Questions about Lenovo W520's

Hello all.

I was considering getting a W520 as both a Dev laptop and a simi-gaming machine.

In particular I was considering either 4276-23U or 4276-2QU.

However I had a couple questions I was hoping a current W520 owner could answer for me:

1. Build quality. How does this machine stack up? Does it meet the ThinkPad standards?

2. Related to #1: Is the screen bezel area (plastic area around the LCD) solid? I played with one W520 and the bezel area seemed very loose. Even touching it lightly would cause it to "click" as the bezel clicked against whatever support exists under it. Is this a common issue with the W520s?

3. Screen + Color Calibration Tools. I do some photography (when I have the time). Is it really worth the extra money to get the 23U model over the 2QU? I know there are other differences that contribute to the cost. I am just curious what people think.

Thanks for the help!

 

I'm sure you will get a variety of answers but here are my impressions based on my experience with the w520:

1. The build quality to me rock solid. I don't experience any flex in the body when handling the laptop. The only thing which might be annoying is that the battery is a bit loose but it doesn't affect anything. I constantly carry my laptop around in a shoulder bag and everything feels solid.

2. I haven't had any issues with the bezel at all and haven't noticed an of the looseness you mention.

3. Color calibration is really subjective but I'm glad I got it. I can definitely tell the difference when calibrating my screen but some people prefer to use external calibrators.

Overall, the laptop performs great and doesn't generate heat unless the GPU comes under serious stress. I don't really game so I can't speak to that but I would imagine playing some of the more stressful games would cause the CPU and GPU to generate heat.

 

Thanks for the follow-up I really appreciate it. I'm glad to know the build quality of your machine is great. That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

The W520 I was looking at must have just been a fluke.

 

1. Build quality is solid minus the battery which is slightly loose.
2. The LCD has the same issue as the W510, flex. Push along the bottom and it moves. Aside from the small flex in the bottom center, it's solid. And even that flex isn't much - nor does it make me worry.
3. I didn't get the calibration sensor, mine looked fine to me out of the box.

The 2000M is awesome for games - except the witcher 2.

 

Thanks Bogatyr.

Can you clarify what's wrong with Witcher 2 on the W520?

Also - besides the small flex in the display at the bottom center is your screen bezel loose at all? I think this is honestly one of my top worries after looking at one sample unit.

I am guessing the unit I looked at was just a bad sample but I would still like to know if anyone else has seen the same.

In any case I really appreciate the follow-up.

 

My bezel at the top is off the LCD. It doesn't click if you push against it while the lid's open, though. If you close it and press on the lid it will make a clicking sound. It doesn't feel that loose compared to my netbook and some other laptops I've used, and the entire laptop feels solid in my opinion. This is the first laptop I've owned, though.

 

I've had my W520 for a month now and am extremely happy with my purchase.

Build Quality: way more solid than any other notebook that I've had (previous generation of Dells): sure, the bezel might be a tiny bit flexy at the bottom center, but everything else is rock solid and grabbing the laptop and carrying it around is absolutely not a problem. And yes - the batter is a bit loose, but again, it's a non-issue. The keyboard (as others have said) is just awesome and the hinges are far superiour to any other laptop that I've used.

Work Performance: I have the 2720 w/ 16GB ram and this is absolutely excellent! for work, i primarily use the laptop for CAD (solidworks): I can run Solidworks with all the bells and whistles running, on my 2560 x 1440 display without a hitch. I also have the laptop's display running (FHD) and another 20" 1600x1200 monitor as well. I also have two SSDs and this also makes a HUGE difference performance wise with Solidworks: rebuilds that used to take a minute or two, now take like a few seconds.

Gaming: i have a half dozen games installed on the system: by far the most taxing one is Crysis 2. I have the 2000M video card and I can run Crysis 2 at 1366 x 768 with max settings no problem. SC2 will run at FHD no problem as will games like Dragon Age.

Anyway - I'm stoked on my purchase!

 

So - it sounds like, in general, the build quality is good on this machine and so is the performance. Thanks that's great feedback.

It does sound like, however, that one of the three of you has observed some noise coming from the LCD bezel. The bezel making noise suggests the bezel is loose in some way. Worries me a bit as I wouldn't want to be putting stress on the display or allow dust to get in around the display.

Please keep the feedback coming - this has been very helpful in my decision making process.

A couple additional questions (sorry for the late add's):

- How are the viewing angles on the display (FHD version)? Specifically - are the vertical viewing angles good?

- Did any of you get the i7-2920XM? It looks like the 4276-23U comes with that proc. Was just curious if it runs hot since it has a rating of 55w TDP instead of 45w for the other quad core procs.

Thank you!

 

i have the 2920XM and with Crysis 2 Running at max settings and 1080p, it gets quite hot, but otherwise it almost always has cool air coming out of the vents

 

Can't run it at high settings without a major drop in framerate when you try to move. Any other game ran great at ultra settings (WoW, Rift, Bioshock2).

No the bezel wasn't loose anywhere else.