T400s extremely poor LCD

I received my new T400s last week, and I've been moving some files over and getting it set up, but I can't get over just how terrible the LCD is. Having used a T61 for a couple years, I'm well aware of how bad TN panels can be, but my T61's screen looks like a high-end graphics LCD by comparison.

I thought I knew what to expect from the review here, but there isn't a single vertical alignment that gives anything approaching even illumination top to bottom. Looking at it head on, the screen goes in a gradient from normal to extremly washed out. If I move my head down to make the bottom look normal, the top is practically negative. This is particularly evident to me when using a terminal session at the bottom of the screen, or watching any sort of full screen video, where the washed out bottom of the screen is almost comically bad. Have I got a dud here, or are they all this terrible? I've only been able to find one post mentioning uneven vertical illumination.

 

Bra, you need to RMA for a screen replacment. Before you do use PC Doctor to get type and date of manufacture. Then RMA.

But maybe you have it on too low. Turn up and won't be washed out.

Lenovo seems to be consumerizing the TP line. So something has to give despite the snazzy specs. LCD is first to go IMO.

 

LT141DEQ8B00, week 41 2009. It looks the same no matter what the brightness is set to -- like a smooth gradient from top to bottom when it should be a solid colour. I know TN panels are pretty terrible, but I've never used one where I couldn't got even illumination from at least one angle. It's particularly apparent on a black background like the login screen.

 

I dont think this will fix things but the monitor driver should be Thinkpad Panel or something like that not the generic laptop monitor MSFT uses. Do you have the latest video drivers installed?

BTW, I doubt NBs are individually checked as they go out. Would not be cost effective. Maybe a sampling or just boot up and there is light it goes out.

Should demand a refund. That is the starting point for negotiation on your end.

 

hmm. may be you have defect panel or sort of hardware issue. i have read review where T400s panel characteristics have been investigated:

very sad, i would say (pay attention how terrible contrast looks like !!!) i like t400s generally, but the panel kills it.

 

Link to Notebookcheck T400s review quoted above.

 

sounds like you got a normally-functioning current-generation thinkpad display
it is kind of a sad state of things, but if you want a thinkpad, you'll do best to get used to it
they don't offer a nicer screen option than what you have

 

This is flat out false.

Yes the T400s model only offers crap screens. And most thinkpads have mediocre ones. But not all.

The exceptions are the T500 and W500 in particular, the have a couple options of pretty good screens eg the 15" 1680 x 1050 screen, which has excellent contrast, black levels and colour.

The W700 also has a good full HD screen.

So his problem was in picking the T400s, which is a model priced like a macbook pro but offered only with screens more appropriate for a low end cheapo no name laptop.

 

You can try reducing your color depth to 16-bit. It might improve any problems with dithering, but it sounds like your issues are mostly backlight and viewing angle related.

 

I know exactly what you're talking about. I bought one last month and ended up returning it because of the screen. I also have a T61 and there's a big difference in quality of the screens. The T400s was fine for most office applications, but as soon as I tried viewing pictures of movies, it was just terrible. I was constantly adjusting viewing angles. But I guess it's not designed for pictures and movies.

 

My brother also has a T400s. He dropped by earlier, so I had a quick look at his screen, and it didn't seem to be as bad as mine. I'll try to take some side by side photos to make sure mine isn't just a particularly bad sample.

I was originally thinking of just buying an X200 to use as an ultraportable and sticking with my T61 for day to day use. I ended up getting the T400s because I figured it would be nice to have one laptop that would fit both roles. I even sprung for a three year on-site warranty because I figured it would be my main computer for many years to come.

It really is a beautifully made laptop. It feels a lot more like a vintage Thinkpad than my T61 does, and Lenovo have obviously put a great deal of thought into user experience with all the new enhancements to the design. I just can't stand to look at the dreadful display. It's bad enough to me that I'd seriously consider losing $250 in restocking fees just to be rid of it. Is there any hope I might be able to just return it if I made a stink?

 

I was also thinking about the T400s. Won't get the T400 as I see no upside except for SATA speed at potential instead of capped. The portability of the T400s interests me because the T61 is HEAVY at least to me. Do you guys have pics of the T400s and T400 screens for us to look at to see if its really that bad?

 

The screen quality is highly variable. Lenovo chooses screens from different manufacturers and there is variation in them as well. My T61p's screen was very very nice. No complaints at all, but I really hate my X200s screen but love the machine otherwise. If you have a warranty I would see if they can change the screen for you(explain to them that it is really horrible).

 

All Toshiba-Matsu$hita LCD displays have pretty poor quality and these are used by Lenovo in both the X301 and some T400s models.

 

You can check the Hardware Maintenance Manual for screens spec'ed to your T400. I recall some person had a T400 with a screen also used in the T61. This kind of shenanigans also happened when they rolled out the T61. Tons of returns and complaints. I got lucky with a good one. I really doubt Lenovo will replace your screen.

 

Well, I at least have an explanation for why the screen on my brother's T400s -- on which I based my decision to order one for myself -- didn't seem quite as crappy. I had him check the manufacturer code, and it shows as LTN141BT08001, the (Samsung?) version many other people seem to have received. His T400s is maybe a month older than mine.

