I'm going to try and replace the display and keep the original backlight. I'm seeing a lot of reviews saying that the display just needs to come away from the backlight and that desoldering isnt required, but I can't tell where the backlight ends and the display begins. any advice?

If you're having trouble getting your opening pick in, start by the SIM card slot.

What size is this screw? I need to get a replacement.

Thank you for the good guide, I saved my fan in the middle of hot weather!

This is a lot harder than it looks at first. I believe that some models may have a metal ring, and that can make the removal 10 times harder. The only way I was able to remove the ring was to take a small screwdriver and bend one of the flaps up until the ring had enough room to be pried out.

Look for a donor phone from used markets, I don't believe the motherboard itself was ever sold individually.

(I'm not 5 years late, you're 5 years early)

Easy peasy! Got a fresh 1080p IPS display into my ThinkPad thanks to this guide!

Maybe I haven't seen many battery connectors, but this is one of the most annoying to reinsert.

Thanks for the helpful guide! A couple things of note that I noticed along the way:

If you're replacing the screen lens, make sure you line it up properly so the end result isn't crooked.

Make sure to organize your screws, a mismatched screw can poke a hole through the shell.

Be gentle but firm when tightening a screw. I definitely messed up a screw or two being too forceful.

(I might be stupid) keep an eye on the battery lid screw hole. Mine ended up warping so I had to duct tape the lid to the shell.

If you're doing a button replacement too, be careful with the triggers.

I think the rating for this is too high. As long as you keep track of small screws and buttons & be wary of the ribbon cable, it's an easy replacement. But thank you for the detailed guide!