Lenovo Y580 HD screen- how is it?

Hey all. Been a long time since I rapped at ya.
Thinking of picking up the lenovo Y580- does
anyone know what the specs of the HD screen are?
Brightness, contrast, etc? Better yet, if you own
one let me know what you think of the HD screen.

 

I am interested in this too.

 

Here's a video demonstrating the viewing angles (in a dark room).

LENOVO Y580 viewing angle - YouTube

 

But isn't it full hd ?

 

It can be configured with both 768p and 1080p. There are some pretty nice weekly deals over at the lenovo shop now where you can save up to $630.

 

Yes i know the problem is OP asked for HD(768p) screen opinions and i am also interested in 768p, for better games performance.

 

You can always just downscale a FHD screen in-game.

 

I really hope the 1080p screen is nice, because I recently pulled the trigger on a Y580 with the FHD screen. So excited.

 

The 15.6" 1366x768 display that comes with certain models of the Y580 is likely just like most other 15.6" 1366x768 displays: poor contrast, particularly narrow viewing angles, graininess, etc. In addition, 1366x768 resolution limits multitasking because it provides a small onscreen workspace, and in a 15.6" display it makes things onscreen appear rather large. It is advisable to avoid this type of display when it is reasonable to do so, unless you require its larger text for eyesight-related reasons.

The 15.6" 1920x1080 display that comes with the other models is likely just like most other 15.6" 1920x1080 (TN) displays: good contrast, better-than-average viewing angles.

The notion that you should choose a lower resolution in order to improve game performance is a myth, and is one of the worst misconceptions in computer purchasing.

Game performance should not be a reason to choose a 15.6" 1366x768 display instead of a 15.6" 1920x1080 display. For one thing, you can always make up for drops in performance associated with higher resolutions by lowering to a non-native resolution, but you cannot as easily make up for the limits imposed on multitasking by a lower resolution. In addition, despite the fact that running in a non-native resolution causes blur, games will still tend to look better running in a non-native resolution on a 15.6" 1920x1080 display than they would look running in native resolution on a 15.6" 1366x768 display, because of the sheer difference between the image quality typical of these types of displays.

If you live in Canada where the difference between the price of the cheapest 1366x768 model and the price of the cheapest 1920x1080 model is around $300-- or if you require the larger text of the 1366x768 display for eyesight-related reasons, that's one thing, but you should not buy a model of the Y580 that comes with the 1366x768 display instead of one that comes with the 1920x1080 display specifically to improve framerates.

 

Ehh hard decision ... Price difference in my country is roughly ~150$, so not that much and HDready version has i5, while Full HD version has i7.

 

Under normal circumstances I would never suggest getting a lower resolution screen.

However, I did go with the 768p screen for a simple reason. 99% of the time my 580 will be hooked up to a 27 inch 1080p monitor. I personally will almost never be using the laptop screen.

It can be argued that for that kind of use, a desktop is better but I do still need portability from time to time.

If you're going to be using the laptop screen, it's always better to go with a higher resolution one.

 

Can anyone compare the FHD screen with the DV6 or Sony SE? If the three of them are comparable, I might get the Y580 over the DV6.

 

(I just ordered a Y580, so check back close the 27th for a review of the 768p panel.)

People are (mistakenly I believe) assuming that a lower resolution screen (like the one on the Y580) tend to possess lower quality characteristics (contrasts, white level, black level, brightness....etc.) than a higher resolution panel on the same computer. In some cases the lower resolution display possesses higher quality characteristics. Resolution alone means absolutely nothing when evaluating a display; if that were true; Apple's new Retina (IPS) 1800p display would have superior qualities; however it falls short in both brightness and white levels compared to much lower resolution panels in other laptop brands. Ultimately panel quality is dependent on the contracted manufacturer and manufacturing process.

There are numerous processes, strategies and sub-component selections in the creation of a TFT Active Matrix LCD. As long as the panel is produced via a process indicative of quality there should be no discernible reason why a lower resolution panel should produce poor performance. Its all up to chosen LCD manufacturer. Just as there are a variety of HD TV's with vastly different viewing characteristics; laptop LCD panels are subject to the same. The notion that screen resolution and screen quality are causally related is a unfounded suggestion; certainly there are price/performance correlations in the LCD panel industry in which displays on high-end laptops possess better viewing characteristics but that is more or less a function and reflection of the overall quality of the laptop and subsequently the quality of the particular panel chosen. Its basic common sense; a cheap machine will more than likely have a cheap panel regardless of resolution. Resolution does not immediately translate to better general viewing characteristics.

Also, a lower resolution screen WILL minutely increase gaming performance; although a 1080p panel can be down-scaled to 768p, the GPU is still charged with driving a greater number of a physical pixels; hoewver the practical increase in frame-rates between a down-scaled FHD panel and an HD+ panel (1080p, 768p) is negligible at best; perhaps only a net of only a couple of FPS. Additionally a 1080p panel can suffer from lower Light Transfer, what are the implications? Either the panel must have a brighter back-light to compensate (consequently consuming more power) or the panel isn't as bright as a 768p panel with an identical back-light. However, "Nahrai" is absolutely correct; purchasing a laptop on the basis on increased gaming performance would be an ill-informed decision. Also, as "Nahrai" stated; you lose screen real-estate. Another benefit that was not mentioned (although intuitive) subject to higher resolutions is sharper text and general graphics depending on physical resolution (pixel density).

In summation:

768p - Potentially less power consumption; potentially brighter, slight graphical performance increase (~+ 1-.1.5 FPS)**, lower native resolution produces better graphical quality manifesting as less blur and greater sharpness**
[**when compared to a 1080p panel down scaled to non-native 768p]

VS.

