T440s LG/AUO Screen replacement

Hello
I got my T440s from ebay seller who ships internationally, since lenovo doesn't ship to my country.
It came with the LG panel, which is noticeably worse than the AUO one. It has light bleeding / light leak problem.
My local IBM service provider are picking my machine this sunday, and as they said, they will only test that the screen is not damaged and that it works properly. they didn't hear about the random variance in the T440s screen panel.

I was also thinking about getting the panel from here Laptop LCD Screen for AU Optronics B140HAN01 2 14 0" Full HD | eBay, i don't mind paying 100$ more for a significantlly better screen.
How hard will it be to replace the screens myself? and will IBM agree to do the replacement if i will provide the panel myself?

Your opinions are welcomed.

 

I would not involve IBM if you buy the screen yourself (if they won't under warranty). It is a very easy replacement. Remove bezel sheet and bezel, and replace the screen. Takes about 5-10 min. Having used both screens $100 is cheap considering the improvement. I was going to myself if that happened.

 

Thanks for the reply!
is the bezel easy to remove? i'm afraid to harm it somehow. and is the AUO panel that ships with the T440s is identical to the ebay item I posted?

 

My new auo screen arrives in couple of days, but I still don't have an extra bezel... Where can I get one? I haven't found any on eBay. Will my local IBM send me one?

 

If your local IBM will honor your warranty, then you should be able to get one from them. But you might not actually need one. I've taken mine off and put it back on twice now, and it looks identical to when it came from the factory, so it's got a bit more durability than I thought. Just be careful when you remove it and it should be fine.

Let us know how the eBay AUO works out for you. I might have to do the same eventually.

 

Thanks... Is it supposed to be removed from the bottom first? Or in which direction?

 

It was actually easier to remove from the top first. The first time I did it I removed from the bottom, but it's a little thinner at the top and so it's easier to pry up. It's just a sticker anyway, so no real difference which side you do first.

 

Thanks... i'll have you updated once i get the screen. hope all goes well.

 

Hello there, any updates to your DIY feat?

I will be doing the same upgrade in a few days, with either the B140HAN01.1 or B140HAN01.2 screens. I will see to take a few photos during the process. Does anyone know a specific difference between the two versions of the screen though? There are both glossy and matte versions of these displays, but are there any other screen parameter differences one should be aware of?

 

Just some suggestions for anyone attempting to do this on your own.

The front bezel on the non-touch version is just a sticker, so you need to pry it off. I would suggest prying from one of the upper or lower corners on the outside edge away from the lcd screen surface. Just behind the sticker the LCD screen ends and there is another sticker that is part of the LCD assembly that is easy to damage if you are not very careful. You might also consider using a little bit of heat from a hair dryer or heat gun (VERY little) which softens the glue and makes removing the bezel much easier if you intend to re-use it. Also, if you intend to re-use it, work slowly and try to keep the adhesive on the bezel side as opposed to sticking to the old LCD as you lift it. Trim any damaged bits of adhesive before replacement to make sure it sits flat again.

The plastic bezel underneath the sticker needs to be pried off carefully which is relatively simple. When replacing, watch the antenna cables on the bottom and make sure the bottom latches are seated before working towards the top (close the lid and look from the back bottom to be sure).

Also watch the microphone holes for alignment on each side of the camera. Behind the sticker are two rubber pieces that must remain seated properly otherwise they will block the holes when you replace the bezel.

 

I'm also interested in any information about changing the panel yourself.

IBM sent a tech to replace the "blobby" LG panel in my T440s with the AUO one. He replaced it with... the exact same LG panel. IBM just sends them a box with a panel in it, and he installs it – he had never heard anything about the AUO panel. I can't speak for other people's screens, but my LG does have an annoying white blob in the middle of the screen and quite bad vertical viewing angles. The colours look nice when the viewing angle is right, though.

I'm hoping to replace the LG with an AUO panel myself, if I can find a trustworthy place to get a B140HAN01.1 or B140HAN01.2 panel from.

Does anybody know how to obtain the bezel sticker from Lenovo/IBM if I don't manage to get it off in one piece?

