Need Advice!!! x200 vs x200s vs x200t

I've read countless threads on countless forums and would love to wrap this up...
I'll be an MBA student come August and need a portable laptop for all day use in Colorado...

I currently have a P4 1.6ghz desktop running XP Pro with a 24" HP screen. Getting y 1st laptop.

Thinkpad quality and battery life brought me to the x200 series. The minimum system reqs per the CU website are as follows:
Intel® Core2 Duo 2.2 GHz
1GB - 2GB RAM (as much as you can afford is recommended)
80GB - 100GB SATA Hard Drive
Re/writable CD-ROM or DVD
Wireless 801.11 b/g card (internal or external)
Windows XP (Home or Professional) with Service Pack 3 (if you buying new, just get Vista)
Microsoft Office 2007 (need Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

I think a 2.2ghz processor is overkill, especially for business school, I can grab an external DVD drive or an ultrabase from a topseller model. It is why I am expanding my options from the x200 to the s and t with the SL9400. As far as my main concerns:

1) battery life - I would like 6+ hours so that I can walk to school and not have to use an adapter. I'd like to be able to use my computer all day (thinking I'd be on campus from 9am-5pmish) for internet, MS Office and any programs needed (though I can't imagine they'd be labor intensive).
2) portability - I will be walking to school when it's nice out and around the business building. less than 4lbs is a must, the lighter the better.
3) processing speed - while MBA use will not be intensive, potentially working from CO on a VPN doing contract work for the job I currently have is a probability. I use excel and access mainly, some intense work, mostly pretty typical. I have a feeling the 1.86ghz would be plenty fast. Would I notice a slowdown compared to the P8600?
4) screen - I will be typing on this while in class, library, coffee shop etc and couch. I do have a desktop and screen mentioned above to plug the laptop into while at home. Will I really notice a difference when typing on the x200 vs the x200s vs the x200t? I want a screen that won't hurt my eyes to type on too long as I may be typing for several hours at a time on this laptop. Real estate isn't THAT much for a concern for me, though I do love having as many items open in the taskbar at a time. I am not one for using side by side windows, I like to see a lot on the page at a time. At work, my current settings are 1280 x 1024 (maxed out) on a 19inch screen. Seems to be the ideal setting, though if I could go one more I would.

I think these are my main concerns... The tablet has the "best" screen, though I sacrifice weight and processing speed. The x200 has the best speed, though I sacrifice screen quality and battery length. The s is the lightest, just as fast as the tablet and has the 2nd best screen, which is why I'm leaning towards it, though I've read that the screen is not that much better than the x200 ...Any ideas if I'd be comfortable on ALL of these writing extensively? Stinks you can't try these anywhere!

Your thoughts are extremely appreciated...anyone who has all 3 or even 2 would be a valuable resource to compare which is the best to work on for ~6 hours a day. Thanks again, this forum has a lot of useful info!

Adam G

 

I think you're making a wise decision going for the X-series. I have an X200 and it's the best investment I have ever made. Such a great laptop to work on.

The X200 will definitely net you 6 hours with general use, if not more. I'm sure the other will as well. The X200 has a good screen from what I can tell. The X200s has a brighter screen, but of course the laptop is quite a bit more expensive. The tablet indeed has the best screen (great viewing angles). If you're at all into tinkering, I've been toying at the idea of replacing my X200 screen with a tablet screen off eBay. This would cost a great deal less than buying the tablet.

As for processor speed, I find my 2.2GHz almost overkill. I max my CPU to 35% using the power management software and it's perfectly fine for everyday use. I ramp it up when I need the extra power.

So overall, if you can afford to go for a more expensive model, sure go for it, or else the X200 is perfectly fine on its own.

 

Thanks Convoluted!
In regards to being a great laptop to work on... I will most likely either be taking notes, writing papers, doing research and using Excel/PPT/Access on the computer 4-8 hours a day. Do you feel comfortable working on the x200 for this long at least 4 days a week?

I think this is my primary concern regarding the screen. If the x200s is even 25% better than the x200, I would more likely than not purchase the S.

