Lenovo W520 Owner's Thread

I agree, my order made me curious when it said:

Code:

0A68535  	SBB 15.6FHD (1900 X 1080) LED

But I can confirm that I received the FHD screen when I turned on the computer.

 

Must be a webpage glitch.

FHD = 1920 x 1080 / HD+ = 1600 x 900

 

Does the rough texture of the touchpad on this laptop bother anyone else? I love the laptop other than that, but the touchpad is nearly unusable. Any easy fixes?

 

The touchpad is quite usable for me, after tweaking a few settings and switching to a third-party two-finger-scrolling handler.

 

The touchpad texture doesn't bother me, but this is my first laptop.
I much prefer the trackpoint over the touchpad anyway, good thing too cause I find the touchpad a little lacking.

 

Really? I actually thought the trackpad texture is one of its advantages. I have not tried it yet but will share my thoughts when I receive my laptop.

 

I was worried/annoyed by this too, but those nubs wear down with some usage; it hasn't bothered me like I thought it would.

 

I confirm that it's turned off. Anyway i would've know if it was this, cause when the brightness turns down, it doesn't come back as soon as i touch the unit. Faulty adapter? Yeah, maybe, gonna call Lenovo now. EDIT: Replacement in on the way!

 

I have requested cancellation of my initially ordered W520 as I got a significantly lower price. However, it is actually on vehicle for delivery right now. Do you think Lenovo can be reasonable and be willing to credit me the difference and cancel the newer order. Should I give it a try?

 

They have credited a difference to me before... But your mileage may vary... It's certainly worth a try.

 

Some .... who are stuck to the script are getting the hell out of me no on phone and keeping me on hold for like an hour after requesting me to create a quote.... and I am sure that at they would not honor it. They do not value my time and their money that it took to build the machine and ship it from China then it will end up in the Outlet.

Edit: They cannot do it and will send my request to a 'senior' agent who will get back to me within 2 business days. Q: Can I open the laptop and enjoy it? A: No, I ask you to hold on

I tried to convince her that my other order would have already arrived by then but in vain. Anyway, it's time to get back and relax and continue doing my work

Isn't it so sad that I have this new baby in my hand and cannot open it and will return?

 

How much are you hoping to save?

 

$186 is what I can save

 

I would certainly want $186. It seems ridiculous to me that they can't just give you a credit card credit. Shipping a second machine is rather silly. Lenovo does weird stuff all the time.

All I would ask of you, for the questions that are likely to come in the future, is to batch them up if possible. There is probably very little that you'll ask, that people haven't already experienced.

Welcome to the owners club. It's a tough crowd but that's by design. Gotta weed out the riff raff.

And for the record, I am no longer an owner so I am definitely riff raff.

 

Thanks for appreciating the value of $186. I do not want anyone that I am enjoying this waste of time. I have been looking for a machine since along time and finally, I know that this is exactly what I want.

Anyway, here is an update, they told me they submitted the request and someone gave me his ID on the phone and said that I can open the laptop (with the higher price still to be matched) and I can return it if I want with no restocking fees. However, he cannot guarantee the matching until they get back to me. Now, I expect the other better price machine to ship by early next week and I have 2 days shipping. I do not want to waste my time in transferring my files and replacing the HDD with SSD on the one I just received and then they do not honor the price match. What would you personally do?

Thanks a lot for all your help.

 

If I understand this correctly, if they pricematch, you continue using the current machine and either cancel the second order or return it unopened.

If they don't pricematch, you'll keep he second order but there may be a gap between the first machine's 21 day return period and the second machines arrival.

What I would do: I would be patient until Monday and not use machine number one. If you don't have a price match on Monday, return it unused and wait for machine number two. You've waited this long, no sense in getting in a hurry right now.

If your karma is good you'll get the pricematch and can cancel the second order.

 

Thanks again. I will probably do that. No need to rush unless I hear back from them before I get the second machine. I will keep it unopened though they told me to freely open it.

 

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT:

Cleaned up some unnecessary posts. $186 might seem like chump change to some, but to others that's a lot of money. It's poor form to disparage the value of any amount of money a person may be seeking to save.

