T60 graphics:

First question: I want to order a less expensive ATI Mobile Radeon 1300 (64 MB) capacity for a 15" IPS screen on a T60. If I do that, will the display resolution be limited to a max. 1024 x 768?

Second question: If speaking only of the R Series and T Series, is an IPS screen available only on a 15" T Series?

Thanks.

 

1. No, but the IPS screen is only on the SXGA+ and UXGA+ screens. There is no 1024.x768 IPS screen.
2. The IPS used to be available on the R, but is not anymore.

 

Thanks ZaZ.

One more question: If I buy a T60 with a 15" XGA screen, with an onboard Intel 950 engine, am I limited to an absolute maximum resolution of 1024 x 768?

 

nope. you still can go as high as the native resolution.

 

For the built-in screen, yes. The screen actually sets the maximum (native) resolution that it displays. Any resolution that is not the native resolution will be blurry.

I'm not sure if you can display a resolution greater than that on an external monitor (assuming that the monitor allows a higher resolution than 1024x768), but I would imagine you can.

 

Thank you both.

I just want make sure because everything I read says that "XGA is 1024 x 768" and "SXGA+ is 1400 x 1050." Why do they say that? Do they mean that's just the mean/average for the XGA?

My probable purchase is going to be Intel 950 on a T60, stuffed with 3 GB or so system RAM. I don't play games on the machine but I've noticed perceptible increases in 3D Studio redraw times when system RAM is upped on my desktop versus anything I do with upgrading the AGP card from 32 to 256 MB (not PCIe; it's an old machine).

 

No they mean that is the max resolution on the screen. You an of course go higher on an external monitor.

 

Oh no. Are you saying that if I leave an external monitor out of all of this, that if I buy a T60 15" XGA with an Intel 950 engine, that the maximum resolution I will be allowed on the notebook screen is 1024 x 768?

 

Of course you can not go beyond the native resolution of the LCD. The native resolution of an LCD actually is the number of "REAL" pixels on the screen. So there is no way you can set the resolution of an LCD higher than its native resolution.

 

And the number of "REAL" pixels on the screen of an 15" XGA is 1024 x 768?

 

XGA - 1024 X 768
SXGA+ - 1400 X 1050
UXGA - 1600 X 1200

An XGA screen maxes out at 1024 x 768, no matter the video card. An SXGA screen maxes out at 1400 x 1050, no matter the video card. A UXGA screen maxes out at 1600 x 1200, no matter the video card.

Anything less than the screen's max resolution will result in blurry/pixelated images.

If you plug an external monitor into the notebook and the external monitor supports a higher resolution than your internal screen, you'll be fine.

 

Thanks Smith.

 

just do the math 1024 x 768 =

 

I believe to configure a higher resolution display, SXGA or UXGA, you MUST upgrade the video card while configuring. Perhaps just a way for Lenovo to maximize on their sales, they know people want higher resolution, but lets make them purchase a more powerful video card TO have the OPTION of upgrading the display.

 

if you go anywhere other than the specified screen resolution, the graphic won't look good.

however it does not apply for external screen