ThinkPad X1

Nice system but I'm not impressed. Reason ? No ISP screen. Battery not user replaceable (Or not as easy), battery life of 5 hours will not be anywhere near 5 hours as we have noticed on all the other so called longer battery life systems. With the added battery slice and the darn thing weighs more than the X220.

Other than that, the X1 will be another hit for Lenovo

 

They just posted the X1 video on Engadget (at least I think this is the same video people were talking about).

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 coming May 17th, with Gorilla Glass screen and spill-proof keyboard (video) -- Engadget

 

Do we know yet if the X1 will be able to take an intel 310 msata drive?

 

Yea, and considering it was posted by LENOVO, it appears the embargo is OFF so the mods here will stop removing links and posts.

Here's the link to the YouTube video posted by the company that makes the X1.

YouTube - ThinkPad X1: The Perfect Marriage of Form and Function

 

the link you posted was removed due to that particular site being blacklisted by NBR.   it had nothing to do with the content.

from what i can see, no other X1-related links have been removed.   NBR doesn't have a policy against posting leaked info.   i don't even think we'd pull it from the lenovo forum unless it's somehow damaging or someone was knowingly breaking NDA.

 

The display does not look glossy. More semi-matt.

Bronsky

 

Guess the link was about the (now made private) video in this (too early) review

 

I currently have a X200, and am looking to upgrade to either the X1 or X220.

It looks like from that video the X1 won't be able to use a docking station. I'm basing this on the quick shot of the underbelly of the machine, which doesn't look like it has any dock connector. I could be wrong, though.

Unfortunately that's dealbreaker for me. I was going to grab the X1 instead of the X220 based on everything I've read (lightweight, just as fast, keyboard, etc.) but the lack of a docking station connector is killer.

 

I shall call the X1 'Gorgonzola' from now on. Because it doesn't get any cheesier than that

 

Corniest thinkpad video of all time. hahahah. Dang and May 17th? That's a lot sooner than I figured

 

Would be very appealing if it weren't for the baby's-first-laptop screen resolution. Useless as is.

 

Have you seen the one on the 701ds, it got a similar vibe to it. Despite the fact how corny the video is, I guess they manage to show off all the key features.

One of the highlight of the commercial is the claws on screen.

Agree on the screen resolution, it would have been great at HD+

 

I can't stand the huge space in the bezel between the panel and the edge. The actual panel should take up almost the whole thing, except for some space above for the camera and below for mic, stylus, logo, etc.

 

I can understand if you blacklist sites because they are honey pots for malware or drive by downloads, but is NBR blacklisting sites they view as competitors?

 

nope, the specific site to which you're referring was blacklisted for spamming, not competition.   you'll find plenty of links to competing review sites and blogs posted on NBR.

competition is fine.   spamming is not.

 

Wow that is one nice looking laptop...hopefully Lenovo surprises us with an HD+ option . I'd give up quad core for that bad boy.

 

The only thing that is holding me back is the screen resolution. Does anyone know if the the screen going to be 13.3 or 13.1?

 

I don't get the appeal of this laptop.

-1366x768 is ok in a 12.5" laptop, but this has a screen .8" larger. DPI is only 117(!)
-It's footprint is almost the same as the T420/s, but the screen is much smaller.
-Battery isn't removable.
-Battery life short.
-No IPS screen
-Not that light at 3.73lbs given the screen size.

Seems they're going to charge more for a machine that's far inferior in many important respects compared to other Thinkpads. And frankly the Macbook Air looks like a better overall option too if not just because of the aspect ratio and resolution.

 

1) It's a ThinkPad

2) It's looks sweet.

 

Yea but there are far better Thinkpads and you can't just sit and stare at it. At some point you'll have to use it and that's where things go wrong.

Thins thing should've had a (high quality) 14" HD+ screen, I might have gone for it over the X220 if it had. It's just too large to have such a small screen. And not particularly light at 3.73lbs.

 

Yeah, I completely agree on the issue that this should have had a higher resolution. It is wider than the X30x. Almost the same width as the 14'' laptops. 1368x766 is a fail on a larger screen like this. If apple could fit a 1440x900 screen resolution on their MBA, then I believe Lenovo could have done the same. They did it with the X20xs and X30x.

I also remember that there is a rumor about Apple upgrading their MBA to the Sandy Bridge processors sometime this year. If this holds to be true, of course, that is assuming that they don't use the ULV processor and pretty much what is on board for the X1, and keep the same resolution as they had before, it would be very hard not to get an MBA instead of this.

