Thinkpads Forum

I see a lot of old posts on this forum, but it's hard to tell what is still readily available these days. There's the original panels from IBM/Lenovo, mentions of taking panels from Dell laptops, Boeing 787 panels, etc. I'm looking for the best panel you can put into a 15" 4:3 T60p these days, on the route to a hobby frankenpad build; if a really nice panel costs $100+, that's doable.

Is there a list of all UXGA (1600*1200) or higher resolution LED panels? I'd prefer UXGA, LED (not CCFL), and IPS/AFFL or better (not TN) panels.

jcitme wrote:I see a lot of old posts on this forum, but it's hard to tell what is still readily available these days.

Nothing is really "readily available" nowadays. The best panel to get is the Hydis UXGA with LED backlighting. It will require a cable/inverter modification and is likely to set you back a pretty penny. http://www.ebay.com/itm/HYDIS-HV150UX2- ... 2095484430

I'm NOT affiliated with the seller, proceed - or not - at your own risk.

Is there a list of all UXGA (1600*1200) or higher resolution LED panels? I'd prefer UXGA, LED (not CCFL), and IPS/AFFL or better (not TN) panels.

There's no need for such a list. Hydis is the only 15" (4:3) LED panel out there.

I have bought from that eBay seller before, his screens are the real deal.
And if you should go for him, I'd like to blow my own trumpet: http://theboardroom.info/led_mod.html

ajkula66 wrote:Nothing is really "readily available" nowadays. The best panel to get is the Hydis UXGA with LED backlighting. It will require a cable/inverter modification and is likely to set you back a pretty penny. http://www.ebay.com/itm/HYDIS-HV150UX2- ... 2063319321

Ouch, that's more expensive than what I'm used to, the land of X220 and T430 lcd panel swaps costing $60-$100. Oh well, I'm not surprised that the older stuff has gone up in price.

ajkula66 wrote:There's no need for such a list. Hydis is the only 15" (4:3) LED panel out there.

I've seen some other screens mentioned, such as the Sharp LQ150U1LW22N (from the Dell Inspiron 5150) to this QXGA: https://world.taobao.com/item/16647218318.htm

Are the alternative UXGA panels (Sharp, etc) any good? The QXGA is also tempting, what drawbacks do they have?

jcitme wrote:Ouch, that's more expensive than what I'm used to, the land of X220 and T430 lcd panel swaps costing $60-$100. Oh well, I'm not surprised that the older stuff has gone up in price.

Well, yeah, but X220/T430 screens are sheer junk when compared to this one. Excellent price for that Hydis as well.

I've seen some other screens mentioned, such as the Sharp LQ150U1LW22N (from the Dell Inspiron 5150) to this QXGA: https://world.taobao.com/item/16647218318.htm

Are the alternative UXGA panels (Sharp, etc) any good? The QXGA is also tempting, what drawbacks do they have?

You were inquiring about the LED-lit panels. Neither of those is.

QXGA panels - presuming that one gets a *real* ID Tech and not an impostor - were not all that bright to begin with, being 150 nits OOTB, and they have been out of production for more than a decade. To me personally that is by far the biggest problem. One also needs really good eyesight in order to enjoy what these LCDs have to offer.

Sharp is fine, but you get what you pay for...in other words, a top-notch NOS UXGA LCD in NOS condition or close to it will run you $200 or thereabouts, be it CCFL or LED. QXGA panel from a reputable source - good luck finding one - might come close to doubling that amount.

ajkula66 wrote:Well, yeah, but X220/T430 screens are sheer junk when compared to this one. Excellent price for that Hydis as well.

You're correct for the default screens, but putting a 1440p IPS into a T430 is pretty awesome. Can't complain too much there.

You were inquiring about the LED-lit panels. Neither of those is.

Ah, ok. Fair enough, that restricts the options a bit.

QXGA panels - presuming that one gets a *real* ID Tech and not an impostor - were not all that bright to begin with, being 150 nits OOTB, and they have been out of production for more than a decade. To me personally that is by far the biggest problem. One also needs really good eyesight in order to enjoy what these LCDs have to offer... QXGA panel from a reputable source - good luck finding one - might come close to doubling that amount.

I'm young enough that the resolution difference is an improvement for my eyes.

