XPS 17 L702x - WLED AG 1080p (non 3d): Could you please share your experience

Here is a pretty thorough review , especially the monitor :
Review Dell XPS 17 Notebook (i7-2630QM & GT 555M) - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

 

@beertha

Hello, thanks a lot for all Video and Pictures / FullHD AntiGlare Display DELL W-LED.

Horizontally
Viewing Angle
HD+ (DELL/W-LED): 40/40 (H/L)
FHD 3D TrueLife (DELL/W-LED): 60/60 (H/L)
FHD RGB (AUO B173HW01 V5/RGB-LED): 70/70 (H/L)
FHD AntiGlare (DELL/W-LED): ?/? (H/L)

or

Vertically
Viewing Angle
HD+ (DELL/W-LED): 15/30 (H/L)
FHD 3D TrueLife (DELL/W-LED): 50/50 (H/L)
FHD RGB (AUO B173HW01 V5/RGB-LED): 60/60 (H/L)
FHD AntiGlare (DELL/W-LED): ?/? (H/L)

Greets @Galle

 

That's the 120Hz 3D-capable screen with glossy finish, though.


As for the matte screen, I just figured that the N173HGE-L11 and the N173HGE-L21 are different panels. So which one is it? And does anyone know the difference?

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by aviwil
Here is a pretty thorough review , especially the monitor :
Review Dell XPS 17 Notebook (i7-2630QM & GT 555M) - Notebookcheck.net Reviews
That's the 120Hz 3D-capable screen with glossy finish, though.

That's right - still some very good info there - most professional review I've seen yet .
If anyone has links to any reviews of that level - please post them .

 

You're right - that's the kind of review I'd been expecting from Notebookcheck.net. It just doesn't provide anything relevant to this particular thread. You might want to share this link in the main L702X thread, though ;-)

 

When I'll get my XPS 17 I'll compare it with my XPS M1710, which should be similar to Berthas inspiron screen.

Cheers

Dave

 

Well I received my XPS L702x non-3d lappy yesterday. Personally I'm disappointed in the screen's viewing angles, both side to side and up and down. I was surprised to see it wasn't glossy, wasn't expecting that but it's ok because my current and previous desktop monitors were matte.

I actually stumbled on this thread from googling the panel number I found in the device manager.

Apart from what I feel are poor viewing angles the laptop seems well made, feels solid with a great keyboard and pretty good sound.

 

I may be willing to trade a new matte screen for a glossy one once my new non-3D laptop arrives if anyone is interested. Specifically, I would like the AUO B173HW01 v.4 since it matches what I have and use in my Studio 1747 and L701x.

PM me if you would like to discuss it. I know the sources to get the screen above if you are looking to buy and trade.

Scott-

 

Plexihead, any comment on the colors and blacks? Thx.

EDIT: The non-3D FHD panel has just popped up on Dell's site in my country Not sure I want it, though, since it doesn't seem to be as nice as the B173HW01 v.4

 

Awesome!! Thanks a lot Beertha, for your effort and interest in uploading the snaps and video in here, for everybody's sake.

From the pictures, I feel that the clarity seems good and maybe I may not have complaints with it. The color of the grass though, to me, seem like more natural in the 9300 screen than 702x. Maybe it makes a difference when seen directly and with the normal/regular brightness.

Thanks for the video too. I too have ordered the 550M video card and I was wondering if most recent games would take a hit (with 1G RAM) but from your videos it all looks good to me (to keep the cost low and me being a beginner in gaming, I ordered a 550M card instead of 555M).

Thanks again. The pictures/video did help.

 

Since I took those pictures I started playing with some of the color settings and things have improved. I cranked the color gamma down to increase detail and decrease the oversaturation that is evident in the shots I took. My opinion for the screen has not changed since then, as I am still enjoying the display for its matte surface and not having any relections at all. I havent tried it in sunlight yet, because I dont foresee me wanting to use it outside but Im sure the high brightness quality and matte display will definitley help alot better than my glossy Inspiron 9300.
I thought I wouldnt need the 555 either but Im starting to think about getting the 555 chip myself because I found myself overclocking the 550 and realizing that I want more power. So I will probably return this one and purchase the 555 configuration since the $450 coupons are still valid till the end of the month.

