No x210 yet?

I guess we'll find out soon enough when CES starts, but I'll ask anyway: With the leak about the other new Lenovo laptops not including any mention of an x210, is it fair to assume that it won't be announced at CES and won't be available for sale in the next few weeks?

I'm curious because I haven't yet bought my new x200s, despite the very good advice and feedback I received here in response to a previous post. For my needs I probably don't require whatever faster/more powerful upgrades the x210 will bring, but have been holding off to see if the x210 (or x210s) might be as light as the x200s but have a built-in webcam, HDMI, better SSD options or other improvements.

 

Second-hand rumor has it that the successor to X200(s) will be X201(s), and that all X201(s) will come with built-in touchpad.

Edit: Matt Kohut said on lenovoblogs "For you X series ultraportable fans, not to worry, we’ll have something for you before too long."

 

Built-in touchpad would be pretty nice. As much as the trackpoint is handy for quick mousing around without moving your hands, I get far better fine precision with a nice touchpad. Here's hoping the X200 replacement will still be 16:10 and allow the AFFS panel upgrade.

 

I'm surprised Lenovo didn't release the W510 and X200 successor as a duo first, before the T-series/W as milking the cash cow would lie in releasing a smaller more portable model, and a high spec'ed model (albeit both meriting a higher price tag!)

 

X200 is an ultraportable and most people whom use them want a good battery life, low weight and high strength........ most of the upcoming thinkpads have increased their thickness to increase airflow around the new and more powerful GPU/CPU set.... which is not really an option for the X200.

But the X100e is released so it did steal some limelights for the X200.......

 

http://chinese.engadget.com/2010/01/07/lenovo-thinkpad-hands-on-andy/

I'm guessing the X200 shown here is a shop?

 

I would have to say so. The x200 was never offered with a touchpad (it's better without in my opinion). Additionally, I would expect any x201 or x210 to have the T400s style keyboard with enlarged delete/escape keys and reshaped TrackPoint buttons as Lenovo seems sold that the new design is superior.

 

Neither did the T series, but somehow it got one. I'd argue more choice is a better thing. Perhaps a touchpad for those who want it and trackpadless palm rest for those who don't. I would probably own a X series, but I have never been fond of the stick. It's not bad, but I just never really liked it. I hope the X gets the touchpad and the possibility remains to swap in the AFFS screen. I doubtful about the screen because one I'd guess they're going 16:9 and two they'll probably all be LED screens, which makes it more difficult, but you never know.

 

if Lenovo use a 16:9 LCD on the x210 with a full size keyboard, is there going to be room to fit the normal trackpoint with the buttons, and the full size trackpad on the same machine. There is hardly any room now on the X200, cramming too much stuff is going to seriously affect the usability of both pointing device, the last thing we want is a jack of all trade and expert of none.

 

I definitely have to agree on this one. The 4:3 x-series (x31, x40, x41, x60, x61, et. al.) had only a TrackPoint and a decent palmrest. The 12:10 x-series (x200 and possbily a second round) have a TrackPoint only and a limited but acceptable palmrest. If the successor is 16:9 (presumably 11.6") AND they use both a TrackPoint and a TouchPad then either the 7th row of the keyboard will disappear (like the x100e) or some other element of usability will be thoroughly compromised.

 

I don't mind using the trackpoint, but I find it impossible to get the same level of fine precision as a good touchpad, which is in turn eclipsed by almost any mouse in this respect. I would own an X200 right now if it had a touchpad. I'm waiting to see the new x-series updates.

 

Well certainly HP and Dell have done it with their smaller notebooks. I would also say that having a trackpoint only machine probably costs Lenovo some sales as some don't like things that are different or won't try something different, and some like myself who've used the trackpoint extensively, but prefer the pad.

 

I agree that the design without a touchpad is better as well. As a long term TrackPoint user I can outmaneuver most touchpad users in terms of speed, accuracy, scrolling and zooming and definitely do not need a touchpad for my needs - multitouch or not.

Having said that, I wouldn't be surprised if they added a touchpad just like they did on the X100e. Aesthetically they have done a good job in integrating the touchpad on X100e, so from that point of view I wouldn't mind if they added it. But as I see it ThinkPads were meant for a no nonsense effeciency purpose and the TrackPoint is definitely the most efficient navigating tool if one masters it. Preference is a different discusssion.

 

For you, but not for everyone. I've spent a fair amount of time with trackpoints having owned many ThinkPads, but I always go back to the trackpad as I find the point to be tedious at times.

 

That's my point exactly.

If one masters it, it will be more efficient than using a touchpad efficiently for the purposes I mentioned previously. Just doing quick scrolling vertically and horizontally will prove the point quite easily. I am not saying everyone prefers it. But there is a difference in the user's (in)ability to maximize the TrackPoint's potential with its actually objective capability.

 

I'm a TrackPoint user, however... As long as I can turn it off and as long as they don't shrink the keyboard to only 6 rows to fit it in, I'm kind of indifferent about whether or not they add a touchpad.

 

It works for you, which is fine, but like I said I prefer the pad and I really don't want to master it.

 

Could someone give me some sort of guestimate as to the difference in performance between the fastest x201/x210 which would be brought out and the currently fastest T410 s?

Am i right in thinking that the P8700 2.53GHz x200 is faster than the most powerful T400 s configuration?

 

HP and Dell business laptop also has Trackpoint, but anyone whom used these and compared to the Thinkpads, would appreciate what a quality trackpoint can do.

Ultraportable are already constrained in many departments, fitting more stuff in a small area would also affect usability. Lenovo have bypassed the dedicated numpad on their new thinkpads, while the competitors have not missed the chance of including it. I think if Lenovo is serious in retaining the core customer base for the classic Thinkpads, they would not include the Trackpad on the X201 (especially if it is going to the 16:9 route) and retain the full size keyboard. Obviously, the design for these machines would already have final approval, and is probably going through production testing phase, so Lenovo did include the trackpad in the upcoming x200 successor, there is little we can do.

Also, the ultraportable market is rather small, and most people whom use Thinkpads Ultraportable in the 12.1 inch format, would usually have some previous experiences with Thinkpads, the barrier to purchase of these machines is not the trackpoint but usually the price and functionality/feature set of these machines.

 

The T400s use a SP9400 or SP9600 CPU (these CPU are the P9xxx CPU but it is soldered directly to the motherboard to decrease the laptop's over thickness), which is comparable to T9xxx CPU with 6 mb of L2 Cache but it only has 25 watt of TDP like the P8xxx CPU. So the T400s in actuality is faster than the X200 with P8xxx CPU.

 

Ah ok! Well looks like i'll definitely get a T410s then!

Would you be able to tell me whether I could *somehow* get coupons for the US website whilst being from the UK?

(Sorry for thread hijacking)

 

i am not sure how the coupons system works, because i never use them in Australia, i purchased most of my Thinkpads laptop through Lenovo.com during sales or bought them through my friends/IT department at work.