I'm willing to shell out the money for QXGA, since this is a hobby project and it's still a lot cheaper than rebuilding old cars. I'm also not scared of taking a QXGA screen and replacing the CCFL with a LED in order to improve the brightness from 150 nits. The biggest issue is QXGA availability, since there are 0 results on ebay. What do you think about the 200RMB panels on taobao? https://world.taobao.com/search/search. ... &q=iaqx10n

I'm guessing they're knockoffs, but how do they compare in quality? I have experience buying stuff on taobao, and 51nb stuff is on there all the time, so it doesn't scare me off.

jcitme wrote:I'm willing to shell out the money for QXGA, since this is a hobby project and it's still a lot cheaper than rebuilding old cars.

Been there and done that so I'll have to agree...

I'm also not scared of taking a QXGA screen and replacing the CCFL with a LED in order to improve the brightness from 150 nits.

Well...the possibility of introducing dust specs within the screen layers is present every time one messes with a CCFL, and I would rate that as a *major* concern, but to each their own...

The biggest issue is QXGA availability, since there are 0 results on ebay. What do you think about the 200RMB panels on taobao? https://world.taobao.com/search/search. ... &q=iaqx10n

I'm guessing they're knockoffs, but how do they compare in quality? I have experience buying stuff on taobao, and 51nb stuff is on there all the time, so it doesn't scare me off.

I can't say much of anything in this respect apart from the fact that someone I know ended up with a glossy QXGA panel from one of the Far East suppliers. I wouldn't touch anything on taobao with a 30-foot pole but that's me, and I'm quite old and set in my ways, let alone grouchy by default...

el-sahef has already tried replacing the CCFL in the QXGA with an LED. The brightness didn't improve and you get the usual light reflection issues. You are stuck at 150 nits with the QXGA, no matter what.

600X wrote:el-sahef has already tried replacing the CCFL in the QXGA with an LED. The brightness didn't improve and you get the usual light reflection issues. You are stuck at 150 nits with the QXGA, no matter what.

I wasn't aware of this. Thanks for sharing.

I guess that's another dead horse that doesn't need any additional beating...

ajkula66 wrote: I guess that's another dead horse that doesn't need any additional beating...

Some people are not grouchy (for now..) resolution addicts. Including me.

The panel seems very nice from the pictures I've seen.. and while my eyesight could handle it.. my wallet, probably not. Not sure of the extra benefit of extreme resolutions for daily use, too.

Well this panel is worth ALL AND ANY money, and $200 is a price most users are willing to pay for a nice shaped CCFL Old Boe. Modern IPS are a fine joke. I've had a 8740w w/Dreamcolor and it lays far behind this one.

We are also lucky to have RBS here. I need to dig down all my inverters to see if any of them fits in the needs I've got one modded but will try to get another one for wife's R61f. Be quick, you never know when he retires!

Ok, I'm getting a few dollars in my tax returns, so I'm back here.

What's the best chance at getting a QXGA resolution display? I know they're pretty rare, but I'm trying to get my hands on one.

Nevermind, I did more research and it looks like the QXGA IDTech IAQX10N lcds are limited to 50Hz, and apparently are dimmer than the rated nits.

I guess I'm sticking with the BOE Hydis UXGA panel, so I just ordered that (from the ebay link above).

What are the best instructions for installing one of these onto a T60? I'm getting conflicting search results about soldering, etc. Different people talking about different things, CCFL vs LED, etc. Is there a "correct method"? I'm not planning to do the actual modifications for a month or two, so I'm still just reading up about stuff.

jcitme wrote:What are the best instructions for installing one of these onto a T60?

Obviously these...

RealBlackStuff wrote:Obviously these...

I was mildly considering doing it myself, it doesn't look too bad. It's definitely more fun to do things yourself.

Of course, many men have said "it doesn't look too bad" right before breaking everything, so maybe as a backup I'll buy another panel and inverter and LCD cable and send that in.

I bought my IAQX10N from a seller on Taobao for my T60p, flawless without any pressure marks what so ever. But it was 6-7 years ago now. You shouldn't be put off by the 50 Hz refresh, as it doesn't directly translate to flicker on LCDs. Even if you've got 60 Hz movies to playback, it won't be a problem as the severe ghosting hides most of the tearing. And yes, it isn't bright, but still plenty bright in normal daylight.

However, these days, I wouldn't personally bother too much about "the best flexview screen" on a T60/p, but I think you're on the right track with the LED Hydis. But you will always have to keep in mind that all of them are still 6 bit panels, 45% NTSC gamut, with slow response time by today's standards. The contrast ratio isn't market leading any longer either. Their viewing angles are however a bit better than some of Lenovo's IPS offering today, and comparisons aside the displays are nice too look at and easy on the eyes.