So, are there any new Thinkpads on the way?

I went to check out the X301 on the Lenovo site and they weren't being offered. Either they're out-of-stock or Lenovo's about to refresh the line. I think the X-series is getting long in the tooth.

 

X30x series were discontinued. You have to choose between X20x and T4xx

 

Yep, the X3xx series is being discontinued. See these threads:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/500249-x300-series-being-phased-out-favour-t410s.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/511228-any-new-x301-its-way.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/514428-x301-officially-no-more.html

The X2xx series will most likely be refreshed along with the Tx10 generation when Sandy Bridge is released.

 

Lenovo generally comes out with new laptops (ie- refreshes, T520, W520, etc.) at the beginning of each new year (Januaryish).

 

They usually come out with new laptops after Intel offers a new platform or chip.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to a Sandy Bridge tablet.
Just saying.

 

I'm hoping sandy bridge will extend the anemic battery life of the T4xxs when it gets updated. I hope the X series gets the complete update as well instead of just a face lift like last time. The current X series really makes you sacrafice things like esata and dp that really need to be on there.

 

Sandy Bridge won't help the T4xxs battery life by itself. Lenovo needs to give it a bigger battery.

 

Then everyone complains about how the battery sticks out the back.

 

No matter what Lenovo does, you'll always have someone complaining

 

for my needs the S is perfect. With an ultrabay batt you still have all the power and features of the 410, better build quality and materials, plus better battery life than anyone with a 4 or 6 cell, and those with the 9 cell its definitely not as portable as a 410s and an extra 6 or 3 cell. And as far as the ultra bay batt being cycled more, I just take it ou t when I'm at home. But people have different situations and priorities. this is my main comp. If I had a desktop or a second laptop, I wouldn't buy this. But I paid the price premium for the size because it functions great as a portable and a desktop computer with or with out dock/externals. The X series can't fulfill both rolls and I hated carrying around my T400 to class.

I just wish they would bump the primary wh a bit, every little bit helps. with both batts you get around 75 wh. Widen the battery, there's room. Give me a few more wh!

 

They could make T4xxS battery stick out in front, making it look like extended palmrest, just like Dell Latitude D430 had, looks fine imo. At least they could offer one as extended battery.
Sure, little changes should be made to the chassis to accomodate it, but nothing impossible.

 

does Dell have a patent on that battery palmrest design?

 

Have no idea, considering how crazy this world is, they might have one

 

I always considered that more at risk than in the back when you consider how many people spill their coffee. A keyboard won't explode.

 

As long as the leads are covered, coffee and liquids shouldn't do much to a battery, let alone make it explode. Then again maybe my netbook battery was a fluke...

 

Yeah it seems like if you really want a portable laptop from Lenovo you will either have to go for the x100e, x201, or T410s.

 

didn't the latest x series come out like in March this year? I'd assume the new one will come out March 2011.

 

Without a doubt new Thinkpads are on the way. But the X30x series have been discontinued, replaced with the T4x0s.

 

>> Lenovo generally comes out with new laptops (ie- refreshes, T520, W520, etc.)

What's wrong with calling them T511, W511, etc... ?

- avi

 

A longer-lasting battery does not have to stick out the back (or the front). I guess they have to push for superior battery technology.

The T410s design is great in terms of weight and form factor. The battery is pathetic.

 

For the T410s I wish they would make an extended battery that is the same width and depth as the laptop, but is thin on height. This battery could attach on the bottom of the laptop, have no parts that "stick out" and would only increase the laptop's thickness.

 

^^^ Good idea. (But not too thick, though. )

 

They had a battery like that for the T400 and it was advertised to give it 20+ hours with the extended primary and secondary bay battery. Liked those options then, but I guess it didn't pick up enough of a following...

 

Stay tune till CES, if you can wait that long. My prediction the ideapads will be more like the u260, while they will also tweak the thinkpad a little bit and will not bring back the x30x series.

 

I'm surprised there was no Lenovo Road-map like there was a year or so back, when we knew what was coming out like a year in advance ?

Oh well, I wonder what Lenovo will do for 2011, and what the new models will be called ? (T520, or T502, etc.).

