Newbie with X220T questions

(Warning, this is a long one!)

Yes, I am a noob not just here, but I'm very much behind on current technology. I'm seriously looking at getting the X220T, but I'm wondering if I should wait for the X230T. This will be my 2nd Thinkpad and not just my primary laptop, but my only computer. I'll be upgrading from an old T60 (1.5 GB ram, 80GB HHD, don't remember the processor, but it's pretty old, and I'm running XP). It's time for me to join the 21st century, but I need help deciding what configuration to get. Basically I do a lot of word processing & editing, usual web surfing, emails, watch the occasional video & listen to music, do some simple photography, no hard-core games, no programming, no engineering or scientific stuff. Since I do a lot of word processing, I was worried about the X220's small palm rests, but I'm a shorter guy with proportionate hands. Anyone have any serious issues when typing for long periods of time?

To all you X220T owners/users, knowing what you know now, do you recommend the X220T or waiting for the X230T? I heard the island keyboard is just as good as the classic one, but it doesn't look it.

Based on my needs listed above, I read that the i5 is just as good as the i7 for the X220, but I couldn't find anything if it's really an improvement on the X220T. Does the i7 make the tablet perform more effectly than the i5?

Speaking of tablets, I read that the X230T will basically have the same screen options as the X220T. Either gorilla glass or multitouch, but not both. I like multitouch, but I don't like scratches so which screen protector do you X220T owners have? Anti-glare, anti-reflective or none? Does the multitouch screen scratch pretty easily?

When the X220T is in laptop mode, does the screen/tablet ever fall down on its own? In youtube vids, it seems like it would after typing on the keyboard for a while.

Regarding RAM, I want at least 8GB, but is it less expensive to stick with the basic 4GB and then get another 4GB SIMM card? I'm concerned with finding a compatible ram card. I know there's some non-Lenovo parts out there which are supposed to be compatible with Lenovo, but they're really not.

Regarding hard drive, does SSD really save that much on battery power and is it that much quicker than an HHD? I like the idea of SSD, but I read that Windows 7 takes up a considerable amount of RAM so what Lenovo's offering of 128 or 160 gb of SSD might not leave that much left? So, should I stick with the basic 360 GB HHD and get a mSATA SSD since I don't see myself using WWAN, since Wifi is good enough for me. Then again, if I ever need WWAN, an external adapter should work, right?

Sorry for the long post, but I want to cover all the bases!

Before I forget, I read that some IPS screens have bleed through and/or ghosting. I read posts from last year that a number of X220T's had that problem. Since the X220T has been out for about a year, has Lenovo fixed that problem or is ghosting a natural phenomenon of those types of screens?

Thanks!

 

It's personal choice, the Edge/island style keyboards aren't bad, some people may not like it. Also it loses the traditional 7 row keyboard, and has some rearrangement of the keys. The X220 tablet ONLY has IPS, there are no non-IPS X220 tablets. I have the multi-touch, it's not that great. LCD ghosting issues were fixed late last summer. Yes I got a model with an SSD already as it was a good price on the model I got. You may want to check out me and Commander Wolf's dual X220 tablet review in my signature.

 

I ask what's wrong with your T60? My R60e, which would be similar to your T60, can do those without breathing hard. For that type of usage, the T60 should offer plenty of performance. The hard drive in those scenarios is far more likely to make a noticeable difference compared to the CPU. Perhaps an upgrade to a SSD along with a fresh install of Windows, you could even upgrade to Windows 7, might fix things and will be a lot less expensive than a new tablet.

The ghosting issue has been overblown. If you had one of the older screens and went looking for it, you might find it, but I've had my X220i for over a year and have never seen. I ordered the first day.

 

Hardware wise, my T60 probably has burnt fuses on the motherboard, particularly F7 & F8. The screen burned out on it (got the pinkish hue) and the wifi light is the only inverter board indicator light that lights up. I installed two "compatible" screens; first one powered up with vertical colored lines and eventually it wouldn't even power up, so I returned it and the second one wouldn't power up. Right now, my T60 is a makeshift desktop.

Software wise, she slows down to a crawl at least 3x a day, possible Windows or MS auto-update problem. I need to reinstall Windows on her. I don't know how, but Bluetooth in the Control Panel has been replaced by an invalid icon and Bluetooth Desktop shortcut doesn't work. Something about using an OS that has patches upon patches doesn't seem right. When an article of clothing has patches upon patches, it might be time for a new one.

Even if there weren't any hardware issues, I'd still want a new machine. The X220T appeals to me; I like the idea of using the tablet as a whiteboard and editing word docs. It's about the same physical size as the T60. I find widescreens a bit weird to handle word processing. I checked out machines with a 14" widescreen (a la T420) and that screen size seems too large. I checked out a 11.6" widescreen and that seems a just a bit small. Just like Goldilocks, a 12.5" widescreen should be just about right. I'm just really baffled by which configuration of X220T I should aim for.