Simple way to tell IPS from TN?

[at both ends]

I'm looking at an online auction of government surplus and a T60 with a 15" screen popped up yesterday. The machine is available for inspection but I'm six hours drive away. I can get a non-technically-savvy friend who lives within a couple of miles of the warehouse to go take a look. What is the easiest way for her to determine if the screen is IPS, assuming (a) powered on and more likely (b) powered off?

I read the LCD sticky, which hints that it's probably not IPS if there's no FireGL inside. The listed specs say not. Is that conclusive enough before I send my friend on a wild goose chase?

[dr_st]

(a) powered on

Tilt the screen so that you are looking at it an extreme vertical angle. A TN will wash out when viewed from above and darken when viewed from below. An IPS will not.

and more likely (b) powered off?

No way unfortunately.

I read the LCD sticky, which hints that it's probably not IPS if there's no FireGL inside.

That's not correct. There were quite a few T60s with ATI X1300/X1400 and SXGA+ IPS screen.

If you trust the specs and trust that the original screen has not been replaced, look at the screen resolution. 15" XGA (1024x768) on a T60 were TN, 15" SXGA+ (1400x1050) and UXGA (1600x1200) were IPS.

[RealBlackStuff]

Can you get the TYPE of that machine on the small sticker on the bottom?
E.g. TYPE 2007-CTO
or the PRODUCT ID: 200746U

When you get it, stick it in the Product number - box, and hit the blue Go button on this page:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... ry=26474MU

[JGA]

>There were quite a few T60s with ATI X1300/X1400 and SXGA+ IPS screen.

True... my T60 purchased from Lenovo in June 2007 has this configuration.

-Jeff

[Crunch]

+1...I have the ATI FireGL V5200; 15" UXGA (1600x1200) and IPS. How much do they want for these machines?

[Harryc]

If an OS is loaded, tell her to look in device manager under monitors. It will say Flexview Display right there...along with the resolution.
http://www.thinkpads.com/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=76823

[at both ends]

No luck on powering it on. My friend was told the machine had been refurbed - duh, no T2400 ever came with a 160GB drive AFAICT - by "pros" and was in a sealed box that they wouldn't open. But I got the model number via an email and 307-ibm.com shows it's 1024x768, so TN. I wouldn't buy it anyway without an opportunity to check for dead pixels.

Plus it's bid up already to a ridiculous level.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[at both ends]

Disappointed by the government auction, I'm checking out a local mailing list for used items and a T60 with a 15" screen pops up this afternoon, asking C$475. I leave a message for the guy and he calls me back a few hours later. What resolution is the screen, say I? 1400x1050, says he. I drive over to take a look immediately.

It's a 2007-73U, 3GB RAM, new 120GB hard drive, new 9 cell, old useless 6 cell. Dock, 2 power adapters (except his buddy has one, so I can't have them both today). Pristine keyboard, perfect IPS display, one scuff on the lid, WinXP COA, legal MS Office. I talk him down to $400 and then get him to take $25 off for the missing adapter.

Hot diggity! You were all right. The IPS is fabulous!

Disposal time for the 2007-4BU.

[Crunch]

Disappointed by the government auction, I'm checking out a local mailing list for used items and a T60 with a 15" screen pops up this afternoon, asking C$475. I leave a message for the guy and he calls me back a few hours later. What resolution is the screen, say I? 1400x1050, says he. I drive over to take a look immediately.

It's a 2007-73U, 3GB RAM, new 120GB hard drive, new 9 cell, old useless 6 cell. Dock, 2 power adapters (except his buddy has one, so I can't have them both today). Pristine keyboard, perfect IPS display, one scuff on the lid, WinXP COA, legal MS Office. I talk him down to $400 and then get him to take $25 off for the missing adapter.

Hot diggity! You were all right. The IPS is fabulous!

Disposal time for the 2007-4BU.

Nice!!!

Congratulations on your new ThinkPad. And what an awesome price you negotiated, too, including even the dock. Wow! The T2500 will run Windows 7 nicely, too. Enjoy!