Toshiba Satellite A660D-ST2G01: AMD's Quad-Core Phenom II P920 Joins the Mobile Party
by Jarred Walton on August 31, 2010 12:45 AM ESTToshiba A660D-ST2G01 LCD
The LCD is another run-of-the-mill offering, with the ubiquitous 1366x768 resolution. Given the 16" chassis/panel size, we'd really have liked an HD+ or 1080p panel (with a Blu-ray combo drive!), but Toshiba instead goes with the crowd. Like other TN panels, horizontal viewing angles are restricted, colors are average, and the contrast ratio is mediocre.
The A660D LCD is one of a variety of panels that scores roughly the same. In this case, we're looking at a Samsung 160AT06-U01, but AU Optronics, Chi Mei, and Hans Star all have similar displays available. This is a case of LCD panel makers cutting manufacturing costs and sacrificing quality; nothing more or less. We've praised the few panels that have bucked this trend, and we've complained vigorously about laptop LCD quality for over two years, but until the OEMs pony up for higher quality displays nothing will change.
We understand going with 1366x768 panels from the standpoint of keeping gaming performance up, but we'd still prefer better LCDs. Sure, a 5650 is going to struggle to run a 900p display at Medium detail, but while you can drop the resolution down if necessary, there's no way to increase resolution outside of games. From a productivity perspective, 768p is a lousy "compromise" that we're being forced to endure. 900p should come standard on any 15.6" or larger laptop, and 1080p options would be more than welcome. Or if you really want to make us happy, forget the 16:9 aspect ratio and go back to good old 16:10 displays! [Sheds a tear thinking about the glory days of WUXGA laptops….]
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annyhaiyan - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
The problems we encountered on the early samples of the A665D have been fixed in the retail A660D—sony vgp-bpl9 battery and presumably the A665D as well—so unless you really want to spend $150 for the upgrade to a 7200RPM drive there's no reason to choose the more expensive model.Cal123 - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
No informed person would buy a HP/Compaq with a Nvidia chipset considering the overheating reputations of those companies.Hrel - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
How'd you force the 1600x900 resolution? It used to be easy to do in Catalyst Control Center, under XP, but now I have 7 and the option just doesn't seem to be there; to set your own resolutions I mean. I get the feeling I'm missing something really obvious, someone help.Also, I do not understand your fixation with 16:10 screens. They make black bars, I HATE black bars. 16:9 gets rid of them on most video content unless it's a movie like Star Wars that insists on using an absurd aspect ratio like 2.32:1. Granted most movies today do that, but why have black bars on tv shows and youtube content as well as old movies and modern movies like Sherlock Holmes if you don't have to? The answer is don't. AHHHH, I just HATE black bars on the screen SO MUCH. Really, aspect ratio just needs to get standardized at something widescreen and that's what EVERYTHING should be produced at.
OCD makes life frustrating sometimes.