T500 screens

So, I just got my new t500 and was wondering about the screen. I know there
are scores of posts on the superiority of the lg to the samsung. PC Wizard tells
me that I have a samsung (Monitor Type LTN154P3-L02 - 15 inches). I am
immediately struck by the graininess of the screen. I have been using a Compaq for the last 4 years and it seems to me that the image quality is still superior in my old notebook than this new one.

I haven't tweaked the colours or anything yet, but I was wondering if part of the problem is that I am used to a glossy screen and the rest of the problem is that I have been told many times that this is the inferior screen?

I am a little confused as to why Lenovo builds their notebooks with two different qualities of screens.

Anyone else have a similar experience? Most of the previous posts are a year or so old.

Thanks in advance

 

I think Lenovo uses two different screens because one manfacturer is not enough. I'll give your being used to a glossy screen a large MAYBE because I'm really unsure but lean towards "Yes".
Renee

 

Some samsung LCD are so shockingly bad that i just wondered why they even stay in the LCD businesses.

 

Having spent more time with my computer, I am realizing the screen is a piece of garbage. It is really washed out. I compared images and videos with my old laptop and the difference is laughable. Is there anything I can do about this or am I better off just sending back the notebook, paying the restocking fee, and looking elsewhere?

 

What screen is it (WSXGA+ CCFL, WXGA LED, WXGA CCFL)?

If you are not satisfied with the screen, there's not too much you can really do about it. Depending on which screen you chose, you may or may not be able to get T500 with a better screen (generally the WSXGA+ CCFL is regarded as the best option). Perhaps you can convince a customer service rep to let you to return your current laptop and get a more expensive configuration (ie, WSXGA+ CCFL) without suffering the restocking fee.

 

It is the best screen I could get (WSXGA+). I don't believe that all their screens can look like this because I don't think people would stand for it. I am wondering if there is something really obvious like a setting that is the underlying problem.

 

If you think it's that bad call and get it replaced.

 

Samsungs at least a year ago made some of the best LCD's I ever seen. I dont know if you are talking about Tvs or monitors, but when it came to their televisons, nothing could beat it.

Trust me, I used to be in retails for Bestbuy

 

Judging by some of the "advice" Best Buy sales reps try to give me, I wouldn't say that's a weighty credential

But I do agree with you there. My Samsung LED TV is fantastic, with great contrast, brightness, everything except great speakers. You can't generalize certain screens produced by a manufacturer to represent the manufacturer as a whole.

To OP: I would contact Lenovo support. Either there actually is something wrong with the screen, or you're very very picky
I have heard of cases where people successfully got their screens replaced by Lenovo for "screen discoloration."

 

Samsung does keep the best for their tv and stuffs.... but i don't like Samsung LCD screen for computers, the quality have been declining rapidly in the recent years. In the older days Samsung brand in computer lcd screen use to mean quality and no nonsense design, now they mean nothing to me.

 

See the only thing that is throwing me off is that you started to notice it after realizing its a samsung and not before. It may, and dont quote me on this, be that you're used to glossy screens and not business class matte mixed with the overwhelming perception of samsung on the forums. Maybe you could post some pics, or try and compare it to another matte screen on another PC of similar size and specs. Just my $.02

 

I am going to try and take some pics. It's not that I started noticing it after I knew it was a samsung. I just happened to know it was a samsung before I started to notice it. All I was doing at the beginning was looking up stuff online (text heavy) and browsing the thinkvantage stuff.

After that I began to look at the other aspects and it became really noticeable once I tried to play a video. From there I went to compare it with my other screen.

I do agree that I don't want to make a big stink just for being overly picky so it would make me feel better if there was a way to get a couple of reliable second opinions.

 

I remember back in the day probably around 1995, when our family bought the cheapest TV possible. Of course it was a Samsung and that thing literally broke within a month.

I was only a kid back then, but even I thought Samsungs were POS.

How things have changed. You dont have to believe me because I tell you Samsungs make some of the best LCDs. Look on the web, look at consumer reports.

 

I have the LG WSXGA+ screen in my T500 and I doubt it's really much better than the Samsung one of the same size and resolution. People say it is, but I'm unimpressed by the LG screen on its own. I was browsing online for area rugs on my laptop the other evening and I couldn't see the difference between the ivory and the beige version of the rug. I had to go back to my desktop to distinguish the two colors.

It doesn't bother me enough to do anything about it, but I wouldn't hold out much hope that you can get a better screen from Lenovo's stock.

 

What does it look like when you watch video? I am trying to take a picture, but my camera won't work. My mother dropped by for a visit and I showed her and she said that the difference was rather noticeable. She is the last person in the world who would be aware of that kind of thing.

I am thinking that if I can't get my camera to work I will have to go find somewhere locally that sells thinkpads and then compare the screens. I don't know what else to try.

I can't believe that this is the standard.

 

I think you'll have trouble seeing a ThinkPad in a store. CircuitCity was selling some for a while, but I think we all know how that turned out. On occasion you can see them in a college/university bookstore or if you know some with one, those are probably your best option to see more.

There can be some variance in the screen quality. One Samsung or LG can be worse or better than the next. On the whole, I'd say the LG is the better of the two, though it's not near as good as the FlexViews, which is why I'll be hanging onto mine for the foreseeable future.

 

Is there somewhere I can email Lenovo to ask them about this or do I have to call?

 

It might be the norm. When I was doing my research of laptops 2 months ago, the thing I kept reading about Thinkpads was that their screens were the worst.

 

Let me add that my first LCD/TFT screens were Samsung screens, and I still own and use all of them (not as my main screens, but nonetheless, they still work great), and I have to stress that what I read here about Samsung screens is utter BS. I would claim the opposite to be true. Their screens on their phones are the best I've ever seen on cell-phones, even. You can't beat a Samsung screen under daylight outside. Extremely high nit values for their release-dates. Even the old SyncMaster LCD's are awesome and unbreakable for sRGB usage.

Those with bad experiences related to Samsung screens should check the actual manufacturer of the display, it would not surprise me if you've gotten some kind of fake branded Samsung.

 

You're going to get fake branding from Lenovo? I think that seems unlikely.

 

I don't see how any of this is relevant to the issue at hand.

 

I think it is what it is. The T500 in my experience has an awful screen. Your best bet would be to get a refund if possible and look elsewhere. You'll be wasting your time otherwise.

I came to T500 from Macbook Pro and the difference in screen quality was night and day. The MBP was so much better. I worked on the T500 for a few months and now I'm on an HP dv7t and again the difference in screen quality is laughable.

I hope Lenovo does something about this with future laptops. I did really enjoy the ThinkPad.

 

I also have similar experience in T61 1.54" 1680X1050 screen about two year ago and sent my laptop twice to the service center, Atlanta.
I finally got the LG screen, which is definitely better quality than Samsung LCD about viewing angle, color and specially tiny grain or noise that made me crazy and migraine whenever I saw the screen, even though it took about two months.
I complained it through Lenovo Forum and fortunately Mark saw my complaint and took care well.
You can do it!!!