Dell 17" LCD's...the agony and ecstacy!

As many of you may remember, back in August 2006 there was a big hullabaloo about the crappy quality of LCD's being shipped in Dell XPS M1710's and E7105's. I, for one, was part of that discussion, and at the time had a very expensive M1710 in which I went through three different LCD's trying to get one that had even lighting from left to right, equally visible across the screen without having to move your head, good colors, bright whites, etc.

I finally gave up and sold my M1710, pretty much for what I paid, and have been using a D620 since.

Lately, due to a coupon deal at the Dell Outlet, I managed a fairly well equipped E1705 for around $1000 after discount (see below). Personally, I think it was a pricing mistake, but that's not the point. The LCD screen on this E1705 is phenomenal. It's what my $3000+ M1710 should have had, but Dell was not capable of providing.

My packing list said the panel is "NH718 MODULE, LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY, 17WU, LG PHILIPS LCD, ENHANCED, 9400".

Bright whites, perfectly uniform lighting, no bleeding (darkened room, and NO light bleed), excellent colors.

Ironically, I spend 1/3 as much, get pretty much the same computer (7900GS vs 7900GTX and no fancy LED lights), and wind up with the LCD i've always wanted. Thanks Dell!

The first two, Dell sent me, and I replaced them. My original was a Sharp, which had great color, but the left and right sides of the screen had so much light falloff when looking directly on, that I found myself bobbing my head back and forth just to see the screen!

My first replacement was a Samsung. Colors were duller, more backlight bleeding, better with respect to light falloff, but still pretty bad.

The second replacement, was an LG (as I requested, and Dell honestly worked hard to get me). The problem was, for some unknown reason, when it was connected, the brightness controls didn't work, and the screen would go totally white for a couple of seconds when powered on, off, or asleep.

The third replacement was via a Dell tech. It wasn't even a replacement, as somehow some digits got turned around on the order, and the tech wound up bringing out a D620 bezel.

The fourth replacement (via a Dell tech), was another LG, which did the same as the first LG. No brightness control, and totally white when on, off, or asleep.

At this point Dell tech support kinda stopped responding to my emails (which, BTW were never angry or mean). So, I went on vacation, and when I came back, decided it wasn't worth messing with anymore, and I sold it.

I've been working with my D620 since then, until I saw an E1705 that I had sold a client a few months back. I was working on it, and thought, WOW, this LCD looks great. It was an LG. At the same time, I came across an Outlet coupon and started shopping. Looks like I got lucky, as the screen I have now is THE BEST!!! I LOVE IT!

So, that's my story (the long version). But, you really didn't want to hear all that, did you?

Exactly the reason I sold my M1710 (for what I paid), and bought an E1705, that is mostly equal to the M1710, for one third the price, and I have the most beautiful LCD!!! Everytime I look at it, the bright whites, the bright colors, excellent viewing angles...I count my lucky stars!!!

Things might have changed by now...I heard there is something called an LG REV 2 panel being shipped with new M1710's...

Maybe you'll get lucky! "prolly not" though!

It's too bad after spending that kind of dough, one has to wonder if they're going to get lucky and get a decent LCD screen!

Not sure. It seems kind of a "crap shoot" which LCD's Dell chooses to use in the the different 17" models. Obviously, they are NOT saving the good ones for the M1710's, so it's very likely the e1705's are getting the V2 also.

It's equivalent in the US to the 9400 also. E1705=Dell Home, 9400=Dell Small Business.