Oh well, I suppose I can wait till next year when they upgrade to the Ivy bridge. Hopefully then, The thinkpad X2?? or whatever it will be called will have a better battery life and a better screen resolution.

I will wait till the official specs come out for this before I make my decision.

 

For those of us who don't need to have multiple windows open at once, the screen resolution would be adequate. The large footprint is okay with me since that means there is more real estate for hands to rest, etc. when typing. Lastly, anything under 4lbs is pretty dang light in my opinion, especially something as durable as a thinkpad. Plus, coming from using a 14" laptop that is 6lbs+, it will be a significant improvement haha.

 

It's a shame that the X1 falls flat with respect to the screen. No IPS? Come on! At least the X3xx offered way more expandability options when compared to the X2xx. All the X1 offers is a sratch-proof screen and backlit keyboard in a thinner chassis. The X220 offers more config options, takes advantage of double channel ram, is lighter, has a 7 row keyboard (I use the forward and back keys a lot), longer battery, same resolution screen, has docking capability (of which the X1 does not BTW) but offers IPS, etc, and is cheaper to boot.

Kind of makes the X1 a buy for the poorly informed when you think about it. If you are going to make a flagship laptop, at least give it the same quality screen as the rest of the lines, wait... I mean give it better screens than the rest so we know what we are paying for. No one asked for Gorilla Glass. People are asking for a USEFUL feature; HD+!

I'm with some of the others on this one; what is the appeal? Is the "thinness factor" that cool? Is paying an extra $500 for a slightly bigger/crippled X220 cool as well? The X220 already offers a full-sized keyboard, so bigger palmrests are pointless. I understand the appeal of a 13" screen, but with same resolution of a 12.5", it doesn't make any sense.

I agree that the X220 is too thick for its own good though. In fact, I'm a big advocater for the thinning down of the X2xx line ever since the X300 came out, and then the T410s came out, and now when the X1 is here. A <1" X220 would be the best laptop IMHO, it would be cheap to implement and wouldn't cause any uproar. Plus, it's thinness in the tablet formfactor would be more than a welcome to the convertible family of which thin tablets are essential, but basically non-existant; but alas, Lenovo seems to be concentrating elsewhere...

 

The T420s is actually a better value.

 

^^^ The T420s doesn't really compare with the X1 though. The 14" screen with 1600x900, optical drive, integrated/discrete graphics, puts it in an entirely different category. But I agree though. 0.83" thin and a powerhorse, it costs less than the X1 (weighs almost the same) and does infinitely more.

(WxDxH) *Underlined are categorial winners*
X1:-----337-x-231--x-16.5-21.5 mm,----3.78lbs, 1366x768, ~$1300
T420s:-343-x-230.1-x-21.2–26.0mm,---3.68lbs, -1600x900, ~$1100
X220:--305-x-206.5-x-19.0-34.6mm,---2.9lbs, --1366x768, ~$800.
MBA:---330-×-227--×-2.8-17 mm,-------2.9lbs, -1440x900, ~$1000.

The T420s is basically the same size as the X1. In fact the T420s has a SMALLER depth whilst housing a 14" screen and 7 row keyboard. Very impessive. The X220 is much smaller. The MBA (the competitor), is smaller, lighter and has a better screen. It will get updated soon and prices are predicted not to change (as usual with Apple).

Despite this, I can't touch a laptop greater than 13". 12.1" is the ideal size for me. I know others feel the same. In terms of specs; the X1 falls flat when compared to the X220. In terms of size, the X1 BARELY beats the much more versatile T420s. Funny that both "victors" are cheaper. The X1 is basically a VERY crippled/slimmed down version of the T420s with a low-res 13.3" screen that costs more. I don't know why Lenovo even decided to put a 13" screen on this machine. They should either went with a 14", or shortened the dimensions down even further.

All of this discussion reminds me of the X30x debacle. The X30x series couldn't compete with its rivals and Lenovo knew it. Buy the X1 and people will say, "You know what, you could have gotten a much more powerful, long lasting, machine in the same size (sans thickness) and saved money with the T420s!" or "You could have done the same thing and saved money with the much smaller X220!" Hey, but least this time Lenovo dropped the price down to more managable levels...

Actually, now that I think about it, I should have said, "The T420s seems to be so much better, that I thought it was incomparable to the X1" on the first line. Now, why would anyone buy the X1?!

 

LOL. That video is hilarious... reminds me of the W700ds promo video...

 

What did you expect Lenovo to do? Get a panel maker to build a custom AFFS/IPS/PVA panel just for them? 'cause that's the only way we'd get a non-TN panel in that form factor.