 

I only know the AU Optronics B140HAN01.1 is matte and the B140HAN01.2 glossy. They should be the same panel with different coating. I don't know anything about the even more elusive B140HAN01.0.

The LG panel in my T440s has the connector on the left hand side if you stare at the FRONT of the screen. Apparently there are panels that have the connector on the right hand side, which would be a major problem; I don't know if there are variations of the B140HAN01 that have the connector on the right side, though.

 

None of my B140HAN01.2 models have been glossy. In fact, it's among the least glossy laptop screens I've ever seen.

xii changing the screen yourself is not terribly hard but that comes from the point of view of someone who has a lot of experience working on computers. The tips I gave above are, I believe, the major possible stumbling points.

I would not attempt this change without a good nylon pry tool.

 

I've received the same information from a reputable seller on aliexpress. It seems there are glossy versions of the display (B140HAN01.1, but not all of them?) so one should take precaution when choosing the correct version. My screen has been shipped and I will see to follow zhenya's advices when disassembling the laptop

@xii
Regarding the bezel sticker, I've already inquired about the FRU 00HM187 which stands for "LCD Bezel Sheet w/ Camera" in the list of T440's FRUs at de.ibm.com. A price of ~15 EUR excluding the shipping fees has been mentioned by the sales representative. It is a bit worrying that the part is not sold by third parties yet though.

 

I'm considering upgrading manually as my LG as the spotlight issue, some backlight bleed and some yellow coloring bottom left which IBM tech support refuse to address.

What is the correct AUO display?

The official parts list says: B140HAN01.2

It looks from:

AUO B140HAN01.1 Overview - Panelook.com
AUO B140HAN01.2 Overview - Panelook.com

Like the the .1 is anti-glare and .2 is not.

.1 is slightly deeper and there seems to be a whole host of other extra features to the .1.

I'd be keen not to have a glossy display but going down the .1 route sounds like it comes with some risks.

Michael

 

I have the B140HAN1.2 and it is not a glossy display. Maybe both can be matte or glossy.

 

I can verify that the .2 model is not glossy. It is considerably less glossy than the LG displays we have received, and as I've said before, is among the least glossy laptop displays I have seen.

 

I finally received an AUO replacement panel directly from Lenovo today. They previously sent me the LG panels twice, even though my support tickets specified the FRU# for the AUO. I guess they now have the AUOs in stock again. Here are a couple of galleries before and after the replacement. Both displays are at 70% brightness, with about the same amount of light bleed (slight at startup, not noticeable during actual usage). My machine was built on Dec. 26, 2013.

First the original LG panel: T440s LG Panel - Imgur. Notice the spotlight effect and how dark part of the screen gets as the viewing angle changes. It's actually more dramatic in person than in these pictures. Strangely enough it's much less noticeable when the panel is tilted toward the viewer than away from the viewer, as seen in the last picture. If they had mounted it upside down, I might have been able to live with it.

And now for the AUO replacement: T440s AUO Panel - Imgur. The spotlight is gone, thank god. The color is definitely warmer than the LG, which doesn't bother me. So far I don't find the AUO to be noticeably sharper or brighter, but the lack of a spotlight alone makes it 1000% better in my book.

It took a lot more time and effort than it should have, but finally I'm happy with my T440s.

 

The AUO I just received was also the .2 model. It's definitely not glossy. Though I didn't find the LG on my machine particularly glossy either.

 

Could you send these pictures to Mark_Lenovo in the official forums?

 

So far, I have seen people receiving AUO display for non-touch version manufactured after Feb. Does that mean Lenovo is starting to equip non-touch version with AUO screen again? Anyone here bought t440s non-touch can confirm this?

 

I don´t think they ever have stopped to use the AUO displays for the non-Touch units. However, there may have been a shortage of the AUO displays, since it is also used by other manufacturers, so maybe there was a time when nearly all T440s non-Touch were LG.

 

Any particular thread?

 

This one: Re: T440s - LG or AUO Display - Page 8 - Lenovo Community But one user already linked your pictures, so it is no necessary that you post them there as well.

 

Hi Peripatetic. My T440s also come with the LG display and got the spotlight problem. I wander how you got the AUO replacement panel from Lenovo. Can you share your experience? Thanks.

