lenovo t430 lcd panel manufacturer

Thinkpad T430 laptops (as well as T430s, T420 and T420s) are equipped with awful screens. It doesn"t matter if the screen is HD (1366x768) or HD+ (1600x900), whether the screen manufacturer is LG, Samsung or AUO: every screen has awful viewing angles, poor colors and weak brightness.

Many people have investigated the possibility of upgrading these screens, notably on Notebook Review Forum at the thread "X1 display on a T430?" and on ThinkPad-Forum at the thread "T420/T430 auf FHD-Panel umrüsten (wie Alienware 14" FHD matt) ... Gibt"s schon Infos?".

T440s/T440p 1080p FHD IPS - This 1920x1080 panel is a very high resolution display with a beautiful IPS screen to rival those equipped on the X220/X230. Unfortunately, one drawback is that these screens use the new eDP standard, instead of the T420/T430"s LVDS output.

X1 Carbon 1600x900 TN Panel - An LVDS panel requiring no conversion, though it needs the cable to be extended While it"s a TN Panel, it looks much better than anything on the T420/T430.

_Before starting to buy expensive parts (the LCD panel) and before starting to dismantle the computer, I advise anyone interested in the X1 Carbon screen to first look at extending the LCD cable, because there are multiple different methods for doing so: some work, some don"t, and some are difficult._

If you just want to replace a 1366x768 HD screen with the typical T430 1600x900 HD+ screen, follow this guide instead. This guide is an experimental mod to put a T440s FHD IPS or X1 Carbon screen in a T420/T430.

T440p and T440s feature excellent IPS/AHVA panels (1920x1080, Full-HD), that by definition are superior to the screen mounted on the X1 Carbon. They"ve been reported to have same dimensions, but use different connection standards (eDP instead of LVDS).

As of July 29th, 2015, Chinese ThinkPad modders at 51nb have developed an eDP to LVDS converter board that allows most T440s/T440p 1080p FHD IPS Panels to be installed on ThinkPad T420/T430 and T420s/T430s models. (non-s and s models use different-sized boards due to case constraints). Unfortunately, due to linguistic barriers and shipping fees, it is difficult for these modders to sell to the English-language market, much less offer support.

The following guide is based on the successful installation of the X1 screen on my T430. Nevertheless, thanks to similarities between T430, T430s, T420 and T420s the information hereby presented could be applied to them as well.

Talking about compatibility, this screen has the right connector (40-pin LVDS) and the right dimensions to fit perfectly in the T430. Besides, it can"t be screwed (the original is screwed) and, most important, its connector is on the wrong side (on the right instead of left). In the following solutions for these problems will be presented.

Instructions for replacing the LCD cable can be found on Lenovo website: "LCD panel and LCD cable removal and installation - ThinkPad T430 and T430i".

The cable connector of X1 Carbon panel is in the wrong position: on the right instead of left. In order to connect the panel to the LCD cable is therefore necessary an extension (sometimes "converter cable" or "extender cable").

If you don"t want to irreversibly remove parts of the back shell, this is the only possible arrangement that allows to connect the screen with the LCD cable using a standard "left to right" LCD cable extension. Representation not to scale.

This cable mod, while difficult, works fine (I"m using my modified T430 from a couple of month and it"s working perfectly). So if you can"t find the cable in A Simple Solution that works, this is your best alternative.

Although X1 Carbon LCD panel isn"t fitted with screw holes, placing it in the T430 body is quite straightforward. This new panel have indeed dimensions perfectly equal to the original and, once in its place, it is vertically sustained by the original vertical supports. The screen can be supported horizontally too by adding shims on its left (I"ve used folded cardboard), see the picture. Thin shims are necessary on the back of the screen too.

Lenovo Thinkpad T430 comes in WXGA HD and WXGA both resolutions. These resolutions are not interchangeable. So pay attention to resolution of your existing LCD and make sure you are picking correct listing for purchase.