T61p 15.4 WUXGA Info and Survey

T61p 15.4 WUXGA owners, please let us know who the manufacturers of your LCD panels are. Please indicate the following:

1. Ship Date
2. LCD Panel Manufacturer (Samsung or LG-Philips)

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To determine the manufacturer of your T61p 15.4 WUXGA panel use one of the following methods.

Obtain the FRU code for your LCD panel by entering your the model type and serial number on this page: Lenovo Parts Lookup

See which manufacturer corresponds with the FRU code for your panel:

LG-Philips: 42T0360
Samsung: 42T0408

Alternatively, you can use the free software PC Wizard 2007 which can gather manufacturers code for various parts in your machine.

LG-Philips: LP154WU1-TLB1
Samsung: LTN154U2-L05

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Based on all the information floating around in this forum, there are two manufacturers for the T61p 15.4 WUXGA LCD panels: Samsung and LG-Philips.

LG-Philips is supposedly the better screen with better brightness and viewing angles. See specs below.

Here are some other threads that talk about the LCD panels:

Notebook Review Forum: T61p Owners Post your LCD panel type

Thinkpads Forum: T61p - mystery parts

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Here are some specs for the 15.4 WUXGA panels from the two manufacturers:

LG-Philips: LP154WU1
Luminance [cd/㎡]: 210
Contrast Ratio: 500:1
Viewing Angle Vert/Hori: 100/130
Source

Samsung: LTN154U2
Luminance [cd/㎡]: 175
Contrast Ratio: 600:1
Viewing Angle Vert/Hori: 100/130
Source

 

Would anyone else care to share the manufacturer of your LCD panel?

So far it looks like 3 out of 4 T61p owners have received the LG-Philips panel. That's a good sign...

 

I am curious if there is any difference between the S-panel and LG-panel??

 

So who's holding up the WUXGA shipments? LG, Samsung or both?

 

good question

 

The one I ordered for my friend in Iraq was a Samsung. Nice panel, IMHO. Didn't see any light leakage or any other crap. Was a bit too bright in a dark room, and even in a normally lit room it seemed a little bright.

 

I can't even find where to order this computer on their website

 

neither can i. i think they took the link down due to underwhelming supply.

 

Got mine here in France with LG/Philips Panel, nice screen, quite bright, no light leackage at all, i am impressed.

 

Hi,

My T61p ordered in Canada has a Samsung screen. It does have the light leakage at the bottom of the screen.

 

man... i really want a high res widescreen t series.. i think there is no way I can get a 14 at the res I want in widescreen, but even worse, I can't even get the 15" anymore lol

 

As I posted in the other thread, I have an FRU 42T0408. PC Wizard reports a Samsumg LTN154U2-L05 .

The screen is too high of a resolution even for me. I currently use a T60P and will continue to use it.

If someone wants to buy it, inbox me in the next couple days. Otherwise I will try to sell it on Ebay or eat the 15% restocking fee from Lenovo.

 

I have the Samsung screen and it looks fine to me.

 

Same. Perhaps that and the fact that I've gone through a total of 4 delays for a canceled T60p and a just-arrived T61p order. lol

 

Hi,
I recently took shipment of a brand new T61p. I upgraded from my 3-year old T41p.

My new T61p has the Samsung (LTN154U2-L05) 15.4” 1920×1200 resolution screen. Although the rest of the system delivers a substantial performance increase over my T41p, I have to say I am extremely disappointed with the display on my new T61p. It is extremely dim, and the viewing angle is very poor. Even with looking at the screen at an “optimal” viewing angle, I can see dark patches on my screen - the screen does not appear uniformly bright. The screen cast is extremely blue-ish as well, and the screen has an almost fuzzy/grainy appearance that makes text, graphics etc. look very poor.

The T41P I am upgrading from has a 15” 1600×1200 FlexView display, and even though it is three years old now, my new T61p display looks dim and uneven next to it.

Waiting 3 years to upgrade my ThinkPad and feeling like I’ve made a giant step back with my display is indeed very disappointing, and I’m considering returning this T61p and re-evaluating my laptop vendor options.

Has anyone seen the Samsung and LG screens next to each other to assess just how much better (if at all) the LG screen is?

 

Are you sure it isn't 1680x1050? Do you have the BIOS display setting on HIGH instead of the default NORMAL?

 

Sorry, I meant 1920x1200. And yes, the BIOS display setting is HIGH, although I think this only affects LCD brightness while operating on batteries. The problems I'm talking about are apparent even while the laptop is plugged in.

