Lenovo W520 Owner's Thread

You'll still get decent life with the quad:
The Lenovo ThinkPad W520 i7 Quad Core has seven hours of battery life? Really? - Keith Combs' Blahg - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

And you'll have better life since you only have the 45W graphics card instead of the 55W one that is the 2000M.

 

It can be turned on later but, to be quite blunt, you should confirm this with someone who didn't get XP Mode to make sure the options are in the BIOS because of Lenovo's strange ways (more on this in a second). I got it with XP mode and the virtualization options were turned off but I can turn them on.

What bothers me about this RAID chip talk is that the QM67 chipset should have the ability to create RAID volumes without an extra external chip. Does this mean that Lenovo disabled the ability to pick that particular choice in the BIOS? I wonder if a BIOS reflash with the right options/trickery could activate that option on the W520. (bolded on purpose) I also wonder if the T520 may be able to get RAID working through the same clever trickery. Thoughts?

I have no idea. I'm stuck without a modem and I've posted on the main Lenovo forums about it too. Hopefully we'll get some answers.

FHD does have a higher color gamut... I think the screen details have been posted from "tabook" earlier in this thread. I've tried the W520 FHD screen outside and I don't feel it's any better than other LCDs I've tried outside.

If you knew how much 8GB DDR3 SODIMMS cost then I don't think you'd be talking about them.

I think we both read his post wrong but there is no need to apologize... we're all friends/enthusiasts here.

 

Remember that if you got a quad core processor, you should have a total of 4 dimm slots -- 2 accessible from the back panel, and 2 under the keyboard. So you could go 4x4GB quite easily (and for under $3k ).

 

Yeah, I'm hoping for 8hrs. *Fingers crossed*

I don't mean the 8GB SODIMMs, I mean adding another 4GB module for a total of 8GB - the processor can't handle more than 8GB anyways (according to Intel).

I'm not a very intense computer user, no Crysis II or anything, and certainly no CAD. I certainly use the computer a lot, though. I'm getting the W520 because it is $1090 with the current sale (and supposedly laptop prices will rise 10%+ in H2 due to the Japan disaster), so configuring a T series is kind of a waste.

 

Just got my W520, and am quite happy with it -- was using MacBook Pros for a while (running Windows) because PC hardware wasn't really cutting it, but now I'm firmly back in the thinkpad camp.

However, my color sensor seems to either be busted, or making a much more drastic change than I'm expecting. I've profiled desktop monitors before so I'm familiar with what the results should look like, but with D65/2.2, the entire display ends up extremely washed out. The colour bars in the test image look mostly OK, but the image does not -- there is pretty awful banding in many of the gradients, and the colors are nowhere near true. Same goes for Native/2.2. My first thought was that somehow the backlight dimming was kicking in during the calibration process, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Has anyone seen anything similar? Just largely the stock OS install, upgraded to Win7 SP1. Do I have a busted color sensor?

Edit: Nope, turned out the backlight dimming was kicking in. Even plugged in, it was set to 2 minutes in my power profile. Bumping that up to 15 fixes the problem. (The software really should disable it, or at least mention it, but at least the workaround is easy.)

 

hrana, I believe you are returning your W520 due to the lack of a modem. Is Lenovo going to charge you the 15% restocking fee?

 

I'll find out tomorrow. My sales rep has already tried to get me to buy the external USB modem but I refused. I also brought up the RAID issue but I'm waiting to hear back. The lack of modem is their fault and was not detailed in the order confirmation emails so I definitely won't be paying them 15% for their mistake. I'll post an update when I know more.

 

Heya all I have new w520 with a couple issues:
1. In Optimus mode Photoshop doesn't see the Nvidia card no matter how I try and force it to, even launching the program file from the context menu (tried driver updates and all that, also posted in the Lenovo forums)

2. The audio cuts out trying to play a networked game, Battlefield 2 or Portal 2 and doesn't come back unless I restart

Anyone else seeing issues like these? Thanks!