 

I think that road map was leaked, i guess lenovo is becoming more careful about these roadmaps, so that the competitors won't jump on lenovo before they are ready.

 

I'd assume from the T400 -> T410 -> T420, but either way it doesn't really matter.

 

So, what really are the chances of a 13" ThinkPad model from Lenovo in the new year? Not very high...huh?

 

We can only speculate.

 

That's very true, unfortunately!

 

I don't see it myself. If you're going by weight you've got the three pound X201, the four pound T410s and the five pound T410. Where does a 13" fit?

 

Interesting! I did not think of it that way. OTOH, how do companies like Samsung (if I am not mistaken) have a range of products from the 12" to the 15" (including the 13") sizes?

 

There are many paths to enlightenment.

 

the X301 fit right in the middle between the X2xx and T4x0s... which is great.

A 13 inch fully featured thinkpad that weighs about the same as the 12 inch laptop, what more can you complain about, other than the price, lack of dock or expresscard slot.

 

Well....hopefully, if Lenovo does release a 13" variant, they should optimally address the doc and the expresscard issue, which keeping the price manageable. But I think Zaz does have a point. How can Levono position a 13" machine? Perhaps the high cost of the previous X300/301 was a bid to differentiate it from the 12" and the 14" machines.

 

with 16:9 panels going to 12.5" and 14.0", there isn't much room for 13.x".

don't get your hopes up.

the speculation is entertaining though.

 

You bet!

 

that is probably more than enough information than we need to speculate on... so the next generation X2xx series would have the 12.5 inch.... great.... shame about the 14.0 inch T4xx series though... just speculating.

 

I soo hope that in case X210 gets 12.5" it doesnt get any bigger than x201 already is with its huge LDC bezel+I hope they will start to offer 1600x900 resolution on all 12.5" X series and not just slim series.
Flush 8 or 9 cell battery or additional slice covering entire bottom of laptop would be great, because I cant stand how 9 cell battery sticks out on my R400, Im seriously thinking about my next laptop being with flush battery only, sticking out is not nice, especially done in such ugly way as on mine
Give it a class, dont make it look like its some kind of damaged melted plastic sticking out of my laptop !

 

@Veer...my R400 has a 6 cell and it still sticks out. I am seriously considering a 9-cell which will stick out any ways. I quite like the battery sticking out.

 

if the new X2xx goes to 12.5 inch then i would need to get a new ultrabase, which seems to be a trend with the Lenovo X series ultraportable.

 

Why would they go to 12.5 inches? 16:9 screen? I'm not sure that would fly well in the face of many professionals.

 

Lenovo can't do that much as the supply for the 12.1 inch 16:10 LCD has dried up. X201s and X200s with WXGA+ is so rare now, and Lenovo had to pull the X201s model due to the lack of WXGA+ LCD supply... i guess Lenovo can't always smell exhaust fume from its competitors when it comes to LCD format changes.

 

I think Lenovo hinted that they would stay at 16:10 for about a year and only in 14 inch and smaller laptops. This was back when they introduced the current lineup. It's sad because I think 16:10 was perfect for most laptops but 16:9 is happening regardless Let's just hope they don't go any wider.

 

Is the 16:9 is becoming the norm at the 14 inch levels? So, eventually the T4xx and its refresh will become 16:10 in the near future? Is this the trend?

 

16:9 is becoming the norm at all screen sizes. The T410 and Latitude E6410 were unusual in that they stuck with the 16:10 aspect ratio (take a look at the Elitebook 8440p/w, which moved on to 16:9). Personally, I wouldn't mind if that means we can get 1600x900 screens in the next generation X-series.

 

I suppose so. Atleast it would be a higher resolution than 1280x800. What would the next step-up be? 1366x768?

 

I'd take a better looking display even with the same "low" resolution, rather than another below-average screen with high res.

 

heres to hoping the chassis is somehow compatible enough to support just dumping in a new system board. would love to have sandy bridge + optimus!

also: lenovo is going to have to do MUCH better than the geforce 3100m this time, because the intel graphics integrated into sandy bridge are already on par with our PATHETIC 3100m's... hopefully optimus persuades them to include a high power dedicated chip, since they dont really have to worry about battery life as much.