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I'm trying to find a forum on City-Data where people discuss issues about computers and other electronic gadgets. Did I miss something?
Well, here's my story. I purchased an HP G42-415DX from Best Buy for the incredibly low price of $349.99 during a last minute Christmas sale. I know, I know..you get what you pay for, but this laptop is great. It has a 14" screen and a dual core Athlon II processor, 3GB of RAM, 320 HD and even a built-in web cam and HDMI and Windows 7 Home Premium. I can't believe how quickly I was able to access the internet. I only need to hit one key and I can access a wireless network at the clubhouse or library in a couple of seconds.
Unfortunately, compared to the other computer screens I've been using, and some of them are old, this one has a bad glare that is making my eyes tear. I've adjusted the font, the screen resolution, and I still need to tilt the laptop back to get rid of the glare. Customer service said it's the lighting, but I've used computers in many public places and have owned one since 1997 and didn't have this problem, although my eyes were a lot younger!
Anyone experience this problem when purchasing a new laptop? I have 2 weeks to return it, so I might just do that tomorrow or exchange it for another model, but I know I'll have to invest another $200 to get something decent. Opinions? Comments?
Chances are a moderator will move your question to the computer forum on CD (Tek_Freek listed the link above). The folks in that forum have always been real helpful when I had any computer issues.
Thanks. I'm sorry I didn't find the proper forum on which to post my question. I finally found reviews on this product and I guess others say the screen is "washed-out" in areas. So I need to decide if the $350 price is really a bargain. It's not just glare, but some lines aren't visible, like search boxes. If this was my first computer, I'd probably love it. I suspect the 5 star reviews are from newbies. Someone on the Best Buy site just posted a review and said the same thing, so now I know it's not my lack of computer skills. For infrequent use it's probably a good deal, however.
I just sent a report to move this thread or delete it.
Is the screen resolution set to optimal? Each screen has a native resolution at which it gives the best image. If yours is set to a different res the image will suck.
Assuming Windows 7.
Quickly get to the desktop by clicking that vertical "bar" at the far right of the task bar.
Right-click on the desktop away from any icons and choose Screen Resolution from the menu. The setting for resolution should say (recommended) after it. If it doesn't click on "What display setting should I use?"and scroll down in the window until you see a list of screen sizes and resolutions. It will tell which one to use.
Is the screen resolution set to optimal? Each screen has a native resolution at which it gives the best image. If yours is set to a different res the image will suck.
Assuming Windows 7.
Quickly get to the desktop by clicking that vertical "bar" at the far right of the task bar.
Right-click on the desktop away from any icons and choose Screen Resolution from the menu. The setting for resolution should say (recommended) after it. If it doesn't click on "What display setting should I use?"and scroll down in the window until you see a list of screen sizes and resolutions. It will tell which one to use.
Thanks. Yes, I know. I first had it on the recommended resolution, which is 1366 x768. I tried other settings, but I went back to the recommended resolution. It's difficult to describe. For example, I can read the posts on this thread without any trouble, but I know there is a green "chart" showing how many times my posts are read daily. It's so faded that it's just a squiggle. If I pick up the laptop and tilt it so the monitor is flat on the table and the keyboard is facing away from me, then I can see the green "mountain." Under "Title" (above Message) there's no box, although I know it's there. Submit reply & Preview Post below are fine. I've been on City-Data a lot so I know that under Search the Web, Google is in the box, but it's so faded that it's hardly visible until I tilt the screen so it's facing the ceiling. I guess some people might not be bothered by this, but it's a problem for me. Save, Go Advanced, Delete, Cancel are fine.
What's odd is that it looks okay today, although the screen is still reflective, which bothers my eyes a little. I have 14 days to return it, although I won't wait that long if I decide to get another laptop. There seems to be some confusion about when that period begins, although I assume it starts the day I picked it up at the store, not the day I ordered it. It's now $100 more, so I got a good deal, that is, if I can enjoy using it.
I tried IE8, Opera 11 and Mozilla/Firefox 3.6 and now I'm downloading Chrome. I had to change the font settings for each browser, but the colors aren't as faded today. Very strange. The only other laptop under $500 I liked was a Gateway NV59C66u with an i3 processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. It's $499, but always out of stock. Most reviews give it 5 stars. Except for Best Buy, I can't even find this HP laptop G42-415DX reviewed on any site. I realize large chains like Best Buy have an agreement with some manufacturers and sell specific configurations/models not found elsewhere. Other reviews about the G42 line in general mention "mirror screen" or "reflective screen" or "washed out" but several users say it's great.
Well, this certainly is a mystery, since the problem seeing the green post tracker and search boxes above is gone.
Edit: I figured it out (or not!) When I'm running on battery power, that's when the colors fade.
Last edited by justNancy; 01-03-2011 at 11:20 AM..
Reason: add comment
Edit: I figured it out (or not!) When I'm running on battery power, that's when the colors fade.
You need to look at the power management settings. Most laptops are set to default to a power saving mode when running on the battery. This dims the backlight on the screen. It improves battery life, but sacrifices quality. Check your power management features (within Windows and the BIOS) and there should be a way to change the settings when running on the battery.
Thanks, I did that, so there might be something wrong with this laptop. When the monitor dims, however, the colors wouldn't fade. I'm talking about images almost disappearing from the screen. I called Geek Squad, since I have a 6 month subscription that was included. It's just for making calls, not service, and I usually never call a Help Desk, but we went over everything and she said I should return it. She also told me that a 14" screen will cause eye strain too. I guess it would make a nice 2nd computer, but if I use it for hours, I should probably go back to a larger screen. I realize I can add an external monitor, but then it won't be as portable. In fact, if I decide to buy a monitor, I can still use my old Toshiba for now.
Thanks to everyone for your comments.
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