Lenovo X1 Carbon Owner's Thread

I'm amazed that the yoga gets an IPS screen while the X1 Carbon does not.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

Shocking, yes, but I'm sure there is some reason. IPS is often a little thicker and heavier, so maybe it was that whole sub-3lb thing on the X1C.

Yoga has a glossy screen though, so, yuck on that. And no fingerprint reader, which is really just candy, but it's terribly fun.

 

You have decreased the screen size by an inch and increased the weight by .5lb.

For many people these of two of the most important parameters of a laptop.

 

I had done some research on IPS panel. It seems IPS sucks more power than TN panel. This could be another reason. X1 carbon is their flagship top premium ultrabook. They would have included it if they wouldn't have a good reason.

 

Anyone know what the ASUS Zenbook(tm) Prime i5/4GB/256 with it's IPS 1920x1080 screen gets on battery life?

By the way, my 15" Retina MacBook Pro would get 7 hours if I squeezed it. 5-6 easy.

 

But they claim 8 hours on the Yoga with an IPS.

 

They also claim 8 hours on the X1 Carbon. Manufacturer claims are generally bogus.

Let's assume the laptops have the same battery life. The X1 Carbon is lighter with a bigger screen. So I'm guessing: its battery life has to come in spite of having a lighter battery than the Yoga.

 

Do you like your MBPr?

 

Bigger screen, but same resolution. Resolution is what's most important to me.

So it comes down to TN vs IPs with an extra .5lb, I'd go with the extra weight and nicer display. I would go the opposite if the TN in the X1C was decent, but it has the screen door effect that annoys me every time I use it.

 

14 inch screen is the best size. I used to have a Dell Latitude that had a 14 inch matte screen. I was hoping Lenovo would do a good job, but they did not.

 

I think Lenovo and me need to see a therapist. Or it may be too late.

We've been together for twenty years. When the 700 came along, we were so happy together. A whole new life in front of us! The first years are always hard: limited battery life, tiny screens. But you don't know any better and you just though it out. That's what you do. And when the first T Series came out ... Man, I was so proud!

Life is full of ups and downs. T40, T41, T60. Were they great? Well, not always. But life is not always a party. So we grew older together. We decided to get a little frivolous with the T400. That didn't turn out all too good. But you can't blame anybody for trying. And fortunately we were able to get back on track quickly with the T400s. I felt we were on solid ground again.

I don't know how to tell you this, but there's been somebody else. For two years almost. She's called MacBook Air. Sure, she was hot. But I didn't fall for that. My relationship had substance. And I was confident in Lenovo that we could make this work. But it's taken a long time. Like I said, almost two years. And now our cards are all on the table. We've been going over this for a week now. And as it may turn out, it looks like Lenovo may not be able to give me what I need. I tried. God knows I tried. I sanded down the space bar to make it fit in the bezel. I adjusted the metal bar under the track pad to close the gap. We both tried the best we could. The battery life is moderate at best. I could live with that. But the screen door effect on the display? Honestly, I'm not sure if I can get over that. Not from a laptop this expensive. That was a huge mistake and it really hurt me.

I'm really anxious. I mean, after twenty years, it's going to be a huge change. OS X, I don't know anything about that! But I can't go on living like this. Something has to give. And the last couple of days have been so good. The trackpad, it's just amazing. The build quality, unbelievable. Good friends tell me it's just not looks, there's also a lot of substance. It really hurts me to say this, but I'm starting to believe they are right.

So I guess this is goodbye. I'm sorry. I've waited for two years. And maybe I should have said this sooner. But I'm the only one responsible for my happiness. I wish you all the best with Windows 8.

 

I've wanted to say the same thing, but sadly, it's OSX. Looks aren't everything.

 

reads like an ad from apple

 

Hello all,

as an update to my ownership of an X1C, I just processed a return with lenovo. I am sure it will take 2-3 weeks, or more to see a refund, but it has to go back. And my issues aren't as bad as others. The part that kept pulling me back was the rapid charge. I know this seems like not a big deal, but I could not believe that I would have 80% charge in barely 30 minutes. However, the battery life of 4 hours makes this a necessity.

I read some other sites trying to find a reason why lenovo went with such a cheap screen, and some thoughts were that the TN screen vs the IPS screen is lighter and uses less battery. Why do other laptops still have a greater battery life (WITH GREATER SCREEN BRIGHTNESS) and better screens, still weighing around 3lbs?

