ThinkPad T43 15" IPS Display

[OldeThinkPadEnthusiast]

Hello again. I know that I've already made a few posts kind of like this before so please forgive me but now I am getting a 15" ThinkPad T43 and I have found an IPS display I'd like to put into it but I have had trouble finding it on eBay, AliExpress, BlissComputers.net, and other websites I searched. The model of display I'd like to find is an IDTech 92P6753 - IPS TFT panel but I have had trouble finding that as I have said so if anyone knows if it is possible to find one of those for an affordable price, please let me know.

I've also been considering doing the T43p conversion to this 15" T43 instead with the ATI Mobility FireGL V3200 I've talked about before but I still didn't have luck finding one of those either so if possible I'd like some info on that as well.

[ajkula66]

These LCDs were discontinued almost two decades ago. The chances of finding a NOS one are incredibly slim, and most of the used ones are likely on their last leg.

Try posting a WTB (want to buy) ad in the forum's Marketplace. Maybe a fellow member has a decent one sitting somewhere...

Good luck.

[Gonzaleitor]

Maybe you can find a dead T43p mobo and transplant the GPU. You would need a reballing station and the adequate stencil for the ball array.

[TPFanatic]

You could also put a T43p lid on a regular T43 so it identifies as a T43p. This is legal by the first amendment in the United States, for it to self-determine itself. This is not legal advice.

[ajkula66]

You could also put a T43p lid on a regular T43 so it identifies as a T43p. This is legal by the first amendment in the United States, for it to self-determine itself. This is not legal advice.

[astral]

You could also put a T43p lid on a regular T43 so it identifies as a T43p. This is legal by the first amendment in the United States, for it to self-determine itself. This is not legal advice.

As someone who put a T61p badge on an otherwise T61p laptop with a GMA motherboard, I say go nuts

As for the LCD - if you can still source a new CCFL bulb, then getting a worn out panel shouldn't be a big deal. You could also always go with the LED modding route.

[OldeThinkPadEnthusiast]

These LCDs were discontinued almost two decades ago. The chances of finding a NOS one are incredibly slim, and most of the used ones are likely on their last leg.

Try posting a WTB (want to buy) ad in the forum's Marketplace. Maybe a fellow member has a decent one sitting somewhere...

Good luck.

Ah, that really sucks but thanks for the advice!

[OldeThinkPadEnthusiast]

Maybe you can find a dead T43p mobo and transplant the GPU. You would need a reballing station and the adequate stencil for the ball array.

I'd love to try that if I was able to find one of them easily and if I had the skills but thanks anyways!

[OldeThinkPadEnthusiast]

You could also put a T43p lid on a regular T43 so it identifies as a T43p. This is legal by the first amendment in the United States, for it to self-determine itself. This is not legal advice.

That is an interesting sentiment but to keep things genuine I'd keep the original display lid unless I do find a T43p motherboard and screen.

[Glaurung-quena]

If you find an actual NOS IPS panel that's compatible, it will be ridiculously expensive. Maybe you'll find a Chinese seller listing one as "like new" or "nearly new." Translation: it's used but still looks good. Either way, it'll cost a lot.

Your other, potentially much cheaper alternative is to set up search alerts on Ebay for complete laptops (15" t42, t43, or R50/51), and look up the model identifier numbers. Most will be TN XGA models, but every so often you'll come across an IPS one.

The downside of the "buy a nonworking laptop for the screen" strategy is that the screen will, most of the time, be some combination of faded, blemished, and/or yellowed. (Even a badly yellowed screen will still look tons better than TN, though).

Another downside is that most sellers have no idea what they're selling, especially when it comes to screen size, so you cannot just search for 15" t43 thinkpad. You'll have to search for generic T43 thinkpads, review the photos of each new listing to find the 15" models, then review the photos of the bottom (or ask for a photo of the bottom) to find the model ID numbers. It's tedious but I have done it. Eventually, you'll find something with an IPS screen for not too much money. Then it's just a matter of swapping lids, or possibly (for the R series ones) transplanting the panel to your existing lid.

[kfzhu1229]

Hello again. I know that I've already made a few posts kind of like this before so please forgive me but now I am getting a 15" ThinkPad T43 and I have found an IPS display I'd like to put into it but I have had trouble finding it on eBay, AliExpress, BlissComputers.net, and other websites I searched. The model of display I'd like to find is an IDTech 92P6753 - IPS TFT panel but I have had trouble finding that as I have said so if anyone knows if it is possible to find one of those for an affordable price, please let me know.
I've also been considering doing the T43p conversion to this 15" T43 instead with the ATI Mobility FireGL V3200 I've talked about before but I still didn't have luck finding one of those either so if possible I'd like some info on that as well.

