What Thinkpads and Ideapads have the best screens?

I'm looking for brightness and lots of color vibrancy, with a great keyboard. I don't game, but I'll be doing digital painting. I don't like Macs though. That leads me to TP's, but the sheer number of models has me confused. Any recommendations?
Er, no W700's please...I don't want to have to donate any organs.

Oh and it was this report that turned me on to Lenovo screens, but it's over a year old. Thanks! Laptop display comparison awards top marks to Lenovo -- Engadget

 

Either W510 with FHD or W701 is your only choices.

 

The best screens offered by Lenovo are on the tablets or the AFFS mod on the either the X200 or X201. If something that small doesn't float your boat, I'd suggest the FHD on the T510 or W510 if you don't want a 17", which should be similar to the FHD anyway. The T60 UXGA in the comparison is probably the best screen ever offered on a laptop, but you can't buy a new one and it's three or four years old now.

 

Currently, the best screens are the FHD option on the T510/W510, which covers 95% of the NTSC color gamut, the WUXGA option on the W701, and the screen options available for the X210 tablet. The screens on other Lenovos are not any better than the industry average.

 

I have both a Ideapad Y530 Standard glossy screen and a Thinkpad T500 standard matte display.

The Ideapad has been passed down to my kids. While the ideapad is a nice laptop the Thinkpad is much nicer to work on for extended periods of time (personal opinion). The matte screen comfort factor and the feel of the thinkpad keyboard as well as over all build quality make it a winner in my book.

 

If you really need the IPS monitor on the latest 17 inch laptops then the dreamcolor panel on HP 8740W. My friend just got one, and i have to say it is pretty darn good....

 

I was just thinking of that new 17" HP Business notebook.
I read a review about them last week and I must say, I was very impressed at the screen quality.

But getting back to Lenovo, as was already stated, the "best" screens are available in the T510, W510, and W701 (all with the FHD option of course). Thinkpads in general are not known for thier screens being that great. But, I guess they are not any better then other business class notebooks.

I wish I knew of the Thinkpad name brand when the T60's were still being made brand new from the factory. I would've ordered one with the IPS screen I was only one model year too late

 

Thank you all!

Just curious. I'm still enamored of the Thinkpads and am checking out the t510 options as suggested by almost everyone here. Besides Macbook Pro though, what are recent models with good displays from other companies, as comparison?

 

@MikesDell, well you could still get a 15 inch T60 and slot in a 15 inch IPS UXGA yourself for around 400 to 500 dollars, or alternatively get a second hand T60p for 500 dollars or so on the marketplace.

 

There are several T60's on ebay with IPS panels. I think they start as cheap as a few hundred dollars. There are some really nice ones that have been upgraded to core 2 duo processors, larger hard drives, and more ram. I'd give those a look.

 

Thanks lead_org ! However, the purchace of my X301 has left me broke for at least another couple months lol

Maybe someday Lenovo will come out with a new T520 or something next year, or a T530 the year after that that has a nice high quality IPS display. Many doubt that Lenovo will ever put an IPS display in a T series again.
I'm hoping they will at some point

 

yes the X301 tend to have a weight losing effect on your wallet or your bank account.....

 

Just to bookend this topic before it ends- I checked some comments on the T510's FHD screens.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/460006-crazy-bright-hot-colors-w510-fhd-screen.html

They leave me thinking that an FHD wide gamut screen probably isn't something to trifle with for the average user. Unless the monitor is properly calibrated (and to some degree, even after) reds and greens will have a searing intensity. Some colors for everyday browsing will just look different. Anyone with an fHD screen experience this?

I'm not a professional photographer, so I'll have to think twice.


Thanks again!

 

Why is everyone suggesting the FHD wide gamut screens for him? Wide gamut screens are horrible for normal everyday use.

I think it's pretty shady how the manufacturers are advertising them as 'better', when for normal users (non image work) they are far worse.

EDIT: I see you found the topic. Yes you will have that issue. It's the same for every wide gamut screen. The tables have the best screens. Otherwise Thinkpad/Ideapad screens are pretty mediocre (though IMO that's true across pretty much all manufacturers).