I wish all of you luck with the X1C. It disappoints me that in 6 months people I know will have it saying its awesome and why dont I get one, when at that time I will have something else. I cant sit around for lenovo to wake up and decide its time to hire someone to do a quality check on their top of the line ultrabook.

 

The LCD panel has been swapped and I have yet to see the vertical line reappear. A few things to note.
- I don't see any difference in the screen door between the original LCD panel and the new one.
- I requested they replace the bezel since adhesive strips are used and really can't be reused after they are pulled off the old LCD. I'm convinced the gap people mention is because the adhesive strips barely work and there is only a few of them; not enough to cover the full length of the screen. Even my new bezel adhesive strips don't do the job properly.
- I was told spare keyboards are not in stock but the touchpads are in stock. I was curious based on other posts and wanted to ask. This of course assumes I was properly informed on parts. I'll be swapping my keyboard out when they come in stock since my right and left arrow keys appear to be smashed in.

I have numerous pictures of the machine taken apart, LCD, bezel, mainboard, keyboard, etc. It is noticeable these machines were put together in a hurry. For example, the tape holding my radio wires in, behind the bezel, is sloppy such that it sticks out under the bezel. I popped the bezel open myself to fix it or it would drive me nuts. Even the asset stickers on the bottom of the machine are starting to peel back... its less than a week old! If you are interested in any photos PM me.

I have now made multiple requests to get my concessions credited. Notes from the first request appear to be "missing" when calling back. The saga continues.

 

I can't believe all the problems with the X1C haven't hit the press. There's a lot of angry people, not here on the forums, my business associates have also heard from people disappointed with the X1C. But, they bare and grin the problems and don't return them.

Meanwhile, Lenovo rises to the top worldwide PC Vendor - Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 8 Percent in Third Quarter of 2012 as the Market Prepares for the Launch of Windows 8
It makes NO sense ... and they've did it using substandard screens for years ... too bad for all the eye strain the mostly corporate and business users have had to endure. Lenovo I guess has huge contracts with big business ... which is price first, user friendly spec's second

 

Because all of the other PC makers are worse.

 

Mine's been in depot for weeks. I've called dozens of times, never get any information as to when to expect it back. It's been elevated, and someone is guaranteed to call, no call. I think I'm going to return it. This is ridiculous.

I don't understand how not one review of this unit talked about the screen door effect or the huge charger. I don't consider myself to be too particular, but these manufacturers have had YEARS to make a better laptop than the MacBook air, and still they can't.

They should thank their lucky stars that apple hasn't decided to manufacture windows hardware too and put them all out of business. I am not an apple fan by any means, but it amazes me that we still don't have a decent ultrabook after all these years.

 

Do you mean the place where your right hand would rest while typing? Mine has a small gap in the chassis at the front right corner. Tightening screws does nothing. Ideas anyone?

Also, this is a small annoyance, but I'm pretty sure they forgot my sticker with the serial number on the bottom of the laptop. I used the command line to find the ID number, but this doesn't work all the time (for instance to look up my warranty).

 

Forums such as these tend to magnify problems that aren't as big or wide spread as they seem.

 

If you can leverage a service call to do this, go that route. Otherwise: With the lid closed and the laptop upside down remove the 7 screws from the bottom and set them aside. With the laptop then in the upright position, open the lid, and wiggle the keyboard/palmrest (you may have to pry lightly on the edges between it and the base at first) until it lifts off the base but only lift a few inches as the ribbon to the motherboard is not long. Carefully disconnect the ribbon; do not pull on the ribbon itself but the connector at the base instead. Make sure no cables, battery pack, etc, are elevated such that they would affect the keyboard resting flat on the base. Reconnect the keyboard/palmrest ribbon connector to the motherboard. Set the keyboard/palmrest back on the base and adjust such that it lays flat all around. Once you are satisfied close the lid, place the laptop upside down, and tighten the screws without pushing down hard at first as to distance the palmrest/keyboard from the base. Again, don't be afraid to pry a bit or squeeze the edges together to get everything to come together. (FYI - Doing this around the LCD is a bit different because you pull the bezel plastic from the inside of the screen up and out but the same thing is done.)

 

I wouldn't spend that much money on a DYI kit ("inspired by Intel").

