I knew this T520 screen was going to be a problem, BUT

T400/410/420 and T500/510/520 series specific matters only
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stuartf
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I knew this T520 screen was going to be a problem, BUT

#1 Post by stuartf » Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:45 pm

I bought it anyway.

Background: T43 was in need of repairs last year, put it on the shelf for a while and used my son's castoff MacBook, partly to see what all the brouhaha was about the mac. Now, months later, I find myself in the market for another TP and see a great deal on a T520, pretty basic specs including the 720p screen.

42404AU
i5-2520M(2.50GHz),4GB RAM,500GB 7200rpm HD,15.6in 1366x768 LCD,Intel HD Graphics,CDRW/DVDRW,Intel 802.11agn wireless,Bluetooth,Modem,1Gb Ethernet,UltraNav,Secure Chip,Fingerprint reader,Camera,6c Li-Ion,Win7 Pro 64

It did have almost 4 years of of onsite warranty, camera, BT, and finger print reader so I tell myself, "how bad can it be" for $400?

I unpack it, fire it up and think "not too bad after all" but then I start up the T43 (IPS screen) to start transferring some things over and Oh my.

Questions:

1) Is there anything I can do to improve the situation (probably not)
2) Will I get used to it if I never look at the T43 again.

The T520 is bright and the T43 is darker, splotchy on all white backgrounds, but the clarity is stunning in comparison.

Thanks for any tips
T23, X32 (2672-A43), T43 (2687D4U)

wolfman
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Re: I knew this T520 screen was going to be a problem, BUT

#2 Post by wolfman » Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:03 pm

Well, you can hook it up to an external monitor and ignore the internal screen...
You can upgrade the LCD to a HD+ or FHD but that will likely void your warranty unless you have a certified tech do it...
You can sell it (and maybe even make a profit that was a good price for $400) and buy another with a higher resolution / better panel now that you know...

Other than that, I think you're kind of stuck sad to say. It sounds like a nice machine otherwise.
Thinkpad T420 | Core i-5 2520M | 16gb RAM | 120gb Intel 520 SSD + 750gb 7200 RPM | 6300 N | Ubuntu 12.04 x64
Desktop: AMD FX-8350 (8 cores) | 32gb ECC RAM | 240gb Intel 530 SSD + 1tb 7200 RPM | Ubuntu 14.04 x64 | HP ZR24w
Previous Thinkpads: A21m, R40, X61, T410

pianowizard
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Re: I knew this T520 screen was going to be a problem, BUT

#3 Post by pianowizard » Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:37 pm

In this case, the 4-year warranty (how much remains?) is a curse because it prevents you from replacing the LCD. I agree that you should just sell it right away for >$400 to make a profit, and start looking for another laptop. It's well-known that the vast majority of 15.6" 1366x768 screens are awful, for all brands of laptops, so don't make the same mistake again.
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ajkula66
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Re: I knew this T520 screen was going to be a problem, BUT

#4 Post by ajkula66 » Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:09 pm

pianowizard wrote:In this case, the 4-year warranty (how much remains?) is a curse because it prevents you from replacing the LCD. I agree that you should just sell it right away for >$400 to make a profit, and start looking for another laptop. It's well-known that the vast majority of 15.6" 1366x768 screens are awful, for all brands of laptops, so don't make the same mistake again.
+1 and then some.

Sell it, get a similar machine with FHD and call it a day...
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

Abused daily: T61p

PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

stuartf
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Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:16 pm
Location: Middlesex, Vermont USA

Re: I knew this T520 screen was going to be a problem, BUT

#5 Post by stuartf » Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:53 pm

Actually, I can return it for only shipping charges and be done with it. A pity, as I am delighted with the build quality, the keyboard, etc.
T23, X32 (2672-A43), T43 (2687D4U)

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