Your experiences with 15" XGA screens?

I'm thinking about the purchase of a Thinkpad with 15" XGA screen (R60 or T60). I'm interested in your experiences with these screens.

The reason for considering this low resolution is that I will use my notebook for many hours per day to browse web pages and I'm experiencing eye strain for extended working sessions with small size text. (Increasing font size or zooming in browsers unfortunately never is a perfect solution.) I've tried quality 17" SXGA desktop screen (Samsung SyncMaster 173P) and a 15,4" Acer Aspire 1642 WLMi, but they make suffer my eyes much more than a cheap 15" XGA desktop screen (even if this latter one seems a bit grainy compared to higher resolution screens).

Thank you in advance for your comments!

Andras

 

Comment in terms of what? The viewing anlges won't be as good as the SXGA flexview, but as long as you remain center you should be in good shape.

 

Thank you Zaz! I'm particularly interested to know if in everyday use you find these XGA Thinkpad screens suitable for loong working sessions, mainly Internet browsing and web authoring (using a web based content management system). I don't need spectacular photo or movie quality (for movies and media center functions in general I would like to connect my notebook to a TV set), my top priority is a good web experience. If I had better vision I would preferred a 15,4" or 17" widescreen notebook, but they would give me small fonts on web pages and consequent eyestrain.

I would like to know also if I can expect in the future a nice Vista Aereo experience on these screen if pared with the right processor, videocard and RAM.

I'm a little worried before purchasing a notebook with 15" XGA screen because despite these screens were the standard for many years, now they seem to be somehow fased out.

 

My T41 had a XGA screen that was fine. I got rid of it because I wanted a higher resolution screen. Vista should run on the T60. I suppose whether you get all the eye cany will depend on the GPU. I personally found the glass feature on Vista to be annoying as it made stuff hard to read.

 

ZaZ, thank you again. I think I will take the 15" XGA screen.

Now I see that probably Vista without enabling the glass feauture would be better for me to avoid the readability issues.

Three more questions on Thinkpads, but maybe I should move them to a different thread. When connecting a Thinkpad to a TV set via S-video (maybe via a dock station) can I disable the Thinkpad's screen? Can I connect wirelessly a Thinkpad to powered speakers (avoiding some bulky solution)? Can I use Media Center remote control (maybe via a dock station) with Thinkpads? I'm asking all this because I would like to use my notebook as a media center too (with Windows Media Center 2005 until Vista is relased). Anyway I don't plan to watch movies directly on the 15" XGA screen, for that I will connect to a TV set.

 

I think if you want a media center PC, there are better choices. ThinkPads come with XP Pro or Home. I don't believe MCE is an option which means you are going to have to install it. Here is a shot of Vista running on my T42.

 

actually, you cannot buy a copy of media center. it only comes pre-installed.

 

You most certainly can get an OEM copy on eBay.

 

Thank you for the replies!

My top priority is a reliable desktop replacement notebook optimized for reading and authoring web pages (considering my eyestrain problems while working with small fonts). This will be a work activity for me for many hours per day. For a couple of years I will move forth and back between a few different locations. Anyway I will rarely need to work on the road, I just need a "portable pc".

Media center functions are just for entertaiment. It is not a top priority. I've learned that Windows Vista will have built in media center functions and if necessary I can wait for the relase of Vista (but for my work activities I have to purchase the notebook now). I can also live without the media center functions and without the remote control.

ZaZ, your Vista shot is very nice and I suppose that with your SXGA screen you can enable all the visual features that you like. I really hope that also on the XGA screen is possible to have a good visual experience (perhaps diseabling some of the eyecandy).

Even if I'm not going to install MCE 2005 two of my previous questions are still relevant:

1. When connecting a Thinkpad to a TV set via S-video (maybe via a dock station) can I disable the Thinkpad's screen while watching a dvd/video? When I'm going to place my thinkpad next to a TV set I would like to see the video only on the TV set and while playing I would like to have a completely black screen (without back light) on the notebook screen.

2. Can I connect wirelessly a Thinkpad to powered speakers (avoiding some bulky solution)? It would be nice to listening to good quality music on external speakers also while working, but possibly avoiding the speaker's wires on the desk and between the desk and the speakers.

 

Vista will be available in both 32bit and 64bit flavors.

 

1 Yes I think that is the default.
2 I believe the T60 has support for bluetooth audio. That would be one way to do it.

I think the visual features are more dependent on the GPU not the screen.

 

ZaZ, thank you again for your help!

 

When I had XGA I had crazy eye strain, when I got SXGA and started to work on it in XGA mode, I have almost none.

 

Andras, FYI, many people are experiencing symptoms from computer monitors, both LCD & CRT.

Here's my site, where I cataloged my experiences (including the 15" Syncmaster which nearly killed me), and also you can see the links, as well as 2 people's testimonials on my attached message board:

http://www.freewebs.com/eclectives/monitorpain.htm

By now, I'm convinced the worst culprit is fluoresence.