X230T - Broken Screen - Replacement Options?

[rigatron]

Lenovo Thinkpad X230T (3437 CTO)

As you can see, I had an accident.  I bought this tablet just a few weeks ago for engineering school, and the screen is totally shattered.  

I contacted Lenovo about my 3 year warranty status, and how to go about repairing the machine, however they informed me that my $100 warranty does not cover accidents.  They said it would be $750 to fix it, which isn't possible for me.  I need to repair it myself.  However, this leaves me with a few questions.  

The screen is a 12.5 inch multitouch display.  I am not sure how the touch components and display components operate.  Are they combined into a single unit, or is the screen display a seperate component?  I have plugged the tablet into another moniter via DVI cable, and it is fully functional, INCLUDING THE TOUCH SCREEN CAPABILITIES!  

After some research I have found this replacement option: 

https://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/IBM-Lenovo/THINKPAD~X230~TABLET~3437/

However, that model number is only 3437, not 3437-CTO.  I'm not sure if that matters, but I don't believe so.  Even the 220's appear to use the same screen technology.  

If I were to buy this screen and replace the broken one, would the touch screen capabilities still function?  Would that component come with the unit I ordered, or would the already functioning touch screen remain seperate and intact?  

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  This has been an extremely stressful few weeks,  and this has added a huge punctuation mark to that.  

Thanks

[johnv474]

My understanding is that the 3437 is the only part that would matter.  The CTO just means that you personalized the machine you purchased (for example, selecting a different wireless antenna than the base version).

I do not know anything about that particular vendor, but it appears that you have selected the right version of their screens.  I did a quick search on Craigslist and eBay for a parts machine, but no luck; the machine is too new.

-JV474

[rigatron]

So this is the correct LCD screen? Would this unit contain the touchscreen technology, or is that a separate entity in the machine? I hope so, because if not it might end up being a much more expensive repair. Not having touchscreen/stylus capabilities isn't really an option.

[labrekk]

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rigatron wrote:

Lenovo Thinkpad X230T (3437 CTO)

As you can see, I had an accident.  I bought this tablet just a few weeks ago for engineering school, and the screen is totally shattered.  

I contacted Lenovo about my 3 year warranty status, and how to go about repairing the machine, however they informed me that my $100 warranty does not cover accidents.  They said it would be $750 to fix it, which isn't possible for me.  I need to repair it myself.  However, this leaves me with a few questions.  

The screen is a 12.5 inch multitouch display.  I am not sure how the touch components and display components operate.  Are they combined into a single unit, or is the screen display a seperate component?  I have plugged the tablet into another moniter via DVI cable, and it is fully functional, INCLUDING THE TOUCH SCREEN CAPABILITIES!  

After some research I have found this replacement option: 

https://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/IBM-Lenovo/THINKPAD~X230~TABLET~3437/

However, that model number is only 3437, not 3437-CTO.  I'm not sure if that matters, but I don't believe so.  Even the 220's appear to use the same screen technology.  

If I were to buy this screen and replace the broken one, would the touch screen capabilities still function?  Would that component come with the unit I ordered, or would the already functioning touch screen remain seperate and intact?  

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  This has been an extremely stressful few weeks,  and this has added a huge punctuation mark to that.  

Thanks

---

The replacement screens you found are $63 and $90 and Lenovo would charge you $750 for the job?  Wow...They look like a very greedy company, if I add this to the ridiculous amount they charge to put 16GB RAM in a machine, compared to what you can get when buying from other vendor and doing the swap yourself...

[richk]

The screen in the picture does not look like a multitouch screen. It looks like one for pen only.  A "real" screen (multi touch or not) should have the digitizer, LCD, writing surface and front bezel bonded together.

[rigatron]

Well, I took it apart, after much research.  The problem is much more complicated than I orginally thought.  Although the digitizer was working with the pen, I never tested it with my finger because I had that disabled in Windows, and I dislike that feature anyways.  It turns out that even though you could not feel any of the cracks on the plexiglass exterior, it wasn't just the LCD screen that was cracked.

The multitouch tablets seem to work with the pen using a magnetic signal to the digitizer located behind the screen.  This is the old, typical technology, and the only thing relevant to my wants and needs.  In the past the LCD screens were just protected with a plexiglass exterior, and it served no other function other than protection.  However, on the new multitouch screens, there is actually a thermo sensitive material sandwiched inbetween two sheets of plexiglass.  Although my LCD is definitely broken, this damaged inside thermo material is what you see in the picture.

This leaves me with the problem of having a new LCD screen, but no replacement plexiglass outer shell.  I can't find the part number (FRU) anywhere, and I'm in doubt it's available online.   I suspect I could still use the computer and LCD screen + "traditional" digitzer, but with a cracked plexiglass exterior, which would be beyond annoying.  If anyone can give me some more information on where I could find just an outer shell plexiglass protection unit, that would be awesome.  Even if it's the multitouch type, with the thermosensitive interior.

At this point it's **bleep** near FUBAR.

[PNutts]

Here's a link to your Hardware Maintenance Manual. Page 52 describes the LCD FRUs and CRUs. Page 59 starts the teardown section. The HMM also includes a link to detailed FRU information, including part numbers, descriptions, and substitution part numbers.

[rigatron]

Thanks.  This seems like a pretty obscure part though, so I don't know if I will be able to find it.

[rigatron]

SU6C-12W04AU-01X (digitizer FRU)
04W3990 (multi touch display FRU)

It looks like if I want to buy them online, I will have to buy them all packaged together, and from questionably reliable sources.

[vincehartman38]

Rigatron - What was your resolution process in the end with finding the multitouch screen and fixing it?  What source did you use online, about how much did it cost you, and would you recommend the path you took?  I'm in a similar situation and your advice would be very beneficial.