T420 \ T520 reviews: screen differences.

Review Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 231 cd/m²
Average: 193.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 70 %
Black: 0.33 cd/m²
Contrast: 670:1

Review Lenovo Thinkpad T420 Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 223 cd/m²
Average: 206.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Black: 1.38 cd/m²
Contrast: 162:1

+ the RGB tests. That's a -big- black\contrast difference... -did they do any error in the test or what? Different screen manufacturer? If these are the correct figures, am dropping any 420 plans :O( and go for a 520 (or wait and see how the new HP elite 14 fares in the screen dept). Need a minimum quality for picture editing, and a 14' for travelling.

Edit: even my battered old hp's have decent screens compared to the 420, closer to the 520, which must be excellent.

example 6735b
Maximum: 226,6 cd/m²
Average: 196 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 70 %
Black: 0.5 cd/m²
Contrast: 452:1

 

That sounds like an error to me. I can't see how they could possibly come up with that result for contrast.

 

Same with the T410 vs T510

Review Lenovo Thinkpad T510 - 4349-4JG Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Maximum: 222 cd/m²
Average: 202.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 79 %
Black: 0.39 cd/m²
Contrast: 569:1

Review Lenovo Thinkpad T410 2522-3FG Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Maximum: 202 cd/m²
Average: 183.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 79 %
Black: 1.37 cd/m²
Contrast: 136:1

 

I pretty sure the figure are correct, every review site do screen review has the T420 listed 100+:1 contrast ratio. That is the one of the main reason, why I am looking at W520 and T520. The 14 form-factor is what I have been looking for, but just like the OP, I have a hard time using the contrast ratio. With that contrast ratio, it is perfectly ok to write document and other office task, but I would not want to use the screen to watch movie for a long time.

 

Let me tell you all, that with my aging eyes, the HD+ is just about the only resolution (small fonts) I would want on a 14 incher. Glad I did not get the 15 inch notbook with the 1920x1080.


1366x768, HD+, that is 1600x900 or FHD, that is 1920x1080 pixel resolutions

 

Add me to the list of people who want a 14" laptop with a decent screen. I know the Envy 14 had one, but sadly it's gone now.

 

just read this...I am about to pull a trigger on a t420 and now im second guessing...I watch alot of movies on my laptop

 

Yeah, the T420's screen doesn't seem to be all that great, as was the case with the T410. It's also not as horrible as the numbers seem to suggest, though--the T410's display seems a bit cool on my friend's laptop, but after a little bit of tweaking with color settings, it's not too horrible. Certainly okay for some movies.

Also, the NotebookCheck T520 and T510 seem to have the 1600x900 display. I'd imagine the FHD RGB-LED 1920x1080 display would be even better.

 

The worst is the Brightness Distribution. From that test, it is amazingly bad (on T520). Good graphic monitor is about 50 times more accurate.

 

MidnightSun wrote

... So the screen is horrible, but not too much... I'd rather hoped for some 'excellent, but not too much' screen comment when evaluating the 420, but seems to be a lost cause in the Lenovo 14 matte dept. >

T400s
Maximum: 297 cd/m²
Average: 255.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 76 %
Center on Battery: 246 cd/m²
Black: 2.88 cd/m²
Contrast: 98:1

T410s
Maximum: 283 cd/m²
Average: 245.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 67 %
Black: 2.99 cd/m²
Contrast: 95:1

L412
Maximum: 239 cd/m²
Average: 201.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 76 %
Center on Battery: 239 cd/m²
Black: 1.53 cd/m²
Contrast: 156:1

Some quite good brightness on these, but black\contrast !? no comment needed. & even seeing some user complaints about the T420s screen as well.

commander wrote

Am not expecting miracles for the price of a T420, but definitely do not want a serious downgrade from what my cheap old HP's screens manage (they are amazingly good for the money, and my minimum standard reference).

OK, seems I'll have to drop any Lenovo 14' dreams ftm (have used a T510 for a while and liked it a lot, eagerly wanting the 'same' with latest processor \ motherboard etc in a slightly smaller\lighter package + longer battery time, all seemed well (apart from lack of USB 3, not so important) until stopped net by the incomprehensible differences in display quality.

Last chance... any hopes for a T420 v2.0 with a display upgrade?

Edit: I've not seen the T420 in action, but trust the Notebookcheck screen measurements, they have always matched my impressions about any laptop I've used + checked the screen tests.

 

All notebooks monitors are crap. There are some better ones when they do IPS, so at least you have good viewing angles. But overall I gived up on this because you cannot win.

 

May be so, but am not expecting or needing that much for portable work. It's all just a matter of hoped \ believed the T420 display quality would match the T510 \ T520, would have been fine for the intended use.

End of the story so far, waiting to see elitebook 14 reviews, and evaluating it against the (known good, but large) T520.

Edit: & yes, I really want to become a Lenovo owner\user.

 

T520 owner

Seems to confirm that the 520 has the goods the 420 should have got. My question is 'why'... Some explanation seen is 'business users do not care about screen quality' etc. but why does Lenovo then offers the 520 with apparently 1st class displays (maybe the 15's are not meant for business ? ;O)

Still want the 420, let's hope some MK2 options appears...

 

The high end display is the same on the T520 and the W520. I'm thinking it is more of an option for "workstations", people using Adobe products and CAD perhaps?

 

No reference to expensive high-end special screens, this is about stock screen quality in different resolutions. All the 15' (500\510\520) seems to blow the 14's away.

If they can do it on all the latest T5** 15's, why the heck do they not fit something similar, like 0.5 cd/m² black \ 500:1 contrast or better in the T4**'s?, should not need any wizardry. I'd placed an order long ago if it was available. I could get the T520 1600x900 anytime, but want a 14', and with the same basic screen quality as the T520. May have to wait for a T490... ?.

See the tests ref'ed to at the start of this topic.

 

Does anyone know the brightness, contrast, and black levels for the FHD screen on the T520/W520? Thanks.

 

I've recently purchased a T520 with i7 2620M and HD+1600x900 (the only option available in Spain).

For me, the quality of the screen is very good, the HD+ resolution is perfect for working (I don't do gaming or see movies), matte finish is amazing and contrast very deep, also I don't see any gridness on it. Only issue is brightnes, more than enough for indoor use, but not good for intense work outdoors.

Overall, very happy with the purchase.

 

I just tried my T520 with the sun behind it.. its pretty difficult to see the screen, but its still legible. Indoors its perfect.
Even after a good week or so of messing around with it, im still thinking that maybe i should have gotten FHD screen, but then again, i realize that HD+ is enough..
Still don't think that FHD is worth the extra 200 bucks...

 

I don't think you'll be pleased to hear Anandtech's review of the HP Elitebook 8460.

I think in general the 14" panels are not strong whatever notebook brand you buy, maybe because it's not a popular size compared to the 15.6" so LCD Manufacturers tend to care less about them. I for one would love to see an IPS 14" HD+ screen but chances of that are virtually nil.