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    T420S vs X220

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by GloryField, Nov 29, 2011.

  1. GloryField

    GloryField Notebook Enthusiast

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    Which one would be better?

    I like the lighter weight on the x220, and the longer batterylife, but it has smaller screen/resolution, and more heat/throttling.

    Anyone has used both? I'm buying it for school and the most intensive thing I'll run on it would be league of legends
     
    GloryField, Nov 29, 2011
    #1
  2. cn_habs

    cn_habs Notebook Deity

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    Since my laptop was going to be my only computer, I decided to go with the T420s for the extra screen estate/resolution (HD+ vs HD). The screen 9after calibration) is definitely not as bad as some users say even though the fan is a bit audible unless you use TPFanControl. Getting 4 hours of battery life with wifi and decent brightness is really kind of a stretch unless you get an ultrabay battery. I normally get a bit more than 3 hours with 2/3 brightness.

    If you value screen quality/weight/battery life, then I'd recommend the X220.
     
    cn_habs, Nov 29, 2011
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  3. Commander Wolf

    Commander Wolf can i haz broadwell?

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    Commander Wolf, Nov 29, 2011
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  4. tongdakfiend

    tongdakfiend Notebook Consultant

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    I had the same debate and went with the x220. Although I am absolutely enjoying the x220 (coming from a MacBook Pro), I will say that the IPS screen though nice didn't wow me as much as I thought it would unless I am plugged in. I don't think you will regret either choice though. If you do get a x220, I would recommend installing a mSata.
     
    tongdakfiend, Nov 29, 2011
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  5. Tony Rayford

    Tony Rayford Notebook Guru

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    X220 if you're going to take it to class.

    I never leave home without it.
     
    Tony Rayford, Nov 29, 2011
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  6. sniper_sung

    sniper_sung Notebook Evangelist

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    I have both the X220 and the T420s. My T420s is with the Intel IGP, not the dedicated NVIDIA GPU. There are some points I'd like to point out:

    a) The battery life is almost identical if the X220 is equipped with a 9-cell battery while the T420s is equipped with a 6-cell battery and a 3-cell bay battery, i.e. they both idle for about 9 hours.

    b) They both throttle the same regarding overheating. If I run LinX to stress the CPU, they both reach 97C quickly and start to throttle. If I run WOW, they both reach 92C quickly. Luckily, ThinkPad is again doing a great job keeping the keyboard and the battery from getting too hot.

    c) The IPS screen of the X220 is a lot better than the inferior screen of the T420s. However the resolution of X220 is too low and not very suitable for production.

    If you plan to do gaming, then I strongly recommend you get a T420s with the dedicated NVIDIA GPU - you'll definitely benefit from it! The Intel IGP is not suitable for gaming.
     
    sniper_sung, Nov 30, 2011
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