T420 Screen - How is it?

[sprtnbsblplya]

Voted usable.

Great screen for doing MS Office work (studying, taking notes in class, at least 8-10 hrs per day).
Watch TV shows on it at night when I wind down. Viewing angles aren't great, but I've never been bothered by them. I would rate them the same as the viewing angles on my wife's glossy Dull Studio.

The poor viewing angles are not, IMHO, a reason to not purchase this amazing machine. Unless you're in it for lots of movies and games, then go buy a Dull.

[dboss619]

^ I agree. The screen is usable. I got my T420 on Friday, opened it on Saturday and expecting the screen to be horrible from all the comments about it. It isn't at all. I don't have a problem with the screen at all.

[edit1754]

(now if only Apple offered a matte screen the MacBook Pro would be more tempting)

They do

[afhstingray]

"Usable. Not the best thing since sliced bread, but I can live."

this is quite an 'unfair' option. of course as long as you can see a display, you can live with it. and without this middle ground, the other two options are pretty much 'its excellent' or 'its unusable'.

so i picked other. its crap enough for me not to buy it myself, but if a company gave it to me i'd live with it.

[jschwartzbeck]

The viewing angles are pretty bad. Unless it's tilted perfectly and your eyes are perpendicular to it, parts will be washed out. I ed and moaned about it for the last few months. Hopefully lenovo will listen next year.

I use the T420 for software development. If I were to use it for anything else - gaming - movies - graphic design - I would absolutely recommend something else. I have slight buyer's remorse because of the screen. Otherwise it's a great machine.

[ThinkRob]

I can't help but wonder if the reason that I'm happy with my T420's screen is that, as one of the first people here to receive a T420, I wasn't able to read thread after thread of people griping about how horrible the screen is...

[zeth006]

I can't help but wonder if the reason that I'm happy with my T420's screen is that, as one of the first people here to receive a T420, I wasn't able to read thread after thread of people griping about how horrible the screen is...

Perception affecting reality? I honestly think the only time I had a serious issue with my Vostro's low-quality TN display was while watching movies with little background lighting. I recall that glare was never an issue.

[dan h]

I can't help but wonder if the reason that I'm happy with my T420's screen is that, as one of the first people here to receive a T420, I wasn't able to read thread after thread of people griping about how horrible the screen is...

Things that make you go hhmmm.....

[zeth006]

"Usable. Not the best thing since sliced bread, but I can live."

this is quite an 'unfair' option. of course as long as you can see a display, you can live with it. and without this middle ground, the other two options are pretty much 'its excellent' or 'its unusable'.

so i picked other. its crap enough for me not to buy it myself, but if a company gave it to me i'd live with it.

Sorry, batched up the poll right on the spot. I added that option in because other NBR users gave me an impression that a display could be so bad that a user wouldn't be able to stand it--even if they could see a display.

[Rogerdarabbit]

Is T520/W520 much better than T420? This is what I'm reading as specs for HD+ screens 1600x900

T420 - 250nits 300:1 contrast
T520/W520 - 220nits 500:1 contrast 60% gamut