nx6125 - very disappointed by display

Recently bought an nx6125 with a 64-bit Turion processor. Performance and feel is excellent but... the "high resolution" 1400x1050 display is despicable.

The white background is dim and washed out, with an "acid" feel. With brightness turned all the way up, it is still about 50% as bright as my desktop LCD, plus there is no contrast.

(There is no Ambient Light sensor on this model, so it's not a light sensor-related issue.)

The service shop refused to declare it a defect, since it "works".

I'm further miffed since a review on tomshardware calls it "A Bright, High Contrast Display":

http://www.mobilityguru.com/2005/09/27/hp_adds_amd/page8.html

I'm returning it/buying another model but still reluctant to give away this excellent Turion machine. (I don't want to risk a Centrino fan noise problem.)

 

"A Bright, High Contrast Display" it is!

My first SXGA+ showed same backlight leakage as the picture in Tom's review, so I got a screen replacement. Replacement was in all aspects MUCH better. A couple of IT collegues at the office even drool over my NX6125 SXGA+ screen.

So you must have gotten a bad screen.
Therefore I would DEMAND a screen replacement. If the shop is not helpfull then contact HP directly. The SXGA+ is one of most expensive parts of the notebook. And yes a NX6125 + SGXA+ is a great package.

In http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=962498 there's a link in Clinton Tam's post to a printscreen of his SXGA+ screen. And in reality the screen is even lots brighter. Perhaps a nice comparison. If your screen is even dimmer then that, then for 100% sure you have a defective screen or bad invertor board.

 

Thank you! That is some encouraging news. I will turn it in for a screen replacement then.

With a good screen this would really make an awesome notebook -- good for at least two years :amd64:

I think I'll take "before" and "after" pictures too. Here's to hoping it turns out for the best.

:fingers crossed:

 

ThinkPad's FlexView is very good if you are looking for a matte screen. No Turion is available though.

 

The screen on my new nx6125 is similarly poor as everyone else has already described. I had it replaced by the local ASP who put in another bad screen. Then I sent it in to the "official" HP service center. The 3rd screen (second replacement) is approx. 20% better, but still not great and there is huge light leakage at the bottom.

For what its worth, I was told by TS (in US) that the screen is a known problem due to sub standard screens provided by the original screen supplier. The fix is to replace it with a screen of higher standard provided by a different supplier. Repair shops have no way of specifying this brand or that brand, as the entire lid is replaced with the screen inside, based on a single HP replacement part number. The trick is to get a GOOD screen, and not just another bad screen. I am still working on this, but am somewhat burned out on it for the moment.

Surprisingly, TS (in India) doesn't have any documentation on this widely reported screen issue. It is in EVERY nx6125 owner's interest to keep insisting HP replace these screens until they "get the message" and we get what we expect and paid for.

 

I read a very throughout review of NX6125 in a german magazine (can't seem to find the link anymore) that had photos of the SXGA+ screen problem. They said it's a chronic problem with that type.

I have a friend in a major retailer of computers in Finland and he told me that HP is such a big company that they don't care anymore about their consumer products. Like with printers and scanners they don't even check if you're returning a faulty product or not - they just assume and replace it.

NX6125 is supposed to be a business laptop, so sure - you should be adamant and demand a functioning screen.

I think the problem is that HP just gets the LCDs from some manufacturer and since they've already tested and certified them according to the standards agreed in the contract, they don't retest them after installation with regard to specific quality standards (brightness contrast lightleakege etc.) - all their robot looks at is if the screen works or not.
_