Upgrading The Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Display

2/3/2021 Upgrading the Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Display - iFixit Repair Guide
Upgrading the Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Display

Written By: Aaron Zink (and one other contributor)
Comments: 9 Favorites: 7 Completions: 20
Dif culty Moderate
Steps 11
Time Required 30 minutes
Sections 1
Flags 1
Introduction
Upgrade the LCD in your Thinkpad T520 to a quality 1080p panel.
The T520 is available from Lenovo with a 1080p high color gamut display as a $250 upgrade to the standard low quality display. The exact same
1080p LCD panel Lenovo uses is available online for under $100 and is easy to install yourself!
Tools Parts
Precision Utility Knife Spudger

AU Optronics B156HW01 V.4 Display
Buy
Phillips #0 Screwdriver For sale from another site
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Upgrading+the+Lenovo+ThinkPad+T520+Display/9763 1/8
Step 1 Contrasty Colors
 This voids your warranty!
 The exact original model used by Lenovo is the AUO

B156HW01 V.4. This is a 15.6", matte, 1080p panel
with wider than average viewing angles.
 This display has been measured by

notebookcheck.net and anandtech.com and shown to
be one of the best laptop displays shipping.
 A contrast ratio over 500 is available and this display

is able to show over 95% of the colors in the
AdobeRGB spectrum. 1080p is a much higher
resolution than the basic 1366x768 display, allowing
for more work space.
 Viewing angle image courtesy of notebookcheck.net
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Step 2 OEM Matte
 The V.4 display we will be using for this upgrade is the

highest quality drop in replacement available and the
exact same product that Lenovo uses. This version is a
matte display with a "42% haze" AR coating.
 The V.4 is slightly more re ective than the basic T520

display. The B156HW01 V.4 on the left makes a more
focused re ection of the overhead light while the
stock display (LG LP156WH4) creates a larger
diffused re ection.
 The manufacturer of this panel is AU Optronics, a

multibillion dollar Taiwanese company that specializes
in TFT LCD technology. Lenovo uses AUO displays but
LCD resellers are also able to get boxes of panels that
are sold for DIY upgrades and repairs.
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Step 3 Unboxing
 This is how my upgrade display arrived from

laptopscreen.com
 It was shipped from Burnaby, British Columbia on the

other side of Canada and arrived in three days.
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Step 4
 The display uses the same 40 pin connector as the

T520 and many other laptops. It provides power for
the LED backlighting and the 1080p video signal.
 A protective sheet is taped to the front of the display.

Leave it on until we are almost done installing the
display in the laptop.
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Step 5 Teardown
 The victim. Any T520 will work with this upgrade.

Even the most basic con gurations can take
advantage of a top of the line display. The Thinkpad
T510, W510, T520, W520, T530 and W530 will all
also work for this upgrade.
 The rst step is to remove the three covers along the

bottom of the bezel and the screws underneath. The
point of an exacto knife works well for this.
 Three adhesive covers.
 Three 6mm Phillips screws.
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Step 6 Bezel
 Starting from the bottom of the screen, release the

plastic clips holding the bezel by pushing horizontally
inward and prying upward with a spudger.
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Step 7 Lid
 The back of the display assembly is held to the metal

frame with four screws that must be removed.
 Carefully rotate the hinges upward just enough to

allow the removal of the four screws on the sides of
the display frame.
 Be careful of the cable for the magnetic lid close

sensor. You may need to temporarily unstick the
sensor from the frame or pull on the cable a bit to
make it extend far enough.
 Four 6mm Phillips screws.
 Four 3mm Phillips screws.
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Step 8 Connector
 The old LCD is now held on only by the cable.

Carefully rotate the display so that it rests on the
laptop keyboard.
 Peel up the tape holding the connector but be careful

not to damage the cable.
 Remove the old display and put it somewhere safe.