 

I just took out the dock for the first time, i don't need it but just wanted to see if it works... There's some audio ports on the left side (which is absurdly hard to access..) and when i plug headphones, i don't hear anything, is there some drivers to install?

 

knowing how un-precise the shipping dates are...how fast are these W520 shipping lately?

any major delays?

 

Having ordered two of them recently, they ship much faster than you think even for the 7200RPM hard drive that was delaying the shipping before. They take around 10 days or less to ship these days.

 

Hi, I've decided on the W520 thanks to the helpful "what notebook should I buy" forum. I was just wondering before I ordered if this is a good price for a CTO and if there is anything wrong with this model that I should look out for.

I bought a X220 for my dad which I really like, and I believe this has the same or similar keyboard. I decided on this over other 15.6" because I wanted something pretty powerful but the most important is the matte screen (Hp Envy looked niced, but color issues/reflective would drive me crazy I think). Also I really like the Thinkpad design

Lenovo W520 - Estimated total: $1,376.15 (Coupon code "PRESIDENT")

Intel Core i7-2760QM Processor (2.40 GHz, 6MB L3)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
NVIDIA Quadro 1000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
4 GB DDR3 - 1333MHz (1 DIMM)
UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad plus Fingerprint reader
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
DVD recordable multiburner
9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Bluetooth 3.0
ThinkPad b/g/n
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable
4270 : 1 Year Depot Warranty - TopSeller

 

Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN (in lieu of ThinkPad b/g/n)

 

If you use the Barnes and Noble discount ( http://shoplenovo.i2.com/SEUILibrar...rnesnoblegold&ConfigContext=StdAffinityPortal ), which you don't even have to be a BN employee to use, you should be able to get it with the 160GB Intel SSD for about the same price (or get your existing configuration ~$150-200 cheaper).

I'd second the suggestion for the upgraded WiFi

 

Thanks for the help. I realized when I tried to sign up for the B&N discount that I already had an account which I used to by my dad's X220.

So, I just got a quote from an online sales guy for $1,350.65 after I told him my specs and that the PRESIDENT coupon code stopped working. I have no idea what the price would have been because I only spec'd it out without the B&N discount.

I was pretty happy with that price until I realized there was a 320gb 7200rpm instead of the 160gb ssd! I'm pretty sure I told him the 160gb when I gave him the specs.. but they didn't email me a copy of the chat so I don't know how to check

So yeah- it's the same exact price I get if I configure it myself. Maybe I should call and see if I can get a better deal tomorrow?

I'm also curious which Intel SSD is used- because I have a 160gb Intel 320 Series SSDSA2CW160G3K5 in one of my pcs now and I'm wondering if it's the same. RAID 0 would be pretty sweet...

 

What mSATA are most W520 having the most success with? I am debating between MyDigitalSSD 128gb and the Intel 80gb mSATA.

 

I'm under the impression that this is the Intel SSD that they use as well. So, if you don't mind loosing the DVD drive, then you can get an Ultrabay caddy and install the 2nd SSD instead. I'm not sure if you can set up RAID on it, or if that has to be configured through Lenovo--you'd have to ask them about that.

If you didn't already know, the PRESIDENT discount has expired by now. Even if you had a price quote, it's still gone. Quotes are valid for 30 days, but, at least according to the email I received last night when I tried to get a quote, the eCoupons expire at their normal time :/ Sorry about that one

I guess it can't hurt to try and order by phone. Here are instructions for trying to get a better deal via phone for ordering an Alienware/Dell laptop, but you could try the same techniques with Lenovo as well. Realistically, it can't hurt

 

I have the MyD-SSD 128, and have -zero- problems. Installation was a snap.

 

RAID 0 or RAID 1 must be selected at CTO time. You cannot enable RAID if you have originally ordered without RAID. (On the other hand, you may disable RAID if it was originally configured.)

 

Well that sucks! Oh well

Thanks for the tip. I actually got the quote without (edit) the PRESIDENT discount. I actually didn't get a discount at all! It's the same price as I get if I configure it out myself with the B&N discount right now. I'm going to call and see if I can get a better price, it's worth a shot!

edit----

Just considering my options.. but I think I would miss the usb 3.0, 4 DIMM slots, and gpu on the T520...

