The Edge-To-Edge 12.5" IPS Screen, Benchmarked
Rather than employing a flush-mounted display, most notebook vendors instead use a bezel above their screens to hide wiring, creating a small gap where dirt accumulates. On a tablet PC, this is even more problematic, given constant interaction with the touch screen. The X230T is a multi-touch tablet PC, meaning you can use the digitizer pen or touch screen gestures. Previous encounters with such systems were generally poor because of the accumulated dirt that negatively affects accuracy over time.
This is not a problem for the X230T, however. Lenovo’s designers opted for a completely flush display, which makes considerable sense. The screen trim on previously-reviewed tablet PCs prevented interaction with the 5-10 pixels around the panel's edge. The X230T lets you use everything on the screen; the black trim does not actually register multi-touch actions.
Lenovo does employ an IPS panel. However, the glass that it uses to minimize glare reduces image quality, adversely affecting the sRGB and Adobe RGB (1998) gamut profile.
Rendering only 43.6% of the Adobe RGB (1998) gamut, the X230T falls short of other tablets PCs like Samsung's Series 7 11.6" Slate. The X230T is primarily a business-oriented system, though, not necessarily intended for multimedia applications. Lenovo instead chose to focus on other beneficial traits, including anti-glare properties, wider viewing angles, and a lower price.
Our chief complaint about the X230T's display is its relatively low maximum brightness setting. At best, we are only able to squeeze out 245 cd/m2 out of the IPS panel, which is quite low. Though not dim, per se, the panel certainly is not what we consider to be bright, as 300 cd/m2 is a generally-accepted norm. This maximum brightness setting is sufficient for providing more contrast to the screen in well-lit environments, but the X230T is best-suited to rooms with moderate ambient lighting.
