Eyes are not only a mirror of the soul, but also one of the most important sensory organs responsible for the perception of the visual part of the world. Before the advent of computers, a person received three quarters of information precisely through his eyes. Now this ratio has grown to almost 100%: we watch news, read, track video content on YouTube - all this happens using computers.
The perception comfort largely depends on the image quality, and this characteristic has become one of the most important for both desktop and mobile devices, and in our case, laptops. And the question of which screen is better for a laptop is more than relevant.
If you look at the shelves of a regular computer store and designate models that differ in bright, contrasting and generally high-quality displays, then they will all be in the premium sector or at the top of the mid-price segment.
Unlike smartphones, laptop matrices are in no hurry to get cheaper and make up the bulk of the cost of the device. For example, the best laptop with a touch screen and exceptional image display quality costs like a dozen flagship phones from venerable brands.
Of course, it is difficult to leave on the display alone, and the high cost imposes additional obligations on the manufacturer. That is, a laptop with a good screen is in most cases also a productive device. So, choosing the technique of such a plan specifically for the high-quality display characteristics, it is rather difficult to make a mistake and buy a “brake” device.
We will try to understand this issue and outline some of the most sensible models with high-quality matrices, which received high marks from experts and a lot of positive feedback from users. We also determine which screen is best for a laptop, and what to look for first of all when buying a device.
Difficulty choosing
A good half of laptops in the budget and mid-budget sector is equipped with a classic gentleman's kit: a 15.6-inch display, TN-matrix and a 1366-by-768 dot scan. It seems that progress in this category has simply stopped. That is, processors become faster and more powerful, video cards digest the most complex 3D landscapes, reduce dimensions, but matrices are stamped using the same technology as a decade ago.
Of course, they are found in the mid-budget, and in the premium, higher-quality displays with new developments are taken as a rule. This begs the question: “What type of screen is better for a laptop?”. TN-matrices are outdated for a long time and today they are not justified even by gamers screaming about the exceptional response time.
Screen Type (Matrix)
Modern IPS-screens have stepped far forward and delight not only with high picture quality, but also with minimal frame delay. Some technologies have completely outperformed the notorious TN-matrices in response time (greetings from Samsung).
OLED displays also showed themselves in a bad way. This technology seems to be promising, but is still so far from ideal that the word "best" will be inappropriate here. Yes, there are original models with an excellent picture on the output, but this is rather the exception, and very expensive in cost than the rule.
Experts consider the matrix based on IPS technology to be the best type of screen for a laptop. It is good in almost everything and at the same time has a quite adequate cost. So you need to navigate in the search for a laptop with the best screen on the IPS matrix. In addition, the choice of models with displays on this technology is the richest.
Matte or glossy screen
There is no definite answer to the question of which laptop screen is better - matte or glossy, because it all depends on your personal preferences and where the laptop will be used. And of course, each coating has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The glossy screen (on the right in the photo above) conveys the picture very well: colors, saturation and the game of colors in general, but almost completely loses all these qualities as soon as it comes under the rays of light. The matte finish (left) protects against such glare, but the output image turns out to be a bit chilly and darkened. So if you prefer to work outdoors or in a brightly lit room, it is better to stop on a matte screen, and in other cases choose a glossy one.
Resolution
The best screen resolution for a laptop is Full HD, or 1920 by 1080 pixels, and you can get it only with a high-quality matrix. Celestial China tirelessly stamps the semblance of Full HD-sweep in budget models, then it is implemented there so poorly that it’s better to focus on the more familiar HD-version.
And this once again confirms that there are no laptops to work with a good screen in the budget segment. There are rare exceptions to the detriment of performance, but in this case, all that a laptop can do is display a photo and launch Tetris.
Next, we consider specific models of laptops with a good screen, which were distinguished by a high-quality component and a balanced ratio of price to return.
HP Pavilion 15-cc005ur
This is a rather interesting model from a reputable brand. This laptop with a good screen will be an excellent assistant not only in the office, but also for leisure activities. Responsible for the performance is quite a nimble processor from Intel of the third generation - i3 7100U, and the graphics fell on the shoulders of the Intel HD 620 accelerator.
Six gigabytes of RAM is more than enough for the stable operation of the operating system, as well as for launching medium games. A 1 TB hard drive is involved in data storage, which should also be enough for most needs.
On the visual side of this laptop with a good screen, everything is just fine. The 15.6-inch display with IPS-matrix and Full HD-scan give an excellent picture. The screen received a matte finish, so the laptop can be used with equal success both at home and outdoors on a sunny day. There are no complaints about the quality of the picture itself: bright, juicy, contrasting and true.
