Lenovo's lack of digital port

Does anyone know if any new models are coming out soon?

I am probably dropping Lenovo Thinkpads from my considerations because I think any modern laptop should at least have a Display port or at least HDMI. Very few Thinkpads have a digital port/output. In saying that, I also want the notebook to have a LED backlight. I know it's difficult finding a laptop with all of my requirements.

I think the only Thinkpad I would now consider is the W500 but I don't know if it's available (to me). But, most Thinkpads seem to have a low rating for picture quality/brightness of screen. I would watch a movie on the notebook so it seems it would not be good for that?

I am interested in opinions on this perspective as Thinkpads are good for one thing I would like to use my notebook for and that is to install a Linux OS.

Where does Lenovo get its LCD hardware? (LCD panels). Do they have good LCD panels but just can't build a good overall screen?

Anyway, I am interested in feedback from users with strong opinions on Thinkpads.

 

The Advanced Mini Dock will give you a DVI port.

 

T500/W500 have DisplayPort. W700 probably has DisplayPort also, but it is a monster.

 

thinkpads are for business users and not meant to be used as media pc's.

 

T500 has a display port? The specs look decent on the T500. How is the display screen?

I discovered the T500 doesn't have a WSXGA+ LED screen. That is disappointing. I googled and I read of a bunch of people being willing to order such a configuration. Strange that Lenovo/IBM don't pick this up. Too bad. I would be interested in that, too.

 

The x200 Tablet has a fantastic screen (WXGA LED backlit AFFS+ from Boe Hydis). The T400 WXGA+ LED from LG is also liked by very many people (very bright w/ good contrast, black level, fair viewing angles).

Both of these notebooks only offer VGA on the laptop, but DisplayPort is included on the Ultrabase and Advanced mini dock respectively. How frequently do you need digital out?? ThinkPads still use VGA as the primary because most business projectors are still VGA only. Digital outs on ThinkPads are primarily used for high resolution displays at your home base (the exact situation where you would also use a dock).

I was annoyed by the lack of HDMI/DisplayPort on the x200 when I got it, but I really haven't missed it. Additionally, many new HDTVs (especially LCD models) include VGA ports on the back and this is plenty good for video playback. The reason why VGA is less than ideal for a high resolution monitor (1920x1200+) is that the noise in the signal can cause minor instability in the signal and this can lead to eyestrain when working with tiny fonts on a high resolution screen.

 

I agree VGA projectors are ubiquitous.
They (Lenovo) could have offered DisplayPort as an option in CTOs, however.

 

unfortunately that would have required six separate planars (instead of three) and six different base molds (instead of three), raising the per-unit cost on the X200 series considerably.   in the interest of keeping retail prices low, i doubt any manufacturer will ever offer a choice of VGA or displayport.   instead they would offer both like on the X301, T500, W500, or W700.

 

At first pass, looking at the left side of my T400, there is really no place for a second connection here all teh other ports are and it is on the T500 etc (teh open space for hear dissipatio nreally takes up alot of room.
Of course I'd think it would be easy enough to move the display connections to the right side, in front of the Ultrabay, and just connect via ribbon cablle... but I digress.

To avoid the 6 planar problem you mention, I really believe one could simply do away w/ VGA and place DVI-I instead. The plug and knockout are barely larger. Yes, VGA is ubiquitous for presentation setups, at that is teh primary target of thsi system - however DVI is very common as well. More importantly, the beauty of DVI is that a DVI-I connector has both analog (e.g. classic VGA) and digital signals within the same connection. Which one is used is simply determined by the cable and/or device plugged into it.
you can easy go from DVI-I to VGA w/ a $5 adapter which is only about 1 inch long. So, w/ having that 1 port, one has many options.
While, yes it might seem annoying to need an additional adapter to carry around, but come on lets be honest, Mac users have been carrying adapters for years, lol... plus you do have to carry otehr stuff anyway (power supply, mouse, USB flash drives, etc) so what space will a 1" adapter take up?

Unfortunately, not all LCD TVs have VGA input, in fact many now don't, as HDMI and DisplayPort are teh new standards. However all DO have HDMI, which is easy to get from DVI...

I almost did not buy my T400 solely for thsi reason, and it still bugs me. I will be purchasing a new HDTV soon and will have to specifically find one w/ VGA input, as I have no otehr way to connect my laptop for gaming or even sharing videos, photos etc w/ family.

 

I generally do agree with you Ratlab. I would have preferred DVI-I if it was an option, and I also would have sacrificed one (or even 2) of my 3 USB ports for a DisplayPort/HDMI. DVI-I is very flexible and I have 3 DVI-I to VGA and 3 DVI-HDMI adapters lying around. However, DVI-I will still only carry video. You need to run seperate connections for 2 channel audio, whereas HDMI (and I believe DisplayPort when properly implemented) natively supports 5.1 audio.