Part of the reason that the X300-series was so bloody expensive was the screen. It was a custom part by TMD, and it was incredibly expensive due to the limited run and non-standard dimensions. Given how expensive *that* panel was (and how poor it was for the price), I can only imagine what a similar non-TN panel would cost...

 

Are there other notebooks that use the 12.5" IPS screen used in the X220.. seems 'custom' to me.

 

It's not.

First of all, the X220 and X220 tablet share a screen (which boosts volume considerably). Secondly, yes, I believe LG's produced revs of the same panel for other buyers.

 

Yes, but 13.3" is a very standard screen size across many notebook manufacturers. Therefore, I don't see how this has anything to do with Lenovo opting for a small resolution for a screen this size.

Edit: Im not talking about IPS panels though. I can understand there not being a large volume of IPS panels of that size but the X1 doesn't have it, so going back to my point, they could've added an optional screen with a higher resolution and maybe they might. I guess we will have to wait and find out until May 17 for the official specs. maybe earlier

 

Just found another photo of the X1 on lenovo's website. Ha! the jpg is labeled as X120e!



Edit: Looking at the Windows taskbar on the image and if it is real, that looks wider than 1366!
Fingers crossed! :yes:

 

I would love to be able to recommend the X1 to my manager and other folks in my company but I know what would happen. They would order it then try to use it with Outlook or Excel and go, "?"

These folks need horizontal and vertical resolution. Most of them are running 14 and 15" laptops today and although the gravitational pull of a 12 or 13" is strong, they will have a fit over 1366x768.

So although the X1 is cute, it isn't exactly designed for the folks I am thinking of.

 

Blackbox - the start menu is set to have small icons there.

 

I use small icons on a taskbar on my 3820TG with a 1366x768 display and they are larger than the ones shown on the picture. The display is a photoshop job though so don't get excited.

Bronsky

 

The image looks like 1920x1080 desktop screenshot overlay on the machine. It doesn't look real to me.

 

@Teff
But those icons are pretty small and the taskbar is slim. I have a laptop that has a screen resolution of 1368x768 and I can tell you, it doesn't look like that.

 

True the image can be fake but if you take a look at the reflection, it does seem as if it is reflecting the roof of the car. I could be wrong

 

Come on guys, 1920x1080 is pretty wishful thinking, especially since it has been confirmed that the screen will be 1366.

Ok, I was harsh to point out that there wasn't an IPS option, but if Lenovo wants a game-changer, then it has to fully commit on its products. The X1 screen has to at the very least compete with the MBA. It apparently doesn't even do that. 1366 x 768 is unforgiveable, and why the heck does a non-tablet laptop have to have a scratch proof screen? Lenovo should have made it an option and made HD+ an option as well.

I really don't buy the cost of so-called "custom screens" or Lenovo's excuse for not offering 16:10 or even 4:3. Apple does it. A large source of such screens exist, yet PC manufacturers can't get a hold of them? Just seems like the PC industry is trying to squeeze every last penny out of the customer.

 

It really sucks that the Laptop does not have the IPS option, guess I was be looking more closely at the X220 then.

Apple is going to change the form factor soon or later, the next major refresh (changes to the chassis which is rumor to be next year.) is going to force Apple to switch 16:9. I guess Apple have contract in place or they pay a little premium for 16:10.

As I remember in one of Lenovo's blog, the premium for the 16:10 for the customer is around $100, which corporate buying does not want to fork up.

 

Sigh, I guess 16:10 people like me are in the minority. What can I say? That is how the market works I suppose. I would guess that a iPad with a 16:9 screen would cost $300 then?

Lenovo has stated over and over again that their Thinkpad line is going to be more multimedia oriented. IMHO, they are losing their focus on what Thinkpad is supposed to stand for; a laptop for work.

 

While I agree that the primary uses for a Thinkpad is for work, however you can't deny the fact that more people are using their laptop for entertainment, It would be ideal to have more than one machine, however not may people have the luxury or want to handle the hassle of owning more than one computer. I welcome that Thinkpad for being more multimedia friendly, but I would not do it at the cost taking away feature that make the computer less customer friendly.

Switch form-factor is not just the Lenovo thing, it the whole industry. The only one that has been resisting the change is off course Apple. Whom their overall profit margin for all their product allows their to still resist the change. It might be cheaper for them to pay a premium for the panel rather than do a whole chassis redesign.

 

Well the HP 2760 is still 16:10 and I read that the 12in SB update to the Fujitsu is still 16:10 also.

I dunno if Lenovo still offers the same or better durability as they always have, I don't think it matters that much if offer multimedia features.