Thanks,
Jack

 

I got the Samsung and it's terrible.
Bad light leakage 1/3 the way up the screen and very dim. Even in a dark room it's barely visible.
I've contacted Lenovo about the defective light leakage. They say that I can send it in, but it looks normal and acceptable to them.

In any kind of ambient light the screen is way to dim to be visible.

I couldn't agree more. This is not at all acceptable.

 

Are there any T61p 15.4 WUXGA owners with the Samsung LCD panel that are happy with the display quality?

Has anyone had a chance to directly compare the Samsung and LG-Philips 15.4 WUXGA LCD panels?

 

I have the Samsung, and I really like it. I keep the contrast 2 bars down from full when on battery, and when I'm sitting in a well-lit lecture hall the screen is perfectly visible, bright, and crisp. On startup with the completely black screen there's a very little light leakage at the very bottom of the screen...but it's so minimal I usually don't even notice.

I couldn't be happier. I've used my 61p for mostly everything by now, and the screen looks great during movies, games, and general use (surfing the web, etc.).

 

Same here (Samsung panel). I have a little bit of light leakage but it is very little and acceptable to me. I am very happy with the T61p!

 

Well, i ve no T61p, but a 8510w from HP, however they come with a Samsung WUXGA screen too. (although a LTN154U2-L07, dont know if that signifies a newer generation maybe)
I m quite happy with it though. Its even a tad brighter than my old WSXGA+ screen. That said, i think the brighness/viewing angles are to some exend also quite a bit subjective, depending on what ppl were used to.
Anyway, in the link in my sig one can see some pics. Only in the pics from the sides and with the dark background some little light leakage is noticable. Barely anything from frontal view. I m ok with that as the panel overall is fine.

 

The opinions on the Samsung screen vary so drastically I wonder if there are manufacturing defects that are producing some screens that are less bright than others...

 

My WUXGA T61p is out for delivery today so when I get it I'll immediately check for the screen type and of course any dead/stuck pixels.

 

Thanks JediMunchies. If you're up for it, you could even look up the FRU service part number for your panel now. See below.

It'll most likely be a Samsung panel. But it would be really interesting to see how it compares with your current WSXGA+ screen. I'll be looking forward to that.

====================

Obtain the FRU code for your LCD panel by entering your the model type and serial number on this page: Lenovo Parts Lookup

See which manufacturer corresponds with the FRU code for your panel:

LG-Philips: 42T0360
Samsung: 42T0408

 

I agree as well...

Shipped 9/17
Samsung

Got the laptop a few hours ago and I'm observing the screen for the first time under florescent lights on the ceiling. Found some light leakage near the bottom, but it's bearable. Screen is bright, but I'm not sure if I like it yet. The resolution is fine, but with the large size of the screen it seems that different portions of the screen are brighter depending on my viewing angle... could just be the reflection from the florescent lights; I notice brightness fluxuations even small changes in position. So, so far I agree that the brightness is not uniform.

It's not a screen like the Apple Powerbook of course, and I'm no graphics pro, and maybe I was expecting too much, so I am not crushed or anything; it seems that this is just the design. It's probably just the nature of the TFT technology and me not being used to so much screen real-estate... coming from a 15.4" (non-widescreen) Dell 5100. Is the non-uniform brightness not normal with a TFT screen of this size?

On that note, what kind of software or tools can I use to optimize my display? How does one find these mysterious dead / stuck pixels I see people mentioning? Are there settings on my new T61p that I might not have seen yet that might help me make the display even better?

 

Well I put my two T61p's through the visual gambit last night. Took some pictures which I intend on posting tonight. First impressions of the WUXGA were... ok. Its one of those situations where if it was the only screen I was looking at, it'd probably wouldn't bother me.

The WUXGA is a Samsung, and for what it is its a decent display. Comparing the Samsung WUXGA to my LG WSXGA+, the quality in my opinion shifts towards the LG WSXGA+. The LG is brighter then its Samsung counterpart, but I must remember that WXUGA only have 175 NITS comparted to the 200 of the WSXGA+.

It's really hard to explain w/o posting pictures, but the LG screen has a stronger display of white colors then the Samsumg. I almost dare say the Samsung appears 'grainy' in its display of white colors in contrast. But putting them side by side, there is a difference.