 

Here's a quick snap from head on. It doesn't actually look quite like this in person, because the screen has a lot less contrast, so it's more of a fine gradient from black to washed out grey. This is a solid black background.

 

absolutely. such perfect books like Panasonic Let's note series use the Toshiba-Mats...ta displays. I can stand only R serie screen, the rest is very like what the Lenovo laptop has. My Panasonic Y7 is very good laptop, but screen has poor viewing angels and crappy contrast. moreover the brightness level is very low.

PS: they say Lenovo x301 has better screen, at least contrast ratio is 20-30% higher than T400s.

 

The screen appears to be normal and within the expected level for the displays offered in the X301 and T400s models. Neither have screens which are good enough for photography or design work, but are perfectly usable for office tasks.

 

Really?

I know we ThinkPad users can be picky, but: if that's how the T400s displays a solid black background... well, count me out. I mean, sure you can see all of your text document or spreadsheet cells or pie charts so it is *usable* for office tasks. But "perfectly" usable? Your PowerPoint presentation is going to look like it has a fancy gradient background. Your fancy bar charts are going to appear even fancier, like they have 3D shading. At least when you give the presentation you will most likely be using a projector so that the T400s screen quality won't be an issue then.

I remember using a crummy dual-scan screen on a PowerBook. Streaks everywhere. It was usable. But it's almost 2010, and better technology is available. Many of us have higher standards for "perfectly usable" now.

It makes me wonder why Lenovo chose to put this screen into the T400s? Some possibilities:
* Target buyers really don't care much about screen quality? (Could be self-fulfilling).
* This screen uses less power than alternatives?
* Supply of 14.1" 16:10 LCDs is drying up, there are no better alternatives any more?

It's not like the T400s is a bare-bones budget laptop, it's a flagship ThinkPad that Lenovo clearly designed very carefully. So there's probably a very good reason for using that screen, maybe one of the above, maybe something else...?

 

it definitely will be an issue, if you design your presentation on that carppy screen and it later looks very different/like crap wit the projector.

 

"2.88 cd/m2, which leads to an extremely meager 98:1 contrast ratio" is normal display !?

Never have seen worse on the market. Pay attention to improve contrast they have to increase brightness. Brightness is something that is above of average for the laptop screen. But it has been done for the sake of contrast improvement only.

 

apple has changed things dramatically since. I think doesn't work today.

I think it is not true. pay attention how bright the T400s screen. Brightness is that thing that has influence to battery life.

That is from my point of view one of the main reason. There are not too many vendors who makes 14.1" screens. No choice no quality

 

The bleeding light like a sun on the bottom is unforgveable for what they charge which I assume is a lot. Have you called and spoken to them? What did they say?

 

that's the state of things at lenovo right now
it breaks my heart, but its true
they have to maintain their legendary build quality
but also compete on price
so display is where they cut corners

it is true, their target customer is bulk-order corporate
and these screens are fine for those customers
so that's what the rest of us get to deal with

 

they'll say
"that's the screen that comes on the t400s
you can return it for a 15% restocking fee if you don't like it"
they can't magically give him a better screen
because they don't have any

 

Lenovo knows their market far better than I do! If this is true, then more power to them. We knew all along that these are business machines, right? We like them because of their excellent design, great keyboards and durability. But if big business is happy with the T400s screen quality, then we do have to live with it, or take our money elsewhere.

On a related note, what current-generation laptops have better 14.1" 1440x900 screens? (I checked Apple and find only 13.3" and 15.4" models.)

 

I have a T400s and I think the screen is pretty freaking good. Granted it not as good as the Sony Z590 screen I had previously, its still better than my x60s screen.

PC-Doctor only tells me that it was manufactured in week 25 2009

 

Glad to hear it! Maybe Bob_McBob's particular screen is worse than T400s average. And maybe the plain-black-background image he posted shows the screen at its worst.

The VGN-Z590 has 1600x900 pixels in only 13.1 inches, 140 pixels/inch. If you have excellent vision and/or use a resolution-independent OS that will look great!

I believe PC Wizard will tell you the screen part number.

 

Hi guys and gals. I'm new here *wave wave* I wonder if the LED makes a better difference over the CCFL backlit screens? Maybe OP had a bad LCD manufacturer type and CCFL combo?

 

Welcome to NBR.

The T400s only comes in a WXGA+ LED option (as well as Multi-touch but I think it's the same screen with an extra touch layer). I'm not sure how many manufacturers there are though.

 

The T400s when i saw it was a lenovo screen at j and r, they were getting rid of already, the specs were really bad for the price, 2 gigs of ram, 120 5400rpm, sp9400, for like 1,100 something dollars bad. I thought the screen was pretty bright and had great clarity, the screen didn't bother me, the best 14 inch business notebook screen i have seen and by far the best led screen i have seen is the dell e6400, its the privacy screen one.

 

The T400s I personally saw at a store had a pretty decent screen and plenty of brightness IMHO.

 

T400 is your direct competitor to the E6400, not the T400s. The T400s is a ultraportable in a 14.1 inch format, it uses the 1.8 inch hdd format and soldered on CPU...... hence the S designation for the P9400 Core 2 Duo cpu.

E6400 is crippled by the poor Thermal management system, unless Dell fixes it pronto, this will be just a useless paper weight for people whom are affected by this problem.