 

I was planning to put the OS and programs on the mSata, leaving the HDD for Data, with the future option of addition additional HDD in Ultrabay.

Can someone explain why putting OS on mSata would not be a wise choice? While the performance may not equal the Sata III SSD's, it still seems like a very big improvement to get OS and programs off of the HDD. Am I missing something here?

 

There is no real reason why putting the OS on an mSATA drive would be a bad idea. They are designed for low-power, small size, and fast access. All that really matters is 4K read/write performance for an OS disk and the Intel 310 works well for that. In the real world, SATA3 may show some benefits but that's for the benchmark junkies to argue about while the rest of us get work done.

 

Ok, I pulled the trigger on the configuration as I posted, came out to $1091.30 before taxes, $1233.17 after.

 

Whoop, just a heads up, it looks like the latest audio drivers fix a few problems. Now onto getting Optimus co-operating...

 

Thanks hrana. That's good to hear, and about what I thought. Bummer 'bout your machine, and the RAID controller. I don't currently use RAID, but had thought to have that future option, too, though perhaps not as important to me.

 

you should talk to a rep before you order and see if they can do better. you have nothing to lose

 

W520 owners any issues with fan noise or cpu whine.. hope it is fix

 

Already ordered. The hassle of talking to a rep is just... bleh. My dad was sort of against getting a quad core anyways. He's a computer engineer and said that there was no way that I'd be able to actually use the 4 cores. And for the few applications that may be possible in my usage, I can just wait a little bit. There are only 2 configuration bases online for the W520 - dual core and quad core.

I'll upgrade to a SSD if I really feel that this computer is slow, which I find quite unlikely. The most system intensive things I do are DS emulation (this is purely CPU based) followed by 1080p H.264 video + karaoke subs. I didn't even know what CAD (not Canadian Dollar) was until yesterday, nor can I play FPS games due to my motion sickness when I do.

Edit:
Estimated ship date is 5/4/2011 (M/D/Y). Why do we use D/M/Y in Canada anyways? If we write the date out or say it, it's always month, then day, then year.

 

you can still talk to them tomorrow & if they don't reduce cancel the order.

Also your price won't go too high for dual or quad on W520 based on your order price.

 

Do you really think they'll give something more than a 30% discount?
If you do, I'll give it a try.

 

What do you guys think of this config. for 3D Modeling? The software packages that I'm interested in using are 3D Max, Maya, CS5 (Photoshop) and ZBrush 4, plus games of course

With the (CAPEASTERBUNNY) discount, the price is $1696.29 CA + tax.


ThinkPad W520 - 1 Yr Depot Topseller Warranty

Processor: Intel Core i7-2820QM (Quad-Core)

Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)

Operating system language: Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 - English

Windows XP Mode: Windows 7 XP Mode - English

Display type: 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare display, with Wireless WAN Antenna

System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro 2000M Optimus Graphics technology (2GB)

Total memory: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)

Keyboard: Keyboard - US English

Pointing device: UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) Fingerprint Reader, Smart Card Reader

Camera: 720p HD Camera with Microphone

Storage subsystem: Internal RAID - Not Enabled

Hard drive: 500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm

System expansion slots: Express Card Slot, 4-in-1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader

Battery: 9 Cell 2.8Ah Li-Ion Battery

Power cord: 170W Slim AC Adapter - North America, Latin America (2pin)

Bluetooth: Broadcom Bluetooth 3.0 with antenna

Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN

Language pack: Publication - US English

1x DisplayPort to Single-Link DVI-D Monitor Cable


I will add extra ram. 4x 4GB Kingston Hyper X "1600 MHz"= Total 16GBs.
Did anyone review this ram? Is it much faster then the standard 1333 MHz?

No RAID.
Please confirm with me that the below setup would work with NO RAID on board.