 

For those interested in such issues I published my experience with IBM tech support on trying to address the display issues together with the the photos I sent them.

The perfect commuter developer linux laptop: The display has to go

I really struggled to capture the issues well in my photos. Be interested to know whether others feel I have a case of not.

Michael

 

First, I have to tell you that I'm located in the US and I dealt with the Atlanta service center. By most accounts, that's one of the better centers when it comes to customer service, so if you're dealing with a different center, all bets may be off.

I called right after I received my T440s and let them know I had display issues. I told them that I had trouble reading the display while working with text on a light background. Since I write code for a living, that's pretty much most of the time, so it's not something I can live with. At first they wanted me to send the computer in since I had depot warranty, but I found that there's a local service provider near me. I contacted the local place, but after two weeks they told me they can't request the specific FRU from Lenovo. I called Lenovo back, told them that my local provider can't do the work, and I can't send it in to the depot because I can't do without my computer for the amount of time it would take. I asked, nicely, that they send me the panel directly since I'm fairly proficient with hardware repairs. When the rep was creating the ticket, I asked if he can put in the specific FRU for the AUO unit, and he agreed to, after warning me that the part was back ordered. Still they sent me the LG unit after about a week, which I sent back. I called again telling them that they sent the wrong part, and the service center had no record that they sent anything at all. They created another ticket for me, again specifying the AUO FRU. Another LG was sent out after 10 days. I was away though, so didn't open it until a couple of days ago. Called again, and this time an AUO unit was sent to me the same day via UPS overnight.

You need a lot of patience and persistence, and you need to be nice to the reps on the phone. They are trying to help you, at least most of them. I think it's better to tell them what specific problem you have with the display and how it affects your work. Don't just say you don't want an LG. From Lenovo's point of view, the two displays are equivalent, so they're not obligated to send you one or the other. When they agree to send you a display, tell them you have the FRU for the unit you'd like to have, and ask if they'd put that in for you. But be prepared to still receive the LG a few times anyway like I did.

 

Thank you very much for being so patient and providing so much details. Really appreciate it. I am gonna have a try to contact lenovo. Thank you.

 

Hmm... The only way to contact anybody here is to fill in an IBM form. The sales are apparently handled by Digital River, while warranty and repairs are done by IBM, hidden behind that ancient form on their website.

I specifically asked for AUO and they brought me another LG; the guy was friendly but he didn't have a clue about there being different panels. I doubt it's a winnable game of roulette...

I'm not overly picky, but I waited a long time for a Thinkpad with a good quality screen, and it's really not. I'm willing enough to try and replace it myself, once I find out if there's a reliable place to buy it from.

 

They allowed you to replace the screen yourself? No issues with warranty void?
I received a T440p today with LG screen, with same screen issues as yours. I have a 2 week return period. If I keep it, first I'm going to contact Lenovo service (In Europe it is IBM?), but if they won't provide a proper solution, I just buy a AUO screen and replace it myself. Only I'm afraid this will void the warranty?

 

No warranty issue that I'm aware of. I was actually surprised too that Lenovo would sent the screens out directly to customers. It's not listed as a CRU, but I saw that another poster on this forum got one sent to him, so I thought I'd try. Sure enough, the service rep didn't have any problem when I said I can replace it myself. I don't know what would've happened if I had screwed up the replacement and damaged something though. Fortunately I didn't have to find out.

 

Here is my lucky story.

I received my T440p with LG FHD panel on Christmas Eve 2013. I was not too happy with the screen, to be honest. But I was too busy with holiday staff, and missed the return period, and was not aware that there are two types of panels. Later I found two pressure spot, which I am not sure whether I caused the damage. I have carried T440p the same way as my T400, which had been for over 4 years and did not have any pressure spot on its screen. Anyway, I called Lenovo and told him that my screen has white spots, but not dead or bright pixels. He started to explain to me that light leakeage from the edge of the screen is normal. I nicely said that I am okay with the light leakage, but the white spots are in the middle of the screen. He immediately gave me a case number and said that in this case, we will have to replace your screen. (I must be super lucky over the phone as later I figured out that in most cases Lenovo will blame me for causing the pressure spots).