 

I received my X1C (i5 3427u, 4GB, 128SSD) yesterday and have been playing around a lot with it since then. First thing I noticed was the screen door effect, at start it bothered me (I usually work on a dell 27" ips wqhd) but I'm getting used to it. The lower left corner of my trackpad was a bit loose, but I tighten the screws and it's now perfect . My screen bezel seems to be good.

I wiped the ssd and installed linux (Archlinux), I struggle a bit to install it with UEFI only, but it's now working fine. Boot time is really good: around 7sec (with 2sec for GRUB) from pushing the button to the login screen. Battery is for now very good, I'm getting around 4h30 while working (coding and compiling) and browsing, with 50% brightness, wifi on and music (spotify). Trackpad is working perfectly and is very smooth (I have the rubberized one). I love the keyboard, tipping on it is very pleasant (that's my first thinkpad). I didn't have the chance to try the webcam or the mic.

So, I'm very happy with this laptop, it has a very good linux compatibility and except for the screen door effect, everything else is great!

 

Well, I just got mine (I7, 256GB SSD) and its running great. I actually bought mine from Provantage, and got it next day. The Lenovo.com order was a trainwreck, and it self cancelled, so I just punted on it anyway.

I like the machine, it has no visible problems. I often wonder if everyone here reporting all these "issues" aren't just making themselves crazy with minutiae that really doesn't matter. My X1C is perfectly fine, fast, and super light. Fit and finish are usual Lenovo, so I'm satisfied at this point.

Its a laptop, not a replacement kidney

 

Mine is getting replaced. Three different people suggested not trying to fix the screen, so they are trying to find me a replacement from stock or one that is already currently being built. I will also get a reset on my return period so I have the full number of days to evaluate.

 

There is some truth to it. In the forum.lenovo.com, last month (Sept) there was a wave of complaints about X1C but it has slowed down since the beginning of the month.

 

Real patterns usually take 3-6 months to emerge. Depends on the volume of shipments and the uniformity of the bugs and issues.

 

Glad you got a good one...so...the fact that I had keys falling off when pressed and a touchpad that rattled when used was all in my imagination?

I agree, I'm glad it's not a kidney since you hope a replacement kidney gives you years of trouble-free operation, instead of arriving broken out of the box.

 

Sometimes yes, but in this case, no. For example, the screen door effect is on ALL X1C's. The majority just settle for it and don't join a forum to complain. That doesn't mean they're any happier or their eyes less strained.

The X1C is not near as good as it could or should be, that's a fact regardless of bow many people do or don't join a forum to complain.

 

I would wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

 

How do you know if the problem is magnified or not? How do you know if the problems are as big or as widespread as they seem?

You don't. Lenovo doesn't even know. The problems could actually be worse.

All you do know is that owners report issues with the machine(s) they received. Unless they are lying through their teeth, there are still issues. So lets stop trying to make it sound like owners are exaggerating. I'm sure they don't feel that way.

The real truth about a model emerges over time and judging from the reports so far, the X1 Carbon hasn't had a picture perfect start.

 

Little solace to those of us that have owned our x1's for about 24hours since aug 17. Mines still in depot......

 

That was my point exactly.

 

An example of a factual statement from an owner.

From someone who touched a review sample for a few days. Never had to pay real money. Never had to wait for delivery that kept slipping. Never had to face manufacturing defects. Never had to call support. Never had to deal with delays in depot.

Right.

 

I recently got my X1 Carbon, and my total disk space only adds up to 109GB (hard disk + backup partition). Any idea where the other 20GB go? Does anyone else have this issue? Thanks.

 

Is there really a need to be melodramatic? At the end day a notebook is just a tool and not worth getting ones panties in a bunch over.

While it's true I do not pay for review units, I have spent $1,000s of my hard earned money on ThinkPads. The last two notebooks I purchased directly from Lenovo, my X200 and X220i, were both delayed. The X200 because I bought it when the outlet was having a 20% coupon and things got a little crazy over there. I think they lost my order over there. My X220i was delayed over a payment issue that got more than unpleasant. I watched as many who ordered long after I did get theirs before me. My X220i in fact came with a broken keyboard. I haven't sent my ThinkPads to support because they've always been well built and reliable, which I think is a good segue into the point Sungman was making. While forums such as this do an overwhelming amount of good, posters with a complaint/problem tend be much more vocal than those who do not and it amplifies it, making it seem a bigger phenomena than it is in reality. The number of people here with an issue on their X1C is dwarfed by the number of people bought the machine and are happy campers. That's not to say there isn't problems from time to time, but that exists in every manufacturer forum on this board. Go look. The fact remains that building. selling and servicing millions of notebooks is an enormous undertaking. Occasionally, there's going to be kink in the system. Life's not perfect and you should have realized that by now. I hope you hold yourself to the same standard you expect of others.

