[Vaio S15] OrangeGate again ?

Hi Guys, this is my first post here. I'm an Italian guy who wants to buy the new Vaio S15 but I'm a bit worried about the display thing. How many of you have experienced this "Orange" IPS display so far ?? If yes, this problem is so serious ?

I don't want to waste 1300€ on a premium laptop for nothing. Money is money after all.

Thank you to everyone will reply.

 

all S15 have red/orangeish issues with their IPS display. It is not that apparent though. If you open paint and put red color everywhere, you will see it. But if you do not use photoshop or do video editing, you will never see it and wont even know the screen has this problem.

if you are not a photoshop user, buy this laptop, it has an excellent screen!

 

OK, I am a Photoshop user (only an amateur but I use it quite often) and I am screwed. Ok maybe I have to find another laptop...

The S13 with the "Premium" display is interesting, but editing photos on a 13" display is suicidal...(Imho)

 

actually, since the s13 has a 1600x900 panel, editind pictures on the go has never been this easy. it has full sRGB adobe range i think... it has a really great screen. If you want the best color reproduction and best 1080p panel on the market right now, go for the vaio Z3. 92% color gamut reproduction of aRGB adobe. a marvel I must say with its quad i7 option.

 

I went and saw the S15 in person at the sony store, I thought the S15 had a gorgeous display. From first impression it was nearly as impressive as the retina, and reds still appear much "redder" than something orange.

 

it does have a nice IPS panel. But, the reds are more orangereddish than really red. But more red than orange for sure

 

I would not recommend doing color correction on a laptop, even Z, unless you have no choice. Connect external calibrated monitor and use it. For everything else Photoshop or video S15 will work just fine. You can also go by numbers, color picker is your friend.

 

The S15 has the best display of any notebook in its price category. Just visit a store which has it and other notebooks and see for yourself.

 

I know that the S 15 is a great laptop but since I am attending a PhD course at the University I do not have with me my external monitor and so I need a good laptop with a good screen that allows me to do photo editing in my spare time when I am not at home (I'm an amateur photographer). The display is fundamental and neither I like MacOSX nor I want to buy a Macbook (too expensive in my point of view).

@Zugzug : why don't you recommend calibration on la laptop screen ?

 

From experience (and I have VPCZ1 with full HD that is close to Adobe RGB gamut). Although, also from experience, different people have different vision and I find that the only thing that does not lie is numbers For some images I've wasted my time perfecting color, yet they are viewed on inferior monitors.

Best approach is to save final version in DNG and apply color correction in raw so that it's tweakable later.

 

OK, thanks for the advice. I'll continue my "quest" for another notebook. My other options are the new Dell XPS 15 (even if it's a bit expensive compared to S 15 ) or the Asus N56VZ which is a bit thicker and heavier (and with a shorter battery life) but it's also cheaper compared to the S 15 and the Dell and has a better GPU (GT650m).

 

Owners of the the newest 15" HP Envy (which shared the same 15" LG ips panel as the 15" S/SE) are reporting that the orange issue has been fixed. Many of us are hoping/assumng that Sony will eventually begin using that same fixed panel as well. Nobody knows why Sony is dragging their feet on repairing what could very well be the best 15" computer that doesn't cost $2200..

 

Save the image that illustrates reds to disk, open in image editor, use color picker. It's orange. Darker but same color. Am I missing something?

 

I received my s15 today. There is a lot to like about it, but the screen does not show reds correctly at all. I used MS paint on an old cheap Toshiba to try to replicate the "red" on s15. If you use custom colors it's about R:255 G:70 B:0
That lines up pretty well with the "red" on the Sony.

To me, this is noticeable. I may well be sending it back.

 

Thank you guys. This notebook was my first choice but it's a shame for Sony to screw all this way because of the display. Maybe it's just me but this could have been my perfect machine Thin, light, powerful, good screen, Not stratospheric price.

 

It's amazing- there are so many people that want this. But no computer manufacturer can manage to do it. It's like PC companies want Apple to win.

 

I completely agree. A great company like Sony can't afford to do such mistakes in a competitive market like this one. I hope they'll fix it, but by that time, I'll have already bought another notebook

 

Well this is unfortonate news, I was just about to go for one of these. I do web work etc and photo editing so need the colour reproduction to be pretty good!

So the brand new S 15" laptops with Ivy Bridge in the UK makes Reds > Orange?

 

Yes. For photo editing and web designing this is a big problem. Don't go for this one.

 

The red/orange thing is way overblown. It's really only noticeable if you go looking for it. It's also not hard to calibrate to the point that it's really a non-issue.

 

I've heard that opinion expressed by some but, honestly, between Sony S15 owners and 2011 HP Envy 15 owners, the majority consider the red/orange problem to be quite noticeable. That said, I agree that for most uses it won't really matter and you will likely just get used to it if it is the main screen you use.