The estimated price of the model is about 35,000 rubles.
Lenovo IdeaPad 510s 13
This is a compact and relatively inexpensive device, if you take the younger modification with the i3 processor from Intel. The most expensive, as well as high-performance with the i7 chip, will cost twice as much. The graphics are very sensible accelerator HD 620 - cold and economical.
The device received a 13.3-inch diagonal familiar to ultrabooks, as well as an excellent IPS-matrix, which gives a good picture in a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. There are no problems with brightness, contrast and viewing angles.
The screen cover is matte, so the device can be safely taken with you on walks and trips. In addition, this contributes to a decent battery life and very modest laptop dimensions with low weight (thickness - 19 mm, weight - 1.6 kg).
Estimated cost of the model is about 36,000 rubles (i3).
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13
The model attracts with its balanced price-performance ratio. The cost of the laptop is justified by the attractive "stuffing", the ease of the device and, of course, an excellent picture. The closest competitors from venerable manufacturers begin with a mark of 60-65 thousand rubles, and here we have 50 with a small thousand for a minor modification.
Since 2017, models are equipped with new generations of processors from Intel i5 Kaby lake 7200U. The discrete graphics card from the Nvidia GeForce 940MX series is already responsible for the graphic part. There are also modifications with the MX150. They are noticeably more economical and more productive, but are more expensive.
8 GB of RAM with the head is enough not only for ordinary needs and maintenance of the operating system, but also for games. Of course, we are not talking about high graphics settings, especially in modern applications, but you can play without problems on medium ones.
Notebook Features
Also pleased and the hard drive. The model received a fast 256 GB SSD drive, which easily digests everything you slip into it, and very quickly - up to 3 GB / s. If the volume is not enough, then it is possible to install a regular HDD-drive up to 2 TB.
As for the visual component, the 13.3-inch screen produces a stunning picture at Full HD-scan. The output image is clear, bright, rich and natural. The latter was largely contributed to by the glossy finish. Of course, you won’t work on such a screen on a sunny day, but for the sake of an exceptional picture you can also find shadows.
The estimated price of the model is about 55,000 rubles (i5 / MX150).
Apple MacBook Pro 15
Well, and as always, “apple” devices are ahead of the rest. The model can rightfully be considered the king of ultrabooks, but its price is corresponding - royal. For the money that the manufacturer asks for, you can assemble a very good gaming desktop, and on delivery, buy some budget laptop for working outside the home.
Nevertheless, if you are an ardent fan of Apple products and appreciate really high-quality things in all respects, then the purchase is worth it. The laptop case is notable for its “thinness” and modest weight, which makes it not burdensome on trains.
The “filling” of the device matches everything else: the latest generation Intel i7 processor, a 256 GB high-speed SSD drive, 16 GB fast RAM and the Radeon discrete video card of the special Pro 450 series. A similar set of chipsets can be called the maximum possible for ultrabook.
So the laptop can run anything, and at maximum graphics settings. It is also worth noting such an important moment for this form factor as cooling. Here it is implemented at a very high level. And even at maximum load, the device will not burn its knees or ask for a special pillow.
Model Features
The characteristics of the MacBook screen can be considered a reference. With its diagonal of 15.4 inches, it has a scan of 2880 by 1800 pixels, which gives an extremely detailed picture. With all the other characteristics, there is also a complete order: a high margin of brightness, contrast and a palette support using DCI-P3 technology. The output is an image of exceptional quality that will suit even the most pretentious users.
The model boasts other equally important qualities: a USB type C port with Thunderbolt support, modern video and audio interfaces, as well as recharge by air. I was pleased with the battery life of the device. Here it is almost twice as high as that of the above competitors. And this despite the ultra-thin body of 1.6 cm and a weight of 1.8 kg.
Estimated cost of the model is about 150,000 rubles.
Summarizing
Choosing a laptop with a good screen, it is not necessary to buy a high-performance device if you print texts, draw diagrams and watch movies in your free time. This will save the lion's share of the money on the processor, video card and RAM. Such quite worthy options can be found in the mid-price segment of thousands for 20 rubles.
But if you want a universal laptop that can perform many tasks and not give in to difficulties, and also an excellent visual component, you will have to pay at least 30 thousand rubles. And as mentioned above, in the budget sector there are no high-quality matrices, in principle, so do not flatter yourself with IPS technology, buying a laptop for 10 thousand, and expect a good picture from it.