I have read your posts regarding the installation of a screen off ebay...I'd love to say that I would do it, but the likelihood is small. I'll keep reading it though

Thanks for your insight. Adam

 

No worries! The keyboard is top quality on the X-series, and they are full sized too. Lenovo's keyboards are the best in the business. Should be no problem using it throughout the week.

The X200s screen has 2 advantages, it's both brighter and has higher resolution (optional). What I don't know is if the viewing angles are any different. You may be able to find some information about this in another thread.

As for replacing the screen, Zephir has been able to successfully swap screens with his X200. He provided me with some details in this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=370209&page=2
Might be worth the read just for fun. There a link also to his thread where he posts some snapshots of the new screen.

Let me know if I can further help!

 

Neither of the screens are exceptional, but they get the job done for business use. You might want to look into the x200s with the higher resolution if you are doing a lot of spread sheets. I don't like using excel on the x200 that I have. I usually end up wanting to work on my 24" HP LCD. But that being said the x200/s will be a great fit for portability and battery life as Convoluted mentioned.

 

I agree you have made a very wise decision to look at the x200 series of notebooks. The keyboard is the same on all three models and in my opinion is the absolute BEST of any notebook currently offered (the x200 series never suffered the flex that T400/T500 did).

2.2 GHz is almost certainly overkill for an MBA program. Also note that the SL9400 CPU will perform better than most earlier 2.0GHz C2D and even be equivalent to some earlier 2.2 GHz due to the far superior cache size and FSB that it offers. I think the 1.86GHz SL9400 is almost certainly more than enough for any workload you would encounter in an MBA program (the only possible exception would be working with extremely large data sets in a statistical package [best performed on a desktop workstation with 4+ cores anyway]).

If you can afford the price difference, I would recommend you go with either the 's' or 'T' variants rather than the stock x200.

The x200s has the advantage of extreme light weight and good battery options. You can likely achieve your desired run time with only the 6 cell battery, this will come in at under 3.0 lbs and provide for a very light package. The x200s also offers a 1440x900 LED display. This is a higher resolution than is normally available at this size and can be useful for multi-tasking and applications like Excel/Access.

The x200T does have a far higher quality screen (apparently it's Samsung, and possibly S-PVA vs. AFFS+, but the quality is exceptional). However, the due to the extra weight, I don't think screen quality should be the only reason to choose the x200T. If you go for the tablet option it should be for the superior set of features.

The x200T offers stereo speakers, a webcam, WWAN, and a dual array (noise canceling) microphone. The x200(s) both have only mono speakers and a simple microphone (the x200s also lacks the webcam and WWAN). The x200T also has some ergonomic advantages due to the design of the 8 cell battery (it is textured like a grip and does NOT tilt the laptop up in the back).

However, by far the best reason to go for the Tablet is if you think you would use the digitizer and convertible interface. This can be extremely useful in an education setting as you can mark up PDF and PowerPoint slides that you get from instructors. You can also do the exact same thing with your texts if you can get them in a digital form. In addition, the convertible nature allows you to draw charts and graphs into your notes. This can result in a net weight reduction as you have little need to carry a paper notebook with you anymore.

All this being said, the tablet is not without it's downsides. The Tablet with 8 cell battery is very close to 4.0 pounds, vs. under 3.0 pounds for the x200s with 6 cell battery (almost as many Watt Hours). The tablet is also thicker due to the digitizer layers behind the LCD. In addition, the tablet has a single hinge that is not quite as strong as the dual steel hinges on the x200(s).

 

@jaredy - Not wanting to use excel somewhat worries me a bit, as I use it all day in my current job and would most likely be using it frequently at school. Good to know!

@jon - great points!!! I never thought about marking up PPTs, notes, etc while in class. Man you guys are very VERY helpful! That is something I will definitely have to consider and I am trying to get into contact with some current students to see if anyone uses a Tablet & if it would be useful during class.

Speakers, webcams (though would be nice to contact friends back east) microphones, etc don't matter to me. This will be strictly a laptop for school usage. The lack of WWAN doesn't concern me, though I question it. I've obviously never used it as this is my 1st laptop, school is completely wireless where I would connect on the 5100/5300, and at home I would be using a wireless router. However, am I shooting myself in the foot by not having this capability for the future? I think this is a moot point, just curious how any forum members use WWAN.

