Chosen Solution
Hello there. I’ve got two MacBook Pro 13’’, one of Mid 2009 and one of Mid 2012. The later has an issue with its screen : there’s no luminosity at all. it’s all black but when I point a lamp at this black screen, I can see an image. By the way, the MacBook is working perfectly when connected to an external screen. I want to use the screen of my Mid 2009 MacBook on the Mid 2012. Doing should, I should be able to determine if the all-black screen issue has to do with the motherboard or if I only have to change the screen Hence my question : can I use a mid 2009 screen on a mid 2012 ?
Odds are that it’s just the inverter board that’s killed the backlight on the display. Repair involves removing the display module, and removing the LCD panel from that module in order to get access to the inverter board so it’s not for the faint of heart – and of course you’ll need a replacement inverter board as well. Not likely to be the LCD panel or the main logic board (MLB) though as you’ve got video out and pixels on the panel. The panel is likely the same but the cabling lengths and placement of connectors may be different as the internal layout of the MacBook Pro likely changed a good bit between the 2009 and 2012 models. Proceed with care. – Joe, too.
They are both LG Philips screens, but the 2012 is part number LP133WX3-TLA1 while the 2012 is LP133WX3-TLA4. They are the same model, but different revisions so can’t say for sure if they are compatible, but it looks like there are sellers online listing them as being interchangeable. It won’t hurt anything to try it. If you can at least see the backlight come on then you know your original panel is bad and not the logic board. Odds are in your favor that it is the LCD and not the logic board anyway.