T520 (THINKDEALS + B&N): $1,386.79 (with 160gb ssd)

Intel Core i7-2760QM Processor (2.40 GHz, 6MB L3)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
NVIDIA NVS 4200M Graphics with Optimus Technology, 1GB DDR3 Memory
4 GB DDR3 - 1333MHz (1 DIMM)
Intel 160 GB Solid State Drive, Serial ATA
DVD recordable multiburner
Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader
9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Country Pack North America with Line cord & 135W AC adapter
Bluetooth 3.0
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable

W520 (B&N): $1,350.65

Intel Core i7-2760QM Processor (2.40 GHz, 6MB L3)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
NVIDIA Quadro 1000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
4 GB DDR3 - 1333MHz (1 DIMM)
UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad plus Fingerprint reader
720p Camera
Internal RAID - Not Enabled
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
DVD recordable multiburner
Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader
9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Country Pack North America with Line cord & 170W AC adapter
Bluetooth 3.0
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable
Fingerprint Reader

W520 (B&N) with 160gb SSD: $1,529.15

 

Have anyone had his Lenovo order delivered on Saturday before? Mine shipped today but my calculations say it would be here on Saturday but I know that there is an extra charge for this type of delivery and do not think Lenovo paid that though I paid $25 for the expedited shipping, so just wanna know if anyone received package on Satrurday before?

 

I don't think so. You have to pay extra for Saturday delivery with FedEx, and i dont think it works with international shipping.

 

I have a few comments that may or may not be entirely correct, but I believe them to be true, such that you should at least confirm it with others more Lenovo-savvy:

1) My experience is that if you call Lenovo to place the order (more than once, if at first you get someone unhelpful) you can pretty much always get the best deal available through B&N or any other program. It might be best to be armed with the B&N or other pricing, but if you call in the order and develop rapport with the sales rep you can, among other things, get them to take a return for a full refund w/o restocking fee (this I know for a fact, as I did it last summer on an X-220) and get other accommodations, including getting certain upgrades at a lower than online price. In any event, you should never have to pay more by going through a phone sales rep, and it almost always gives you added flexibility.

2) I'm not clear as to what you mean by:

"Just considering my options.. but I think I would miss the usb 3.0, 4 DIMM slots, and gpu on the T520..."

Are you saying that a USB3 port is not available on the T520? (would surprise me; if that becomes a deal-breaker, know that you can buy an ExpressCard USB3 port for $15 on Amazon that works like it was native), I assume, since both have discrete gpus, your are suggesting that the nVidia 4200 is not as good as the 1000? That's a judgment only you can make, relative to your needs. Is there not a gpu upgrade available for the T520? Finally, if you are saying that the T has only 2 DIMM slots (8GB) and the W has 4 (16GB), there again, you might want to make sure you need 16GB because I have read many posts on NBR where a person felt they needed more than 8GB and usually didn't. (Don't mean to insult your intelligence; giving a broad recommendation without knowing your level of expertise, which may be far greater than mine!.

3) Depending upon your responses to the above, you are certainly getting a far greater value for the pricing of the T as you have quoted it - after adjusting for the different cost of the SSD, the W would cost you over $500 more, so be sure the factors discussed above, if I got them right, are worth that much more to you.

4) If either or both of these machines can use a SATA III/6GB/s SSD, it would be very noticeably faster than the Intel 320, which is a SATA II and also older tech. The 320 is a great, very robust SSD, but speeds are as much as 75% slower than current model 6gb/s SSDs, which can be purchased for just a little over $1/GB.

5) To the best of my knowledge, you can always create a RAID 0 array via Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver even if it was not set up that way by the manufacturer. The speed advantage has to be balanced against the reduced security, which can be rendered irrelevant if you do regular back ups. If you are a speed demon, the difference between an Intel 320 non-raided and a pair of SATA III SSDs in RAID0 can be, for example see this review.

Hope these provided more help than confusion.

 

They actually deliver through UPS and there should be the option of Saturdays delivery but Lenovo does not offer it but I think this is OK as they standardize their shipping procedures. I guess I will just wait till Monday to enjoy it

Just FYI, FedEx delivers on Saturday for Home Delivery and any Express package as well even if it is international which is a bonus.