Now I have never really opened up a computer, though I would feel comfortable doing so...Would it make sense to grab the samsung SATA drive and install it if I go a Topseller model? If i go the Lenovo.com route (today and tomorrow 20% off sale) would it be worth grabbing the 64g SATA drive off their website? After reading several threads (i think yours Jon), it seems the SATA drive drastically improves the speed of every day usage type applications (i.e. MS Office, internet, etc) that would be great for my use.

Last question (for now...sigh) - regarding the topseller models vs lenovo.com: I went to the costcentral website and found what appears to be everything I'd want...
http://www.costcentral.com/proddetail/Lenovo_ThinkPad_X200s_7466/74663JU/V13438/
Is this really a SATA drive akin to the samsung? The only thing this is missing is 5300 vs 5100 wifi, and the additional Thinkpad Protection warranty (is this needed?). Why wouldn't I go this route?

Sorry for all of the questions/lengthy post...I really appreciate all of your help as well as this forum, it's been great!

Adam

 

It's unlikely you will need WWAN in the immediate future as your school should have very good Wi-Fi coverage. The main advantage is if you are traveling frequently as you can have the card internal. Adding WWAN to the x200s isn't difficult, but it will require either a USB or ExpressCard modem (usually free with a 2 year service contract).

Upgrading the HDD and RAM on the x200 series is extremely easy. All you need is a standard Philips screw driver and a couple of minutes. I would recommend an SSD if you can make do with the reduced capacity. The 64GB 1.8" SLC drive on Newegg is a very good choice, but you will also need the 1.8" to 2.5" storage converter ($30 plus S/H from IBM).

The Topseller model you listed shows a 128GB SSD. This is almost certainly a 1.8" MLC Samsung with the appropriate converter. MLC drives are marginally slower than SLC drives (especially for small writes), but will still outperform most, if not all, hard drives. See EDIT Below.

By "ThinkPad Protection" I assume you mean accidental coverage. This can be a worthwhile investment if you have a tendency to break/drop electronics, but if you take good care of your notebook I think a 3 year warranty (depot or on-site depending on how long you can make do without a notebook) is adequate. You should be able to add "ThinkPad Protection" to a topseller model yourself at a later date.

If you are considering a "TopSeller" model you should download the ThinkPad Tabook. This lists all of the Topseller configs with detailed specs (resellers sometimes make mistakes [see below]), and it should be trusted above all else. Leaf through the Tabook and find the models that meet your configuration requirments. Then search for this MACHINE TYPE (e.g. 7469-7YU), and compare resellers for price.


EDIT - Cost Central's page incorrectly listed that x200s as having an SSD. Looking up 7466-3ju in the Tabook shows this model as having a 160GB 7200RPM drive rather than an SSD. Proof positive that you should check the Tabook BEFORE buying any Topseller models.

 

Thanks Jon!
Currently they're having a 20% off sale, which puts the 64g SSD cheaper than the samsung + converter by $10!

I think I can make do without the accidental coverage, I am pretty careful with all electronics.

I think the last thing to consider is the Screen Resolution between the x200 and the x200s and the use of all of the Tablet features. The highest resolution I've used is 1650x1050 (i think) which is my current resolution at home (hp 22" widescreen). At work I'm running 1280x1024 on a 19inch. Any idea if you think I would be straining my eyes too much on such a small 12.1" screen? I know it's personal preference, just curious other folks' experiences.

Thanks again! - Adam

 

I assume you are younger on the spectrum of older folks with eye problems at the end of it. So the 12inch screen on the x200 with its 1280x800 is pretty easy to look at and read. You might find it adequate to doing spreadsheets just not as tall compared to your monitor at work. I just personally am use to using a 1920x1200 resolution screen now for having windows side by side easily.

 

I am younger on the spectrum 26. I can tell my eyes have slowly degraded using a computer 8 hours a day for the past 3 years and nearly that long throughout undergrad and internships.