Someone else might nd it useful for repairing a
cracked display on a budget. You can use the upgrade
screen's shipping package if you sell the display
online.
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Step 9 In with the new
 Lay the new 1080p LCD on the keyboard and insert

the display connector. I found a spuger useful to push
on the corners of the connector without damaging the
cable.
 Make sure both round clips are properly secured

before taping the connector down. Feel free to add
extra tape.
 Tiny round clips.
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Step 10 Put it all back
 Rotate the LCD back onto the metal frame, put the
battery back in and test it out.
 If everything looks ok then remove the battery and

put the screws in. Remove the protective sheet from
the display and put the bezel back on.
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Step 11 Calibrate
 This display is more capable than the average LCD so

if it is adjusted wrong it can be very obvious.
 Be prepared for a warmer default color temperature

than is common on consumer displays. This screen is
intended for professional graphics use so it is
designed to match colors to how they would look
when printed out and viewed under incandescent
lighting.
 Professionals working with graphics use a digital

colorimeter to adjust the color accuracy of a display.
This process creates what is called an ICC pro le that
tells programs how to display colors accurately.
 To simply make the screen look good for viewing

images and of ce use, Windows has a built in Display
Color Calibration utility that allows adjustment of the
color balance of the display. The Intel IGP software
can also be used to make adjustments instead. Right
click on the desktop and select Graphics Properties...
 It is also easy to experiment with color pro les others

have created for this display. Every panel will be
slightly different but it is possible to nd a pro le that
looks good on your screen. I found that the rst ICC
pro le provided by Sager works for me.
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 CONCLUSION
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
 Give the author +30 points!
20 other people completed this guide.
Author with 1 other contributor
Aaron Zink Badges: 7

Member since: 07/13/2012
791 Reputation
1 Guide authored +4 more badges
9 COMMENTS  Add a comment
Successfully changed screens on a Lenovo T530 from an original 1600x900 to the 1920x1080 make and model mentioned in this guide. I was
able to check the difference in quality of the two displays directly running side by side my W520 which has the 1080 and the T530 with the the
original screen that I ordered for my father in law. The 1080 is a better screen altogether. And as this guide shows, replacing the screen is really
easy - a no-brainer.
Leo S - 09/29/12
Are there tting differences in the B156HW01 V.4 and the V.5 or V.7? Most places I look the V.4 is out of stock or discontinued.
Benjamin Wilson - 05/30/13
Successfully installed on a Lenovo T520 with an original screen resolution of 1600x900. The new, higher resolution screen was easy to t, and
worked straight away - no need for a new cable or anything like that.
Tom - 10/29/15
Thanks a bunch. Used this guide to replace a full display and hinge from a rather aggressive "drop". Trickiest part is the cable reinsertion - with the
sticky tape underneath the original cable install it is a little nicky to get a snug and at t.
Best,
-Andrew
Andrew Duszczyszyn - 11/12/15
Very nice guide. One question to be save: wil a upgrade from a standard 1366x768 screen also be possible? I read elsewhere the motherboard or
cable wil not support an full HD screen.
Dirk Dirkjes - 01/07/16
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2/3/2021 Upgrading the Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Display - iFixit Repair Guide

Comments: 9 Favorites: 7 Completions: 20

Dif culty Moderate

Time Required 30 minutes

Precision Utility Knife Spudger

Step 1 Contrasty Colors

 This voids your warranty!

 The exact original model used by Lenovo is the AUO

 This display has been measured by

 A contrast ratio over 500 is available and this display

 Viewing angle image courtesy of notebookcheck.net

Step 2 OEM Matte

 The V.4 display we will be using for this upgrade is the

 The V.4 is slightly more re ective than the basic T520

 The manufacturer of this panel is AU Optronics, a

 This is how my upgrade display arrived from

 It was shipped from Burnaby, British Columbia on the

 The display uses the same 40 pin connector as the

 A protective sheet is taped to the front of the display.

Create Guides for Your Company Start Today

 The victim. Any T520 will work with this upgrade.

 The rst step is to remove the three covers along the

 Three adhesive covers.

 Three 6mm Phillips screws.

 Starting from the bottom of the screen, release the

 The back of the display assembly is held to the metal

 Carefully rotate the hinges upward just enough to

 Be careful of the cable for the magnetic lid close

 Four 6mm Phillips screws.

 Four 3mm Phillips screws.

 The old LCD is now held on only by the cable.

 Peel up the tape holding the connector but be careful

 Remove the old display and put it somewhere safe.

Step 9 In with the new

 Lay the new 1080p LCD on the keyboard and insert

 Make sure both round clips are properly secured

 Tiny round clips.

Step 10 Put it all back

 If everything looks ok then remove the battery and

 This display is more capable than the average LCD so

 Be prepared for a warmer default color temperature

 Professionals working with graphics use a digital

 To simply make the screen look good for viewing

 It is also easy to experiment with color pro les others

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

 Give the author +30 points!

20 other people completed this guide.

Author with 1 other contributor

Aaron Zink Badges: 7

9 COMMENTS  Add a comment

 Load more comments

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