I even had my girlfriend sit infront of both screens, and ironically she thought the colors of Samsung WUXGA screen were 'truer looking' then the LG WSXGA+ screen, but admitted the LG screen did look 'more vibrant' then the Samsung. The best example I can come up with is the Lenovo wallpaper that starts black top and then gradiently turns to a greyish blue looks more gray on the LG and more blue on the Samsung.

Comparing the two, the Samsung's light leakage is completely more evident then the LG's. It is totally visible in darker room conditions, and appears as a light glow in florescent or lighted conditions. The LG doesn't have this and its light leakage is so minimal its not easy to see it unless you're looking for it. But the Samsungs is there on boot-up and on black load screens to an almost obscene amount.

to be perfectly honest with you, I would almost put it on par with what MonsterMaxx's T61p had. (Seen here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=165343) The only difference is the light leakage on mine only creeps up from the bottom. There was no light leakage on top of my screen.

I'm going to test the Samsung with a DVD Movie tonight to see if the light leakage affects my viewing of the movie as well. If it does bother me, I can't in good conscience keep it. The only reason I haven't automatically chosen the LG screen model is because of the red stuck pixel that sticks out like a sore thumb against any background or screen I look at. I was promised by my RO that I would receive a screen replacement if I kept it, but I'm still in talks with him to ensure the replacement will be another LG. But there's no guarantee that the replacement won't be worse then the one I got now.

It's a tough decision as I've said the light leakage on the Samsung is noticeable, but doesn't destroy my ability to use it and enjoy it. It's just that nagging feeling of should I keep it (as it does have Wireless USB as well) or try my luck with a WSXGA+ screen replacement?

I'll try and get those pics posted tonight so you can see for yourself.

 

Mine has shipped and I have the serial number but I was having trouble with searching for the parts. What is the the type number?

 

Are they letting you return one without the restocking fee? If so, how?

And that's great about the Samsung. Just great. Granted it is WUXGA so it gives me some hope.

 

The return w/o stocking fee was based on a written agreement made between me and my RO. I wanted to cancel the minute my 1st T61p arrived and he told me to hang on since my 2nd one (first July order) would be shipping at anytime. He allowed me to receive and open both, and I'd return back one that I didn't want to keep.

As for the Samsung... yah... I know. I have a Samsung 22" LCD that I use at home, LOVE the darn thing... just can't believe these screens are passing inspection like this. I mean, it's 'passable'... but thats like passing a failing student just cause you feel sorry for them.

 

No kidding. Do you think a person could argue for a replacement if the Samsung is bad? I've heard that they just tell people that it meets their requirements, so they won't do anything about it.

 

I doubt it. The deal to replace the WXSGA+ was a 'consolation' because I seriously wanted to keep it over the WUXGA order. Me begging for a screen replacement on the WUXGA would probably be dismissed since they are still short on these displays as it is.

 

Same thing with a WSXGA+ replacement? The more I hear about Lenovo's practices the more I wish I would have stayed away. It seems like they are saddling people with inferior parts. At least Dell will offer to replace the crappy displays.

 

Hey guys,

Here's the pictures as promised. Now a word of warning: I'm no photographer, but I made the room as dark as possible and tried to keep the systems visually identical to make this work. The laptop to the left is the WSXGA+ T61p with an LG display, and the one on the right is the WUXGA T61p with the Samsung Display.

I hope you can see what I mean about the difference in vibrance and how the white just really shines on the LG, but also kinda washes out a bit when showing blues. I mean I *could* go into the NVIDIA control panel and perhaps beef up the brightness on the WUXGA, but since my experience with laptops is fairly new (I'm a PC guy by trade) I don't know if this kinda difference in a larger resolution screen is normal.

The room was pitch black when I took the light leakage picture, but for some reason my girlfriend's Canon Rebel XT apparently compensated so the picture wasn't completely black.

I'm still communicating with my RO regarding an LG screen replacement if I keep the T61p on the left. (if you look carefully on the left laptop's screen you can see the stuck pixel in the right corner of it) In as much as I enjoy the larger resolution of the WUXGA, I'm just not sure I want to take a hit in the visual department to have it this way... with the Wireless USB.

I'd like to hear what everyone has to say and their observations.

 

No, I'm getting the WSXGA+ free screen replacement because I waited over 2 months for my laptop and part of my 'consolation package deal', I'll get $200 off either laptop I choose, and a screen replacement on the WSXGA+ *ONLY*. There was no terms on a screen replacement on the WUXGA and quite honestly, considering how long I waited for just the laptop... I'm not sitting around waiting for another screen with this one.