 

Yet another comment...

(from the general L702X thread)

 

Here's another review quote on the matte screen:

 

I thought the laptop itself was pretty good, doesn't seem too plastic-y. Everything seems to work fine on it, although I haven't tried everything yet. The problem for me is the screens poor viewing angles. After really checking it out I think it's because the matte surface is over done, they should've chose more of a semi-matte. My monitor is matte and I can barely notice it, the matte on the laptop is very noticeable. That could be what's screwing up the viewing angles. The colors don't seem too bad though, I've been too busy the last few days to really do some comparing, maybe on the weekend.

 

Hey guys, help me out a little here for a reference as this is my first laptop and maybe I'm expecting more from the screen than possible.

In comparing it to my current desktop, the 5 yr old Ultrasharp 2007WFPb monitor blows this laptop screen away, am I asking too much from a screen in a laptop compared to a stand alone monitor.

 

Wow, with all these reviews it sounds like the the 1080p non-3D screen sucks! WTH?

 

I guess Im one of the few owners that actually like the screen. Like I said in my review, the contrast ratio is not as dark as the 3D XPS version (which I used for about 2 weeks before returning it) but thats about it. I used an Inspiron 9300 with a 1920x1200 screen for over 5 years and switching to this screen is enjoyable. Also I used an 17" HP Envy 3D edition for about a month in December and the screens are about identical to the 3D XPS edition.
My pics and video are on page 5 of this thread in case you did not see it.
You can make out the depth of color, viewing angles and brightness on the uncalibrated screen.
I'm not saying that the screen is the best out there, but it certainly does not suck.

 

The 3D screen is the same as the one in the envy 3D.

 

Here's another review on the matte screen by Cam. He really likes it.

"Yeah it is growing on me the AG screen the viewing angles are very good I have not really noticed image quality losing much at angles at all it is quite clear from all aspects and quite solid once the media files were instructed to run of the nvidia dedicated the image quality was very good for video..it does photos and videos very well"

new XPS 17 "L702X" + 1080p 3D TFT = no Optimus? - Laptop Video Forum - Laptop - Dell Community

"The AG monitor is very good sharp and has very good viewing from angles but probably isnt quite as rich as True Life, but I like the matt finish and the way it presents with no reflection at all in daytime and.it looks great at night time.

Overall the graphics run very smoothly with very little heat except when playing a game which I dont do very often and is still with in reasonable bounds.

The 2720QM CPU is excellent giving a windows score of 7.4 out of 7.9 plus the WiDi option and the turbo boost is good running anywhere up to 3.3 GHz when necessary and then dropping back when not being being pressured. It is a powerful machine.

Like I said at first you may want to know when the Nvidia is being used but once you are used to it you probably wont be as concerned and it is very easy to configure and control and there is the option of the applet to monitor it if you wish.

Optimus is very impressive you will get more effecient use from the battery as well as running cooler and the Intel GPU handles OS and windows tasks very well I have not had a problem with it"


He's going to post a youtube video in the near future.

 

Thanks very much for posting relevant review comments from other threads and forum into this thread.

This is interesting and good to know that it makes a difference to image quality when the media files are run using dedicated graphics card.

Dell201, I guess you might have already tried the above idea of configuring to use the dedicated card. If yes, did this help or make a difference in your viewing experience?

 

This is wrong, the video card will not make a difference in normal situations. The intel IGP is capable of exactly the same post-processing as the nvidia card.

 

A thread on this forum seem to rate like just about 10% increase in performance from 550M to 555M. That seems like expensive for $150.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/562924-nvidia-gt-550m-555m-3gb-help.html

I enquired for a replacement from XPS 17 to 15 and I was told that I can return only after delivery and will be charged restocking fee per return policy.

 

Okay. This is what I too thought initially (Intel specifies 'Intel® Clear Video HD Technology' in the graphics specifications for these processors - Intel Built-in Visuals. But since I do not have the depth, I thought it might be true.

Thanks for the clarification.

The important thing though is that Cam seems to be enjoying his monitor for sharpness and picture quality - and that is keeping up my hopes.