That said, I've had trouble understanding why this one known area of color inaccuracy renders the S15 totally unusable for photo editing. I mean, if you are doing commercial graphic design work and need Pantone color accuracy, you wouldn't use any laptop screen whereas for personal/hobby use, how often do you even need to do significant color correction and, even if you wish to, knowing the limitation on reds in the S15 display, you can still make adjustments to those areas of the photo and do an extra printing or two if necessary to get the reds as you wish them to be.

Everyone says the S15's IPS screen is just wonderful in every other respect. I have to agree with New Law's conclusion if not his premise that the color bias is not noticeable. On the other hand, I have read that the current run of Envy 15s are definitely using a different screen that lacks the red distortions, and even the HP DV6 with the FHD matte screen is excellent in color accuracy and other display characteristics, so it seems to me that any of these three would make excellent choices if you want a 15" laptop with an excellent screen and highly positive reviews in all other respects.

 

Yesterday I saw this new SONY in person in a store... Orangegate? Who cares... This screen is beautiful and was standing ahead of all other laptops around it. All of them were looping the same video and I was able to clearly see how much better this screen is compared to similar displays from other manufacturers of similarly priced laptops. I want one!!! Time to upgrade my SA3...

 

So, just to be clear the IB 15in S still has a red/orange issue?

 

Yes........

 

So close, I guess I have to check these new ones out in person to see if that issue would be a real bother for me or not. Interesting enough in the comments section of this unboxing video the OP says it has been fixed. :/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X6XtmCAKVo

 

Well, he must have had a unpleasent suprice then he saw the reds on hes screen for first time. Every owner in S 2012 thread confirms that its the same panel with same issue.

 

Alright thanks.

 

Red is a primary colour.

 

Duh. Guess we know who doesn't edit color photos.

 

Can anyone post a picture comparing the s15 to a screen that accurately produces red?

 

Originally Posted by NewLaw//Quote: The red/orange thing is way overblown... It's also not hard to calibrate to the point that it's really a non-issue.Unquote.

Can someone please show a picture or video with the results of this kind of adjustment? Just show the S15 picturing a site that contains red as a main color. Many posters say it's a physical limitation and it s therefore not possible to show color red on this screen, no matter what calibration.

 

X2, it would be awesome if somebody would do this.

 

I can post it tonight when i get home... I would like to make few points on previous posts here. First, the red issue is not overblown... the orange is significant that its hard to ignore, I am returning mine. It started really annoy me when am watching movies and see what it supposed to be red Ferrari now an orange one... You can't do any photo editing with this screen for sure.

Second whoever sais that it can be calibrated needs to stop smoking ... it can not calibrated (nor that i tried with my spyder already) the problem really is with the LG panel itself and apparently the screen is just unable to produce anything close to real red. Anyone can prove otherwise please post real results and color profile file.

 

Exactly. And red is such a fundamental color. Not just for photo editing. That's a clear deal breaker for many.

 

Skip to 5:00 for a compairison between the screen of a S15 to a older MacBook Pro

Sony VAIO S Series 15.5 Review Pt 1 Ivy Bridge 2012 - YouTube

I think it's a huge exaggeration to say that " apparently the screen is just unable to produce anything close to real red"

 

Above comparison confirms S15 can't display anything close to red. If you stop at 5:00 and look at Youtube's red time-bar, you will see the orange displayed has no reddish tone at all, unless you define pure orange as close to red.

I decided not to buy the S15.

 

do you actually have vaio s 15? first i cant speak somebody comparing it to old macbook calling it little orange. The fact is sony lg panel can't produce real reds i have spyder 3 eite and I do graphic design for living thus I have already exhausted all avenues on this.
Perhaps people who don't care about calls its not deal breaker but in the end of the day the panel dosent produce real red period.

p.s. I will try to post some comparison photos tonight and let anyone judge themselves.

 

Here's a post originally from the 13" Vaio S and reposted into the HP Envy 15 (which has the same LG panel as the S15 and the Vaio S). If you are wondering why it can't be fixed by calibration or software, the guy in the original (quoted) post gives a very good explanation.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...15-ips-red-vs-orange-tally-7.html#post8223917

Also, here are a few links to posts showing the Envy 15 displaying a pure red screen next to a color-accurate monitor displaying the same thing. (again, this is basically the same display panel) The comparison is pretty mind-blowing.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...5-ips-red-vs-orange-tally-12.html#post8241643
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...5-ips-red-vs-orange-tally-13.html#post8241871
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...5-ips-red-vs-orange-tally-16.html#post8245801

Take these with a grain of salt, though, as some of the color discrepancy may be due to the camera, the lighting, different calibration settings on the envy, etc.

 

It truly does depend on what you need this notebook for. I'm using it for programming, and once in a while I play some games. I think it works great for what I need it to do. Without another screen next to it most people wouldn't notice anything other than its great viewing angles. I wouldn't recommend it to a professional in digital media.

