Lenovo t420 screen upgrade. Same cable?

T420 HMM: https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobi ... 0i_hmm.pdf

Apparently, you need a different cable:
"In order to make a 1600x900 HD+ panel work in the T420/T430, an HD+ LCD cable must be installed."
-- http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/T420_and_ ... en_Upgrade

Looking at eBay, it seems it's going to run at least $100 for a compatible screen. The problem with compatible screens is that the brightness settings won't work. It might be because of the BIOS whitelist (which can be modded), but I'm not sure. Regardless, even $100 for a genuine screen + cost of cable isn't worth it for that computer, in my opinion.

What I would do is keep waiting until you find someone selling the entire screen/lid assembly, which often comes with the cable. T430 uses the same lid/screen.

rabbit wrote: ↑ Apparently, you need a different cable:
"In order to make a 1600x900 HD+ panel work in the T420/T430, an HD+ LCD cable must be installed."
-- http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/T420_and_ ... en_Upgrade

Looking at eBay, it seems it's going to run at least $100 for a compatible screen. The problem with compatible screens is that the brightness settings won't work. It might be because of the BIOS whitelist (which can be modded), but I'm not sure. Regardless, even $100 for a genuine screen + cost of cable isn't worth it for that computer, in my opinion.

What I would do is keep waiting until you find someone selling the entire screen/lid assembly, which often comes with the cable. T430 uses the same lid/screen.

I can confirm it is a different cable when switching the screen from 1366 x 768 to 1600 x 900. My screen of latter resolution was bought from someone's T430. He did an upgrade of his T430 screen and thus sold his old screen to me. The cable of his old screen could not fit my T420. I thus needed to buy one specifically for T420.

THe brightness settings work in a way. The range from full brightness to dark is narrower with the 1600x900 screen than the range of the the 1366 x 760 screen. I did not mod the whitelist in the BIOS. Perhaps, my newer screen is for T430 and thus not blacklisted by the BIOS.

Thanks everybody. I found a guy on eBay that will throw in the cable for free.

RyanD163 wrote: ↑ Thanks everybody. I found a guy on eBay that will throw in the cable for free.

Check the cable model number. You look up the wiki page above to see which cable model number is compatible with T420. The guy sold me the T430 screen gave me his cable free as well. But no use as it was incompatible. If I remember correctly the T430 cable was too short and the plug at the motherboard-end of the T430 cable did not match the socket on the T420 motherboard.

@drdtyc ha, that was me that sold you my T430s 1600x900 original screen! Hope you are still enjoying it!

OP, I think I have a couple of T420 screen cables if the one you bought doesn't work...i'll need to check the FRU to make sure it is the right cable.

I ended up upgrading another T420s with a FHD mod kit and panel and another T420s with a WQHD mod kit and panel.....loving it!!

ji2o0k wrote: ↑ @drdtyc ha, that was me that sold you my T430s 1600x900 original screen! Hope you are still enjoying it!

OP, I think I have a couple of T420 screen cables if the one you bought doesn't work...i'll need to check the FRU to make sure it is the right cable.

I ended up upgrading another T420s with a FHD mod kit and panel and another T420s with a WQHD mod kit and panel.....loving it!!

Looks like you've had experience upgrading the T420... have you tried upgrading the CPU ? Any comments? I obtained a i7 2760QM a few months a go and it did not boot up when I inserted into my T420. Any advice would be appreciated

ji2o0k wrote: ↑ @drdtyc ha, that was me that sold you my T430s 1600x900 original screen! Hope you are still enjoying it!

OP, I think I have a couple of T420 screen cables if the one you bought doesn't work...i'll need to check the FRU to make sure it is the right cable.

I ended up upgrading another T420s with a FHD mod kit and panel and another T420s with a WQHD mod kit and panel.....loving it!!

The FRU s/he needs is 04W1618 (shown in the HMM for HD+ screens).

coilz wrote: ↑ Looks like you've had experience upgrading the T420... have you tried upgrading the CPU ? Any comments? I obtained a i7 2760QM a few months a go and it did not boot up when I inserted into my T420. Any advice would be appreciated

Hi, apologies...i've only upgraded the screen....not the CPU...tho I do think it is doable....no personal experience tho....

ji2o0k wrote: ↑ @drdtyc ha, that was me that sold you my T430s 1600x900 original screen! Hope you are still enjoying it!

OP, I think I have a couple of T420 screen cables if the one you bought doesn't work...i'll need to check the FRU to make sure it is the right cable.

I ended up upgrading another T420s with a FHD mod kit and panel and another T420s with a WQHD mod kit and panel.....loving it!!

@ji2o0k, Greetings! Our deal was done 3 years ago, I think!
Yes, the T430 screen is still in great shape working soundly on my T420 which I am using till now.