Lenovo X220 Windows Experience Index Scores After Some Upgrades

I purchased a Lenovo X220 a few weeks ago. A lot of members here helped me out with the process of upgrading the laptop so I thought I would share the Windows scores I got before and after my upgrades. It should help out.

The X220 has an i5 2520 processor, 320GB 7200 RPM HDD and 4GB of 1333Ghz Ram (Model 4291). It also has a TN screen rather than an IPS though I'm fairly happy with it and decided it wasn't worth upgrading (apparently the IPS screen is beautiful though).

After receiving the computer, I got this WEI score. As you can see, my primary hard disk score was 5.9



After removing the WWAN chip and installing a 256GB mSata M4 Crucial drive, the primary disk score jumped to 7.3. I believe that people who replace the 2.5" HDD with a decent SSD are getting scores of 7.8 and 7.9. I was quite happy with going up to 7.3 though as it leaves my HDD drive free for more storage.



The next upgrade I did was RAM. The original score was 5.9 for memory using 2 sticks of 2GB.

I debated about whether I should get 1866GHZ RAM and whether to jump up to 16GB instead of 8GB. I must admit I considered getting 16GB to max out the RAM and make sure I would never have to replace the RAM again (say in one or two years). In the end, I decided against this as boot times can be slightly slower. Whilst hibernation isn't generally recommended for SSD drives, I do use it sometimes and by using 16GB, the hibernation file would have been double the size of using 8GB RAM.

Hibernation wasn't a huge factor though if I'm completely honest. What convinced me it wasn't needed was when I loaded my pc up with lots of programs at the same time and lots of photos on photoshop. It was still under 4GB of RAM and was running quickly. Clearly, 8GB would be sufficient. If I find the RAM isn't sufficient in 1 or 2 years time, I can always sell the 8GB of RAM and buy the 16GB (it should be cheaper by then too).

I purchased 2 sticks of 4GB RAM from crucial - 1.35v and 1600GHZ. I had considered 1866GHZ modules but the difference in performance was minimal at best. The 8GB set me back £33 from Crucial. They promised 3-5 working days for delivery but it arrived in 2 days

When I installed the RAM last night, memory jumped from 5.9 to 7.4. Strangely, graphics dropped from 5.8 to 5.7 (which brought my overall score down to 5.7).



I checked the benchmarks and the RAM was running at 667GHZ (which is 1333 in dual channel).

I then downloaded bios 1.28 from here (warning, that's a direct link to the bio exe file). 1.28 was the last bios Lenovo had before they introduced something that restricted RAM speeds to 1333GHZ.

I am unsure if there are any problems with installing this old version of the bios but it seems to be working fine. After installing bios 1.28, the RAM jumped to 800GHZ (1600GHZ in dual channel). This put the graphics score up to 5.9.



My WEI score was still only 5.9. I then realised that I didn't have my laptop in performance mode, I had it in the battery saver mode. I then switched to the performance mode and the graphics score jumped to 6.3. I've read a lot of people getting this score so I imagine it's a common WEI score for X220 users who have upgraded to 8GB of RAM.



All in all I'm pleased with the upgrade. 16GB only cost £30 more but I realised after testing that I really didn't need it. The whole computer is much quicker after both upgrades.

I could have purchased 1866 modules but it would only have given me an extra 1 or 2 percent performance boost at best. I don't think I really needed it.

Via Crucial I had the option of getting the 1.35v or 1.5v RAM. I decided on the 1.35V RAM. I read lots of conflicting stories on the web about whether the lower voltage RAM could be used on the X220. 1.35v modules are just run at 1.5 volts if they aren't supported so I thought it was worth the risk. I haven't tested the computer yet to see if it is running at 1.35 or 1.5 volts. I'll let you know when I test it later.

I've run a few basic games via Steam after upgrading and it runs perfectly. I know it's not a gaming machine but it's more than capable with most games out there.

For reference I paid:

• £508 (£499+Delivery) for a refurbished Lenovo X220 (it still costs around £1,100+ brand new in the UK)
• £102 for a second hand unused 256GB mSata m4 Crucial drive via eBay (It costs around £160+ brand new)
• £33.59 for 2x4GB of Crucial RAM at 1.35v and 1600GHZ

Total Price = £643.58 for an Lenovo X220 i5 model with 256GB mSata drive + 320GB 7200RPM HDD, 8GB of RAM, webcam and TN screen. The laptop is in mint condition too and has 2 years left in the warranty too.

I realise there are still other people out there looking at buying an older Lenovo machine so hopefully this helped you all in some way.

Lenovos are well made, powerful and easy to upgrade. I still have the option of upgrading the RAM in the future if I need it too - e.g. replacing the 320GB HDD with a 1TB HDD for storage or a 256GB or 512GB SSD.

Thanks again to all the members who helped me when I was considering which upgrades to purchase. It was much appreciated

Kev

 

I just ordered a refurbished X220 with similar specs; the only difference is IPS screen and I got a 128 GB Crucial mSATA SSD. It's good to know what to expect. By the way, how long did it take to get your laptop? I ordered it last thursday (8/30) and it still hasnt shipped yet (9/6).

 

I believe I ordered it on a Wednesday but he wasn't able to ship it until Friday. It then arrived Monday night around 5.30pm. Where did you order the laptop from? That seems quite long to not even send it.

 

Lenovo Outlet.

 

Ahhh ok. I had previously considered purchasing from Lenovo direct but heard terrible stories about their customer service when it came to deliveries (sorry, I know that's not something you want to hear).

I purchased mine from a seller on eBay. I was quite lucky in that the support was superb before and after. Out of interest, how much did you pay?

 

$579. I think the only difference between ours is the IPS but IIRC there was no increase for the IPS. Also, I only have the standard warranty (which I hope my AMEX doubles).

 

That's a fantastic price. I paid around $230 more than you and didn't get an IPS screen. Technology is so much cheaper in North America.

 

Considering you have yours in hand and I don't is giving you the edge right now. Plus my buying experience with the Lenovo Outlet isn't making me too optimistic about the quality either.

 

haha I suppose that's true Don't worry, I'm sure it will come. Could be worth calling them but if they are really dragging their heels on this, I'd be tempted to buy from someone else. There are a lot of other shops and small computer shops that do refurbished laptops.