Any chance anyone has pictures that can compare the 1280x800 vs the 1440x900? I think this is my only hang-up short of deciding if I'd use the tablet for it's features. I am not a fan of side by side windows, as I have no use for it in the business world.

Thanks again!

 

Screenshots of the resolution would do you no good. What you need to see is a picture of the x200(T) next to the x200s. This will show you the difference in resolution and DPI on a 12.1" screen. The x200(T) have a fairly high DPI of 125. The x200s has a very high DPI of 140 (the SXGA+ x61T was even higher at 144). Based on your age you can probably handle 140DPI, but 125DPI may be more pleasant for extended use.

In my opinion 1280x800 is generally adequate for any single focus application. It is plenty for most websites (majority are designed for either 1024 or 1280 horizontal pixels) and great for video (playback of 720P content without scaling). The areas where you would appreciate 1440x900 is multi-tasking. large spreadsheets (more cells on the screen), and/or applications that have numerous frames/toolsets (e.g. Visual Studio, Dreamweaver, et. al.).

The big question comes down to your preference for features vs. weight. The x200s is comparatively spartan, but it has a superbly low weight. The x200 Tablet has great features and flexibility, but it is roughly one pound heavier than the x200s. You will have to decide which compromise best suits your individual needs.


One other thing I forgot to mention earlier. You should check with your University bookstore/IT department. Many universities (especially MBA programs) have a deal with Lenovo and you may be able to get an x200(s/T) at a lower price from your University than from Lenovo or a reseller.

 

well i got to play with the x200s for a bit and was completely disappointed with the screen. as many have said, it is just bright. I guess i didn't appreciate how good of a screen my samsung sxga+ was until i got the x200s. It is everything mr lumpkin has said it is, but the screen to me wasn't that good. horrible viewing angles and a bit washed out. But is it workable and usable? definitely but i have been looking at my sxga+ screen for a year now and have gotten so used to it.

 

Was it the WXGA or the WXGA+ you took a look at?

 

Wxga+ Led.

 

Bummer (I [still, sigh!] have one on order ... taking way too long. It still says "in bearbeitung").

I hope I won't be disappointed as you were.

 

Sadly, this is most likely true. I have not used an x200s, but I did own an x200 regular for quite some time. The screen is bright, but that was really the only thing going for it. The vertical viewing angles are practically non-existent. I also noticed really bad performance in dark blacks and grays (especially video content).

I have been told that the x200s LED doesn't suffer the same poor performance in blacks and dark grays. However, the viewing angles and general quality are unlikely to be much better.

Coming from a T40 with a relatively basic XGA panel, I found the viewing angles and performance with dark colors on the x200 to be far below my acceptable levels. Also note that the XGA panel on the T40 would only be described as midgrade (the SXGA+ and especially the "FlexView" panels were far better).

Unfortunately the trend with Lenovo (and the industry as a whole) seems to be reducing the quality of the displays. New displays are certainly brighter and more efficient, but with the exception of a handful of tablets and possibly the Dell RGBLED, almost all new displays are of LOWER quality than the standard business grade screen circa 2005.

 

I'm coming off of a T61 and T40 to my X200s LED. I'm really happy with the X200s LED. It's significantly brighter than the T40, with equivalent(read: acceptable) viewing angles. The 1440x900 is AWESOME on this 12.1" display. I actually like to code on it(Visual Studio 2008). I wish it was IPS, but I really don't mind, especially in the 3lb package w/the 6 cell. 6ish hours of write, compile, debug is awesome, considering I usually run 70-80% brightness.

 

Well. I've been getting mixed reviews on both the x200 and x200s on this forum AND forum.thinkpads.com!! AHHHhhhhhhhh!!!!

It would be fantastic to actually LOOK at both of these, yet lenovo makes it near impossible to check them out. Any1 in the Boston area know where I can see both of these side by side? Microcenter doesn't have any, and I'm not sure who else might.

Difficult making an informed decision. The x200 seems like the safe bet, the x200s seems to have the better battery life, more efficient processor, better weight yet potentially worse screen as far as resolution goes. I'd hate to strain my eyes for 6ish hours 4 or 5 days a week. That is the LAST thing i'm looking to do here.

