Anywhere to actually see T400 display options before I buy?

Hi All-

I'm interested in picking up a T400 for school this summer. However, I'm really held up on all the different display options. I read how horrible this display is over that display, etc. I'd love to visually see the difference between the LED backlight and the CCFL. I would really like to find somewhere that I can walk in and get a hands-on comparison of all the different displays.

Does Lenovo sell T400s in any brick and mortar stores? I'm in the Minneapolis area. I found a T400 in a Microcenter, but they only had one option.

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

 

that might be a bit difficult
Lenovo uses a variety of screen manufacturers for their panels.

2 different 1440x900 LED backlit panels
3 different 1440x900 CCFL panels
3 different 1280x800 CCFL panels

the only type of panel used consistently is High nit 1280x800 LED panel.
So even if you do see the panel in person, you never know what are you going to get when you actually order the computer.

here is a web site listing all panels that lenovo uses:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/TFT_display

 

thanks for the info!
that is kinda crappy, though - no way to know what you are buying before you drop a thousand dollars and are stuck with whatever random screen they decide to give you

 

I agree that comparing the T400 displays is difficult, so I bought two of them to compare myself. If you buy an outlet Lenovo laptop, they let you apply the $150 you pay for a return to a new computer. I bought the CCFL 1440 x 900 vs. the LED 1280 x 800 high-nit. Comparing them side by side, the color is a lot better on the LED. Richer and brighter, even when I turned down the brightness to match them over all. Also, the viewing angles on the LED were much better. BUT the most important selling point for the LED is the battery life. when I used the CCFL for a week, since it came first, I was bummed that the battery readings were more or less the same as what I have had for years on other laptops, namely 2-2.5 hours. Then, I fully charged the LED, and I am getting battery readings of 4.5 - 5 hours on a full charge. Frankly unbelievable, and I am very excited for those long transcontiental plane rides. Watching movies on this LED panel is great. I am not jealous of the glossy screens. The high nit LED is awesome. Frankly, I turn it one level down from brightest for the movies. But that was in the dark. I will try it in the sunlight tomorrow.

 

Interesting, that was not my experience.

 

Actually, as far as battery goes, the CCFL was more like 3-3.5 hours, but I think that was with tweeking. Bottom line is the LED was significantly better battery life. BUT BOY do I wish I could get the 1440 high nit instead of the 1280. Seems like they sold a bunch of those in January, but they do not have any available now. Kind of weird.

As far as viewing angle, when I would look at a movie from a steep angle, the CCFL would go "negative" on me at about 60 degrees away from vertical, while the LED never went "negative" on me. "negative" is where the colors invert.

 

depends which screen you have I think. I have amazing viewing angles on my screen, in my expeirnece better than the LED screens I've used.

 

It does not matter, All T400s regardless of which option come with a typical cheap display with washed-out colors and horrid viewing angels. This is Lenovo we are talking about. When Lenovo took over IBMs laptops division they switched to the crappiest displays they can find. The history of this stems back to the T60 and forward.

 

I was going to sell my G1S, so I took a bunch of pictures including a few comparing it's screen with my T400 (adjusted for best possible picture). The panel is WXGA+ LED manufactured by LG (LP141WP2). Hope this provides a starting reference point to you. This panel is considered by alot of people to be the best that Lenovo offered on T400.

At first it looks like an okay panel if tested using "standard" picture that everybody around here uses:



However, closer examination shows very poor black levels resulting in poor contrast ratio:



And generally washed out colors that are not as vivid with inferior gradients in shades:



Red and blue being especially poor: