Toshiba Qosmio F755-3D290: Glasses-Free 3D?
by Dustin Sklavos on November 23, 2011 1:10 AM ESTThe Screen Isn't Ready for Prime Time
Toshiba's Qosmio F755 sports a surprisingly decent screen if you ignore the 3D capability. While running in 2D mode it offers a full 1920x1080 resolution with far superior viewing angles to the traditional TN panel, though it does have a slightly unusual but noticeable texture as a result of also offering the 1366x768 3D mode. I couldn't really capture the texture in photography (and obviously the 3D is impossible to capture that way) so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Color gamut and accuracy aren't the best, but contrast is up there, and honestly this is probably one of the best screens I've seen on any Toshiba notebook, a testament both to its quality and unfortunately to how frequently Toshiba tends to cheap out on this particular component. I'm still happy to see a 1080p screen on a 15.6" laptop.
Viewing angles are also remarkably good, although when looking at the screen dead on it doesn't feel entirely uniform. It does the traditional washing out when looked at from below, identifying it as a TN panel, but from above and from the sides it's still of better quality than most.
Where things get foggy is the 3D support. Unfortunately Toshiba offers next to nothing as far as 3D support or software in the Qosmio F755; with 3D Vision nonfunctional, the best way I could really test the 3D functionality was by using the configuration software and by playing back a DVD and using the notebook's software to "3D" it. So I popped in my DVD of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, a film with excellent cinematography (Jacques Haitkin's understanding of light and shadow is brilliant) and use of depth. The real-time 3D conversion was...troubled. Part of the problem is that I have difficulty with 3D in general (even NVIDIA's excellent 3D Vision produces ghosting artifacts for me), but the screen is frankly just blurry.
Honestly I think the 3D is a cute gimmick on the F755 but basically utterly impractical. It didn't enhance my viewing of Nightmare, I just left the experience with sore eyes and remembering how much I love the soundtrack. Neither of these speak well for the screen or the experience.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
16 Comments
View All Comments
Denithor - Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - link
Thinking that's supposed to be a laptop model?
eio - Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - link
looks like there are some serious bugs with the software stack...but technically this is one of the most advanced glass-free 3D screen out there, and should provide much more natural & comfortable 3D effect on real 3D content, which could easily beat anything on the consumer market, even the professional market.
it's a pity that it isn't functioning properly in the test.
Matrices - Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - link
I don't know why anyone feels they need an IPS laptop unless they're doing graphics work that requires full color accuracy. The best TN desktop screens provide very good image quality - much better than what was available 2 years ago, and viewing angles are usually less of an issue with laptops.Some laptop screens are good. The Dell 15" that's currently out has an RGB+ option and it looks amazing. The Alienware screens look good if you're OK with glossy.
Braumin - Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - link
Drab washed out screens with a really obvious change of color depending on how you hold it is good image quality?The screen quality is one of the top reasons I just ordered a Thinkpad X220 - IPS screens are just miles above the garbage TN panels everyone is using now (except Apple).
The one thing you use more than anything on a laptop is the screen (more than even the keyboard) so why would you not want a good one?
GuinnessKMF - Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - link
How does the 3D fair in regards to eye strain? I have an Evo 3D phone and it's horrible to look at in 3D mode. Myself and everyone I've shared it with has said "that's cool looking but, it hurts my eyes" The videos are better than pictures, but I much prefer the way active lense 3D treats my eyes.People talk about being uncomfortable with glasses on for 3D content, in my experience the glasses are much better than the glasses-free version.
eio - Thursday, November 24, 2011 - link
the screen on this toshiba laptop shall give much less eye strain than other glass-free 3D screens, and also less than the ones with glasses, if it is functioning.because this screen has an array of adjustable lenticular micro lens on top of the LCD screen, and it will actively adjust the light path to fit with your view point, which is captured by camera in real time.
the down side is it can only be used by one people, since the screen cannot fit with 2 pair of eyes simultaneously. what's why this technology is used on laptop prior than TV