Exactly. The camera makes it look worse than it really is. All sony stores should have an S 15 on display now so if its possible just take a look for yourself, that's what I did.

 

Alright here are some quick images I took with my point and shoot canon. Not the best but it should do pretty good justice.

Netflix


ms paint 255 red - on background its HP ZR24w that is an s-ips monitor and calibrated with spyder 3


and samsung galaxy s3 netflix red


if you found these useful rep + would be very much appreciated

 

Apple charges stratospheric prices.

 

Guys,
i was checking this thread on my s15 and came across the following post. the colour displayed on the laptop and the monitor should appear the same as the s15 is also suffering from the same thing but it wasn't the case.

I could easily distinguish btw the colours displayed and 'reds' really seemed red (It wasnt exactly red but the problem is lesser in the s15's maybe). Can others cofirm??
i even checked the netflix site. It did appear 'quite' red.

Finally i compared with my s2, there it did appear reddish-orange but still it was red. Nothing like orange.

 

Well, first I would say that there's nothing like a the ones above ^ ^ to make you realize the orangegate screen are a total fail.

The fact that Apple charges more money and that their displays reproduce the color red accurately does not imply the two are correlated. There are countless notebooks that are less costly than Apple's equivalent models that reproduce all colors, including red, accurately. To name a few:

1. Asus 13.3" 1080p IPS on new Zenbook UX3xA series; a 15" version cannot be far behind
2. Hp Envy 14 (Spectre or regular Envy 14 from 2010-2011 units)
3. HP DV6/DV7 matte 1080p screen
4. HP Envy 17
5. Dell XPS 15 FHD
6. Dell XPS 17
7. Sager/Clevo with 15" "95% [Adobe] RGB range

And every day there are new ones added to the list. I wouldn't doubt that LG - who supplies the orange but otherwise excellent IPS panel to Sony S15 and HP Envy 15 have a replacement with colors corrected. Why Sony and HP are not using the replacement is most likely explained by cost: likely the corrected displays cost more than the orange-gate ones did, and now the remaining inventory of the color-blind ones must be cheaper yet.

As much as I feel for the people who bought these two products an then found them stuck with machines they didn't expect to get, but that is what Sony's 30 full refund policy is for. True, for folks who just do games, web browsing and email, the difference wouldn't matter - until they see things like Netflix come on with a near perfect red value - and for anyone doing color correction video editing it must be unworkable.

Going forward, there are several competing technologies that offer FHD IPS screen with wide color gamut and high color accuracy at price points similar to the SonyS15 and HP Envy 15 so there will be little reason to even consider buying these machines. If you are "in love" with other aspects of these two nice models, and you want them, but with normal screen colors, a little patience is likely to reward you (but only if you are in the return/refund warranty period, or if you can make do with what you own now, send back the re-challenged unit if you have purchased it, and within a couple of months you will be able to buy a 15" notebook with good specs and a screen which accurate covers 100% of the sRGB color range.

 

Any chance of some comparison photos?

 

Those photos don't do this screen justice imo, like combs said red things still appear to be red, its not until you directly compare with another screen that you realize you're missing some of that pure red.

 

This screen cannot display red. The photos posted above are 100% on target.

I checked out this laptop today as it seemed to be just what I was looking for... at least on paper.
It is really a shame, but this is a big issue for everyone - not only for people doing graphics. Websites, movies, photos, everything is displayed wrong as red is a primary color.
If i had not read this forum and bought the S15 without testing it, I would be mad when I found out about it.

 

yeah this is what I have been trying to tell people but there are always group of users who don't care... they either use external monitor or color shift is not an issue for them and thats ok, after all it's a nice laptop.

For me personally it was huge blow... I use the laptop to watch some blueray movies in bed and I really care about the colors. I also do graphic design and sometimes need to bring my laptop to show mock ups to my clients... thats where it is really more critical.

Also I notice that people don't see the orange issue until they have something else to compare with.

 

I am going to buy a notebook very soon and I will probably choose the S15. I don't like the red issue, but I just cant find an alternative - semi-glossy IPS screen, light-weight, quite good performance, quiet and for 1,120 (SVS151190 Enhanced). I don't know what to do..

 

yeah i know, I was facing similar problem perhaps time will help you but at the moment there isn't much of the choice. I ended up getting asus n56vz with 95% NTSC Color Gamut display. I got my laptop yesterday and overall am really happy with it. Of course asus is not as sexy and light as the sony but everything works out of box and screen is great. I was also considering new dell xps 15 but dell has stopped customization and model i liked was really a big rip off. Good luck!

 

Yet another alternative is to wait till September, when Sony will release an improved S15, possibly with a better IPS screen. The technology for that is already available and being used by competitors.