Cause of fuzzy fonts??

zapp22

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This technical question has been bugging me for quite awhile now so I thought I would ask this noble group :D

I have several notebooks, some with dedicated graphics and some not, and a couple of desktop mules that both have dedicated graphics. the display quality ranges from ok to great depending on the chore being done.
My question has to do with the hybrid AMD E-350 powered Thinkpad x120e that is my daily driver. I use its own display, and I also use a 1080P Asus 22" lcd. The Asus performs really well for all sorts of things despite having really clunky controls [the pits...]. But despite the display I use, and despite zoom adjustment and some limited font selection, I never really have CRISP fonts on that machine. I've tinkered with a few settings, and have walked through Windows 7's display adjustment tools [one of the best features of 7 in my view] and it helped a little, but the fonts always appear squishy, and in many cases, vague, color-wise.

Technically, what is it that renders fonts? Why do some of my other current stable display crisp and in some cases vivid fonts while the x120e does not? My main lab mule desktop has a AMD 6xxx series midrange card and has terrific fonts, graphics, video, etc... if I were picky I would say the color rendering is a little artificial looking but otherwise, I ain't complaining about that one.

ideas??
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, Win...Pentium 4 3.2GHz, Pentium 4 3.4GHz 64bit, Atom,4GB matched, 1GB, 2.5GB, 4.0 GBGeforce 8400 GS and others
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP DC7600, HP DC7600[2], HP DC7100, Samsung NC10
OS
Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, Windows XP Home SP3
CPU
Pentium 4 3.2GHz, Pentium 4 3.4GHz 64bit, Atom,
Motherboard
Dunno
Memory
4GB matched, 1GB, 2.5GB, 4.0 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Geforce 8400 GS and others
Sound Card
RealteK ALC260 and others
Monitor(s) Displays
Asus HD
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
WD Caviar 640gb SATA
Cooling
We Be Cool
Have a quick look in the catalyst Control Center and see if the following is enabled,

maa.JPG
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win 7 Ultimate x64FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so farADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Me
OS
Win 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so far
Motherboard
Asus M5A97 EVO
Memory
ADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600
Graphics Card(s)
Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Sound Card
Xonar DGX w/ Corsair Vengence 1300
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S232HL Abid
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
120 GB OCZ Vertex 3
500 GB Seagate 7200.12
PSU
Antec Earthwatts 650W Green
Case
Antec Three Hundred
Cooling
Cooler Master 212 EVO
Keyboard
Logitech G510
Mouse
Logitech G500s
Internet Speed
35000/3000
here's what I have on that tab:
 

Attachments

  • amd-fuzz.jpg
    amd-fuzz.jpg
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My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, Win...Pentium 4 3.2GHz, Pentium 4 3.4GHz 64bit, Atom,4GB matched, 1GB, 2.5GB, 4.0 GBGeforce 8400 GS and others
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP DC7600, HP DC7600[2], HP DC7100, Samsung NC10
OS
Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, Windows XP Home SP3
CPU
Pentium 4 3.2GHz, Pentium 4 3.4GHz 64bit, Atom,
Motherboard
Dunno
Memory
4GB matched, 1GB, 2.5GB, 4.0 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Geforce 8400 GS and others
Sound Card
RealteK ALC260 and others
Monitor(s) Displays
Asus HD
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
WD Caviar 640gb SATA
Cooling
We Be Cool

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win 7 Ultimate x64FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so farADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Me
OS
Win 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so far
Motherboard
Asus M5A97 EVO
Memory
ADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600
Graphics Card(s)
Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Sound Card
Xonar DGX w/ Corsair Vengence 1300
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S232HL Abid
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
120 GB OCZ Vertex 3
500 GB Seagate 7200.12
PSU
Antec Earthwatts 650W Green
Case
Antec Three Hundred
Cooling
Cooler Master 212 EVO
Keyboard
Logitech G510
Mouse
Logitech G500s
Internet Speed
35000/3000
yes .

technically, what is contributing to clarity of fonts? obviously the quality of the display, but I can hookup a diff notebook to this same display and get better 'read quality' with no adjustments. not spectacularly better, but clearer, more distinct, and with not so much variance from one color font to another. for instance, right now all the medium blue fonts on this sevenforum page look fuzzier than all the black ones, and the bitmapped smilies to the right all look just a hair hazy, or 'soft'

does the HDMI device have their own issues? that is, is the HDMI device in the thinkpad going to have any characteristics vs. the others I have, which impact the clarity? I would think the answer is no. its just a digital transfer medium, which has no impact on how the ic renders the data..... but I could be wrong

 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, Win...Pentium 4 3.2GHz, Pentium 4 3.4GHz 64bit, Atom,4GB matched, 1GB, 2.5GB, 4.0 GBGeforce 8400 GS and others
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP DC7600, HP DC7600[2], HP DC7100, Samsung NC10
OS
Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, Windows XP Home SP3
CPU
Pentium 4 3.2GHz, Pentium 4 3.4GHz 64bit, Atom,
Motherboard
Dunno
Memory
4GB matched, 1GB, 2.5GB, 4.0 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Geforce 8400 GS and others
Sound Card
RealteK ALC260 and others
Monitor(s) Displays
Asus HD
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
WD Caviar 640gb SATA
Cooling
We Be Cool
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