Thinkpads Forum

I have owned my X230 (an i7 model with a premium IPS display) for around three weeks now. When I got it, I checked the screen carefully for dead and stuck pixels (it has one dead pixel near the left edge, which doesn't bother me at all).

Somewhere around a week ago, I noticed a slighty brighter spot near the bottom of the screen, and I'm fairly sure it wasn't there when I got the computer. Now I just noticed another bright spot near the first one, and, in turn, I'm quite positive that this one wasn't there when I found the first one.

The spots aren't single pixels; they're somewhere around one to two millimeters in diameter, and they're quite smooth in appearance. They are clearly visible against an even background.

The spots themselves aren't that problematic to me, but the fact that they seem to be popping up over time is rather disconcerting. Has anyone else had similar problems?

Lenovo quality issue. There is a long thread about it http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-Th ... m-p/546641 The display component is the same for X220 and X230.

These "backlight peering through" white spots are common on aging displays, but I am very surprised that they are so common in particular on these 12.5" IPS displays and seem to be developing very soon! I used to believe they were pressure/wear marks which would develop slowly over time.

I've had them on my T42 and all the T60 units I've owned (replaced a total of 4 screens due to those spots). IBM/Lenovo always replaced screens under warranty, without arguments. I've seen a handful of other screens with such defects on other laptops, but always on aging units, which doesn't seem to be the case here.

Edit:Having read the topic Puppy linked to... looks like another sad day in what seems to be the inevitable decline of the Thinkpad brand.

I still believe there is a connecton to the typical pressure marks. The X220/X230 display lid is not very sturdy. The really disappointing part is that Lenovo is refusing to replace the display under warranty (in most cases). Regardless of it is caused by the improper lid construction or faulty display component, Lenovo is supposed to fix it because it is their fault. Lenovo already had to replace first revision of X220 displays because of excessive image retention (which also applies to Apple Retina displays).

My point exactly - quality control issues in combination with terrible customer service (what do you expect when you outsource everything?) - not good.

Thanks for the info. I think I can live with the current spots, but if any more are going to crop up, I'll have to start thinking about having the screen replaced.

It's really a shame these kind of basic quality control screwups happen on supposedly professional-grade laptops.

vth wrote:quality control screwups happen on supposedly professional-grade laptops.

Actually, there are no longer such laptops. I don't consider useless 16:9 display ratio to be used as "professional" laptop.

As for Lenovo customer service, the same is valid for endless issues with their Ericsson broadband modems (in Europe) Lenovo is not willing to fix

Puppy wrote:As for Lenovo customer service, the same is valid for endless issues with their Ericsson broadband modems (in Europe) Lenovo is not willing to fix :(

This is a bit off topic, but could you provide a link to this issue, as I can only find two references to it not working at all? My computer has an Ericcson WWAN. I hadn't tried it yet, but I now took the SIM card out of my phone to test it, and it seems to be working just fine (in Linux, at least).

vth wrote:This is a bit off topic, but could you provide a link to this issue, as I can only find two references to it not working at all?

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/General-Dis ... d-p/961771
http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-Th ... m-p/560809
http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-Ta ... d-p/946471

EDIT As expected, Lenovo has deleted my post (first link) with question about firmware update

Given the apparently unsolved problem with white spots developing on the IPS screens of the x230, it seems that for me to go forward with a planned purchase may be foolish. I had been planning to mate the X230 with a dock and large external monitor for home use (70%) and use it on its own while traveling. I cannot find any comparable machine in the lineups of other manufacturers, am I missing something??

EDIT: Or should I buy the accidental warranty coverage to assure replacement if the screen shows white spots??

I have an X230 and after 1 year and 3 months of use, I've suddenly noticed a small white spot towards the center of the screen that can easily be seen in either a white or gray background. I did not apply any pressure to this laptop! My question: is this a guaranteed inevitable fate for any X230 with IPS display even if you take all precautions in protecting the laptop including using a neoprene case? Or are there users of X220 and X230 who have yet to encounter this issue?

I have a X201i with TN LCD display that does not have this issue at all. If I try to send my X230 for repair, should I ask them to replace the IPS display with a TN display since it seems that there are no complaints from users with X220 and X230 TN displays?

I have the same issue. A couple of smooth bright spots on the lower 20% of the screen, that go away for a while if I push on the screen. They were not there before. The laptop is about 14 months old and I am already missing two keys (left and right arrow), have couple of dead pixels and now this.

Eight months and counting on my x230 (bought with hazard event warranty) and no problems