 

Do you use your work laptop as your play laptop?

The Thinkpad will always remain a work laptop, but the work laptop nowadays and more so in the future will have to serve double duty as an entertainment device. I think this was mentioned by a link posted a few pages back and Lenovo's competitors are going the same way it seems, for example, HP is starting to sell business laptops with Beats Audio speakers.

 

I ended up forgetting to keep my W520 plugged in at the hotel last night and am carrying it and the 170W brick today.

Makes me strongly consider a lighter machine and the X1 was in the mix. However its inability to use my Dock 3 and low resolution have me thinking more of an X220 to use as a more portable device when I travel.

We will know more next week.

 

I only use my laptop for work. I have a desktop at home for play. $1000 can get you a desktop that will play any game out there. $500 will net you a pretty decent one. What I'm saying is that they are dirt cheap and of course do everything better than a laptop. I never watch movies on my Thinkpad, but hey, I'm in the minority here.

I'm glad that Apple is resisting. Maybe if more companies joined their effort, then 16:10 may not disappear.

The X-series were never meant to be versatile. They are supposed to be focused on getting the job done with great keyboards and screen resolutions/aspect ratios that were business-oriented. If you want to watch movies or play, get the W or T series, heck, even get an Edge, but not the X.

Business-sense screens are gone. 7-row keyboards are facing competition from Lenovo's chiclets. Will they be gone next? The reviews are in and "everyone" is praising the Thinkpad chiclet, even die-hard Thinkpad users. It won't be surprising to see the 7-layer go extinct. How about Trackpoints? Only a very small minority use them. An even smaller percentage list it as a spec they look for when buying a laptop. Will Lenovo be better off getting rid of the pointing nub?

My whole point is that it can pay to be different. You just have to be smart about it. The X-series should stay focused. Let it be the only series for work. I thought that the new Edge series was to meld business with fun, but lately, it seems that the change is happening across the board. Doesn't make sense to pit the T, X and Edge series all against each other.

 

HP 2760 is a tablet and their only Laptop that hasn't switch in their business line, for the non-tablet which is the 2560p is 16:9 12.5 screen.

The Traditional keyboard and the trackpoint will not disappear as long as corporate IT department keep buying. I don't think that will stop anytime soon.

To me the X1 is just an experiment, which will allow Lenovo do some research on how market will react to some of the new design element. Such as the backlit keyboard, button-less track-pad. Another thing to consider is the targeted demographic for a device like the X1, I don't think anyone who is all work and no play (on the laptop that is) is going to get it.

I guess this laptop is a mixture of Edge design element and the durability of the traditional Thinkpad series.

 

I like the X1, don't get me wrong on that. More choices are better for the consumer. I just think that Lenovo is loosing it's edge. They are catering to the majority (business is business), but they should realize that it doesn't mean that they have to blatantly ignore the rest of us.

The X1 will be an interesting experiment since it possesses both traditional Thinkpad and Edge elements, but Lenovo should have given it a fighting chance with a better screen resolution.

I wouldn't put the possibility of losing the 7-layer keyboard design out though. If Thinkpads are going the way they are, it would make little sense (to the corportate heads) to keep 2 different keyboards on the Thinkpad line. The X1 backlit keyboard (along with all of the other laptops) would be cheaper to produce if it were to be implemented across the board. Mass production with similar parts is a plus to the company. Are all current Thinkpad 7 layer keyboards the same now (X/T/W series)? I believe that even the Thinkpad desktop keyboard is the same as the laptops except it is screwed into a desktop chassis. It just seems that with time, all of the Thinkpads are getting closer and closer to each other. Heck, the T420s can almost be regarded as the "X320." And the X220 is now thicker than the T-series for some reason? I don't really understand Lenovo's current offerings.

Next thing you know, Lenovo will offer up a "T320" and it'll make the X line obsolete.

 

I don't care which line they fall into as they have the same Thinkpad durability, a good keyboard, and a easy user service, I will continues to buy Thinkpad. Of course the screen is just as important to me, but that is not their traditional strength, at least not for a couple of generation.

13 inches and under fall under the X series, It would be great if next 13" will be more similar to the X301. The only thing that is missing from that laptop is a high-res IPS screen. The X1 is almost prefect in my book (again because of the screen), but the X220 is closer to that perfection.

 

Others do: Samsung and LG to showcase high pixel density LCD panels for tablets at SID 2011 -- Engadget (just a voice in the high-resolution/standardized format/scarce supply discussion...)

 

I think I agree with nearly everything you say here, but these particular points ring true with me. I look at what going on and just shake my head in wonder.