 

Can anyone actually who has experience with both the non-3D 17" and the BGRLED 15" screens testify to the differences? It seems so far at least on paper and individual experiences that the 15" is superior in terms of brightness, gamut, and viewing angle. Also would anyone be able to comment the quality differences between the 3D screen and the BRGLED screens aside from the obvious 3D application. Thanks!

 

Hi All, I'm new here. I'm also very interested to know above. Just few days back I have ordered (Dell Australia) XPS 17 (non-3D FHD screen) but still not sure whether I should get it or not. I'll be doing LOT of photo editing on this laptop, not sure whether this matte screen will be better for me or glossy BGRLED 15" screens will be better. I can still cancel my order. I'll be using laptop at home 99% of the time, so glare is not an issue for me. Any suggestion for which one will be better for my need?

Thanks

 

Please review these posts:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/7478784-post2517.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/7296902-post1.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/7473392-post2475.html


Although the non 3D system screen has good viewing angles and color, I cannot get use to the excessive (in my opinion) matte finish. To me, it's like looking through clear 300-grit sand paper and the defused light from this rough finish seems to play games with my eyes. I have an AG screen on my Vostro 3500 (15.6") and the texture is much less prominate on that screen. In fact, I have no issues with that screen other than the lower than desired 720p resolution. I have a 1080p screen for that system, but I am still searching for a compatible FHD LVDS cable with the smaller system board connector.

So with all that said, I think I will be changing out the AG screen on the L702x for a glossy screen. Specifically, the 120Hz LG used on the 3D systems.

 

I just received my xps 17 non-3d matte laptop, and I have to say the screen is not very pleasing at the moment. I am coming from a 15" dell studio with the 1080p glossy screen, and the drop in sharpness to the matte screen is extremely apparent. It's almost like there is a overlying "haze" to the screen which makes things look a bit blurry. It's weird, because I have a 30" hp monitor that's also matte and the effect doesn't seem nearly as pronounced, perhaps because of the distance from the eye.

Nonetheless, I am kinda undecided about what to do. The overall quality of the laptop is excellent, the sound in particular, and it feels great to work with. I may try to return it and go for a 3d glossy screen, but am worried about restocking fees. I did open the recovery cd sleeves doing a fresh win 7 install, not sure if that affects the return. Anyhow, just wanted to give my 2 cents.

 

I'm now very worried.. I have ordered XPS 17 with this AG non-3D screen and I'll be doing lot of photo editing on this laptop. Can someone please tell me how is std HD 900p glossy screen quality as compared this matte FHD screen? If std HD 900p screen is better then I might just cancel my current order now (still in progress) and get std HD screen. Any thoughts?

 

At this stange, having worked with both the 3D and non-3D screens in Photoshop CS5, etc., if 3D operation is not needed, I would:

Cancel the order -

Reorder with the lower cost 900p glossy screen -

Play with it and see how you like it. Even though the resolution is lower, it is still a decent screen and easier to look at (in my opinion) than the AG FHD screen in the system now.

If you still want FHD (it's hard to do without it once you have it!), you can easily change the display panel with the very nice AUO B173HW01 v.4 or similar.

Hope this info helps.

Scott-

 

Hi Scott, thanks a lot for the reply. Have you also got any chance to look at 900p glossy screen? Looks like i might cancel my order and get glossy screen and update to FHD in future if reqd.. Cheers

 

Yes, my L701x had the 900p glossy screen in it. I used it for a few months and it wasn't bad. However, once I upgraded the screen to the AUO 1080p, it was VERY nice. Since you can get the legit AUO for under US$190 from multiple sources, it would be a good option at some point. The 120Hz 2ms LG screen used in the 3D compatible systems is also very nice and smooth when playing back FHD video. So, I suggest the AUO for still pic editing and the LG for video editing/playing.

Scott-

 

I had the same impression about the AG screen. The matte coating is terrible.

AG screen impression

 

Due to some bad reviews here, I'm thinking to cancel my current order of xps 17 with AG screen. Do you think std HD 900p will better for photo editing?

 

If you went through the L701X ( link) and the L702X ( link) threads as well as the official "swapping the XPS 17 L701x screen" thread ( link), you would find a lot of really worrying comments about the 900p panel - poor colors, no blacks, terrible angles, grain, etc. I used that panel on my former Studio 1749 and after having it replaced several times along with the GPU (I thought the grain was a hardware malfunction) I decided to return the whole thing. Personally I wouldn't even attempt editing photos on that screen...

