Best panels for laptop? LG and Auo

Aquila

Hello guys I tested in the last year many laptops and my conclusions is:

🟥🟥Very Bad: Boe
🟥Bad : Sharp, ChiMei,.Innolux
🟩Good: /
🟩🟩Very Good: Auo Optronics, LG
For Temporal Dithering free experience I prefer:
📌 A true 8bit panel, according to panelook website, but a 6bit (no frc) seems good too.
📌 Win 10 LTSC 2021 (19044)

What's your experience?

floydian

I think everyone is different here unfortunatelly. My experience is the opposite - I tried tens of laptops, different screens etc and all three "safe" laptops I use have Innolux/Chi Mei display (2x Lenovo T580, Dell 5490). Obviously on specific Windows release, Intel GPU driver, blocked all updates etc.

What's interesting, Lenovo T580 with LG display was giving me terrible strain. I had to buy Innolux display, replace it and the laptop became usable instantly. Colors on LG were definitely different - screen was colder than Innolux.

Best Regards,

Tom

randomboolean

LG for sure, but worth noting it was the top manufacturer for around five years, right after CRTs and CCFLs started fading out. That lines up with the era when panels were simpler overall. FRC and image enhancement features weren’t as aggressive back then. So yeah, most panels that are good or very good tend to be LG, especially from around 2010 to 2015.

I’ve tried BOE and AUO panels from roughly 2016 to 2018, and they were completely unbearable. One thing I’ve noticed – if I “dumb down” the panel using a really basic eDP controller, the experience improves. The OS stops sending certain graphical enhancements, so it becomes more tolerable. But the FRC is still baked into the panel itself, so newer panels often come with harsher processing. I believe someone in this forum already mentioned TCON and VCOM, which basically control that layer of behaviour.

Still haven’t managed to test a proper true 8-bit panel – they’re extremely hard to find. I always test using VGA where possible, or at least try to dumb down the signal using an EDID spoofing device or a basic eDP controller from AliExpress.

By the way, thanks for this post – it really lines up with my own experience. It actually helped me narrow down and find better panels to test: https://ledstrain.org/d/2460-ah-ips-ips-ahva-ads-aas-my-experience-with-different-lcd-panels

DisplaysShouldNotBeTVs

randomboolean I’ve tried BOE and AUO panels from roughly 2016 to 2018, and they were completely unbearable

I'm assuming the AUO here was an IPS (which i've also had really bad experiences with!), but there are some newer TN AUO panels that are fully comfy for me and I'd say are safe at the "panel level" — but ONLY if the signal is dumbed down in the same way you are describing.

The AUO B140XTN02.D is my main example, with my panel being manufactured in 2020. It's semi-usable but ultimately not good if it's connected directly to Windows, but after using a similar strategy to what you're describing, the panel immediately becomes pretty much 100% comfy for me, totally strain-free.

Also, can you link one of the specific cheap eDP controllers you've used that you know is safe?

randomboolean

DisplaysShouldNotBeTVs

That’s an interesting one! Up until now, I honestly thought most panels made after 2015 were basically cursed. But it really seems like the biggest issue isn’t always the panel itself – it’s the signal being sent to it. At least for me.

So far, I’ve mostly tested IPS panels. I think one of the newer laptops I had (with Intel Iris XE) used a TN panel, but back then I didn’t realise how much of a difference “dumbing down” the signal could make. The exact same panel, when used through internal eDP versus something like VGA or even a stripped-back HDMI signal, can feel totally different. I ended up selling the laptop without knowing what I was actually missing.

Your screen being TN is really interesting too. Do you generally find TN more comfortable than IPS, or is it more about how the signal is delivered regardless of panel type? Also, I looked up the B140XTN02.D: looks like a proper 6-bit panel with no FRC? Any ideas what that "something" is that gives you strain when connected directly to Windows? Dithering? Does it start "sparkling"/"shimmering" visibly or via slow-mo camera or is it more invisible stuff?

As for controllers, with eDP, especially older panels, options are limited due to the fact it has to be programmed specifically for that panel. I'm not aware of any universal ones as of now. I usually pick ones with VGA input, since it gives me a cleaner, simpler signal. The feel is very close to my known-good laptop setup, so I consider it safe (for me at least). Whether I’d recommend it to others... hard to say. I’m not super sensitive to OS or driver updates. PWM gives me regular eye strain, like it does to most people. So it seems the bigger issue for me has always been signal processing or dithering and potentially some bad LED backlight. Here's one of the boards I’ve used:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000556723051.html

One more thing. Lately I’ve also started looking into LVDS-based panels again. From what I understand, LVDS is a simpler protocol compared to eDP, and there seem to be more high-quality universal controller boards for it (like Novatek or Realtek chipsets). Still trying to find the right panel for testing. Ideally something true 8-bit, running over LVDS with a fully “dumb” signal path. A bit rare these days. Also, LVDS panels often need manual backlight wiring – but many support analog or DC dimming instead of PWM, which could be a huge plus if implemented right.

Curious:
Do you have any experience with LVDS vs eDP?
Also, what kind of controller have you been using with your panels?
Have you tested with VGA input directly, or maybe tried a hardware EDID emulator?
And have you ever used an older DisplayLink adapter with legacy drivers to bypass signal processing?

Seems we have similar symptoms and experiences so would love to know what’s worked for you in more details. I'll share my new findings after the next round of testing too.