EDIT: viewing angle doesn't really make a difference to me, at least I can't imagine it will. Again, I'll be working on this for school, mostly MS Office, Internet Research and a little bit of work (Excel/Access) using a VPN is all goes well with my current employer.

 

I agree that the x200 would be safe if you are worried about strain from the higher resolution x200s. With the 9cell you will still get exceptional battery life with the x200 with a weight about 3.6lbs.

Regarding the viewing angles... if you don't mind just adjusting the screen's orientation to you, you will be fine (not a big deal for me considering what the laptop's use is for me).

 

I've received so much mixed feedback regarding the 200 vs 200s screen it's unbelievable!
Between this forum and the forum.thinkpads.com, it seems that some people like the 1440x900 and others hate it. I did my best to search for a comparison between the two and came up with this:

See Rovers3 post: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=68978

My eyes can tell that it's smaller, but not by that much. After speaking with a gentleman over there that has both, he mentioned that without doubt the x200 would be far superior for my situation and that he prefers to work on the x200 vs his x200s over long periods of time. Yet i still have reservations grabbing this as:

A) the SL processor would be more efficient
B) battery life is longer on the x200s
C) weight is ~.5lbs less on the x200s

I think the 1440x900 would clearly allow me to see more, yet I would be doing the labor intensive, multi cell spreadsheet work at my desktop, so no worries here. I feel as though I'm swaying back to the x200 save for A-C mentioned above.

I can get everything i want in the laptop (both x200 and x200s) including SSD, XP, 3gb ram, etc for $1,600 with 3yr Depot and Accidental spill etc with the current sale.

This is killing me, and I'm sure it's killing you to read!
My apologies for all of the post and many thanks for helping!

 

You can get the x200 and the x200s for the same price...? Well then I'd go with the x200s if they are within a very small margin of price.

 

On the x200, they aren't offering Vista Business with the XP downgrade online, so you have to opt for Ultimate (I may be able to call and get them to, who knows). Before, I also opted for solely the depot warranty on the 200s. All in all, fixing the warranty to be the same and everything else the same save for the Vista issue =

X200 - $1,604.80
X200s - $1,720.80

Without the warranty upgrade to accidental spill/damage = $1,594.20ish
Am I blowing the resolution out of proportion???!!! Would it really be that uncomfortable staring at throughout the school day, at coffee shops, etc?

 

With that small of a price difference, I would opt for the x200s.

The screen is of marginally higher quality and the extra resolution has the potential to be quite useful. I wouldn't worry too much about the DPI as most applications (e.g. Excel, Firefox, et. al.) have an adjustable zoom so that you can make text as large or as small as you want. DPI scaling in Windows is a bit sketchy, but most apps with internal scaling do a pretty good job.

There is no way for the x200 to be as light as the x200s, achieve the same battery life as the x200s, or display as much information with high clarity as the x200s.

Therefore, I would go with either the x200s, or possibly the x200T (if you think the Tablet input would be useful).

 

yea i would definitely opt for x200s at that small of a price difference. the battery and weight is worth it alone and just adding the resolution is a plus. but at those prices, i'd seriously consider the x200t. i wished at the beginning of my mba program that i should have bought a tablet. taking notes, the ability to rotate the screen to show classmates work, marking up powerpts and pdf's would have been nice. not having to deal with paper would have been nice. i'm almost done with my program but still considering a tablet.

 

If you want to get a feel for the resolution on the X200s, you could try looking at a Sony Vaio Z (13.1'', 1600x900). It has almost the same PPI (pixels per inch) as the X200s.

I am in a similar position - trying to determine whether I should go X200 or X200s. Like you, I've found there's not a huge price disparity between the two, not helped but the annoying Vista Ultimate-XP downgrade option.

Having look at the Vaio Z again today, I can *use* the resolution but I think over long periods, it'll probably not be so great. I found 1280x800 much easier on the eye. For that reason, I'm going for the X200.

I'd suggest you definitely seek out the Vaio Z before you order anything. If you're going to spending substantial amounts of time on the laptop, you owe it to yourself to make sure you can use it without eyestrain.