Primary Drive: 500GB 7200rpm
PCI-Express mini WWAN slot: mSATA Drive for a bootable OS "Windows 7 with XP mode".
Drive Bay: Panasonic UJ240 Blu-ray drive. Centrix-intl.com - Panasonic UJ-240 Wholesale Price, Ships Same Day!

If you have any suggestions , please let me know.
Thanks

 

There's nothing inherently wrong with using the mSata drive, it WILL be faster than a regular HDD. I was merely offering an alternative solution since you indicated a problem in locating an available Intel 310 mSata drive. I do believe getting a 2.5" SSD drive offers a better value since you can get 50% more capacity for about 10% more $. The additional performance is just a bonus.

 

On a live chat with an Intel rep, they said that the 8GB max is per dimm, not total.

 

I'm going to call them tomorrow anyway, and of all the issues this should be the easiest to fix. I don't see why they wouldn't be able to change the order for a $0 adjustment in price. I highly doubt the factory has done any work on it yet.

What bothers me the most is that it is not obvious at all that they don't include the chip. "Not configured" clearly sounds like it is there, just not setup. They should say "not installed," but really they shouldn't be leaving things out/messing with which BIOS options are available, either. If I spend my hard earned cash on a W520, it should be clear what I'm getting, with no gimmicks or opaque behind-the-scenes re-customization. It's simply unacceptable.

Thanks, it was your post that alerted me to the problem. Again, the early reviews featured a modem, the pictures showed a modem, so I don't think it's my fault for expecting that this thing ships with one. It's marketed as a professional workstation replacement for business users, and they should know that we're the few ones out there that still need a modem (fax, really) port.

Thanks. I still can't decide if the higher color gamut alone is worth the $170 or so after discount.. I'm an engineer/project manager, not an artist. My engineering apps (MATLAB, Siemens NX) *do* use a lot of real estate though, so the higher resolution might be worth it. Although again, that'd come with increased eyestrain..

I think I still need to sleep on it. Any engineers out there have an opinion on HD+ vs. FHD?

 

Damn, I was about to order one of these to test, then the VIP coupon died just when I was ready to press that order button. It was $1408 + tax for 2720QM, 2000M, 1 x 4GB, basic 7200rpm HDD, Intel 6205. Don't think I'll ever find one that low.

 

I wonder if they'll honor my quote?

The fine print mentions that ecoupons aren't valid past their expiration, but my quote doesn't mention the coupon I used, only the net price. Hmmmnnn...

 

Yeah, I found out at 3 AM today that the 15% discount ended.

 

There are no fan noise or CPU whine issues on the W520. You will hear a very high-pitched but faint noise if you allow the machine to be powered-on via the fingerprint reader. I found the noise wasn't worth this superfluous feature and disabled it in the BIOS.

Yes, earlier in the thread people explained how to get a machine price-matched. Go back a few pages and try it. However, like I keep saying, it's your money so spend it (or waste it) as you see fit.

Post an update and let me know how it went.

You're singing my song. That's exactly how I feel about this RAID feature. The QM67 chipset features RAID so why Lenovo felt the need to muck with it is beyond me. The only good thing to come out of this is that others will benefit from my troubles on this issue.

The entire B3 stepping issue with the recalled Sandy Bridge chipset issue also has left me quite distrusting of Lenovo's comments on the W520. If/when my laptop is cleared for a return, I'll disassemble it to take a picture of the actual writing on the chip.

I wonder if Lenovo's RAID issue stems from the fact that they used the older recalled Sandy Bridge parts with another Intel SATA controller (to bypass the buggy built-in controller) so they have both RAID and non-RAID options. This could explain why they're saying the mSATA port won't be affected. Another remote possibility is they're not telling the truth so the mSATA port *IS* affected and that is why they waited to release the mSATA option. This is why a company has to be honest from the get-go otherwise they lose a lot of credibility.

Again, agree. My confirmation email never mentioned "NO MODEM" otherwise I would have cancelled it more than 2 weeks ago. Instead, it's day 16 since my old laptop died and I still don't know what is happening.

