T410 screen questions?

I dunno why but something about the T410 is attractive to me, that makes me want to look at despite it being a bit on the larger side(if they made T310 series even better). The question I have is how is the screen quality on the T4x0 series? I am kind of interested in the touch screen model and I am worried that screen quality and color would not be the best for photo and video work that I do on my free time(I like good quality). I did some search, but I'd still like more opinions on this, specially with touch screen option and the higher quality screen.

BTW, is the i3 cpu available with the touch screen option(I have heard you can get the i3 for under $700 new these days and thats kind of tempting)? And is it the T410, T410s or both that come with the touch screen option? Thank you.

 

I've heard the LG WXGA+ LED is the best screen on the T410, but if you're expecting something like one of the tablets or a modded X200 or even a T60, you're going to be underwhelmed by the T410.

I'd add the touch layer adds a bit of graininess to the LCD, which is something to keep in mind if you want a good screen. If you want a good screen I'd suggest one of the tablets or a modded X200/X201.

 

The 1440x900 displays on the T410 and T410s are generally better. However, it is rare to receive an LG part (and, of course, impossible to specify as a configuration option). Most of the T410(s)'s [ ] to which I have direct access show "Lenovo" as manufacturer.

The T410(s) will not address your worry. I am typing this on a T410, but I use a different machine for my photo/video projects.

Consider the HP EliteBook 8540w with "DreamColor 2" display option. It might be outside your search range, but I thought I should bring it up.

 

Yeah I know the HP is an option, but that is bigger and pricer than I want. And I know touch screen layers add some graininess, but I thought maybe the T410(s) maybe a bit different. I guess I'll just wait and see what the SB version of the T series brings.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't expect anything great, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

 

Well isn't SB suppose to improve battery life while giving a better gpu, that something great, at least in my book. Arg, why does finding the right upgrade have to be complicated and stuff.

Is there any hope that Lenovo will bring out a 13in T(or bring the X300 back), or are they too in favor of the 12.5in size we are now seeing on 4 machines(2 Thinkpad models, one U series and one S series model not coming to the US).

 

I meant in terms of screen quality. They always say there's going to be a huge leap, but it's usually incremental at best. If you bought a T40 years ago, you'd get about three to four hours of battery on the six-cell battery on medium settings, which is what I'd expect from the T420 when it's released.

 

Oh, okay. So, you don't think with SB battery life could be like 4-5 hours on the T420(s). I guess then the T4x0 may not be for me. I guess I will wait and see what the T420, X220 and the rest of the pack bring. Thanks.

 

Quick related question:

How do the screens of the T410 (not the touch screen version) and the x201 compare? The baseline assumption is that both have comparable screen resolution.

Thanks

 

I dunno if it is optional or not, but I do know the T410 come with a 1440x900 res screen.

 

you can get the T410 with either the WXGA or WXGA+ LCD.

 

The T410 1440x900 and the X201 1280x800 displays are about the same in quality. They both bright, but they both lack contrast, and black is not really black.

(BTW, Ubuntu 10.10 renders fonts much better on those screens: the characters are darker and look more defined. Microsoft ClearType technology may not be the best.)

 

Really? That's interesting! I quite like MS's Clear Type on my machine and if you are saying that the font rendering is better in Ubuntu, I may as well try it out sometime.

Btw, I was actually looking to compare a 1280x800 screen in the T410 and the x201. I say 1280x800 for the T410 because I presume that then the screen would be the same or very similar to my current R400.

 

I am happy enough with the X201 1280x800 screen. For the T410(s), I always recommend 1440x900.

 

Most people do not know you can calibrate ClearType to get optimal display for your screen.

 

Calibration: done (a while back). Assessment: same.

Also, Mac OS X renders fonts better than Windows 7.

 

What would you guys say is the best Lenovo machine for dedicated photoshop work?

 

Limiting to Lenovo, I would say this: ThinkPad T510/W510 with 1920x1080 display. A step up would be ThinkPad W701 or W701ds with 1920x1200 display. This last one, which I haven't had the chance to try, has a pop-out 10.6" 1280x800 secondary display for "non-design" activities!

 

If resolution was a factor would the T510 still have a better screen than the T410?

 

I'm not sure if the t410s has the same screen, but I would rate it as well below average. When I turned the computer on I didn't notice anything unusual I just thought all those Thinkpad users were just picky. That however has changed since I went on Youtube. Dark movies are very, very difficult to enjoy. Even programming with a dark colorscheme was bad I had to change it to a lighter one. Viewing angles are somewhat annoying, I had to adjust often so I could see dark stuff on the screen. If contrast was good I wouldn't really need to adjust the screen so I think contrast is the problem not viewing angles.

 

I do have a T510 1920x1080 and a T410 1440x900 side by side. The T510 display is superior.

I used a T410s for about 5 weeks. Its 1440x900 display is bright, but if you expect good colors and high contrast, you're bound to be disappointed. For tasks related to programming and document editing, that display is alright, but it is not great for photo/video. Horizontal viewing angles, OK. Vertical viewing angles, pretty bad.

 

My bad I should have said wasn't a factor. But thank you.

 

Take the T410. It has two display options: 1440x900 and 1280x800. The former is qualitatively better than the latter, but the quality is not related to pixel density: it's just a convenient way to identify a particular option/manufacturer.

Similar with the T510. The quality of its display options may be ranked like this: HD 1366x768 (okay), HD+ 1600x900 (better), FHD 1920x1080 (best). For many users, HD+ is quite good. For photo-oriented work, T510 FHD is recommended, not because of its pixel density (resolution), but because of its characteristics, such as 95% gamut and high contrast.

 

Ah, I guess then the T4x0 is off the list for now. Shame they can't find a 14in panel that could match the FHD screen.