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Upgrading 15" MBP to 1920x1200 - anybody interested in a step-by-step guide? :)

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alexharries

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 27, 2009
10
0
London, UK
Hi everyone,

Having found this 46 page macrumors thread about fitting a 1920x1200 display in 15" Macbook Pros, I decided to do my best to summarise the thread and then try and write a step-by-step guide to upgrading your screen.

I've posted up my first-draft write-up and detailed instructions list from this thread at:

Greayhead.co.uk wiki: installing a high res display on a Macbook Pro

The edited highlights from this entire thread can also be found at:

Greyhead.co.uk wiki: WUXGA conversion research page

Hope this all helps someone, and a huge amount of thanks goes to baxterbrittle for starting the thread and noetus for writing up an excellent guide.
 
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wbyung

macrumors member
Jan 16, 2009
36
0
We need to know at least the panel we are going to use.

Take Dell M4400 as an example, it has 15.4" WUXGA RGB-LED panel. I spent sometime looking for the details of this panel but in vain.

The older guides used CCFL screen which are definitely not a candidate for the unibody Macbook Pros.
 
A

alexharries

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 27, 2009
10
0
London, UK
wbyung said:
We need to know at least the panel we are going to use.

Take Dell M4400 as an example, it has 15.4" WUXGA RGB-LED panel. I spent sometime looking for the details of this panel but in vain.

The older guides used CCFL screen which are definitely not a candidate for the unibody Macbook Pros.
Click to expand...

Hi wbyung,

Read my guide linked above - it should clear up which panels you can and cannot use (currently no WUXGA or WSXGA LED-backlit panels seem to be available to buy separately, so it can't be done on LED-backlit models at the moment).

Al
 
N

nick9191

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2008
3,365
189
Britain
I'm looking at the M4400 now and all I see are these options for the screen.
 

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Patriks7

Patriks7

macrumors 65816
Oct 26, 2008
1,419
624
Vienna
This looks like a pretty nice idea, and something I will probably try once I update (which won't be for another 3 years :p) But good luck to those brave ones trying it out!
 
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wbyung

macrumors member
Jan 16, 2009
36
0
Changing the LCD panel this time isn't going to be easy. The bezel has to be replaced with a custom one. This requires a CAD design sent to a machineshop and would add about $200 to the cost.

I really wish the 15inch Macbook had a matte option. I prefer traditional glossy screen over glass glossy or matte. Right now, there is no easy way to swap the panels in this machine.

I don't really like the size of 17inch Macbook Pro and it is much more expensive.

Errr...
 
A

alexharries

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 27, 2009
10
0
London, UK
wbyung said:
Changing the LCD panel this time isn't going to be easy. The bezel has to be replaced with a custom one. This requires a CAD design sent to a machineshop and would add about $200 to the cost.

I really wish the 15inch Macbook had a matte option. I prefer traditional glossy screen over glass glossy or matte. Right now, there is no easy way to swap the panels in this machine.

I don't really like the size of 17inch Macbook Pro and it is much more expensive.

Errr...
Click to expand...

Hi wbyung, can you give me some more details about why a custom bezel needs to be made, and for which models please?
 
panzer06

panzer06

macrumors 68040
Sep 23, 2006
3,282
229
Kilrath
alexharries said:
Hi wbyung, can you give me some more details about why a custom bezel needs to be made, and for which models please?
Click to expand...

He's got to be referring to the new unibody. The SR LED would not need any such thing. The biggest detriment I see is the high cost for those replacement 1920x1200 LED screens. It's over $500 just for the screen!

My 1920x1200 CCFL cost just over $200. Now that I have it working again on my 2.16 x1600-based system, I am getting rid of that nvidia 8600 based SR failure waiting to happen (already replace logic board once).

Great work on the new resources btw.

Cheers,
 
P

pandashark

macrumors newbie
Oct 18, 2007
10
0
has anyone had luck upgrading the screen on 15.4" LED backlit macs? I have an A1260 (Santa Rosa, 2.5 GHz), and I was wondering if I can upgrade to a WSXGA screen (1680X1050).

Obviously, the new MBP's have that option when you buy then, so could I use one of those screens (assuming i can acquire one) in my laptop? Also, would something like this work?

http://www.laptopz.com/samsung-ltn154bt-154-wxga-laptop-lcd-screen-glossy-led-p-17978.html

I'm having difficulty finding much out upgrading the screen on this model laptop.
 
peapody

peapody

macrumors 68040
Oct 7, 2007
3,176
139
San Francisco, CA
I did it.. on my 2.16ghz MBP classic. I had an LG antiglare 1900x1200 panel and DAMN :eek: type was small!! Made me hunch forward and squint to read texts.
 
P

pandashark

macrumors newbie
Oct 18, 2007
10
0
I began using a 1900X1200 screen on a 17" MBP, and I actually like the increased resolution and screen space (even though everything is smaller), so I figured moving to a 1650X1050 on a 15.4" MBP would be roughly equivalent. I agree that 1900X1200 would be way too small for a 15.4" though.

What products (lcd screens) and can I buy to put in a 15.4" LED MBP at WSXGA+ (1680X1050) resolution? i think that's the main problem i'm trying to figure out, there's no resources on that, and there seems to be very few options.

btw, I believe you can currently get a WSXGA+ panel on the new 15.4" MBPs from Apple...
 
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kunal2sh

macrumors newbie
Dec 11, 2010
9
0
okay guys i am planning on buying the new macbook pro unibody! 15" but drawback is resolution! i can buy the samsung SEC5443 that is used in Dell M4400 which LED...now the main question is..will the connectors be the same and is it guaranteed to work? please let me know about connectors! thanks alot in advance!!
 
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