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    VAIO with IPS or VA screen?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by Peon, Sep 24, 2009.

  1. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

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    I'm looking for a laptop with a non-TN panel to replace an aging Lenovo T60 and I heard elsewhere on NBR that some VAIOs fit this description. If that's true, which models are they?
     
    Peon, Sep 24, 2009
    #1
  2. SPEEDwithJJ

    SPEEDwithJJ NBR Super Idiot

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    No Vaio notebooks come with IPS screen...
     
    SPEEDwithJJ, Sep 24, 2009
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  3. tbNB

    tbNB Notebook Consultant

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    The best screen on a VAIO right now is the RGB LED screen on some models of the AW series. Check out the owner's thread or read reviews. It is a large laptop, more like a desktop replacement at 18.4" and 1920x1080. Excellent screen is the most redeeming feature, otherwise I'd take a thinkpad any day for almost all other aspects; keyboard, USB ergonomics, driver support, battery life, locking lid, etc, etc.

    See my quick review here. I'm more negative on this notebook after 3 months primarily due to the poor chicklet keyboard and absurd USB port layout requiring all sorts of adapters just to keep it looking like an octopus for connectivity. Really, the screen is awesome though and that is very important in my criteria all else aside.
     
    tbNB, Sep 24, 2009
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  4. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

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    There's something I've been wondering about for a while now: What is an RGB LED screen? How is it different from a standard LED-backlit screen? And what about vs CCFL?
     
    Peon, Sep 25, 2009
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  5. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    Why exactly are you looking for a non TN panel?

    Backlight technology. Explained in detail on Wikipedia.

    Keep in mind that RGB LED screens are TN panels.
     
    Phil, Sep 25, 2009
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  6. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

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    Peon, Sep 25, 2009
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  7. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    Put simply, CCFL is an old style back light, LED is the new technology.

    W-LED has only white light, RGB-LED has three colors. RGB provides the greatest gamut.
     
    Phil, Sep 25, 2009
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  8. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

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    I checked out some RGB LED models from various OEMs yesterday, and unfortunately, other factors kept me from being impressed.

    All but 1 of the display units had uneven backlighting problems. Also, when placed side-by-side, at a glance color accuracy was not impressive. One screen was even slightly blurry - at first I thought it wasn't running at native resolution, but when I checked, that wasn't the issue.

    The 1 unit that was largely free from these issues was impressive from a consumer perspective so RGB LED technology seems promising in theory, but in practice, the OEMs have managed to screw up yet again.

    A midrange TN desktop monitor would have few of these problems. What's keeping notebook panels from being decent? Isn't it all the same technology?
     
    Peon, Sep 27, 2009
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  9. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    In my opinion there are good TN panels, for example the one on the Macbook Pro 17".

    We might be looking for different things though.
     
    Phil, Sep 27, 2009
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  10. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

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    There are many good TN panels. Many desktop TN panels are good, but from the looks of it few laptop panels are.

    Leaving aside whether it's TN or not, would you consider any panel with the issues I described as good? The way I see it, it's more of a manufacturing problem than a technology problem.
     
    Peon, Sep 27, 2009
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  11. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    I have not worked with RGB LED screen but personally I believe they are hyped. I've seen lots of complaints on color accuracy.

    Have you seen the TN panel on the last 17" Macbook Pro?
     
    Phil, Sep 27, 2009
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  12. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

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    Not yet, would this be the glossy or matte version, or are they both good?
     
    Peon, Sep 27, 2009
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  13. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    Phil, Sep 27, 2009
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