S12 vs U150 vs U350 screens

Hi,

I'd like to know the max nits and the contrast ratios of these 3 models' screen. I should say actually measured, not manufacturer spec sheets. Would you say that the screen quality of these netbook/culv laptops are better than the x200? I may just get it over with and get the x200 tablet.

I'm ideally shooting for something > 250 nits.

Thank you!

 

The IdeaPad S12, U150 and U350 have the same specifications, according to Lenovo-

LED-backlit, 200 nits, 500:1 contrast ratio

I'm sure you already know the difference in resolution and aspect ratio, but just in case: S12- 1280x800 (16:10) and U150/U350- 1366x768 (16:9)

My sister had an X200 loaner for a few weeks (she works for IBM and they always get at least a few demos of every new model). The display was decent, but nothing special. The standard display is CCFL-backlit, 200 nits, with a 250:1 contrast ratio. Lenovo shows an LED with the same exact specs (200 nits, 250:1) as being available on some X200 models, but the one I saw was the CCFL-backlit variety.

The X200s has a much more impressive display than the X200! Initially, the standard display had 1440x900 resolution (vs. 1280x800 on the regular X200), 250 nits and 300:1 contrast ratio. It really stood out compared to the X200 display. Several months ago, Lenovo dropped the price of the X200s by $400+ but they also downgraded the standard display to a 1280x800, 200-nit, 250:1, LED. The 250-nit 1440x900 display is now a $150 upgrade (but worth every single penny).

The X200 Tablet has at least five different display options (although some may no longer be offered). They're all 1280x800 resolution with a 500:1 contrast ratio and LED backlight. The standard display is 200 nits, but the optional SuperBright ($65 or so) display is 285 nits.

The X301 has a standard 13.3" LED rated at 300 nits and it has a 250:1 contrast ratio. In addition to the high-brightness, it is also one of the only (if not THE only) 13.3" displays with 1440x900 resolution. It's very impressive, but not enough to justify the $2k price tag of the X301...in my opinion.

Not sure if I helped at all (or created confusion) but Lenovo display options ARE confusing! Hope this helps!

 

You could get the X200 and swap the screen for the AFFS if you really want a good screen. Keeping in mind you're likely voiding your warranty in doing so. It's not without risk. Or get the tablet.

I wouldn't hold brightness as the litmus test as to whether a screen is of good quality. 200 nits is plenty bright on my R60 and 250 nits isn't bright enough for outdoor usage, which means it has little value. Contrast ratio and viewing angles are usually what adds up to a good screen. Generally glossy screens have better contrast, which is why people like them.

 

You make a very valid point- brightness alone means very little and it's impossible to judge the quality of a display solely by that number! In my experience, it's impossible to determine the quality of a display based only on it's technical specifications! Two displays that look very similar on paper may look very different when you actually see them first hand.

I had a ThinkPad R61 (14.1") with a WXGA+ display (CCFL, 200 nits, not sure of the contrast ratio) and I was never happy with it. It never seemed bright enough, colors were more washed out than any laptop I'd ever used and viewing angles were best described as non-existent! My best friend has a ThinkPad T400 with a 14.1" WXGA LED rated at 200 nits and a pretty low 300:1 contrast ratio, but it looks pretty darn good. I'd be content having that display if it was WXGA+ (1440x900) instead of WXGA (1280x800). But that is about my personal preference not the WXGA display's lack of quality.

I've had a Dell Latitude E6400 for just over one year, but I actually returned the first E6400 I bought because I hated the display so much! It had the then-standard WXGA (1280x800) CCFL display rated at 200 nits and a contrast ratio of 400:1. It was horrible- too dim, even at full brightness, backlighting was very inconsistent. There was a reason that they discontinued using it about three months into production. That was the same reason they sold the remaining stock thru the Dell Outlet at at one-third of the regular price...which is where I bought mine! I quickly learned that it's not a deal, no matter how cheap, if you're unhappy with it!

I sent it back and the following week I found my current E6400 at a very good price. It only had 1GB of RAM and an 80GB 5400rpm hard drive (which I remedied immediately), BUT it had the processor, backlit keyboard, and, ABOVE ALL ELSE, the display I wanted! It has a 14.1" WXGA+ (1440x900) LED-backlit display- 300 nits and a contrast ratio of 400:1. It is easily the highest quallity laptop display I've ever used. It's actually too bright at 100% and causes the colors to fade and light colors even look bright white at 300 nits. But at 80-85% brightness, the image quality is the best I've seen this side of a 1080p RGB-LED that costs hundreds more. The only area where it lacks is viewing angles. Side-to-side is pretty good, but there are times when I change height or angle slightly and suddently my display looks so faded and washed out...A small push/pull on the dislay is all it takes to fix it.

 

You never saw a FlexView with your sis at IBM? It always stumps me as to why no one offers a good screen on a mainstream notebook. That means lots of contrast and wide viewing angles, be it IPS, PVA, FFS, etc. The T60 was the last to do so. There's some screens like the RGB-LED or the MBP that have the contrast and are color acurate, but they don't have the angles. You'd think with all the designers, engineers, photographers, etc., out there, someone would be willing to buy them. Even just the people who want a good screen instead of the crap they give us now.

 

Thank you for this.
My comments:
I have seen the x200 ccfl and that was very poor in my opinion.
I have used the x301 and while dead on for normal use was fine, when watching hulu full screen, I found there was a non-existent sweet spot. Especially videos.
I believe the T400 has the same screen as the wxga+ led and unfortunately there was no sweet spot for viewing any type of multimedia as well. Brightness and colors were good during web surfing, office productivity.
MBP: the best of the bunch for me, and has demonstrably better viewing angles, esp for multimedia.
X200 tablet: I'm hoping this to be the one!