m4400 replacement LCD quality?

I had a Samsung wxga+ panel in my m4400 - sec5442 - and I had it replaced this morning due to a cluster of dead pixels. The new panel is another sec5442 but looks much more washed out than my other panel ...

<complaining>
... due to poorer viewing angle or light leakage - there is a REALLY bad gradient going though the screen. And this panel has many more dead pixels (dark smudgy looking dots) than the one it replaced.
</complaining>

The tech (very sympathetic) ordered a new one to replace this one so I hope it's better. But since this model is discontinued all of the replacement panels are referbs.

Has anyone been able to get a good replacement panel? Or is it really just luck?

 

Here's a link to how bad the viewing angle/light leakage is on this one. This is 100% black image straight on from about 2ft away.