 

I do not think the LG 900p screen I had was that bad. Since Dell uses multiple manufacturers, your's could have been from a different vendor or just a bad lot.

Scott-

 

Like I said, I've seen many similar comments throughout the XPS/Studio XPS sub-forums, mentioning different 900p panels - SAM0678, LG D021D, AUO139E (apparently not all AUO are as decent as B173HW01) - which were consistent with my impressions. But apparently impressions vary

 

Generic screen comments really need to be taken with a grain of salt... everyone's perspective is different, and on top of that many (if not most) people are now accustomed to glossy screens.

I just got my matte xps 17, and find the screen to be about what I expected. Above average but not excellent. Contrast, blacks, viewing angles are all acceptable for a midrange panel. Brightness is very good. Out of the box color needs some work and I will dig into that after I get my SSD installed.

I strongly suspect most of the sweeping "OMG THE SCREEN SUXORS" are coming from people comparing it to glossy screens. I don't prefer them. The blacks and "pop" from them are nice for video, but I prefer a matte screen for when I'm trying to do actual computer work in varied environments.

Chances are if you prefer matte screens you are going to be fine. For me personally, the option to even get a 1080p matte screen was the main reason I went with an XPS17 vs. MSI or other offerings.

No way I would cancel/change an order before you see it for yourself.

But you gotta be honest with your preference. Everybody prefers one or the other.

 

How can I objectively compare the quality of the matte 1080p with the screen on my old Inspiron 6000?

I love the monitor on my Inspiron 6000 and besides the obvious (screen res, etc.) what specificiations can I look at to compare it to the matte 1080p?

I'd like to get a feel for if I'd be disappointed or not.

 

Hi Slare,
can you share your diplay's photos?
Thanks

 

Has anyone heard any news of the new 1080p screens on the non-3D?
Apparently, they're glossy.

This is rather annoying, they release these new screens only 2 days after I place my order...

 

ZeonX, where do you see reference to a non-3D glossy screen for the XPS 17? I just looked on the US Dell site and it seems to only have the 3D screen and the AG non-3D screen.

I really wanted the 17 without 3D, but with a glossy screen. This wouldl be great... I was about to order a 15 instead.

thanks!

 

Seems like misinformation is spreading like a virus again, and it all starts from some ignorant dell rep telling someone incorrect info.
The U.S website still shows AG display for non-3D systems.
There has been no evidence of any non-3D XPS system with a 1080 p glossy screen yet.

 

Yesterday I took a look at the customizations page for a new XPS 17 and noticed that the "AG" next to the 1080p screen title was gone. I later got in a chat with a Dell Rep., who confirmed that the new XPS 17s all have glossy 1080p screens.

Well, for one, on the customizations page it no longer lists "17.3in FHD WLED AG (1080p)" and now lists "17.3" FHD WLED (1080p)"

 

How are you seeing that? I just went to the dell configurator, if you go to the display section --> help me choose --> compare side-by-side, it still shows the non-3d 1080 display as antiglare

 

Let me help your narrative with a picture:

 

I received my L702x non-3D 1080p this weekend and I kinda like the screen. Takes a day to get used to it, but I actually think it's very crisp and clear with no distractions whatsoever (i.e. reflections)......

 

Still not happy with the matte screen but will probably live with it, might change out the screen for a different one at some point if it's a fairly easy procedure.

I can't seem to get rid of the purple overtones to the color, anybody else having this problem?

 

I just got the AG 1080p L702X and I really love it. I had to disable the Intel persistence module in oder to override the color/brightness change that was applied at boot but I am very satisfied.

I have used mostly Lenovo laptops in the past though so I'm used to the matte screen. I've always disliked the glossy Dell screens.. Just my 2 cents.

 

Yeah the colors are slightly off, its the same with the Envy 17 and XPS 17 3D edition. There are some calibrations that need to be done to get the colors accurate, still waiting on someone with a proffessional calibration tool to help out.

 

^ Thanks Beer, I'll keep a lookout for some tips on the color.

Apart from my feelings on the screen, I feel this is a very good laptop and overall I'm happy with the purchase