 

I agree that forums probably get a little more vocal. My problems are that all the reviews of this piece were off the charts, yet not one of them mentioned the screen door effect, which for some is horribly distracting. I'm also guessing that review units were fully functional and not shabbily put together. I understand crap happens, but I also understand that the consumer shouldn't be able to tell a product might have been rushed or have units that were shabbily put together. And don't even get me started on the customer service per and post order.....I just want honst communication. I'd rather hear "we are out of parts and can't repair till nov 1," than to hear on a daily basis that it's been elevated to a person that doesn't seem to exist.

 

Last time I checked, that's what forums were for. Having a discussion.

 

Had the X1C review unit I received exhibited the screen door effect I would have reported it. That's the job of a reviewer, but I can't say that if it's not there. I thought the screen was good, but not great.

From the review units I've seen over the years from Lenovo and other manufacturers I would say the review units are if anything less polished than the final production units.

Here I think you have a legitimate gripe. You might want to PM Mark over on the Lenovo forums. He may be able to cut through the red tape and get you an answer.

 

I thought the screen door effect was on every single unit?

 

It was not present on the unit I had. Lenovo is probably using multiple suppliers for the screen, which may explain why some users see the effect and others do not.

 

To date only one manufacturer has been reported here. Do you have the details on your screen from the review unit you tested?

 

I don't remember the model number, but it was a LG.

 

I stand by my long running claim that there is no difference between any of the screen models (including review units) and that some people are just much, much more sensitive to dot pitch than others.

It is not generally a parameter that is discussed in professional reviews that I have seen, because it is hardly ever a conern.

Obviously, with the X1C screen Lenovo seems to have bumped up against a threshold where some fraction of their users really are bothered by it.

In response to jsb193:

It is not strictly true that no one mentioned dot pitch.

For example, PC magazine mentioned it briefly:

But it is true that most did not mention it. Most people who sit down with this laptop to whom the suggestion of a possible "screen door effect" has not been made do not see the dot pitch as a major issue.

 

Most reviews should be taken with a spoonful of salt. I usually read or view them with a Biden grin.

 

Ok, we'll just assume the conspiracy is still on then.

 

Well, it's certainly more interesting that way isn't it?

You may very well be right.

 

The screen issues could also be a fabrication process issue. The deviations could be a result of an inconsistent application of coatings or layers in the screen. It could be people "sensitivity", but I have my money on a quality control issue either at the screen factory or final assembly of the X1 Carbon.

Lord knows we know there are issues in final assembly. I don't think owners are being melodramatic about issues they've reported on the machines they've received.

At this point the discussion around the screen has pretty much run its course. Lenovo has to decide if there's an issue in their design and specifications for the machines they are shipping, and address defects or deviations.

Everyone else has to decide if the machine offered is worth their hard earned money.

 

LG Philips LP140WD2 (TL)(E2).

Thor made a good point: fabrication process issue. Similar "screen door/grid/whatever" observations have been made relative to the AUO 15.6" FHD screen on the Dell XPS 15 L521X. And it is a glossy screen, which does not mean it is free from any sort of coating. Same manufacturer, same panel model, differently observed variations/deviations.

So, let users report what they see/perceive/observe/enjoy/suffer/whatever. Your (virtual) eyes are not their (actual) eyes. Best: buy an X1 Carbon and see/perceive/observe/enjoy/suffer for yourself.

 

I won't sound off again. I think it was just that a lot of us only upgrade our laptops every few years, and with all the evolutions with technology in the past few years, I didn't expect a screen that would annoy me, and i hoped for a laptop that would blow away a mba. Jeez, they had years to develop one. I found this forum AFTER searching for why my x1c screen seemed weird and annoying.

Either way, I think I'll keep it for a few months until I get something I can really be excited about and then hope to sell this for a decent price.

Also, is there a slim charger that anyone recommends with the x1c? Is it significantly smaller? Do I need a special adapter? Thanks for any help!