[FS] World's 1st *PVA*-equipped X200, maxed out - PRICE DROP
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:47 am
Well... the time has finally come. After several months of wonderful service, I'm afraid I must finally sell my X200.
I purchased this machine a while back with the intention of making it into the best 12.1" ThinkPad I could. To that end I think I've succeeded. The keyboard was swapped out to the FRU with the sturdier backplate. 3G was added and the BIOS modified to accept a nice, speedy, unlocked Ericsson 3G card. The internal WiFi was upgraded to the best Intel WLAN card I could source. The hard drive was swapped with a spacious, power-efficient Samsung SSD with the excellent PB22-J controller. The RAM was upgraded to 4GB.
But that's not what makes this machine special. No, what makes this machine special is the display. The AFFS mod is quite popular amongst the modding community, and their work inspired me to try something a little different. I was able to get my hands on a brand new, WXGA PVA panel. It's made by... well... I'm not sure. I suspect it to be Samsung, but since it lacked any manufacturer's markings I can't tell for sure. What I can tell you is that it's electrically compatible with the X200, and works splendidly. It looks downright gorgeous, with deep, solid blacks, rich colors, and fantastic horizontal and vertical viewing angles. If you've ever seen pictures of a FlexView display, you know what to expect. To the best of my knowledge this was the first machine to undergo the mod, and one of only two in the world with such a panel.
So with all that in mind, here are the numbers:
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.4 GHz)
RAM: 4 GB
HD: 128GB Samsung SSD (controller: PB22-J) (optionally, downgrade to conventional drive for $100 discount, or no drive for $150 discount)
WWAN: Ericcson F3507G 3G (unlocked)
WLAN: Intel WiFi Link 5100
Display: WXGA (1280x800) Samsung(?) PVA panel
Price
$720 + shipping with SSD, $630 + shipping with conventional drive, $590 + shipping with no drive.
Payment
I can accept payment via (in order of preference):
- PayPal (plus PayPal fees)
- cash
- USPS-cashable money order
- Western Union
- MoneyGram
Shipping
Shipping is available within the US via USPS, and will be offered at cost. Insurance is not required, but is strongly recommended.
Errata
Originally, my project included structural enhancements, specifically the addition of a few custom-made components designed to improve chassis strength and reduce lid flex. While these worked to an extent, I ended up removing them as they didn't seem effective enough to justify the increased weight. The chassis is currently in its original condition, and has not undergone any permanent changes as a result of the modification.
The only issue present that I know of is the inverter, which whines/buzzes slightly on the many of the middle brightness steps. As far as I can tell, this unrelated to the PVA display, as it buzzed/whined when the original display was fitted. My guess is that it would have to be replaced -- but I haven't done so because 1) it works perfectly fine 2) I don't use the machine enough to bother 3) the noise is only audible on certain brightness levels and even then it doesn't bother me.
Questions?
Any questions? Please don't hesitate to PM me and I'll get back to you ASAP.
I purchased this machine a while back with the intention of making it into the best 12.1" ThinkPad I could. To that end I think I've succeeded. The keyboard was swapped out to the FRU with the sturdier backplate. 3G was added and the BIOS modified to accept a nice, speedy, unlocked Ericsson 3G card. The internal WiFi was upgraded to the best Intel WLAN card I could source. The hard drive was swapped with a spacious, power-efficient Samsung SSD with the excellent PB22-J controller. The RAM was upgraded to 4GB.
But that's not what makes this machine special. No, what makes this machine special is the display. The AFFS mod is quite popular amongst the modding community, and their work inspired me to try something a little different. I was able to get my hands on a brand new, WXGA PVA panel. It's made by... well... I'm not sure. I suspect it to be Samsung, but since it lacked any manufacturer's markings I can't tell for sure. What I can tell you is that it's electrically compatible with the X200, and works splendidly. It looks downright gorgeous, with deep, solid blacks, rich colors, and fantastic horizontal and vertical viewing angles. If you've ever seen pictures of a FlexView display, you know what to expect. To the best of my knowledge this was the first machine to undergo the mod, and one of only two in the world with such a panel.
So with all that in mind, here are the numbers:
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.4 GHz)
RAM: 4 GB
HD: 128GB Samsung SSD (controller: PB22-J) (optionally, downgrade to conventional drive for $100 discount, or no drive for $150 discount)
WWAN: Ericcson F3507G 3G (unlocked)
WLAN: Intel WiFi Link 5100
Display: WXGA (1280x800) Samsung(?) PVA panel
Price
$720 + shipping with SSD, $630 + shipping with conventional drive, $590 + shipping with no drive.
Payment
I can accept payment via (in order of preference):
- PayPal (plus PayPal fees)
- cash
- USPS-cashable money order
- Western Union
- MoneyGram
Shipping
Shipping is available within the US via USPS, and will be offered at cost. Insurance is not required, but is strongly recommended.
Errata
Originally, my project included structural enhancements, specifically the addition of a few custom-made components designed to improve chassis strength and reduce lid flex. While these worked to an extent, I ended up removing them as they didn't seem effective enough to justify the increased weight. The chassis is currently in its original condition, and has not undergone any permanent changes as a result of the modification.
The only issue present that I know of is the inverter, which whines/buzzes slightly on the many of the middle brightness steps. As far as I can tell, this unrelated to the PVA display, as it buzzed/whined when the original display was fitted. My guess is that it would have to be replaced -- but I haven't done so because 1) it works perfectly fine 2) I don't use the machine enough to bother 3) the noise is only audible on certain brightness levels and even then it doesn't bother me.
Questions?
Any questions? Please don't hesitate to PM me and I'll get back to you ASAP.