Hope that helps

 

I seriously can't say enough about how great you guys are on this forum. It's refreshing to be on one where everyone isn't an a-hole.

That being said...alphakenny, jon mentioned this and I wasn't sure if MBA's felt this way. Good to hear! Any chance you know about how many if any people use a tablet at school?

doubleperf - I actually did try out the Z. Can't stand the keyboard, though the screen was quite pleasing to look at. Though I do appreciate your comment regarding the 1280x800 resolution. I toss that one up, I like setting my screen small, then again I'm sure over long periods the smaller resolution would be preferable.

I think I might snag the x200s, though i'll sleep on it and see how many more things I can come up with to deter me!

Thanks again guys! More thoughts, concerns, incites, etc are VERY welcome.
ADam

 

to answer your question about how many classmates use tablets in my program, i can say that i have seen only one. It's definitely not necessary but I can see a nice benefit using a tablet. again having the ability to have all your notes, hwk in one is nice. the downfall is obviously comparing multiple pages would be difficult. i do study and have maybe 3-4 sets of paper to study from but I can definitely work around it.

also another benefit is what a fellow user over at tabletpcreview.com did was take high res pictures of his text books and then reselling back to students or simply returning the book, in which you can save TONS of money. He stated each book for him took about an hour and you know mba books cost a load. Just another thing to consider because a tablet you can hold it like a book, unlike a notebook.

 

I use my tablet every day in school - giving lectures. Can't beat that inking on the screen to further confuse students...

 

Tablets are very much a niche product. I've only seen a few other people with them (mostly people in sales), but they can be exceptional tools in a university or MBA environment. Everyone I've met that has had one loves it though.

There is one option, albeit not free, that can be very valuable in deciding if a tablet is right for you. Allegiance Technology Partners ( http://alltp.com) offers 48 hour demos of select tablet PCs (including the x200T). You only need to pay for shipping and insurance (estimated at $60-$100) and can test drive the tablet this way.

By exercising this option you can see if a TabletPC suits your workload for a relatively low price point and make a more informed decision. I think this is a very worthwhile investment for anyone that is trying to decide if a TabletPC is right for them.

 

None of your choices have the DVD requirement. The screen on the X200 is bad, the screen on the X200s is better, the screen on the X200t is best.

If you have money to blow get a X200s or X200t. Personally I'd get a X200s with a 9 cell if I had, had the money as it will have amazing battery life. Processing speed for the work you are describing is a total non-issue. You would probably get FAR FAR more improvement out of having a SSD than a faster CPU.

Consider a outlet laptop if you want to save money. Even a X300 with a SSD might be price available. If you get a X200 any version you can put in an intel SSD for 200-300 dollars, no doubt less in the future.

I'm happy enough with my X200 I got for next to nothing.

 

drwho - i'm not sure if I had stated it earlier, but I would buy either the ultrabase or an external slim dvd player.

I wouldn't say I have money to blow however I am willing to spend upwards of $2k for something that will fit nearly all of my needs. It's a small investment for 2 years worth of school.

Jon thanks for the tablet suggestion! I'll take a look at that website this morning and see if it's worth it.

At this point, I'll most likely go the x200s with the SSD. With the current sale, at $1,700 with 3 year accidental warranty, 3g ram, etc ... it's hard to chose something else.

 

Well................


Just bought a x200s!!!
Thanks to everyone on here for all of the help making, to me, this very difficult decision.

SL9400 1.86GHz
Vista Business w/ XP Downgrade
3gb RAM
64gb SDD
5-1 card reader
Bluetooth
5300 wireless
9 cell battery
3 year depot and accidental damage

Question on the 5-1 ... will i really need this? or is the 3-1 fine for school etc...? I googled the difference but don't quite understand all of the different formats. If i don't need it I'd love to lose the weight.

Thanks!!!! Look forward to playing with it and becoming a regular on this forum. Adam

 

Thinking that I wouldn't have need for a tablet for school, I purchased a T61p assuming I would be making use of its power. Indeed, the notebook is a true performer and things like video-editing, games, and the CAD software I run works without a hitch.

