Interesting note about a grainy AUO screen....

Got an AUO screen on my replacement 1400 and it does display some grain... hardly as bad as it sounds like a lot of others are getting, but definitely noticeable espeically if you are looking for it.

Well in comparing it with my previous SEC screen I noted that along with the grain, the AUO is actually brigher and whiter than the SEC... The SEC looks almost antiqued or as if it was in a smokers house for a while in that it's not as bright and sharp a white and looks a little yellowed (this is comparing at lots of different levels of brightness).

Not sure what that's worth to people but thought I would point it out.

BTW for those who are wondering the best way I can descrbie the screen grain on mine is imagine a very thin coat of oil all over your screen. Something along the lines of as much as you try to wipe it off you can't ever quite get it all... an oil slick of types. It's not really as the screen doesn't feel oily but to my eyes that's how it appears.

It's actually not very bad if you only look with one eye, the problem is when you add the second eye it brings about a noteable twinkle/grain as your eyes see different areas distorted differently in areas which becomes noteable most serverly near the edges and makes it hard to photograph (as a lot of the bother is due to two eyes perceiving the same area a little differently).

I guess now it's time to try and convince Dell to let me swap LCD panels or send out a tech to take care of it

 

Just got my Vostro 1400 today with an SEC 4457 and I noticed that it wasn't as bright and vivid next to a new Sony FZ150 but sony lives by their screens so i wasn't to worried about it. I'm sure grain on some is way worse than grain on others.

There is so much talk about grain it seems like I am looking to find it because I'm so paranoid. Besides all the mumbo jumbo about the screen it is an outstanding computer!

 

I have to agree that the vostros represent a great value for the buck but the number of potential problems certainly is frustrating...

BTW for the record this is not one of the high res screens on my 1400... I believe it's the WXGA Truelife, which I thought was safe as I have only heard of grain in the higher res screens... but apparently not...

 

Correct. My WXGA 12800x800 Truelife screen is grainy and I will be calling Dell today to arrange a replacement or refund. It is that simple for me.

The screen is the main thing for me. Glossy screen, updated OS in Windows Vista, it should all be a joy to look at in this day and age of HD and advancements in picture quality.

I cannot believe Dell think they can palm people off with these screens!!

 

I agree with Devedander, my replacement with the AUO is brighter...and has a better shade of white compared with my old SEC. However, the grain on the AUO seems to distort the clarity of everything...and a totally white screen is just full of speckles. While the SEC's white seems to lean towards the red side, it's as grainless as I can ask for.

 

Is the graininess apparent regardless of what you are doing on the computer? I'm sure it's obvious when browsing the web and looking at a white background, but what about when you are playing a game?

 

Yes people have reported seeing graininess even in games. When I got my replacement I knew something was wrong when I looked at the windows boot screens.. before it even reached the desktop. I had the replacement for less then 8 hours before I returned the orignial and replacement systems for refund the next morning. I only had the replacement powered up for about 10 minutes. I knew it as AUO when I saw the boot screen. It was that noticable. It took me less then a minute to verify it in the device manager. I don't know if all the AUO's were as bad as mine, but everything looked grainy on top of the vasoline/greasy smeary looking screen.

But to answer your question, yes. I have seen a few people comment that they can see graininess in games. I never tested that since I only had that AUO system on for around 10 minutes. I was pretty upset being the Rep promised me another SEC. And that was after I asked her 11 times if she was positively sure.

 

I don't see any oily look to my AUO. It looks a little textured in a wrong way, but I really don't think it's bad. I don't notice it at all on darker colors, it's just on white and pale colors, like the gray of this forum. I think it's acceptable as far as I'm concerned. I have really good eyesight, so I know it's not my eyes that aren't picking it up. Plus, I'm not too picky about my laptop as long as the sound quality is decent.

 

Something you can do to check it out is go to any big box store that has a lot of laptops and look at the screens there, examine carefully white areas (I actually think windows explorer is a decent spot as you get a lot of white with occasional breakups) try looking at one spot as you move your head from side to side (it will look funny but oh well).

This may help you identify what you are seeing with something to compare it against.

Then again... you may just not want to find out... which might be better in the end.

 

Did you notice that the colors on the AUO seemed a bit washed out compared to the SEC? I really like how the AUO displays whites compared to the SEC, however when I look videos and pictures, it seems the SEC displays deeper colors...yet my guess why the AUO's colors are a bit washed out is because of its better brightness. Nevertheless, there is some graininess on the AUO that is not there on the SEC.

Which one have you decided to keep? I ask because I am still debating which way to go, discolored and clear or bright and grainy?

I even looked toward getting a dv2500t, but I like the solid alloy build of the Vostro compared to the plastic Pavillions.

 

It'a a crappy decision to make but for me it's not one I have to make just yet as the AUO one ran very hot, so I had to send it back and asked for another unit shipped... I just hope they ship me a new one (I am out of e the 30 day zone due to some the delay causing my laptop to arrive after I left the country for a few weeks) and not a refurb

Now I have to hope the replacement is not worse again... it's pretty rediculous the number of issues coming up with these laptops.