Thinkpads Forum

I'm looking to replace a 2668 T43. 15.0" SXGA+ FLEXVIEW 2ghz.

The screen on that computer was GREAT and I was thrilled with it but after almost 5 years of heavy use it decided to start throwing up a "fixed media failed" and isn't working even with a new drive.

I'm looking at a midpriced T410 but very confused about the screen types. I want whatever is the best and most similiar to what I had. I'd like it bright and clear and matte (I hate the Dell loaner I have because its shiny and the glare is just horrible).

Can someone direct me?

They are all bright and clear and matte, but none of them is wide viewing angle like your Flexview. They don't make such screens any more for laptops (except for Tablet PCs and one very expensive and very big HP workstation).

Upon further reading I realized that. Thats sort of bizarre to me, that a 5 year old computer can have a superior display to anything available now.

Thank you for the reply.

I think screen viewing angles have been sacrificed for battery life.

TN has a lot better transmittivity than IPS, which makes it suitable for uses where power consumption must be considered.

You might want to look at the T510's HD+ and FHD offerings.

Colonel O'Neill wrote:TN has a lot better transmittivity than IPS, which makes it suitable for uses where power consumption must be considered.

You might want to look at the T510's HD+ and FHD offerings.

But also look at the W510. With the discounts being higher on the W series, an identically configured W510 (only thing different will be the graphics) will be cost out just a few dollars more than a T510 but actually be less due to the discount structure.

I got my W510 with the FHD display and love it. It's tied to my scanner for the foreseeable future though.

Lenovo has become yet another commodity manufacturer of low-quality laptops.

The last decent laptops they made was the non-widescreen T61s. I have one of these, and I'll give it up when it finally dies. My hope is that *some* manufacturer by then will have seen the light and decided that there is still a market for laptop computers, as opposed to video players with keyboards.

I love my desktop 30'' screens, but for my laptop, I want something that will give me enough *vertical* pixels to do my work without being too wide. Apparently nobody understands that need.

Apple products, or any laptop without a trackpoint, I won't touch. Nor that Apple laptops are any better quality. They are just as shoddily put together, they just look nice and shiny. And a glossy screen is a no-no for work anyway. It just looks better at the showroom floor.

Just my curmudgeony sleep-deprived opinion.

ThinkPads are still tiers above the rest of the competition, IMO.
It just sucks that the market is forcing these widescreens down our throats.

I wonder how much hate mail LCD manufacturers would need for them to start producing tallscreens again?

Every time I visit the Lenovo site, it prompts me for feedback. So far, none of my remarks about the lack of non-widescreen options have merited even a reply. Their sales droids, of course, are just telling me "nobody is making them, so it's not like you can go to our competition".

It's not really Lenovo's fault. They aren't big enough to force LCD manufacturers make tallscreens again.

The problem lies with LG, Samsung, AUO, etc. who actually manufacture the panels.

Colonel O'Neill wrote:It's not really Lenovo's fault. They aren't big enough to force LCD manufacturers make tallscreens again.

I think they could, but it would cost more money.

sir_synthsalot wrote:I think they could, but it would cost more money.

Much more money. So much that probably such a thinkpad would cost about $5000-$10000. Would you pay the extra for such a thinkpad when you can get the same laptop with wide screen for $1000?
So it's not only "lenovo wants to cut expenses". It is "lenovo wants to make laptops that they could sell for an adequate price and get their profits". An alternative is not "slightly increase the expenses so that profits will be slighty lower", but "make laptop which prime cost will be so high that nobody will ever purchase it".

Lenovo is an open company; there is info in wikipedia that lenovo's operating income in 2009 was $210 million. I believe it is comparable to the price that must be paid to three LCD manufacturers for creating new LCD production lines. Think of it: lenovo should spend all their income just to get that 4:3 screens. Such an insane move will not just decrease lenovo's profits, but will completely destroy the company.

I think you also could order a custom laptop with 4:3 screen and everything you like from any manufacturer. It would just cost more money.

Kno tablets are about to ship with 14.1" IPS panels... Anyone want to try a swap?

Colonel O'Neill wrote:Kno tablets are about to ship with 14.1" IPS panels... Anyone want to try a swap?

If one of those panels would fit in my T400...I'd be happier than a pig in slop!

Seriously

Yeah me too! If anyone finds how to do this for a T400S, count me in!

They're supposedly WXGA+ and LED-backlit.

Unfortunately you have to be invited to have a chance at buying one of them.