I still send and receive plenty of faxes every day. I also end up traveling in hotels where dial-up internet access is still needed in the rooms. The fact my sales rep tried to sell me a USB modem to fix Lenovo's mistake really annoyed me but I was polite about it. By the way, the FRU number for the modem daughter card in the W520 hardware repair manual is 60Y3207.

I've boxed up my W520 tonight and won't be taking a "no" or a 15% restocking fee for an answer in the morning. I expect the option to enable RAID and a built-in modem in the new order--for which I'll gladly pay the difference--but I don't want any surprises when the box arrives in 2-3 weeks. I think that's reasonable.

By the way, the FHD screen comes set by default to 125% DPI in Windows. It's big enough that my elderly parents could use the interface without any complainted. I actually dialed it down to 100% because I like the space. Again, let me know what you decide.

 

Call them up and ask. I'm also interested in knowing. I have one saved in my cart since yesterday for a slightly higher price, but I don't mind paying the extra.

 

While waiting on mine W520 with FHD delivery, working since November 2008 with Dell Precision M4400 with 1920x1200 resolution. Under MS Windows with 125 DPI setting, under Ubuntu sometime have to increase the fonts on some website with STRG+mouse scroll. I have a distance of 80 cm / 31.5 in between the screen and my eyes. Based on my personal experience I do not want to miss FHD resolution any more.

 

Hi guys. I'm about to buy a Lenovo W520 and have a few questions about it.

1. If the system is idle for some time does it start to spin up and down the fan (e.g. every 5 minutes)? My current notebook (acer) does it and it's just annoying...
2. The 9-cell battery. Is it completly inside the notebook body? How about the 6-cell?
3. Is it possible to boot from USB3 devices via the USB3 ports? I've heard it's impossible cause USB3 isn't supported by the chipset but it comes from an extra chip. True?

Thanking you in anticipation,
bruegae

 

Intel sells QM67 with and without RAID. They are the same chip but with a different firmware. And, unsurprisingly, intel charges a premium for embedding the RAID enabled firmware.

Like conspiracy theories much? ;-) The SATA controller is embedded in the southbridge. There is no way you could bolt a second southbridge on the mainboard and somehow use that SATA controller.

There is no B3 stepping issue. Lenovo has explained that they use CRID. Intel has contacted various publications that suggested looking at the PCI ids and told them that this is not reliable due to CRID. Its exactly the same with other manufacturers that enable CRID. End of story.

 

I can not notice the fan spinning up and down on idle.

The 9 cell battery extends and the 6 cell does not.

On my W510 When I had a USB 3 external hard drive connected it is seen by the BIOS at startup. I didn't try to boot from it though. I used the connected drive for backup (WD My Passport). Since it is seen by the BIOS I would almost 100% say you can then boot from it. I haven't tried this on my W520 though and I don't have a USB 3.0 drive now to try it with.

 

Just a small observation:
Modem is listed as a custom choice on the UK Lenovo website. UK buyers do not have micro hard drive option. RAID seems the same as US website. "RAID via bay adapter"" is listed under optical device whatever it means. They are also charging 8 pounds for windows XP mode. :/ Also all the high spec models with i7 processor sells with 9 cell battery. Why is that? I might buy 9 cell for travel but seriously, i do not need anything sticking out from the back of my laptop all the time(plus added weight). Is there some limitation or connection between i7 and 9 cell battery?

I will wait until HP releases 8560w. too many questions with w520

 

I didn't find this information in the Intel slides I went through so it's good to know.

I wouldn't necessarily call them conspiracy theories... they were all theories predicated with the phrase "another remote possibility" coming from a frustrated customer who was throwing it out there hoping someone in the know would respond. I suppose recognition of this fact wouldn't have made for as funny of a reply so good on you! I'm glad you did.