 

JediMunchies, thanks so much for your WSXGA+ and WUXGA comparison and photos. They have really quelled my curiosity. How drastic is the resolution difference between the two panels? Are fonts unbearably tiny on the WUXGA when compared to WSXGA+?

 

What do you use now? I find the fonts fine moving to WUXGA from the 1600x1200 I had before.

 

Is it fair to compare WUXGA and WSXGA+ and attribute the difference to manufacturers?

 

I normally use a 20" LCD monitor that is WSXGA+. I have worked with WSXGA+ on a 15.4 and found it very comfortable. I have also worked with WUXGA on a 17.1 which was pretty good. But I have never seen a 15.4 WUXGA display. I don't think I would have much issue with it other than for web surfing (which I do a lot of). I know you can scale pages but most browsers don't do it properly including IE 7. I think Opera is the best at scaling web pages. Ideally, I would like to use the system as is, without having to do any dpi scaling.

 

The difference between the two isn't really that bad. Obviously the WUXGA fits much more on the screen and the fonts reflect the smaller screen. If you bump the DPI up to 120 it almost looks and feels like the WSXGA+ screen with. I'm used to working on high res monitors so it doesn't bother me as much, but I can tell my eyes are much more relaxed on the WSXGA+ then the WUXGA.

 

I'm running both machines for separate tasks. I've done spreadysheet work on both, but find myself going back to the WSXGA+ more because of the brighter screen which makes text alot easier to read on a white background. I'm typing up responses to you guys on the WUXGA and its a relatively comfortable experience. There are times where my eyes feel a little fatigued after more then an hour of use but that's because I'm forcing myself to work with the fonts at their default DPI. When I cranked it up to 120 DPI it felt completely normal. So my main concern is why setup my WUXGA to look like a WSXGA+ when I have on already?

 

Sure, if it yields a better understanding of what to expect with each. I mean, I was really hoping for an LG WUXGA display asr a nice comparison between the two T61p varients, but if Samsung is going to be the majority for this type of display offering for awhile, it's only fair to compare on both ends what the majority of the masses might be receiving and the differences, positives, and negatives between the two.

 

Real estate is more important to me, besides the Samsung LCD on my TP is brighter than whatever I had on my HP so this is actually a brighter experience for me. I have not had to crank up the DPI, so no problems there.

 

Agreed, I don't like the idea that I have to do any special modifications outside the initial configuration to make the user experience better. Especially if I can't be sure if I can do the same thing in every OS I would ever put on it.

I think I will more then likely Keep the WSXGA+. Stuck pixel be damned(and screen replaced at some point), I simply more 'at home' with it. I haven't finished testing the WUXGA and I will do alot more with it before I make my final decision to Lenovo. I love the brighter and sharper WSXGA+ screen, the option to make it darker, as opposed to the WUXGA already being darker at it's highest setting.

 

Hi there,
Thanks for very informative posts and discussions. I am going to order a T61p in a month. I think, I will go for a WSXGA+. as it is already a higher (pixel/inch) option compared to my current desktop (1280x1024 on 17" (actually 16") CRT). even for this (pixel/inch) status my family keep telling me that the resolution is too high. It may also save me some money. I hope I can find one with this configuration in the local market, as we have a rather limited purchasing options in Tehran.

PS:
rule of the thumb self-invented estimation:
SXGA@16" (AR=5:4): 1280/(16*(1.25/(sqrt(1.25^2+1))))=102.5 pixel/inch
[email protected]" (AR=16:10): 1680/(15.4*(1.6/(sqrt(1.6^2+1))))=128.5 pixel/inch
[email protected]" (AR=16:10): 1920/(15.4*(1.6/(sqrt(1.6^2+1))))=147 pixel/inch

use Powertoy Calc, and see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_resolutions

Yours
Bahman

 

Hey Guys,
so my WUXGA shipped and finally the parts page is updated, here is the info I have for the panel and keyboard,

42T0360 42T0361 15.4 INCH LCD DISPLAY FRU YES
42T3177 42T3209 KEYBOARD FRU YES

The panel seems to be LG, and keyboard is NMB, not sure what the keyboard s ?

 

What have other WUXGA owners recently been getting ?

 

Are people getting better results with their screens or are they having the same problems? I'm hoping Lenovo is working on resolving the apparent Samsung LCD issue.

 

42T0328 for WSXGA+

Whatever that is.

 

I got 15.4" WUXGA with a Samsung Panel in my T61P recently. The screen has a little light leakage in the bottom, and you will never notice unless you look for it. Overall IMO, it looks very good.