The Upcoming ThinkPad X230, X230i, T430, T430i, T530, T530i and W530?

Page 33 (emphasis added):

 

guess i have to get another X220 ASAP.

 

Hope the X230 gets some of the 35W quad's.

 

Is HDMI replacing DisplayPort across the entire classic lineup? That's what it looks like from the leaked pictures and specs, but I haven't seen anyone mention it. I have grown to like DisplayPort quite a bit...

Maybe I should just get the T420s as the T4x0s I've always wanted, even though I don't really need a new ThinkPad at the moment. The chipset/processor/video upgrades will likely be modest, and is there really anything else good the T430s could bring (maybe Thunderbolt)? The disadvantages seem significant, at least for me (new keyboard, likely HDMI instead of DisplayPort...).

 

If it is true that the buttonless design of the touchpad remains, then there is no need for me to sell my X220...

 

If the X230 has backlit keys that would be nice. Too bad they seem to have trashed the layout as everyone has noticed. Since they are keeping the clickpad I guess it boils down to whether the display is any better or if it's the same IPS. The power savings with IVB will probably be good too, but I already get way more than enough battery life on the X220 and I don't really care much about graphics performance.

So, it looks like I'll probably skip the X230. :-/ My X220 is nearly perfect for me anyway.

Unless this happens, hehe! Quad would probably win me over.

 

+1

I was interested in battery life improvements, but the X220 on 6cell is covering my use pretty well. Also used to really wish for a higher res display, but I don't the kind of work on the go that requires it. The money that would've gone towards a new notebook is going to go toward extending the warranty and the dock + a couple monitors. I think I'm set for years with this machine. Only thing that will make me sell is if the use of retina type displays in PC's (Thinkpad's..long shot) materializes.

 

This also looks like it could be the X230.

Taken from:
Enhanced Experience 3 PCs | Lenovo (US)

 

"Remember! Topseller stays on current generation Huron River products through September (T420, T520, X220, X220T, W520)"

Source: http://www1.partnerinfo.lenovo.com/partners/us/resources/downloads/live/US_Channel_Update_041112.pdf

 

Oh boy, Mike Ferrell's slide from that PDF posted above:



Now that multiple companies are racing to nail down the new form factors and investing heavily in their design teams, Lenovo decided to stay put and sit on its hands. Good luck with that!

I suspect 2 years from now Lenovo will no longer be #1 in Ultraportables.

 

Does this mean Ivy bridge will not be available for all resellers?

 

If you had a limited supply of Ivy Bridge CPUs, what model would you sell first and why?

 

Here's to hoping Lenovo finally figures out how to do switchable graphics right.

 

I agree with the marketing here that an X220 (or X230) is a better choice than an Ultrabook for a very large percentage of business users. I've used and reviewed several Ultrabooks and am happy to go back to my X220 each time.

That said, I think they'll expand the X series to accommodate an(other) Ultrabook down the road, we saw the X300 4-years ago -- it was under 3lbs and had a 13.3" screen, we just didn't call it an Ultrabook back in those olden days. More recently they had the X1 and promised to evolve that and given the willingness of the "new Lenovo" to take a grapeshot approach and release every PC form factor possible under the sun and aggressively market it, you have to think they'll introduce some type of ThinkPad halo product again soon. One that's ultra thin, ultra cool, ultra pricey, gets a ton of media attention and yet is probably ultra unpractical for all but a few.

 

+1 (and the "T" and "X" and "W" and "S" and "s" and "i" and "u"...)

Love the play on the "u" in "unpractical."

 

That document is education specific, and that page specifies only the Topseller pre-config models you find in tabook.

 

Lenovo does makes ultrabooks, like the U300e.

 

x340t with 1080p ips, get working lenovo

 

There we go... Big U, small u, big E, small e... (Soon, there'll be a TU473sei or something like that.)

 

Eh, I think the switchable graphics system in my T500 is near-perfect. And this was even before all the Nvidia Optimus systems came out. Currently, Lenovo's Optimus implementation is the same as all the other Optimus laptops on the market, so not sure what they can do about Optimus' shortcomings.

 

The only way for switchable graphics should work is BIOS option to disable one or the other, OR a physical switch like on the older Sony Z's. Optimus is rubbish.

 

Optimus works pretty well on the T420. It's hamstrung on the W520, so hopefully it will be improved on the W530 chiclet special.

 

Yeah, I misspoke. I'm just angry that I can never seem to get nVidia's Control Panel to NOT crash to desktop when I wanted it to run Acrobat on Intel or for even their newest drivers to install.

 

As long as there's hot-switching, a manual GPU-switching system like the one in the T500 is nice. Optimus is still better than being stuck with a nonswitchable, power-hungry discrete GPU, though. I'd imagine that with a bit more time, newer models will have even better-implemented versions of Optimus.

 

In my opinion, at least with no switchable graphics, you won't get issues during the switch, like closing all 3D applications, especially on a business machine. When I built my friend the MSI Whitebook with a 5730M with switchable graphics to the onboard Intel, the switch was not smooth and requires proprietary drivers from the manufacturer. Thus I think the implementation on the T500/T400 is the best. I can't tell you how many threads in XPS where Optimus is an issue.