A few corrections... I never suggested adding a second south bridge. I merely suggested the possibility of a secondary SATA controller which we find on many desktop and server boards. Also, dual chipset configurations are seen quite frequently in the server space. The SuperMicro X8DAH+-F is one that I have personal experience with. Lastly, isn't the term southbridge a thing of the past since Intel integrated the memory controller on-die? They're called platform controller hubs now. I guess we're now getting academic. *adjusts tinfoil hat*

End of story? No, not for me yet. That'll happen when my order is fixed.

 

I do not want to pay 15% restocking fee. Did Lenovo agreed to accept your laptop without any restocking fee?

 

My rep doesn't get in to the office for another 3 hours so I'll probably call at my lunch time to figure it out. When Lenovo screws up the order they are supposed to eat the 15% restocking fee cost.

 

EDITED: Yep, he should. My system was $340 more with quad core, 2000M graphic, FHD display, color sensor and 500GB HDD. Well, it was his choice.
I actually got also 3years on site ($220 edditional) and minidock ($230 edditional)

 

Have any of you found that you have not been able to enable hardware virtualization in the BIOS? (especially if you did not opt for XP mode)

 

I have and is working fine

 

If you couldn't enable hardware virtualization, that would be a serious bug.

XP Mode has nothing to do with the virtualization capabilities of the processor. XP mode is basically a version of Microsoft Virtual PC with some App-V terminal services capabilities.

You do not need to order the machine with XP mode turned on. It's easily downloaded and installed from microsoft.com if desired.

 

Does anybody have news about sata III supporting in W520 ?

 

AFAIK, it's like this:

• Primary HDD bay = SATA3
• MiniPCIe = SATA2
• Optical drive = at least SATA2

I feel like that the latest optical drive (the real OEM one from Lenovo) bay MAY support SATA3, but I am not sure. If you use a generic one, it will almost certainly not support SATA3.

 

Just a short questiom: what is the diference ( especially for the W520) of Raid 0/1/2?
Was a bit confused and wikipedia didnt help that much...
Thamk you.

 

In raid 0, two drives act as one. So if you have 2 500gb hard drives, put together you get 1 TB. The problem is that if one drives fails you loose data on both since every file is split across the 2 drives.

In raid 1, two drives mirror each other. So if you have 2 500gb drives, you still get 500gb in capacity. Since they mirror each other, if one fails, you have an exact copy of everything on the 2nd drive.

 

Agree. Hovewer, in my order there is statement "NO MODEM". So, I do not think I can convinced Lenovo to take this laptop back without restocking fee.

I'll wait for your reply when you get unswer from rep. Will see what Lenovo tell you about RAID not anabled. I'm not sure RAID is vital for me now, but later I might need it. Also, I'm not sure I want to wait until end of may to get my W520 with RAID anabled. Decission, decission, decission...

 

- What is a best deal performance/price for SSD SATA 3 in HDD w520 bay ?
- I saw that OCZ vertez 3 is not a good option (somebody post about that)

 

I'm in the process of canceling my 4/8 order, slated to ship (whenever) 5/15, and re-ordered a RAID system, with an estimated 5/10 ship date. I have a theory that they have RAID boards laying around that need to be used.

Sounds like I'm going crazy or getting a little desperate... or both.

PS: And by adding FHD and RAID to my original order, it ended up being the same price with the VIP coupon. Go figure!

 

Any critical issue on this machine?

 

I do not have it yet. It is coming today.

 

Do not open the box or break the seal on the laptop's plastic bag. Call your rep. If I read the return agreement correctly then you should be able to return it without any issue. You may want see read it yourself in the pouch outside the box.

 

I just got off the phone with a rep who told me that with the Lenovo HDD caddy you should be able to enable HW RAID in the BIOS. Has anyone heard information from Lenovo (not necessarily from experience, since there are posts from people indicating that they were unable to enable HW RAID) to the contrary? If so, I'm going to go to the live chat to get this info in writing.