Which screen for M1530? LED vs. True Hi-Def

Ok, so I'm getting close to making my decision on when to buy an xps m1530. However, I'm not sure which screen type I should invest in. I'm kind of afraid that the true hi def(1920x1200) will cause me to squint every 3 seconds. Also, will games be able to take advantage of the true hi def or is it better to just get the LED screen at 1440x900? Are there any other advantages of the LED screen besides better battery life, less heat produced, and whiter whites? Thanks.

 

I have the 1920 screen and I must say Ithink it is amazing. I was worried about the text being too small, but I haven't had that problem at all. I also have a blu-ray player so being able to watch movies in true HD is an added bonus. Even without the blu-ray, I think that the screen is very nice. However, I would encourage you to see if you know anyone that has a 1920 x 1200 screen on a 15 inch laptop as it is not for everyone, as evidenced by the many posts in these forums.

 

+1 for HD screen,it's good.

 

I have the 1920x1200 and I love it because I need the space. I can't work on a small 1440x900 resolution screen, it's just way to small for me. So it depends on your needs. If you need the desktop space, go with the 1920x1200.

 

I've seen the HD screen and I loved it so I ordered that on mine. The LCD screen seems nice, but I'd rather have the higher resolution. Really it just depends on what your needs are.

 

Just to be clear: If I order the M1530 with the LED screen (1440x900), can I connect an external 24" LCD that runs at 1920x1200 natively? I would like to run the "extend my desktop" mode onto these two monitors and keep each one at its native resolution. Can the 256mb 8600M GT handle that? I plan to play WoW in window mode on the 24" 1920x1200 LCD and keep Firefox, IM, iTunes, etc. on my laptop's screen.

 

I currently have a 1680x1050 screen on my M1530 is it possible to upgrade this to a 1920x1200 screen?

 

As far as I know, there shouldn't be any problems with that.

 

If you are still in your 30 day window you can call tech support and say the screen is unacceptable and you will send it back if they do not send a tech out. I'm not sure how successful it would be but it is an option

 

I've owned the LED screen a few days and had the fortune to spend all day (literally 8-10 hours of solid work) on the WUXGA screen in a coworker's M1530.

WUXGA is very sharp! It's contrasty as heck. However it's no different from other 15.4" WUXGA screens I've used... even mostly the same as my old Latitude D800 WUXGA (except for the glossy panel vs. matte in the D800.) It basically looked and felt like any other LCD screen, just a higher pixel density. For some this is exactly what the doctor ordered! I found it a bit dark (brighter than some of the crappy Thinkpad LCDs but darker than most other panels including the 1680x1050 samsung M1530 yet another coworker has) and the colors were so-so. Contrast seemed excellent though... good black levels, but not much punch.

LED is a revelation. I cannot think of another word to use. The vividness and color fidelity are breathtaking. This is not just a phenomenal panel, it's one of the best display devices I've ever used, in any size, any format, any technology on any device. The resolution is just "okay" but there's no question which one possesses a "wow" factor from a distance. I do believe Dell's ratings that have it a full 50% brighter than the WUXGA. For those who like a bright, vivid screen that seems to color-calibrate particularly well (just pulled my puck off of it!) I don't think you can do better. You'll trade resolution though. The other downside is that the black levels are crap. This is not the panel to use for watching a filmed-entirely-at-night vampire movie. On the other hand, it was perfectly readable outdoors in sunlight yesterday... glossy reflections aside of course!

If I had to sum it up, I'd say the WUXGA is a niche screen for high-res aficionados who need portable 1920x1200, and the LED is opening-night tickets to the movie everyone is going to see eventually. If I had to vote, it's the LED, simply because it's an incredibly enjoyable experience to use (I say this as someone who's used 15.4" WUXGA continuously since 2003 or so) and I can always get WUXGA with an external monitor. I do think that if you NEED 1920x1200 on the go, then the choice has already been made for you. If you don't NEED that resolution but instead WANT something that's jawdropping and inspires the envy of friends, I think the LED is a better choice.

I can't say I noticed any real benefit in terms of weight or thickness or even heat generation. Both are excellent in all these regards.

 

Nice post swiego +rep

If there was an LED version with the hi-resolution, I'd pay twice as much for it, but I need the bigger space. LED is nice, and if you don't need the higher resolution, go for it.

 

so what is the reason you want to switch the WSXGA+
is it because there isn't enough real estate, or is it the brightness/color?

i love my samsung WSXGA+ contrary to most people here haha

whamerman,

you have some big money upgrades! i smirked that you didnt go with the 4GB ram right off the bat i wish i could afford the blue ray

 

ohhhnooooos! dell took off the wuxga screen off the best offer on the m1530. the one that has 599 off and replaced it with the led 1440x900. i wouldn't mind that as long as they kept the full hi def.

 

I'd go with the LED screen.

 

The XPS summer savings event deal today for the M1530 isn't to shabby.

 

Exactly what I was thinking so I just sucked it up and went for it. Oh, and I went with the hi-def screen.
My estimated delivery time is 7/25 however.... I'm def not looking forward to waiting a month....

 

i have 1440x900 screen it is very very sharp and clear- text is slightly smaller but still very easy to read. i chose the 1440 screen as it was a good upgrade for a small price (£20) compared to the WSXGA+ which was £150 as i thought this wouldnt be needed for the work i do on it - gaming word and internet surfing not picture editing sofware so its up t you depending on your cash flow and the programs your going to to use.

thanks hope this helps

 

I can't vouch for having seen any other screens, but the LED screen looks pretty fantastic. You can't go wrong with it.