 

Ati's switchable graphics worked very well in the T400. Automatically switched between discrete and integrated depending on power source. I only rarely had to switch manually.

 

I've never gotten Optimus to work correctly on my system. I always have to use BIOS to switch between the two.

 

pretty much this.

i still use a T400, and although i rarely switch graphics, its extremely easy when i do. they must have made it much more complicated with the nvidia gpus.

 

Lenovo ThinkPad T430

However the image is either the T420... or the new one may offer the traditional keyboard? Probably an erroneous picture...



Also, note the page URL includes laptopinfo/t410, so who knows how updated/ correct this is. Could just be a placeholder.

 

Looks like a T520. Notice those huge speaker grills?

 

^ how easy it is to rename the CPU to IB and call it brand new ? Lol... What apart from the CPU in those details are different from current gen

 

Don't put it past em.

 

It's not a secret that Sandy-Bridge and Ivy-Bridge are very similar. Apart from the HD4000 and a slightly better Performance to Watt ratio, you don't really get anything new. Sandy-Bridge is already a very economical System. IMO the only thing worth checking out is the HD4000.

 

That 'T430' Image is from a T510, a quick google search will reveal so.

 

well creating a new architecture isn't that easy, and costs lot of money.

So Intel will try to squeeze every possible dollars from it. But from early engineering sample that some engineers tested, the Intel HD4000 gives like 2 to 3 times the performance of the Intel HD3000, which is quite significant.

 

What is the probability that the new X230 will have the chiclet keyboard? I saw the leaked pictures of X230 with chiclet, but can we be sure?
I have old X200s which still in great condition, but I was thinking about upgrading, but I want the classic keyboard. Do you guys think I should buy the X220 before its sold out?
Thanks.

 

I would say there's a 99+% the new keyboard will show up. These pictures have made it to the places they are because they represent these new production-ready machines. I doubt earlier concept images would be distributed for these purposes. The only other possibility would be if they were leaked purposely to get feedback on the change. But I'm sure that in making such a huge change to the most popular and known aspect of their laptops, they have already done a much fuller analysis and they believe the change is a good move for them.

My hope is that it's just an option, as the chassis should be the same on these models, so they chould make the new keyboard the same shape as the old one and make it a configurable option (or at least make it replaceable). I doubt this will happen, though...

 

Doesn't looks like it is going to be replaceable, unless you change the palm rest and trackpad.

 

as far i know the keyboard on the X220 and X230 won't be interchangeable.

 

With low-res display and chiclet keyboard, what's the reason to shell out extra bucks for a classic Thinkpad? And how long before we can't get matte screens any more?

 

Well... none.

Which is the root of the problems all of us have with the shift in the first place- the best solution is, if you can live with 1366 x 768, to just buy an Edge. (Who needs the extra 120 or so vertical pixels when you have a good-looking keyboard anyways?)

For that matter, the new "ThinkPads" are all just Edge machines with a more durable internal structure and higher-resolution screen (if you get the HD+ or FHD options). That's all they have going for them now; even in the case of the X series there are others offering the same hardware quality for cheaper (i.e. any ultrabook out there).

So, since you can get two for about the price of one T530, you can just replace it with something faster in 3-5 years when it wears out- since the build quality is good enough for a wannabe business notebook anyways.

 

The difference between HD and HD+ is so small, it's hardly worth mentioning. It all seems much ado over nothing. Back in the day when you went from XGA to SXGA+ or UXGA you got significantly more resolution. Now all the extra space is on the sides, which has less value. Of course you can do FHD, but the pixel desnity is high, making it hard to read for most.

 

Here's more gasoline for the fire...

Intel: Higher Resolution Displays Coming 2013

 

this is the best piece of news in almost 7 years...... i am excited.

 

In my opinion these resolutions are unusable and unnecessary. I think human eye is unable to recognize the pixel intensity. I mean 1600x900 on 12,5 inch would be totally sufficient. Besides that really important is the brightness, viewing angles and good colours.
So for me 1600x900 IPS on X230 would enough, higher resolution is just waste of the graphics performance. I mean the GPU would have to calculate 5 times more pixel than on the 1368x768 and I think it would have some impact on battery life and GPU performance(but I'm no expert).

These Intel numbers are really unnecessary. For me:
X230 1600x900
T420 1920x1080
are enough. So Intel should also talk about other display attributes and should push the OEMs to put IPS displays. Its not just about the resolution.

 

http://www1.partnerinfo.lenovo.com/partners/us/resources/downloads/live/US_Channel_Update_041112.pdf
Here is a Lenovo presentation, about new 2012 products, according to that, they will show new Ivy Bridge laptops (X230, T430, T430s, W530) on 5 June.

 

Just wondering - the document says "available to purchase June 5th". Does this really means "shown to the public on June 5th"? With the X1 or T430u, we saw samples/mockups months before they were available for purchase.

 

If the rumours about "retina" displays for mac book pros are true, then I think I will switch, then I get both high res and TB and I might need a Mac for app development anyway :/

 

I think, Lenovo presented T430u, because of hype around ultrabooks and new model, other Thinkpad models are world popular, and if there isn't new design, 1 month before actual purchase will be enough time for them.

 

Once you go retina, you never go back.. Happen to me with new ipad, honestly not an apple fan boy.