got my laptop in.. has a dead pixel

[seeyoutiger]

I was so excited to get my laptop yesterday... unfortunately it has a dead pixel... its about 1/4 up from the bottom and near the middle. Why cant IBM make sure ALL their laptop screens are perfect?

I only noticed it cuz this forum mentioned these imperfections. ::sigh::

[K. Eng]

IBM buys their panels in bulk from LCD manufacturers like Samsung. The LCD manufacturers want to keep prices down, so they set "standards" that say that a certain number of pixel defects is "ok" (i.e. allow some defects to artificially inflate panel yields). The result is that some bad panels find their way into notebooks and buying a notebook has become a lottery.

IBM doesn't cherry pick the LCDs they buy because they want to keep costs down. A company that buys 1000s of machines probably doesn't care if 20-30% of them exhibit pixel defects.

If you are unhappy you should return the machine ASAP. The reason substandard products persist in the market is because people accept them. If enough people complained about bad LCDs and returned such products, companies would notice and stop shipping defective products. [/b]

[pete0r]

yeah you need to decide if you want to return it. personally i couldn't wait to use my laptop, but if i had a dead pixel where you have it it would really bug me. luckily i only hvae one dead pixel and it's in the bottom right of the screen, you can't even see it unless you turn the screen all black or a different color. i guess i lucked out.

[cyr0n_k0r]

no, you would have lucked out if you recieved a perfectly working laptop with zero dead pixels like 99% of all customers SHOULD recieve.

The fact that you accept even 1 dead pixel ANYWHERE on your screen is beyond me.

[leesiulung]

Actually, from experience with the X31 I noticed that 5 of the 6 Thinkpads I received had pixel defects... like stuck or dead pixels. All of these were shipped at different times. I shipped a few back and received machines with dead pixels again... so I guess dead pixels are actually really common on the smaller 12" screens.

Currently my personal machine recently ordered and manufactured in April 04' has 1 stuck pixel... I tried ordering another one, but got one with a stuck RED pixel almost in the center.... so I guess I will keep the stuck pixel one and ship back the RED pixel one...

On the other hand I received two T-series and did not have a single dead pixel on them... both the 1400x10.. .resolution...

Personally I would rather pay a little extra to get defective free screens...

[Biggie2]

From what i understand, it is quite rare to get a perfect screan without any dead pixals... Just the shear amount of pixals, the chances of everyone being good is slim... However most people who own Thinkpads on this board seem to not have problems. I might be wrong on how rare or not it is to get a perfect screen, but thats just what ive come to understand in my 5 or so months in the laptop world....

[K. Eng]

Sombody put up a poll a few days ago, and I think that about 70% of people here reported having a perfect screen. The "myth" that most panels have defects is IMO a weak ploy by LCD manufacturers and OEMs to get people to buy their shoddy goods.

Here it is:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... pixel+poll

Most panels that I examine do not exhibit defects. This is why dead or stuck pixels are so frustrating to people, especially if they are in an obvious area like the middle of the screen - it means you got screwed and payed the same price as 70% of other buyers who got a defect free product.

I might be wrong on how rare or not it is to get a perfect screen, but thats just what ive come to understand in my 5 or so months in the laptop world....

[pete0r]

wow you're angry. isn't it like most consumers accpet them, so what's the issue? if everyone returned them for the smallest problem then they would only cost that much more..

[stgreek]

You should return it - even one dead pixel significantly lowers the machine's value in case you want to resell it.

Stavros

[K. Eng]

The issue is that most (if you define most as >50%) get panels that are defect free, and some get screwed while paying the same price. I think that is fundamentally unfair.

isn't it like most consumers accpet them, so what's the issue?

And I'd be fine with that. If a customer pays for a panel with 1024x768 working pixels, they shouldn't get a panel with (1024x768)-1 working pixels.

if everyone returned them for the smallest problem then they would only cost that much more..

Right on the money (literally). If I sell a ThinkPad (or any other goods) here, or on the Arstechnica agora, or on eBay, I am legally obligated under the Uniform Commercial Code 1-203 and 2-103 to deal in good faith, which means I have a duty to disclose material defects in the items that I sell. Stuck pixels are glaring cosmetic defects that people notice. I would have to disclose any panel defects in a notebook I sell.

On the open market, a notebook with a defective panel will probably sell for only 80% of what a comparable unit with a perfect panel will sell for (just ask Bill Morrow - the open box machines he sells with stuck pixels command "substantial" discounts).

You should return it - even one dead pixel significantly lowers the machine's value in case you want to resell it.

[BillMorrow]

i usually just return those that fail the pixel check to ibm..
who, in turn, check them and then resell them as refurbished..

[kamikrazy]

If you return your thinkpad, will they refund your shipping fees or will they refund everything but the shipping costs? Thanks.

[kamikrazy]

If you return your thinkpad, will they refund your shipping fees or will they refund everything but the shipping costs? Thanks.