So I received depot box, shipped my laptop, and after a week I got it back. I turned on the machine, and realized that the they replaced the panel with a HD+ panel (from Innolux?).

So I called Lenovo again, and the representative apologized and said this time they will send a technician to my place to replace the panel.

The tech came three days after the call, and brought the AUO panel. Apparently, the tech was from IBM. Lenovo's repair services are contracted with IBM, still. The tech himself did not know there were two versions. He only replaces what Lenovo ships to him. Once I turned on the machine, I can immediately tell that AUO is much better than LG, although the panel is indeed not an IPS panel.

I am happy after all. But during screen repair, I saw how badly the T440p protection of the back of the screen is, at least nowhere close to T400(up to T430 I guess?).

 

I decided to purchase an AUO LCD via amazon:

Amazon.com: Buying Choices: AU OPTRONICS B140HAN01.2 LAPTOP LCD SCREEN 14.0" Full-HD DIODE (SUBSTITUTE REPLACEMENT LCD SCREEN ONLY. NOT A LAPTOP )

listed as:

AU OPTRONICS B140HAN01.2 LAPTOP LCD SCREEN 14.0" Full-HD DIODE (SUBSTITUTE REPLACEMENT LCD SCREEN ONLY. NOT A LAPTOP )

with a "perfect pixel guarantee".

This comes from HidEvolution.

It arrived yesterday in good time and at a glance good condition.

However they have sent a B140HAN01.1 which they say:

"The B140HAN01.2 is identical to the B140HAN01.1, specs wise. The B140HAN01.2 was designated as a HP destined model while the other was destined for use in a Asus or Acer laptop. They are all one in the same though. The B140HAN01 series is the best 14 inch full HD panel available, as it is an IPS display."

It looks matte which is great but I feel I need to take further steps to verify it would be compatible with the T440s or return.

The *only* source of specifications I can find is the panel look web site:

AUO B140HAN01.2 Overview - Panelook.com
AUO B140HAN01.1 Overview - Panelook.com

This lists the .1 panel as being in production since Q1 2013 and .2 since Q3.2013.

It listed the .1 has having extra features: antiglare hard coating and LED driver.

The depth of the .1 is 0.2 thicker than the .2.

There are many other items which are only specified for the .1 e.g. the connection for both is eDP but on the .1 signal interface class additional classified as eDP (2 lanes)

Theres no way I can consider attempting to replace with this without some independent verification it will be fine.

So I can only advise caution for anyone or sees this listing on amazon until it can be verified.

Michael

 

Sorry to hear about the issues Michael - that is frustrating. I am skeptical of that difference of depth - 2/10" is significant - it seems like far too much to be realistic.

On another note, I received another AUO replacement screen today after a couple of months wait. As the one I had purchased separately to resolve the matter myself if Lenovo couldn't had a dead pixel, I decided it was worth replacing it one more time to see how it looked. No dead pixels on this one, but one small dark spot. It's a toss-up which is more noticeable, so I'll leave this one be.

I think, based on my own observations of 5 or so screens personally, and observations shared here, that AUO must be having production issues and that's why we are seeing a swing to LG screens, and maybe back again now if they have gotten those issues under control. 4 of the 5 AUO screens I've seen has had an issue of some sort - and the 5th went to another user's machine that I haven't honestly looked that closely at.

It's a shame because overall, they really are the better screen.

 

I may give it a go anyway - there is some evidence that it will be compatible.

The 0.2mm depth difference is very small - and I have non-touch version - there must be some depth difference added for touch screen so I imagine I can get away with it.

Much also depends on the reputation of HidEvolution and the value of their "no dead pixels" guarantee. I saw some other guys amazon review of "East Coast LCDs" provided AUO screen where despite paying extra for "perfect" he still got 3 dead pixels.

@Zhenya - I think you did a DIY replacement yourself - can you please list us a suggested set of steps (accepting that anything we do is at our own risk)

 

yes, 0.2mm is different than 0.2" - my mistake!

I did respond to your pm yesterday with further direction, but looking at my sent items, no record of it, so not sure what happened?

