Thinkpads Forum

I've been working with my overhauled T-520 which is now a W-520 after a motherboard upgrade after the T-520 one died.

I'm currently using as a screen an AUO B-156-HW-01 v.7 (glossy) (device code AUO17ED) which I actually love (better than the matte, at least for me). My spouse recently got an X-1 Carbon Gen 7 with an UHD screen which got me to thinking... is a 15.6" WUHD screen possible in the W-520.

Looking at the latest Monitor.INF file I see..

TPLCDWUHDFN.Install, Monitor\LEN40BD ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840x2160 F, No color profile
%TPWUHDF% = TPLCDWUHDF_40BE.Install, Monitor\LEN40BE ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840 x 2160 F, DolbyVision, 400nit (AUO)
%TPWUHDF% = TPLCDWUHDF_40BF.Install, Monitor\LEN40BF ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840 x 2160 F, DolbyVision, 400nit (Sharp)
%TPWUHDF% = TPLCDWUHDF_4180.Install, Monitor\LEN4180 ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840 x 2160 F, DolbyVision, 500nit (AUO)
%TPWUHDF% = TPLCDWUHDF_4181.Install, Monitor\LEN4181 ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840 x 2160 F, DolbyVision, 500nit (BOE)
%TPWUHDO% = TPLCDWUHDO_4141.Install, Monitor\LEN4141 ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 OLED 3840 x 2160 O, DolbyVision, 400nit (SDC)
%TPWUHDF% = TPLCDWUHDF_4184.Install, Monitor\LEN4184 ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840 x 2160 F, DolbyVision, 500nit (BOE)
%TPWUHDF% = TPLCDWUHDF_4185.Install, Monitor\LEN4185 ; 15.6" Wide UHD 16:9 IPS 3840 x 2160 F, DolbyVision, 500nit (CSOT)

Looking at the specs for the GPU's, both the Intel HD-3000 and the Nvidia Quadro 2000-M seem to handle 3840 x 2160 but looking at https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs neither of these are remotely meant for gaming (which I really could care less about). It's really the resolution that I care about, as well as color quality (and I would do this again as a glossy finish).

Any thoughts before I begin a search on panelook.com?

Thanks in advance...

In a word, no.

Newer screens use eDP signaling (most laptops with FHD only have 2 lanes available; 4 lanes are required for QHD or 4K resolutions) and the xx20 series machine use LVDS signaling for the displays. According to Panelook, there are no 15.6" displays that use LVDS signaling that are higher than 1920x1080 resolution.

I'm hoping the entrepreneurs in China can produce a 3K or 4K eDP adapter for T520 units, I will buy one in a heartbeat...

If X220/X230 can take Nitrocaster's eDP Pepe-board, why not TWx20 and TWx30 as well?
They all use the same docking connector!

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:05 am

If X220/X230 can take Nitrocaster's eDP Pepe-board, why not TWx20 and TWx30 as well?
They all use the same docking connector!

Theoretically it should work, but it could be obstructed by some component or whatnot--IIRC Nitrocaster's board doesn't fit in X220T and X230T due to clearance issues, and it might be the same for the W520.

Also, 4K would probably only work on models with nVidia GPUs; AFAIK Intel HD 3000 supports 2560x1600 at most, or if it does support 2160p, it might be at 30Hz refresh rate.

Isn't the nitrocaster board only 2 eDP lanes though? Meaning you can use eDP panels but only up to FHD?

theterminator93 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 03, 2020 7:32 am

Isn't the nitrocaster board only 2 eDP lanes though? Meaning you can use eDP panels but only up to FHD?

Big bump, but 4 lane kits do exist for 1440p. And you can theoretically just solder to the pins for the lanes by hand, I've seen people do it.