T61 14" XGA screen quality vs same in T43

[Rory]

Just bringing up my new T61 with a bog standard 14" 1024 x 768 display (Samsung, according to the online assembly checker) and I'm dismayed by the quality of the display vs my old T43.

There's no manufacturer listed for the T43's display (just the 13N7023/4 part numbers, but it's soooo much sharper and clearer.

The T61's display looks like someone has smeared vaseline all over the screen!

I've tried the ClearType tuning tool in various combinations but it still looks awful.

I'm quite dismayed, really. I assumed it would look near enough exactly the same as the T43.

[TTY]

You could try the following in order to improve display quality.
Check whether the installed video driver matches the graphics chip which is in your computer, make sure you have the latest driver.
Check that the resolution is set to the correct value and maximize color depth.
Check that the notebook is set to use the present display. Detailed instructions can be found in the Service and Troubleshooting Guide.
If you use Internet Explorer 7, set it to always use Clear Type for HTML.
Adobe Reader 8: set the display resolution to 91 ppi. Turn on font smoothing and set it to "for laptop/LCD displays".

[gator]

I thought all 4:3 T61s were SXGA+ ... Did your T43 have a SXGA+ screen? Are you sure you are running the T61 at max. resolution?

[icantux]

The 4:3 14" T61's with onboard graphics (X3100) are sold as either XGA or SXGA+

[exTPfan]

Yes, only SXGA+ screens are listed on Lenovo's website. Try setting the resolution to 1400x1050.

[Rory]

Thanks for the various inputs.
It’s definitely XGA (1024 x768) using integrated X3100 graphics. I’m in the UK and this is the only 4x3 14” choice that we get.
I do have the latest driver (running XP) and the screen is set to its native resolution.
I’ve tried both 16 & 32 bit colour (color) depths but makes no difference.

Most of my work involves emails (Outlook) and looking for stuff on the web using Firefox.

It’s hard to describe how it looks, but text is basically just not well defined – ClearType does change it, so it either looks too thin (parts of some letters almost disappear) - or too fat and blurry. I’ve tried it without ClearType too.

I looked back at the old T43 and that looks fine with ClearType disabled.

[TTY]

The T61's display looks like someone has smeared vaseline all over the screen!

Could it be that the screen actually did become contaminated with some sort of greasy substance before the notebook was delivered to you and that the screen wasn't thoroughly cleaned before you received the notebook? For that possibility, Lenovo's Service and Troubleshooting guide for the T61 gives instructions for cleaning the display panel:

1. Gently wipe the display with a dry, soft lint-free cloth. If you see a
scratch-like mark on your display, it might be a stain transferred from the
keyboard or the TrackPoint® pointing stick when the cover was pressed
from the outside.
2. Wipe or dust the stain gently with a soft, dry cloth.
3. If the stain remains, moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water or a 50-50
mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water that does not contain impurities.
4. Wring out as much of the liquid as you can.
5. Wipe the display again; do not let any liquid drip into the computer.
6. Be sure to dry the display before closing it.

[agarza]

I know for a fact there are T61 with XGA's screens.
My T61 have a SXGA+ display and it's not great neither compared to my old T42p display (SXGA+) too
I'd say that your without luck with these 4:3 machines, no display would look better than the other is my opinion.
If you need a good quality screen then I'd recommend getting a T400 with the 400-nit panels, supposedly those are good screens. Or even a LED backlighted Thinkpad would be a better option for these horrible panels fitted on the last of the 4:3 Thinkpads, quite a shame because I like the form factor but the screen lacks a lot of contrast and backlight bleeding in the bottom it feels as if the machine was not assembled properly.

[EAkamai]

I know for a fact there are T61 with XGA's screens.

Yup, using one right now!

I don't see any of th problems that many complain about with these screens. Maybe because i'm far too "old school" to notice. I've worked on a whole lot of lappys in my day and i've never run across one this Awesome. In every way i am happy that i was able to get one of the last of the 4:3 XGA (going blind in one eye and can't see much out of the other sucks). But i've never had the pleasure of running across a T43. After reading so much in this Forum, i am very interested in seeing what the screen looks like compared to what i'm using.

[crazyfrog]

There is another possible reason that could explain the bad viewing experience of an XGA in a T61 vs the same in a T43 -- it is Intel's integrated graphics chip. Check if your T61 comes with Intel X3100 while your T43 comes with ATI X300.

I used to drive my deskop monitor (LG) with onboard intel's integrated graphics chip until one day I got a cheap nVidia graphics card. The improvement of viewing experience is hugn after I switched to the latter. I can't even believe it is the same monitor! When the monitor was driven by Intel's integrated graphics chip, it just as Rory said "looks like someone has smeared vaseline all over the screen! "; while colour rendering, contrast and legibility are significantly better with the discrete graphics card.