x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

Hi Guys,



My first post here. I have been reading the forum for the past 3 weeks or so, and need some expert opinion / perspective on the lenovo tablets.



Let me give you guys some history. I started out my research for a "good" screen laptop which led me to a variety of posts surrounding how great/godly the x60t and x61t and the SXGA+ res is. And how some would kill to get those screens again! There is an unbelievable amount of posting on other forums as well praising the x61t screen. And people are going as far as modding their x61s to put in the x61t screen!



As luck would have it, ebay had a couple of listing for each one: an x60t with SL2500 and SXGA screen. An x61t with SL7500 and SXGA screen. Both running at 1400 x 1050! So, I bought both!!! Hey, it's only money right Actually both listings had 7 day money back and I figured this was the best way to test out both first hand.



So, I get the x60t first in the mail. Love the screen, Love the res. However, the text isn't as Sharp. Kind of starts to fade after a while -- maybe it's my eyes. But overall, it's nice. Not sharp as my Dell Ultrasharp monitor.



Then I get the x61t in the mail. Definitely an improvement over the x60t. Much sharper LCD - White is whiter, and text really stood out. But what's with that awful Grain! My eyes really started to hurt after a while. And especially on a white background, i.e. any web surfing for any considerable amount of time started giving me a headache.



So, I'm in the process of returning both and essentially back to looking at x200t or x201t's. This is how I first started, but with a lot of people complaining about how the 1280 x 800 res doesn't do justice, I forayed into the x6x tablets.



Anywho, so that was a bit of history. And now on to why I'm posting here.



I need you guys to tell me please which of either the x200 or x201 screens don't have any grain. Which screen edition should I go with? I have read up on the different version of the LCDs there are. The Frameless and the outdoor high Nit LCDs on the x200t. And I understand that grain is a function of the digitizers on the tablets, but I'm hoping there is a version that eliminates grain. Or has very very little of it.



Please advise.



Thanks!

Reply 1 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

It's the multitouch layer that looks grainy so if you don't want grainy screen, then opt for a non multitouch screen.

Reply 2 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

The backlight on the X60t is now five years old, which is why it may have dimmed some. If you're not in a hurry you can wait for the X220 with the IPS screen. Being there's no touch surface, there won't be any grain.

Reply 3 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

@anodize, ZaZ, thanks for your responses.



ZaZ, if I'm not mistaken, you have the frameless superbright screen? I believe I had read that on one of your posts. Is that a multi-touch? And do you find any grain on it.



So, just to sum it up: If I get any of the screen(s), i.e frameless, outdoor, etc, as long as it's not multi-touch, I won't find grain on them. The frameless and outdoor ones are the AFFS+ / IPS panels, that will give me the best LCDs where as the other versions are just TN screens.



Do I have that right?



I could wait for the X220 -- I'll do a search to determine when they start shipping.



Thanks guys!

Reply 4 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

I have a X200T w/ frameless 200-nit LED screen (non-multitouch) and T400 sitting in front of me. The tablet has a significant amount of grain compared to the T400. From what I've been told though it's much less than the X61T and Multi-touch models. The X220 Tablet may have even less, but if you want to eliminate the grain, you'll likely have to go for a notebook (non-tablet) model instead of a tablet. And with the option of IPS screens in the X220 notebook there won't be any drawbacks if you don't need tablet functionality.

Reply 5 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

@vinuneuro - thanks very much. The comparison on the models, really helps put things in perspective.



It sure does sound like I would have to stick with the regular old notebook instead of getting a tablet. Would all X220 model have the IPS screen?



On the other hand, I'm surprised to see how Apple is getting such phenomenal displays on the iPads. Especially, with twice the resolution on the iPad 2!

Reply 6 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

IPS is optional in the X220.



Yea Apple is pretty consistent in using good screens. I was floored when I saw my dad's first-gen iPad the first time.

Reply 7 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

Do you guys think the x41 also has the same grain issue? I was thinking that I could get that one cheap on ebay while I wait for the X220. Thoughts?

Reply 8 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

As an X201T owner with firsthand "grain experience," when you raise the brightness enough, the grainyness stops being an issue.

However, it still bugs me that Lenovo did not care to reveal this issue properly.

Reply 9 : x201t tablet screens / LCDs and Grain -- Need some perspectives and opinions

@lighthouse084, thanks for your response.



So you raise it to +12/15 and then it goes away. But the extra brightness has got to be hurting your eyes? Wouldn't it be like looking into a fluorescent bulb all day long.



I agree. Lenovo should have disclosed this info.