For the purposes of school however, I've realized I would have been significantly better off with a tablet. The 8 spiral notebooks I've accumulated and 2 lab notebooks I have makes searching for specific topics extremely difficult. There is no question in my mind that if I were to purchase another notebook, it would be a tablet. While I have successfully taken notes on a T61p, the lack of ability to diagram tables and graphs resulted in me always returning to pen and paper. In fact, I plan on purchasing some form of a tablet, new or refurbished for the next fall semester. Therefore in your position, my choice would be the X200t.

EDIT: Whoops - looks like you just said you purchased an X200s already. Enjoy!

 

If you get it without the modem, it's the 5-in-1 card reader, otherwise it's the 3-in-1 reader. I think most just use SD anyway. Congrats on the machine.

 

Congrats!! Let us know how you like it (when you receive it of course). How much did you end up paying? 3-1 for most purposes should be sufficient, but 5-1 can't hurt either. I tend to only use SD myself, which is compactible with both. Good choice on the 9 cell, it will probably end up the same weight as my X200 but with far superior battery life.

 

dohuy - I thought about it and while it may have been nice to spend the extra $300-$500 on the tablet for its perks, I just don't think I'd use it that much at B School. I could be VERY wrong, but I love pencil and paper... not sure I could make the transition.

ZaZ - thanks man! Very excited... don't think I'll need the 5-1 but you never know, could prove to be handy.

Convoluted - will do. This forum has been great, I look forward to posting impressions and becoming a regular. The 9 cell was imperative as my goal was to purchase an all day lasting computer with minimal weight and I think I achieved that. If I find I'm not using the computer for 6-8 hours, I'll nab a 4 or 6 cell and reduce the weight even further! very exciting.

Thanks for all of your help, Jonlumpkin if you get around to seeing this, much appreciated man, your help has been fantastic. Same to Jaredy, thanks for constantly checking back in on me and answering questions.

Night everyone, estimated arrival date is April 28th.
Adam

 

Actually, that's incorrect.

The 5-1 reader comes WITH the Modem as they share the same daughter card. You gain the ability to read Memory Stick and MS Pro with the 5-1 reader (both read SD, SDHC, and MMC). I wouldn't worry about the weight, at most the difference is 10 grams (you'll never notice).

Enjoy the x200s, you got a solid config and a great ultraportable.

 

thx Jon, appreciate all of the help

In regards to the XP downgrade, will this be installed on my computer or will it be Vista?
Additionally, what seems to be the best method for portable memory? i.e. SD or any of the other 5-1 "types" or a USB flash drive etc...

 

Depends. If you ordered it with "XP downgrade" it should come pre-installed with XP. I got my x200 Tablet with Vista pre-installed and XP recovery DVDs. In either case, it is easy to get to a working XP environment.

I generally prefer SD or SDHC cards for boosting storage capacity. They sit completely flush in the reader (unlike a USB key that sticks off the side) and can thus be left in at all times. SD cards also tend to come in at a lower price per GB than MS or MSPro cards (classic Sony pricing).

I have an 8GB OCZ class 6 SDHC card that I use to boost the storage capacity of my 64GB SSD. I also have several 2GB SD cards that I use for cameras and other devices (as well as quick data transfer from my desktop to my laptop). You may also want to invest in a basic SD-USB card reader so that you can transfer files to computers that lack readers (I have two of these from DealExtreme and they work great).

 

I just bought a X41 tablet from ebay and a 64GB SSD (which isn't here yet). I can say this: I have Win 7 beta on it and for office tasks it is absolutely fast enough for diagramming and what not. This is my mobile gadget for sub 500 USD (300 for the X41 + ~ 200 for the SSD) to toss around at university. The 1,5GHz Sonoma in it gives 1300 cinebench points, whereas a new netbooks Atom processor with 1,6GHz gives 850 at most.

I think there more value in buying a used 2nd or 3rd gen old tablet and a new 15" notebook / or desktop than paying for a performance tablet. Plus, I think once I get the SSD it will outperform my neighbours X61/X200 tablets anyways.

 

woops wrong thread :/