X200 questions on upgrading

[Dramaturge007]

Hello I’m in the process of changing my x200 screen from stock into something better. I checked in terminal and the screen model I have is the LTD121EWVB version. What would be the best upgrade that’s a simple easy relplacement. Also my think light has went out on this model if I install a new screen will that start working properly again? I read that usually happens when the backlight inverter goes bad.

[axur-delmeria]

1. The Thinklight (small LED at the top of the lid that illuminates the keyboard) not working is not related to the backlight inverter. The LED is actually part of the LCD cable, and apparently the flexible cable becomes brittle with age and prone to breaking. I've experienced the same issue with the Thinklight on my X60 and X61 , which have a similar LCD cable design.

2. It looks like your LCD has a CCFL backlight. The good thing about that is that there are IPS/AFFS screens that are drop-in replacements:

* Boe Hydis HV121WX4-100

* Boe Hydis HV121WX4-120

The problem is where to find them.

[Dramaturge007]

I see so if i replace the screen with the hv121wx4 the thinklight will star working again due to the new lcd cable & ill get a slightly better screen?

[ZaZ]

The IPS/AFFS will offer a significantly better viewing experience over the old TN panel. It seems likely that a new cable will fix the ThinkLight, but that depends on what broke in the first place.

[axur-delmeria]

I see so if i replace the screen with the hv121wx4 the thinklight will star working again due to the new lcd cable & ill get a slightly better screen?

It sounds like you've never opened your X200 before.

Replacing the LCD cable may or may not fix the Thinklight, because what you'll be getting is an old, "possibly harvested from a dead laptop" component that's around 15 years old and long out of production. There's no factory still churning out these things, and you'll be lucky to get an old but unused cable still in its box.
Also, there's the chance that the issue isn't with the cable, but the circuit providing power to the Thinklight. I dunno if the backlight circuit has a fuse on the system board.

"slightly better screen" is an understatement.
This is the X200 stock LCD:


For comparison, this is an X200 upgraded to the AFFS/IPS screen:

[RealBlackStuff]

X200 has a backlight fuse F1 (3A/32V/Fast) near the LCD-connector CN1.

[Plunkyy]

On top of the very well known CCFL AFFS panels, there does seem to be some LED AFFS panels (used in tablets) that are able to be run in the X200 with an adapter, and an X200/X201 LED cable/inverter. I’m personally attempting this with the following adapter https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOQ5agx and an LED AFFS screen from an X200 Tablet.

This is a very unknown mod for some reason, I could only find one forum post on 51nb forums about it from a decade ago. I will eventually make a post on here if I am successful but I’m still waiting on the adapter to arrive.

It seems just about all of these compatible screens will have a Wacom digitizer that needs to be removed, and maybe some protruding tabs that will have to be delicately removed too for it to fit in the X200, so it’s not as simple as a mod as the HV121WX4-120, but it will surely be brighter if you get it working.

If looking for individual screens on eBay, search for variations of HV121WX6 and HV121WX1 and make sure the outline size of the panel will fit in the X200.

EDIT: Adapter linked here doesn’t seem to fit, don’t bother buying this one. Still working on the mod, and I will write up a guide when I actually find the right adapters.

[TPFanatic]

@Plunkyy
i wanted to try that years ago but didnt get past purchasing the LCD. very excited to see your progress.