I do in fact have a spare T43p motherboard sitting around - because the previous T43p mobo I bought came with a broken RAM slot which I end up fixing and gotten it working, hence never gotten around to use the second.
As for the screen, if I were you I'd loosen my search criteria to nice quality TN panels as well. There are a lot of Dell Latitude D520's on ebay that are worthless on ebay and some come with a nice quality 15" SXGA+ LCD with deep blacks and all that, that I tested it to fit in my R40
There are also sharp branded UXGA panels more widely available that are also TN but nice quality, and I have such a panel on my T43p

[TPFanatic]

I agree the TN panels in the 15" segment are alright.

I have a SHARP UXGA in my R60e, only problem is the connector is lower on the SHARP than a ThinkPad panel, so the ThinkLight does not reach.

I've also come back around to XGA because I'm not actually using these machines for anything more than [censored] and giggles -- I have a P71 with 4K for anything of any meaningful use.

[RealBlackStuff]

To make the ThinkLight work with a Sharp UXGA in a 15" 4:3 Thinkpad, see this.

[Gonzaleitor]

Is there a 14.1 IPS panel for the T4x series?

[dr_st]

Is there a 14.1 IPS panel for the T4x series?

Nope. No 4:3 14.1" IPS panel in existence, as far as I know.

[kfzhu1229]

To make the ThinkLight work with a Sharp UXGA in a 15" 4:3 Thinkpad, see this.

Yeah that is exactly what I did with my T43p to get the LCD to fit and have the Thinklight working. But unfortunately I seemed to encounter a lemon, as the panel I have required more work to fit, such as the screw holes not lining up on either side and I had to glue the hinge brackets onto the LCD frame instead, and even more annoying was that the CCFL connector was the old big connector used in the likes of ThinkPad 600, so I had to fix that wire harness as well.
And then finally, mine seemed to have some sort of age issue where the screen would have persistent ghosting if any content is left on the screen for longer than 10 minutes, and would slowly disappear after the LCD is shut off.

[RealBlackStuff]

Nope. No 4:3 14.1" IPS panel in existence, as far as I know.

Ah, but that's where you are wrong!
Forum member xyz put an IPS panel in a 14.1" 4:3 T60 already back in 2008!

[dr_st]

Forum member xyz put an IPS panel in a 14.1" 4:3 T60 already back in 2008!

That's a UXGA panel. I see nowhere mentioned that it's IPS.
In fact, here I see what looks like evidence to the contrary...

[TPFanatic]

what if we put an ipad inside the lid

[arpeas]

As a last resort, you could get a Latitude C800/810/840 or Inspiron 8000/8100/8200 and steal its panel. The Inspirons are better machines to get since the lowest res they came with is always 1400x1050, so it won't be a gamble if you get XGA or not. None are IPS, hence it being the last resort, but I've heard the Inspiron 8200's 1600x1200 panels are really good viewing angle wise, almost on par with FlexView ones.

Edit: And since they aren't IPS, they age quite nicely. I have both an Inspiron 8000 and 8100, one with SXGA+ and the other with UXGA, and both have nice colours, but the viewing angles on them aren't great. If you can live with that it's probably the cheapest and most effective option to getting a non-yellowed screen. In fact I put the 1400x1050 panel in a A31, the only change I change I made was to remove the plastic that was holding the inverter on the panel's back.

[astral]

The C800/810/840 also lacked any XGA screen options, so you're guaranteed 1400x1050 at least with those as well.
I've never viewed a FlexView panel in person, but I do have a Precision M50 with the UltraSharp UXGA panel - they look good. Not IPS good, but they're good panels and have pretty good viewing angles.

[arpeas]

The FlexViews, provided they haven't been used too heavily, look great apart from the yellowing at the right side. They're wonderful for watching films on the sofa for example, and colours are more vibrant than TN panels of course. Games are a different bag though. One can get used to the high response time in Max Payne and the like, but FPSes are no-goes, for me anyway. They just get too smeary in such fast-paced scenarios.

[dr_st]

One can get used to the high response time in Max Payne and the like, but FPSes are no-goes, for me anyway. They just get too smeary in such fast-paced scenarios.

I remember there was one part in Rayman 3 (a rare moment that gives you a first-person perspective) that was almost impossible for me to do on the SXGA+ IPS of the T42. Then when I had the chance to try it on a significantly faster panel (DELL 2007FP), it was surprisingly easy.