t430s screen compared with x200 screen?

I am stuggling deciding whether or to get a t430s without a precise sense of exactly how bad the screen issues are.

I currently have an x200 from several years ago. Can anyone who has both of these laptops comment on how the screens compare in quality and viewing angles?

Thanks!

 

I took some video of the ThinkPad T430s screen compared to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The X1 has a better screen, but the viewing angles are still not as good as the IPS screen on the current X230.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyjyXZA1oa4



Here's how the regular T430 (same panel used as T430s) compares to the X220 IPS screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHOlh78w_T8



You should be able to extrapolate from that the fact the T430s screen isn't too good in comparison to a premium screen. However, compared to the average laptop screen it's, well, right in the middle of the pack.

 

Great comparison! Thanks!

 

Thanks for the video Andrew! I did see this before and it was helpful.

I was hoping for a comparison with a screen I had actually seen in person though... seeing the screen on video can only tell you so much, of course.

Really, I can't believe there isn't a single place in Manhattan where I can actually look at the T430s in person. That's crazy!

 

It seems I spoke too soon. There is one store (J&R) in the city which has the T430s on display. The catch is that they only have the lower resolution (1366x768) version of the screen, whereas I would definitely be getting the higher resolution.

Are the two versions of the screen fairly similar in respects other than the resolution (viewing angles, contrast, color reproduction, etc.)?

 

J&R is great, used to live around the corner from them years ago. Yes the viewing angles and overall quality are pretty much the same between the 1366 x 768 and 1600 x 900. And I should add, unfortunately. If you're picky, you probably will be a bit put off, but if you're tolerant of the average screen and normally view straight on then it's not bad.

B&H has it too: Lenovo T430s/i5-3210M/4GB/500GB/W7P64/14" 23535UU B&H Photo though not sure if it's on the showroom or just online.

 

Since we are on a topic, would anybody comment on screen quality of T400s versus T430s? After 3yr of T400s use, its time to upgrade. Actually, just recently I had an issue and had it serviced under warranty, and Lenovo ended up replacing LCD and motherboard on my T400s. To my surprise, the new replacement screen on T400s has a MUCH wider angles then what I had before from 2009 build. This makes me think that new TN panels have some improvement and perhaps they put a new T430s LCD panel into my T400s. Any comment on this?

 

Just an FYI... when I was calling around I did check with B&H and although they had it in stock at the store it was not on display at the time.

 

So I went and looked at the X1C and the t430s today at J&R. One thing I realize now is that a short in-person evaluation is probably not really enough to decide whether you'll be happy with a screen or not. I really would want to do some extended browsing/reading/writing with it which wasn't really possible there. There was no question that the X1C screen was much better, however.

Overall though, I was just very impressed with X1C though, so I'm going to go with that.