Lenovo Thinkpad W520 Lemon

Eventually, I will put up a complete review. However, as I just got the machine, I wanted to share some of the things I noticed. For now, this thread is going to be a rant of this lemon.

Keyboard Flex
This exists if I press down pretty hard. Not there during normal use. Just noted because it was not found in the w510 ( that I owned for a week) and the t61.

Case Flex
I can only notice it on the palm rest area with the FP reader. Again, only if I push down slightly hard. Worse, it makes a noise if I do so.

Fan
Its always on and it is pretty loud. I can live with it but I have read it is suppose to be silent unless I am doing anything taxing. Anyone know what to do?

TouchPad Flex
Worse problem. Push down, and the pad flexes. Push down harder, and the ENTIRE case flexes.

Anyone else have the last two issues?

 

Flex: check all screws (some of mine were loose on the new machine). If that still doesn't help, some tape, bending, etc might (i.e. the pragmatic approach).

Fan: the BIOS temp settings are way too conservative. Use tpfancontrol or whatsitcalled to keep themps stable at <~50 degrees rather than <~35.

 

Mine is absolutely rock solid. I can only produce moderate amounts of flex with brute force. Have you considered that you might be an ogre?

 

Why do you feel it's necessary to press down with unusual force to test flex? I always think that's a really odd thing to do.

As far as the fan is concerned, are you running turbo max?

 

what is the spec of the W520?

 

flex was there on two of w510 i return but on certain keys.

fan noise - try to select intel graphics card from bios + put ssd..see how it goes

SSD on my W510 made lot of difference

 

I did flex just to see how sturdy the machine was. The only real flex that worries my is the touchpad causing the entire bottom case to flex inwards.

Other than that, I am actually worried about reducing my laptop fan. I ran a game to stress out the computer and it got really hot even with a laptop fan cooler. It ran a lot hotter than the w510, same test. The case, especially on the left speaker and the left palm rest area, got really hot. Fan was running constantly. Computer is plugged in and the battery settings is on power source optimized. The case got really cool really fast as soon as I stopped.

@Thor, I do not know what TurboMax or how to check.

Specs: Current | Thinkpad W520 | Core i7 2720QM | Quadro 2000m 2GB DDR3 RAM
| 4GB DDR3 RAM | Windows 7 Pro 64-bit | 320GB 7200rpm | FHD 1920X1080
95% Gamut LED Screen |

 

How hot did it get quantitatively? Something like HWMonitor would report the full complement of temperatures.

The case flexing might just be the rubber feet giving way to the pressure.

 

If I thought I got a lemon, the first thing I would do is call Lenovo and either request a refund, a new machine, or at least a warranty service. The last thing I would do is keep bending and pressing the laptop to see how much it flexes or even test how far I can get the laptop to heat up. Then again, that's just me.....

 

See attached for what I was referring to. What profile or settings are you using in the BIOS and in Power Manager?

 

While I can understand disappointment, titling a thread like this is highly inflammatory, and it may get you help, but could result in ill will from others as well.

Did you consider asking for help or comments before you decided to call your new purchase a "lemon" to an entire forum of Lenovo users?

 

So do I. It's like people are looking for something to complain about.

 

Looks to me like a history of not being satisfied with Lenovo....maybe you'd prefer a different brand?

 

I am T41 user so it's not being satisfied. It's like make it right when you pay a lot. Lenovo accepted the defects and took the laptop back no complain about that. I would ran away if they back off...not happen so far so good.

 

Imagine you could go into a Lenovo store and check out all the ThinkPad models, seeing, touching, testing for flex, trying out the keyboard, running a few apps, and getting answers from the knowledgeable support agents on the spot.

Imagine you could purchase a ThinkPad of your choice, open the box, and try it out right on a table in such a store. Something not quite right? You ask. Not fully happy? You return or exchange right on the spot. (But this should be very rare.) You feel like a million bucks walking out of the store with your ThinkPad in a nicely packaged box. Absolute confidence.

"You pay a lot," you wrote. Then why put yourself through any trouble at all? They owe you stellar products and service.

BTW, such a store is reality. Now. It's just not called Lenovo Store.

 

Yeah, and that store sells products well known for their ability to run a cool notebook under load. Not.

In this "lemon" runs a 2000 Nvidia and a pretty fast Intel quad core, it is absolutely normal to warm up the whole case a bit. Compared to other brands, it actually runs cool. Just compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. Your T41 is... obsolete. It would be best to compare the lowest power Thinkpad you can find to your T41, then go whine about not being cool, if you're still unhappy. Just don't compare a state of the art machine in which the CPU and the GFX alone need 90W to a machine that as a whole probably doesn't need more than 50W.

 

Personally, I would say that it looks like your purposely looking for problems!

http://www./the-thinkpad-super-computer-thinkpad-w520-review-beyond-superlatives.htm

Just my opinion, Ian Orford - Editor

 

Mr. Editor,
You might want to edit your link.
Because, it's broken.

 

Interesting. The www thinkpadtoday com site is blocked here. Wonders why.

 

It's mostly a press-release rehash site, stuffed with ads.

 

I know T41 is gone in long back. My point was I am coming from T41 days & that was in reply to different poster.

Now talking about heat and all that. I think it will generate when you are using real cpu intensive work. But it should remain cool for normal use where you CPU usage is very minimal.

Also CPU whine noise should come when you are on battery. You disable from power management and all is alternate solution but it will reduce battery life.

But I know it is better compare to other brands but I am comparing it with overall Thinkpad experience. I know one of my friend has W510 extreme edition and has no such noise problem. anyway if one person feels he can't take noise fine return where other has no problem...each of it's own..