back in my chair and type without having to hold the computer on my lap; the W3V certainly doesn't *need* an external keyboard.

 

i hope everyone has cleartype on [ ]!

calcoma:

1. Looks great on my 20" LCD, simple plug and play since the ATI driver is configured for dual display. Just check the setting "extend desktop" for monitor 2. Obviously, no degradation in quality. I'm not sure how to use an external laptop as the primary monitor. I'm sure it's possible but I can't figure it out and I'm not going to check the manual anytime soon.

1b. I've hooked it up to a television and of course the quality isn't great even with res turned down 640x480. Windows text and icons are almost unreadable but working text (such as text within a Word document is legible as long as the font is big (14-16+). I wasn't expecting much, NTSC and VGA signals are two different beasts.

DVD player to TV is going to be much better than laptop to TV just because the quality takes a HUGE hit during the signal conversion. I couldn't try it because the movie wouldn't show. I used WMP since I haven't installed powerDVD yet but I couldn't find the setting (filter mask?) in WMP.

2. This is my first laptop and I'm still getting used to it. It's definitely different from a fullsize desktop keyboard because the keys are desktop keys are taller and I have this habit of keeping my fingers wedged in between the spaces to help position them. The key travel is about the same, it's just the reduced height I need to get used to. Other than the inherent disadvantages of notebook keyboards, I have nothing to particularly fault ASUS. I'm always confidant that when I press a key, it's been pressed; no mushiness.

 

That's disappointing to hear about the S-Video output quality. Surely there's some way to make it look decent on a TV. I've seen desktops hooked up to a TV via S-Video and it looked quite good for viewing videos. Hopefully it's just a matter of finding the right settings to make it look good.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by miufahkiu

 

Anyone tried hooking it up to external widescreen LCD? I've read some laptops have problems with that.

I'm still trying to decide if I should buy W1, or W3 + external 20" WSXGA+ LCD.

 

I've got my W3 hooked up to my 23" sony widescreen and it's working fine.

One thing to keep in mind with the ATI cards..... you can have a widescreen or standard screen what one resolution and then hook up an externaml monitor at the opposite aspect ratio and a higher resolution than you're using on the notebook itself..... it's really really nice to be able to do that.

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

Thanks eightone for responding in detail to each of my questions...I really appreciate it.

It's all good news, except for the whole DVD to TV via S-Video...I was kinda hoping to kill two birds with one stone when I buy my laptop. I was always under the impression that with S-Video, a laptop basically became a portable version of a DVD player...in other words, I could take it to my Girlfriends house and watch a DVD rented from Blockbuster (played through the laptops optical drive via S-Video) with the same quality as a standard DVD player would give/put out on her TV. I really don't care much for the use of actual computer apps on a normal TV monitor...but I would have liked to see the S-Video out play a DVD on one with a high level of quality. So is that everyone's experience/consensus with S-Video from a laptop/W3V, that we won't be able to get high quality DVD playback on a normal TV?

Justin, I would appreciate a little more detail from you, especially on the keyboards between models (S5a and M5a to W3V and even W3V to V6V) because you're the only one with tons of experience on each of them. (I know those models aren't out yet, but the keyboards should be the same as what you've got right?) And I hate to be a nag, but have you taken the W3V/W5a comparo pics yet?

Thanks once again everyone [8D]

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by PROPortable

 

I wish I could take a picture that would show it off...... maybe I can in the dark and show you what the W3's screen looks like next to my desktop monitor.......

I've been really busy and totally forgot about those comparison pictures...... I promise you, I'll try to take some tonight before I forgot..

If you can afford this sony monitor... get it.... if you need something that big with a good refresh rate... it destroys the apple, the viewsonic, the samsung and certainly the dell...

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

I don't doubt the W3V screen is awesome...but when I'm planted at work or at home for more than a day or two, I'm going to hook it up to my 19" Samsung LCDs for added real estate. When I was in the States recently, I went into the Apple Store and they had a few 30" wide screen LCD monitors on display hooked up...It was ridiculous, I'd love to have one of those monitors in my office...They're close to 4 grand though...when prices drop on screens that size and every manufacturer makes them, I have to have one. Honestly, It's like a dream setup...having a multiple monitor setup with one of those babies in the middle...that would be amazing!!! Add a set of those Klipsch Ultra 5.1's to the mix, now we're talk'in badass. [8D]

 

I've been using my W3A for almost 3 weeks. The display feels much bigger than the display on the Sony S series that I was using previously, probably because the pixels are bigger (hence everything is bigger without fiddling with the settings). A major reason for migrating was display readability - I found the Sony was getting hard on the eyes under certain lighting conditions. The W3 is less hard on the eyes under the same conditions.

I would also add that the display on my W3 is too bright at the maximum brightness and the pale areas are washed out. I normally use about 80% brightness. Colours are also bluer than on my Sony. This is only noticeable when the two are side-by-side.

John

 

Yeah I've seen a few of those crazy large Apple displays... WOW... that's all i can say, LOL.

ASUS M6800Ne, P-M 715 (Dothan 1.5), 512MB Ram, Toshiba Combo drive, Samsung Spinpoint M 40G HDD with 8M cache, Mobility Radeon 9700

 

I can use my W3V for hours and not have eye strain. I can't do the same with my ViewSonic A70f+ for more than a few hours before I get strained.

[l]ikwid.[f]uzion

 

Reading that it provides less eye strain than the Sonys is good.

The Sony screens are really nice.. but to me they seem a little way to nice, it's like sitting 2 feet from your tv set and watching the screen.. not good for the eyes.

 

The W3V looks like a great computer, but I'm wondering:
Would the screen size and resolution of the W3V be too small for use as a primary computer while getting a degree in computer science? I ask because from what I've heard having a good amount of screen real-estate (resolution) can make for a better programming environment.

Someone told me that a vertical height of 768 pixels is a little too small for looking at large blocks of text like source code, and that a height of 1050 pixels would be better. But, I just want to know what others have to say about it.

Oh, and I've used my father's Toshiba to play DVD's on the TV through composite out. In my opinion the quality was really good, S-Video out should be even better...

 

For coding, you may very well prefer a regular ratio screen over a widescreen. I don't know. For it's size, the res is very good on the W3 and you have plenty of real estate. However, this res on a 15" or larger, would look really bad.

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]