Anyhow, I wrote earlier the basic steps - pry the outer sticker bezel with your pry tool - the bottom outer corners may be the easiest to access. Having done this multiple times, I'm not convinced the heat is necessary anymore - it may make the adhesive more likely to come off. The big thing when prying is you do not want to damage the black adhesive tape on the old screen as you remove the sticker. Use care, move slowly, and if the adhesive from the sticker starts to come off, use the pry tool to push it back before proceeding.

Once the sticker is removed (the hardest part) remove the 4 screws holding the screen and second bezel in place. Be careful at this point as the screen is no longer secured. Pry the second bezel from the outer edge of the screen, using care not to damage it or the clips.

When the second bezel is removed, carefully tilt the lcd panel towards the keyboard. The ribbon connector is in the lower left corner. You need to remove the adhesive holding that to the panel, then pull the ribbon cable out directly back by the silver handle.

I would connect the new panel and then power up the laptop to verify its operation before fully re-assembling it.

Assemble in reverse order; especially checking that bezel with clips around the bottom rear of the laptop, and placing the bezel in place from top to bottom to aid in aligning it with the camera and microphone holes.

Good luck!

 

I'm slightly confused about the various layers that are there:

From top to bottom:

Front bezel (bit with T440s written on it and holes for camera and mics - goes around the whole screen)
Adhesive (best if this stays stuck to the front bevel so you can stick it back on)
Black tape (is this around all edges of the display? and is it stuck to the next layer? is this what the adhesive sticks to?)
Screws
Second bevel
LCD panel

and what are the clips attached to ?

The hardware maintenance manual from lenovo could be a whole lot better!

Many thanks for your help and any further clarification you can give.

 

Look at page 48 of the HMM. There are really only 3 pieces - the outer bezel sheet - with the camera holes and printing on it (#1 in the HMM). The inner bezel which is part of the frame (#2), and is screwed in place, and the LCD panel itself (#3). The black tape I was referencing is part of the actual LCD assembly (look at your new one to see this). It should not normally come apart, but the adhesive of the bezel sheet is stronger than the adhesive of that tape, so it is possible to pull it off when removing the bezel sheet.

The clips are integrated into the bezel (#2 in the picture).

 

Thank you! You are awesome!

Might have a go soon though I'm still hoping to get a response form AUO or one other supplier as to like interchangeability of the .1 and .2 versions.

The spec of the .1 panel does have a lot in common with the spec of the LG panel on the panelook website which gives some hope that its like with like. The extra 0.2mm being one difference.

 

@lanzi

Which AUO panel did you order and have you attempted replacement?

 

Hi Zhenya00,

Did you check the production date of these AUO screens? my replacement was back in 2012, and was the .2 version. I am quite happy with the one they replaced for my T440p.

 

A distributor on aliexpress sent me data sheets for the .1 and .2 models.

The main difference I could tell is the weight and depth. The .1 is 20g heaver and 0.2mm thicker. Partially this is due to the glass being 0.1mm thicker.

I have to decide whether this is likely to be an issue.

 

No, i can't say I've been paying close attention to the production dates.

 

Has anybody tried to buy the FRU directly from Lenovo? If you can buy the sticker bezel, why not the panel itself?

 

I looked up the price once via their automated system. It was like $1100.

Not sure why parts would have it but warranty wouldn't but who knows...

 

I've ordered the B140HAN01.2, but I was able to discuss it with the seller and he agreed on sending that exact panel model. However, I've still not received it since the shipping using China Air Post can take up to 4 weeks when sending to Germany.

 

This link provides some tips on the screen replacement:

http://thinkpadmint.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/replacing-display-on-t440s.html

As always - at your own risk - be careful.

 

Since there's a chance that I will get a LG panel for full hd ips screen, can I upgrade the default 1600x900 hd+ screen on my own? Is the connector for hd+ and full hd the same?

 

I would think so. They replaced my IPS with 1600 x 900 HD+ by mistake. And the Lenovo sent somebody to replaced the HD+ screen back to IPS in front of my eye. I did not notice any connector issue.

 

Ordered an AUO FHD display B140HAN01.2 and it arrived yesterday. I installed it immediately to replace the original LG display. Now the spotlight phenomenon is gone and I am very happy with my T440s.