T540p!!!

Thanks. This is good news to me.

I've followed a few of your posts regarding this display (which have been helpful in making my decision) and I was very hesitant between getting the FHD display with TN panel or the 3k with IPS. In the end, I placed an order for the 3k display but I'm pretty apprehensive as to whether I'll be able to "manage" with the super high resolution and Windows' not so great (to my understanding) scaling.

In the end, if it doesn't work out, I guess I can always send it back.

 

Does anyone else notice that when the comments get negative how it's only the members with High Rep Power that try to smooth over the complaints and then another High Power Rep member seconds the motion with a pat on the shoulder of agreement?

The 3K has a DPI of 213 on the T540p. The T540p HD has a DPI of 101 and the HD+ if it existed would have a DPI of 118 which has been the norm for most 15 inch panels in the recent past. So this means that at native resolution the fonts on the 3K panel will be around 80% smaller than what you are usually accustomed to. For some peeple with poor eyesight this will require aggresive scaling and also setting the resolution much lower for which there are not many reviews concerning this matter because this Fall is the 1st Season these panel have been released for Office Laptops.
There are no owner YouTube videos concerning the T540p or the T440p like there are concerning the T440s.

I have asked more than once on a different thread for one of the High Power Reps or anyone to post a Screenshot Pic using the 3K panel at 125% scaling on 1920x1080 Resolution(or as close as possible) with a full page PDF document. This would give everyone a good idea before buying.
However, I also advise others to try and find a 15.x 3K panel that they can check out at a local store to be certain. I believe thats what I will do since no one has posted convincing Pics. Thanks

 

Trust me, I went back and forth on that as well. If the FHD was IPS I would've gone with FHD. Since I'd be running in mostly FHD resolution it doesn't make sense to pay the extra premium for the 3k display. I was also considering the T440p as it does have FHD IPS, but I really wanted the 15". So the only choice really for me was the 3k display. You don't have to run it at the high res so scaling issues don't apply. It comes from the factory set to 3k resolution with fonts scaled at 150% which doesn't work for me. I run windows apps that don't conform to scaling, so I have to run at 100%, maybe up to 110% or stuff doesn't work right. Setting the resolution back down to FHD and fonts at 100% is perfect. Super crisp and no scaling problems. Best of both worlds really.

I currently use an X230T with IPS
before that it was an X220 with IPS
W500 FHD Non-IPS that I couldn't stand so gave to my daughter for school
T60p with IPS (or they may still have been calling it Flexview)
T43p with Flexview
T40p with Flexview
etc. etc. all the way back to the original Thinkpad I believe.

I give you my history because as you can see, If it doesn't have IPS I generally won't have it. My eyes are very sensitive to strain. The only reason I dropped down to the 12" X series is because they are the only Thinkpads that offered IPS any more. Now that Lenovo is offering them back on the T4x and T5x series is just fantastic.

But like you said, if you don't like it you can send it back. You might not be as display sensitive as I am (and honestly wish I wasn't), but it is what it is.

Either way I'll be interested to hear what you think about it when you get it.

 

Guys really? 3K on scaled resolution looks sharp? Cmon. I sold my Macbook Pro Retina because in windows DPI Scaling is a MESS. If you programm a lot and need some special IDES then the 3K display really sucks. I sold my rMBP 15 to get a T440s because no scaling option and no fix in the internet could help. Its just really really buggy and looks ty. Also i got headaches. But on the other hand in Mac OS scaling is good implemented it looks pretty nice...but working with mac sucks. It was just an overpriced mailing and surfng machine.

 

Sounds good.

I'm actually planning on doing just that because I don't think my eyes will able to handle the resolution on the 3k display but I do want an IPS panel. I don't code or deal with spreadsheets so won't be an issue for me with text as long as my browser can deal with increasing the font size. I mostly just surf, e-mail and watch movies these days but I'm tired of the crappy build quality of consumer machines so figured I'd get a business class one this time around.

My projected ship date in the 10th so hopefully I'll have the computer sooner rather than later if Lenovo doesn't keep pushing it back like I've read about in other threads.

 

Resolution scaling and DPI scaling are 2 different things.

Yes, DPI scaling sucks, without a doubt. Nothing but the OS and App developer can change that as it's a software issue not a hardware issue.

Changing resolution down is a different story.

 

In the last two days I have read at least 2 articles that emphasize to try changing the DPI Scaling 1st in Windows 7 in the advanced DPI settings and to check the "maintain xp scaling properties" (close enough) and to maintain native resolution. Also, if you still feel like you need to increase the Font and Icon sizes( lower DPI) then try decreasing the Reslolution but only using a resolution that is proportional to the native resolution. IE: change 2880x1620 to 1920x1080 so that the window maintains it's original aspect ratio. That way there is a better chance to maintain crispness and have less abnormal stretching.. Makes sense to me, howerver the usual approach may not work with the 3K 15.x panel because 3K is really just too much for a 15.x panel when used with office apps. Windows is really not Fully ready for seamless AutoScaling like OSX. Without seamless autoscaling 3K is pushing the limits of a 15.x inch panel and wouldn't be as much of a problem if it had a FHD panel. All of the youtube video's of other 3K gaming laptops only show how well games look on on them, but never show office applications.

Another issue that will end up being discussed thoroghly in the future are the hardware requirements to truely push a 15.x inch 3K panel. The W540 will have the options to do it properly with a better GPU and increased GDDR5 memory and larger ac adaptor. Most gaming laptop Mfg's are putting better hardware to match up with the 3K panels such as up to 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, I-7,at least 16GB of memory and they don't rely on the Intel HD 4600 or a GT730m GPU. Also, the battery life has not been discussed thorougly while using a 3K panel. So, I will say it again, the T540p appears to be impaired.

It's a shame that I have to pick between an impaired T540p or the smaller 14" T440p. I am more convinced than ever that the 3K IPS panel has impaired the T540p in many ways. Thanks for the opportunity.

 

The only reason why user interfaces don't scale with windows' dpi settings is because the application developers didn't consider it or because they decided against supporting it. Applications that don't support it use a pixel based approach for their UI controls which is relatively simple but it doesn't work if the physical size of a pixel differs widely.

- If you use applications that don't work with windows' dpi settings then lower the resolution (and live with potentially bad interpolation) or don't buy high ppi displays at all.

+ On the other hand all applications that scale with windows' dpi settings look smoother (less aliasing).

With the advent of 4K 24 inch displays for the desktop I'd expect developers to catch up soon though.