Lenovo X1 and T420 Comparison Shots

Just received the X1.
Size is same as T420.. almost exactly.
Even the thickness at the back is close to T420.
But not at the front.

As all reviews say, the X1 feels much sturdier than the T420. And since I work 99% of the time indoors, the glossy screen doesn't really bother me. It feels surprisingly heavy though!

And VERY VERY quiet, like all Thinkpads. While the new "island style" keyboard does bother me, it's not like other (as in Apple) chiclet keyboards. Rather, it truly is a mix between the original Thinkpad keyboard and the Apple ones. It's more comfortable.

Anyways, overall I must say I'm happy.
Throw me questions as you would like, I'd be happy to answer.

 

So you feel the X1's chicklet is almost as good as the traditional ThinkPad keyboard? I feel the new T410 and T400 keyboard aren't as good as _61 series keyboards. I used an Edge and I did not like it at all.

 

I've used Thinkpads for over 5 years now, and I am so used to the keyboard layout.
The layout has changed so that the top row(PrtSc, ScrLk, Delete, Home, End, etc.) are all "misplaced" now...
So when I'm typing blindly, I can no longer reach for those keys without looking for obvious reasons. It's matter of getting used to.

While the X1 keyboard is different, IMO, it's not worse. Matter of personal preference, but I'd say it's as good(at most) as traditional ones.

Different doesn't mean bad, but it's such a subjective/sensitive subject...

 

Congrats on your new X1!

How are the temperatures when idling and under load? Also, would it be possible for you to take a picture of the two laptops' screens using the same background? Thanks!

 

Don't know if these are going to be enough...
My camera is elsewhere, so my iPhone took care of the job. Sorry!

So I tried to capture the bezel width. The top and bottom bezels seem equal on the X1 and the T420. However, the side bezels are really wide. Almost twice of that of T420.

Also, even though the screen is glossy, its quality is equal to that of the T420. It has lower pixel density, so it should seen "griddier" than the T420's. And it does. However, having looked at the T420 screen for a while, it doesn't bother me.

For me, the two screens are very similar in terms of contrast and other qualities. But the X1's screen is rated at 350 nits. And it shows in the pictures. But it's not THAT much brighter(some review I read said that it was measured to be 320 nits at the maximum point), not what Lenovo claims.

Hope that answers your question about the screen.

As for the temperature, I cannot give you the numbers... But I can tell you that although it's slim, it does not seem to overheat. Of course, I had it for less than a day. But testing the 1080p videos proved to work well, and while doing so, the fan turned on(it's louder than you think...) and the X1 got pretty warm. But as all Thinkpads, it keeps its cool very well. You won't have overheating issues IMO.

 

BTW the two screens are at maximum brightness in the pictures

 

You're right the X1 is definitely brighter in those pictures. Also what's up with that apple logo in the first pic...reflection off your iphone?

 

That shows my effort in trying to capture the "glossiness" of the screen. Glad you recognized it!

 

Thanks for the pictures! I just placed my order for an X1 from cost central. Hopefully I will be as happy as you . I also had a T420 at one time (almost went back to another one) but decided to roll the dice with the X1.

 

Do you feel like the extra cost of the X1 is justified compared to the T420? There's quite a big price gap.

 

It feels much sturdier and seems like it will last a lifetime.
However, I have been used to dead-silent Thinkpads... This X1's fan can get loud under even a slight load. I've never used TPfancontrol before, but this one makes me want to.

The look and performance do justify the price gap for me. However, IMHO, many people will not be able to justify the higher price. Significantly lower battery life, same dimensions other than the thickness, fewer ports, glossy screen, somewhat loud fan for higher price? That's a no-no for many people.

I don't see people raving about how great this X1 is. As much as it is not widely discussed online, it is not a great leap forward. The thin profile DOES sacrifice a lot.

However, I care about looks as much as I care about reliability and functionality. And it looks brilliant.

 

My fan was pretty loud on the first T420 I had so hopefully it won't be a big issue for me. I agree with all of your other comments though. I think most people would just look at the glossy screen and run. The battery life could also be a big issue. As long as I can get a solid 3+ hours, I will be more than happy.

I was about to pull the trigger on another T420 a couple of days ago but the price difference was minimal on the model I was looking at when comparing it to the X1. Even if I had got one of the lower end I5 T420's with a 6 cell battery, etc., it still was only about $200 less than the X1 (which is still significant but not huge in my opinion).

I think you also brought up something that I was hoping to hear. The T420 is built well but it had a few creaks to it (at least mine did) and I was hoping the X1 was a little sturdier. Hopefully mine arrives ok and I am happy .

 

I'm interested in battery life too.

 

Wow, X1 looks surely big for 13" laptop, except for thinness.

 

Good comparison to a E220s here. Amazing how 0.5" gives the X1 a significantly larger chassis.

Code:

12.5" Lenovo X220   3.20lbs (1.45kgs). 1.36" thick.
12.5" Lenovo E220s  3.23lbs (1.47kgs). 0.85" thick.
13" Lenovo X1	    3.70lbs (1.68kgs). 0.84" thick.
14" Lenovo T420s    4.03lbs (1.83kgs). 1.05" thick.
14" Lenovo T420	    4.84lbs (2.20kgs). 1.20" thick.

Would love to see Lenovo provide the thinness of the E220s/X1 in the next X220.

 

Is that a piece of foam I see?

Why is that there?

 

The Ultrabay Caddy is a little short for the T420. There is a gap, so I put rubber foam to avoid bending the chasis every time I picked it up with one hand on the right side.

It was pretty uneven(as in the picture), so I redid the whole thing to make it smoother.

The whole solution was recommended right here in NBR.

 

how the dimentions compared with T420s?
is the X1 lighter than the T420s while it got a smaller screen?

 

i think the X1 should have been offered with low voltage CPU variety like that of the X300 and X301.

 

I'm interested in the size (and the quality aswell) of the touchpad on both the devices, do you think you could take a picture on them side by side?

Thanks.