 

I still haven't found time to call them, but I should. I did try two online sales people- both with no luck other than the regular price.

Good point on the USB 3.0. I think my issue is I haven't properly researched the T520, just the W520. Do I need 16gb? I could get by without it- and I do. I do a lot of video editing- multicamera avchd.. so yeah it would help. But if I get the W520 I planned on slowly upgrading by adding 4gb sticks. I see you can upgrade the T520 to 16gb (8gb two dimms) but I guess that might end up being more expensive. Again I'm not sure. (edit!) I might be wrong about the 16gb in T520, I'm still trying to figure it all out

Also the differences between the two GPUs, I have no idea!

When I spec'd out both of these laptops I was putting them both in my price range- not matching specs. Even though the only difference is the SSD

That's a very good point. Do you know what SSD Lenovo puts in this model? Or does anyone know if it's capable of SATA III?

So I guess my question is should I consider the T520 over the W520 because I can get it for a much better price? I'm off to read more reviews!

 

Upgrading the memory on the T520 or W520 doesn't have to be expensive. I bought two 8GB sticks at Fry's for $109. If you are doing a lot of video editing, 16GB should be plenty.

What are you using for editing? If it is capable of using NVIDIA Cuda, it might be worth researching the various GPUs available for the T520 and the W520. I know when I was doing encoding with the W520 and Vegas, it sliced through the jobs in record time.

 

Nice, yeah I use Vegas as well.

I'm leaning heavily towards the W520 with the 320gb HDD and putting in my 160gb SSD which I trust. While I'm not sure what SSD comes with the laptop. I'll probably order it tonight unless someone stops me!

 

Go for it, my friend!

 

Have you considered a mSATA SSD?

 

The 160GB SSD that comes with the W520 used to be the Intel X-25M. Now it's the Intel Series 320 (or so I hear).

Unless you are getting the SSD for an extra $170, save your money. Lots of nice SSD drives on the market now.

 

I did not even know they existed. But now I am! Three screens and now three hard drives... I'm prettyyyy excited about this workstation

Edit--- Ordered! Thanks for the help guys

 

Anyone have Sleep issues? Sometimes when I am playing starcraft 2 while having my laptop in the dock it goes to sleep

 

Sometimes when mine's in the dock I go to sleep. lol. Is there a button on your keyboard that is putting it to sleep. I had that issue until I disabled the button.

 

Since I am new to Lenovo recovery, would you advise me to make the recovery on DVDs or other media (like a USB drive)?

 

Right when I got mine, I tried to uncheck the box so the thinkvantage toolbar wouldn't be in the system tray. As soon as I close it, internet explorer crashes and says it has to shutdown. When it starts up again, the Thinkvantage toolbar is back on the taskbar. Not a big deal, but is there a way to keep it off the system tray?

 

I'm new too, I just made them on one cd and 3 dvds.
I guess you could do it on a usb drive too.

 

It's very simple. Read the answer here for why and how.

For Windows 7, you'll need 1 blank CD and 2-3 DVDs. You can also use all DVDs.

 

Pretty sure none of the keys are sleep keys on my keyboard Noppoo Choc Mini Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX Brown. NKRO under USB - geekhack forums so unless windows itself has a secret key combo I really dont understand it

 

Guys, I am so exited as I am writing to you from my W520 right now. That is the machine I have been looking for since few months. Fom now on, I am a Lenovo customer. As I posted before, I ahve alread purchased the M4 256GB and I am about to pull the triger and replace it now. The thing is the machine is already fast and super quiet with the 500GB 7200 rpm and she is trying hard to tell me: please, please keep me. I am super quiet with very little vibration and nice speed. Ihave never seen such a nice laptop before. On the other hand the SSD is calling for me to put it in. Not sure what I should do (keep the HDD and return the SSD or replace it with the SSD).

By the way, all my current data is 150GB. If I am to replace the HDD with the SSD, do you think I should sell the HDD or keep it just in case? I am just trying to pay for part of the SSD cost.

Thoughts from this forum are always helpful. Thanks

 

Use the 500GB for backups.

How did you resolve the pricematch?