How to make a laptop screen more comfortable to look at?

Question

Are laptop's screens inherently less comfortable to look at, or am I doing something horribly wrong?

I've had laptops from HP and Dell, and I always have eyestrain after using them. It is very hard to read text on the bottom at the screen, because the contrast sucks. Those problems do not happen for me when using an external monitor.

Are there some configurations (brightness, contrast, gamma, etc) that could be changed to a better laptop screen usage pleasure? Any position changes? Anything that could be done without external things like those big and strange supports and the such?

Answer 1

First, try f.lux. It’s a software which includes Windows and Mac version both. It can change the laptop color automatically by the time of day, and make no-glare on your eyes.

If you stare at a computer/laptop screen for more than 2 hours, you have 90% chance to get CVS (computer vision syndrome). You eyes will get hurt. Only Flux is not enough to help you eyes. You need to find more tips. See the solution I gave to protect your eyes from your computer/laptop screen before:

Screen Location Ideally more than 25 inches from eye and 6 inches below the horizontal eye level. Anti-glare screen Will decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.

Light effect Use suspended lights from ceiling and windows with shades, blinds or curtains. Avoid light hitting directly on eyes.

Sitting posture Use chairs with armrests which are able to provide, support while typing, position of head slightly tilted downwards and height of the chair adjusted appropriately so that the feet reset flat on floor.

20-20-20 rule Follow the 20-20-20 rule, which means every 20 minutes, look away from the monitor, and focus on an object at least 20 feet away, for 20 seconds.

Eye Exercise Choose your eyes and slowly roll your eyeballs clockwise and anticlockwise. Repeat it 3 times.

Blinking Blink frequently to keep the front surface of your eye moist.

Computer Eyewear To block the blue light, glare, and radiation when in computer and mobile device use. It works better than a monitor or screen protector.

As I suggest, a pair of computer glasses to block harmful lights can really be considered. I already chose one from http://www.taimeopt.com and it really comforts my eyes. You can get more choice from Gunnar and T'aime blue light blocking glasses if you want.

Answer 2

You know, there are lots of tips for laptop users out there on the web. Google for some...

But, here is a link that I found that might help you. Check out once.

http://bit.ly/s3Ctn0

Here are some extracts regarding eyes from the above document:

1) Maintain a neutral neck posture by placing the top of the screen at about eye level or slightly lower if using bifocal glasses. Use a laptop stand or place your laptop on a stable support surface, such as monitor risers, reams of paper, or phone books so that the screen height can be adjusted.

2) Clean the screen frequently as dust can make it difficult to read and may increase eyestrain. Be sure to use an appropriate anti-static cleaning material that is safe for laptop computers.

3) Angle the screen to reduce bending your head forward. Use your eyes instead of your neck to adjust your line of vision.

4) Reduce glare by positioning the screen at a right angle to windows and away from overhead lighting. Laptop lights that plug into a USB port can be used to provide extra light, if needed.

Hope this helps. Also try to follow this rule. I think it helps: http://www.labnol.org/software/computer-eye-exercise/14069/

Answer 3

Some video drivers will let you change some of the settings you are asking about, but they are generally chipset dependent. You should be able to control the brightness of the display using a combination of softkeys on the keyboard. For instance, "FN-Home and FN-End" on my Lenovo x200 Tablet raise and lower the brightness levels.

General ergonomic suggestions are a good place to start. If the image appears better when its directly in front of you at eye level, you might need to raise it up a bit and adjust your seating position. If you are noticing fade at the top and/or bottom of the LCD, it might be just a less expensive screen (yes, screens are different, its not just the size that matters).

Hopefully that helps a bit...