That being said, adapters get lost. Therefore, I understand why Lenovo made the VGA choice (despite my preference for DVI-I only or VGA+HDMI). Lenovo's discussion of DisplayPort technology (and the comments at the bottom) may also be interesting regarding this decision.

 

of course, but lenovo have said time and time again that they have no plans to get rid of VGA because of business users.   until something changes—either lenovo changes their minds or businesses start upgrading to displayport/DVI/USB 3.0 projectors (which i don't see happening anytime soon)—you can expect to see VGA on thinkpads for a while longer.

 

VGA + displayport would be great if we could cram it in on everything .

 

It would, but we then have to start lopping off ports (especially on the x200). I definitely want to keep my SDHC reader and Expresscard slot (although I could make do w/ 34mm). I would ditch 1 or 2 USB for a digital video out, but I don't think that many people share my opinion.

 

The number of devices using Firewire has been steadily decreasing, and several laptop manufacturers have cut it off of their laptops (Acer's Gemstone series, which have ample room, lack Firewire, I believe). I sure wouldn't mind losing it in favor of a DisplayPort port.

 

They ALREADY DID lop off the Firewire port on the x200, so we have to find something else. The obvious candidate would be the Modem, other options are 3x USB, 54mm ExpressCard, and SDHC/Memory Stick Reader. I am not even considering any electrical considerations (just space), and those are the only areas where you could reclaim it (the battery on mine runs the full back, and the front is too slim for anything but the SD card reader.

 

That old argument needs to be put out to pasture. My business has flat screens TVs in conference rooms that I wanted to hook up to with HDMI and my old Thinkpad couldn't do it, but my Dell and Macbook could. Lenovo is getting better, but seems to always be a bit behind the curve.

 

I agree 100% VGA is OLD technology. Digital is the way to go and it bugs me that Lenovo is staying old school and doesn't want to pay to go to digital. Like you said, all it takes is a $5 adapter and you can utilize the DVI ports.

It's too bad that someone didn't come up with a universal technology that is able to be compatible with them all although I guess DisplayPort was somewhat going towards this road.

I read this:
http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/displayport_info.html#Is_DisplayPort_compatible_with_VGA_DVI_HDMI

Anyone know if the DisplayPorts have the hardware with the built-in convertors? I gather that this is most applicable to the Dells since they usually have the DisplayPort hardware now.

Businesses are using iPhones, Blackberrys, advanced cell phones et al. and whatever else, so to think they will just use VGA-input only projectors seems a bit silly but what do I know. ;

 

From the link provided by jonlumpkin:

This means - as far as I understand it - that it is possible and not so cost raising to offer 'USB or DisplayPort' option for CTO (with a kind of 'DP2USB dongle' - probably consisting of only a mechanical interface - to 'convert' DisplayPort to USB for those who have picked DisplayPort but need USB for a while).

 

Anyone knows if it will be possible to offer express card that feature a displayport port?

I think that lenovo decided that HDMI or DVI are not important enough to business users, and it better offer displayport as in the X200 docking station. I believe that displayport will be the only choice in the next couple of years and it solves a lot of problems.

 

Sadly, I don't this won't work too well. DisplayPort (and HDMI/DVI as well) are tremendously high bandwidth applications (exceeding the 1x PCI-X lane) of the ExpressCard bus. PCI-X is only 2.5Gb/s vs. 10.2Gb/s for HDMI and 10.8 Gb/s for DisplayPort.

You may be able to get a basic DisplayPort option (office applications only, similar to USB monitors/docking stations). However, I don't think this is possible if you want to do full motion video, play a game, or do anything that actually taxes the video card in any way (there is just too little bandwidth).

 

if we're to try and reinvent the wheel with an internal hybrid displayport/USB socket on the planar purely for CTO choices, i think it would be much easier and less expensive to remove the modem and use that space for a displayport connector.   given how many users have access to broadband both at home and while traveling on business, let the modem users use USB modems.   i think that makes more sense than removing VGA or trying to develop complex internal solutions to solve a seemingly minor problem.

 

As much I want it I wouldn't dare to vote for a modem circuitry removal :wink:
Actually, it was the previous century, when I used a modem for the last time!

 

I used it once in September (I was without electric [and therefore DSL] for a week after Hurricane IKE). It was not a pleasant experience (the Internet is no longer built for a 56k connection).

 

So buying a T500 with the thoughts it will be easy to hook up and run my 24" monitor with HDMI cable to the Display port via an adapter is a bad idea then ??

That sucks if that's the case ... hard to find a 'good quality' notebook with three simple things, an LED screen, HDMI port and a desktop replacement monitor size, 15.4" ....

 

all you need is a DP to HDMI adapter.   if your 24" monitor has DVI then you can also get a DP to DVI adapter and do the same.

the only limitation you'll run into is that the current implementation of displayport on thinkpads cannot output audio.