Try an X220! I regularly use mine on the balcony in bright sunlight and even with bad vision the screen is a pleasure to read. Plus, the keyboard is fantastic, but I guess that's the same as on the X200.

X220s and x230s come with either TN display, which is terrible or IPS display which is good. Both have the same resolution - 1378x768.

There are mods that allow installation of an FHD display.

The TN panel on the X230 is indeed absolute garbage, and mine was the first time I'd seen burn-in on a modern laptop screen.

I did the FHD mod on my X230 a while ago and can say it makes a world of difference. Well worth the effort of disassembling most of the machine and soldering the mod.

The 51nb folks have also made some other amazing mods like the X320/X330, an X220/230 fitted with a 13" panel: https://imgur.com/a/0m3a1

Im thinking about upgrading my second laptop from x200 -> x220. That sounds like a promising change. I still struggle with low contrast screen on x200 sometimes.

You must have the tablet model with the IPS screen.

I'm typing this reply on an X220-4290-CZ2, a bog standard laptop. The 1366x768 screen goes very bright and I find it useable in sunlight on e.g. a train in a seat by the window when you can't move out of the sun. This is at 52 degrees North mind you, might be different further South.

I have an X60 with slackware on that just runs and runs and runs. It is the screen that I find the limiting factor as OA mentioned. I might summon up the confidence to have a go at the LED backlight hack...

There are non-tablet variants with IPS screen. It's also easy to swap the panel so you can buy it separately if you don't find a good offer.

I know the following models are better, I just have way too many thinkpads already.

Low contrast? You must be working in fully sun-lit room then.

I'm on my 3rd Thinkpad now and always fight with the screen being too bright. My xbacklight setting is usually around 10%.

options:

1) you have a non x200

2) there were different models and I got the shittiest panel

3) my panel is broken

4) you're a cat

I have to agree with this list, the original X200 panel is really crappy. I bought and AFFS a while ago, which is very nice, but even that is dim with today's standards.

He might very well be a cat, but it's true that Thinkpads are sold with very different panels, even in the same Thinkpad model[1].

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X260

The x260, for instance, can have a 300:1 contrast ratio, 200 candelas screen, or a 700/1, 300 candelas screen.

[1] Would "model" be the right term then?

again I have an x200, I think at the time Lenovo offered less options, if at all. They changed after too many complaints, and I believe that's why 220 - 260, ... have better screens and more choice

I assumed by x200 you meant x200-series.

I love old-ish laptops, but how is that Core 2 Duo holding up? No touchpad, 1200x800 screen... What do you do with it, if it's not much to ask? I'm truly curious.

Not OP, but my workplace computer is a Dell notebook with a Core i5 CPU underclocked to 750Mhz. I also use an X220i with a Core i3 CPU underclocked to 800MHz (because it will not run at lower speeds). Both offer excellent performance for everything I do. I never use the touchpad, both screens are fine IMO.

Things I do: small-scale data analysis and statistical modelling with Klong and Scheme, plotting graphs, compiling C programs, typesetting with Troff, browsing the Web with Javascript off.