1080p - Sharper text/graphics, more screen real-estate, possibly darker, more expensive, possibly less power efficient, taxes the GPU and it's frame buffer by measurable degree (however it may not necessarily be noticeable).

So; which one should you get?

Generally if the panels are equivalent, (general viewing characteristics such as, contrast, brightness, white level, black level, saturation, etc.) the 1080p compared to 768p panels possess benefits that far outweigh any of the negligible drawbacks; if you can afford it. If you can; buy it; otherwise don't feel as if you're committing to an inferior panel. If you can't or don't want to buy the higher resolution panel, don't worry, a lower resolution display won't be a deal breaker once you start using it; especially since an additional 25-75 dollars over the cost of the Y580 1080p panel upgrade; you can purchase a fantastic 20+in external monitor.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS ARTICLE IS NOT TO DETER PEOPLE FROM BUYING THE 1080P PANEL UPGRADE; BUT RATHER TO PROVIDE OBJECTIVE INFORMATION TO HELP YOU CONSIDER YOUR NEEDS IN RELATION TO YOUR BUDGET IN A COST/BENEFIT COMPARISON.

***This article was vetted by an individual who is a Mechatronics Engineer and computer enthusiast.

 

Very well pointed out ArcRendition. The only problem is, consumers don't know which models have good 768 panels due to mass production. I don't know if there are IPS 768 panels out there, or high gamut panels. If there is, it isn't being marketed much. I would consider a Radiance quality 768 panel over 1080p anytime but I haven't seen one so far. Bottomline is there are very very few good quality 768 panels out there so people are forced to buy 1080p panels.

 

Thank you for your insight ArcRendition. Yesterday i was ready to buy Full HD screen, but again i am not sure what to do.

 

Well this sounds all great in theory, but in reality the 768p panel in the lenovo y570 is simply awful - grainy, bad viewing angles, bad colors. There is no reason to believe that the 768p display in the y580 is any different so I would never buy it. Also from experience 768p displays in 15" laptops are a nono - there is just no enough screen real estate. An ideal resolution would be 1600x900 but there are no such screens most likely due to marketing reasons, after all 1080p sounds better to the masses

 

from what i understand most of the time these laptop screens are carry overs from TV screen manufacturers... which is why you mainly see 1080p and 700p (most common tv resolutions) screens available.

 

Resolution increases don't always come in tandem with quality increases, but it's statistically shown that the majority of 15.6" 1366x768 displays tend to have very poor contrast and the majority of 15.6" 1920x1080 displays tend to have rather good contrast.

(and by statistically, I don't mean somebody actually went out and calculated hard numbers. It's an expression.)

 

While it's true that the lower res stock screens do not HAVE to be lower quality in general, they almost always are. I certainly would assume otherwise unless backed up by reviews or seeing it in person.

 

Here you go:

Lenovo Y580 vs. HP DV6TQE HD display comparison - YouTube

 

I was hoping to buy the 768p screen laptop and just replace it with a 1080p screen later down the road.

 

FYI I got my Y580. I like the screen just fine. Don't have a lot to compare to but it looks good to me.

 

Here are a few comparisons between the DV6t and Y580 1080p panels

Lenovo Y580 vs. HP DV6TQE HD display comparison - YouTube

Lenovo Y580 vs. HP DV6TQE HD display comparison 2 - YouTube

Lenovo Y580 vs. HP DV6TQE HD display comparison 3 - YouTube

Lenovo Y580 vs. HP DV6TQE HD display Diablo 3 - YouTube

HP on right and Lenovo on left.

 

How is text on the Lenovo screen? I hear it is harder to read than on the DV6.

 

It's a weird mix of feelings for me. On some pages, the DV6 renders text better whereas other pages render better on the Lenovo.

 

The blues look kind of purplely on my y580. I think need to calibrate my screen.

 

Speaking of calibration, is there way to change display parameters without using controls from graphic drivers? Like normal, desktop display.

 

Hardware: you have control only over brightnes settings, using Fn + Arrow Up / Down

Software: windows monitor calibration tool, manual ICC profile, or as you said graphic drivers

 

Thx, so it is like I thought.

 

how is the viewing angle compare to dv6tqe?

 

They are somewhat similar. Obviously, the glossy screen has some trouble in light but other than that, they're very similar.

 

Is the glossy screen here going to be an issue if I'm using this for college, like bringing it to classrooms and libraries and all? Outside a bit too but not enough to be a factor.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I know it's glossy so it'll have some reflections, but I've never personally used a glossy screen for anything but a plasma TV in my basement so I don't really know what I'm getting into with laptops.

 

Glossy screens become annoying with a bright light source over head or in front of the screen. But some wouldn't mind this. I had trouble in the library many times.

The glossy screens are supposed to have richer colors and deeper blacks, but with a darker color, you would see yourself on the screen most of the time. This is the reason, I am leaning towards the HP dv6t with a matte FHD screen. I have a glossy Vaio screen right now. See them in person, before you make a decision.

 

for the 720p hd screen...how is it to use once in a while for gaming and general use....i am probabably gonna get the 720p model and hook it up to my 25" 1080p monitor most of the time, but occassionally i will take the unit to a friends house for some casual gaming, or just take it to my living room to use on the couch etc...other then that It will be hooked up to a monitor. Is the 720p that bad, or something i can get used to for those small instances.

 

I have been doing that for 10 yrs at work, as employers often want to save $ on the screens. My current employer gave me a dell notebook with 720p and a 21" 1020p external monitor.