ThinkPad X1

I really hope that this X1 finds a market. The design has a lot of promise for the future. To be sure, I like the look. If it sells enough units, hopefully, Lenovo will see the design's potential and make the design changes it needs to live up to its potential.

Bronsky

 

Unfortunately a totally revamped "X2" would be highly unlikely. Lenovo usually releases a 'total' refresh after a minor update. Other companies usually do the same.

X200 -> X201 (minor refresh of internals) -> X220 (design refresh)
X300 -> X301 (minor refresh of internals) -> X1 (design refresh)

What I'm saying is that the Ivy Bridge will most likely be housed in the X1 chassis. It's too costly to keep retooling the factories every year.

Regarding the I/O port rubber cover; it does seem that they added it due to the slanted curve of the side. Otherwise it would look pretty ugly (big hole on the side). Bad design mistake since that slant produces a 14" laptop footprint as well. I guess that if you hate it, you can always rip it out? ;-)

 

I agree with your statement, but I don't see how better battery life, and higher resolution screen will change the physical attributes of the system. I actually like the look of this new model a lot.

I must say though, having something like that look in the X22x?? would look sick!, but as you had mentioned we might have to wait a couple of years before that actually happens, since the X220 has been redesigned.

Although, next year will be the Thinkpad's 20th anniversary in which case, we might see a reserve edition just like they have done on the X60 (15 year anniversary) . Trouble is, your going to spend a hefty price for that!!!!!

 

All Lenovo needs to do is add an IPS option, HD+ display option, anti-glare finish on the display and a more powerful internl battery. All that can be done evolutionarily, without a serious redesign.

Bronsky

 

the IPS with HD+ would probably suck even more battery... judging by how thin it is they cant have managed to put a very big battery in there. dont know if antiglare will become an option since it seems they used gorilla glass for structural reasons. would be interesting if they produce matte gorilla glass though. i see a lot of iphone users who have put antiglare screen protectors on to get rid of the glare.

having said that, surely 3M or someone else makes a decent antiglare sticker that can be applied..

 

A HD+ IPS option. In our dreams. Come'on, Lenovo can't even get 16:10 screens, let alone make what would be the only 13.3" HD+ IPS laptop currently offered. It has already been established that 16:10 is available, but would increase cost (~$100), but if Lenovo doesn't even want to deal with that, how would Lenovo feel about creating something that isn't even out anymore? The same can be applied to Gorilla Glass; apparently no one makes an anti-glare option, otherwise I'm sure Lenovo would have jumped on it. Not going to happen.

As for the battery, the tech has pretty reached it's limit. The main reason why battery lifespan has been increasing is due to hardware/software; not battery tech. Lithium-Ion is always going to put out as much juice as the red-ox reaction allows. In order to increase battery reserve, you're simply going to need to put a bigger one in. This means an increase in weight and redesigning the internal rollcage. The latter of which means retooling the factory. Besides, all minor updates along the line result in a product which uses the same accessories (docks, batts, etc) as its predecessor.

If sales are low, Lenovo is just going to have to limp along until the "X3" comes out to correct all of their mistakes. Although I bet the engineers will want a redesign for the "X2", the execs wouldn't want to go through the R&D by then.

Although an anti-glare cover may work, it still isn't ideal and will lower the brightness and increase graininess on an already 'pixelated' screen.

 

how much will it be?

 

You mean the X1 right? It starts somewhere between $1350-99. Shipping out May 24th in the US.

 

This would be a fantastic machine if it had the footprint of the X301 and had a good WXGA+ or HD+ screen (I would buy such a Thinkpad over anything else). It doesn't need to be IPS, why can't they just ask LG for the screen used in the Macbooks. Instead we've got the X301 screen size and X220 resolution in something that's the size of the T420/s. Lose Lose.

Maybe it'll all come together in the X2. Lenovo just can't seem to get things right in a 13" model.

 

Forget that, they need to get the screen Sony is using on the Vaio Z since that has an even higher color gamut vs the Macbook line, and comes in a 1600x900 screen res(the Air is the only 13in model to have the 1440x900 res screen), or if you want to get wild the optional 1920 x 1080 res.

 

I think 1440x900 is optimal for a 13" screen if you're only going to offer one resolution. I keep seeing the Sony Z being brought up. Didn't they kill it off and "replace" it with the S series?

 

there is a rumor that one is coming out later this year with thunderbolt and an almighty external graphics card

 

No, the Z is suppose to still exist, but they are retooling it a bit. Not to mention the S(at least the SB/SC variant) is being marketed towards consumers, unlike the Z, which is being marketed towards business users.

 

i hope they are better built than the Z. even when opening the lid on a Z you can see it physically bend :S

 

Yeah I saw that Sony is supposedly using USB 3 for their Thunderbolt implementation on it which makes no sense as the USB forum said specifically not to do that. I wish Lenovo had used Thunderbolt on the X1 since it already has a mini Displayport connector.

 

my perfect thinkpad would be an X1 with a matte 1440x900 or 1600x900 display, preferably IPS with a desktop graphics card in a dock (even if the card was only usable with an external display, not the internal). i'd finally be able to combine the best of both worlds instead of having one ultraportable and one desktop replacement

 

I would pay and buy HD built in Webcam too.

 

My Vaio TT has the same bend(made out of the same material), and I can hold it one handed from the lid with out any issues. I have seen pics of people doing the same with the Z. That to me seems like solid build. But, back on topic I want to like the X1, but the glossy display and footprint stop me from getting it. Even if it had the same quality screen as the Z, it still maybe a no for me as the footprint would still be on the larger side.

 

What do you mean with bend?

Opening my T410 with one hand, especially from corner, you could see the lid bend pretty much, the same thing, tho to minimal degree was present on R400 that I had before T410.

 

Boy...your former R400 must have had some serious issues because I can't make the lid of my R400 "bend" in the manner described.

 

Try to open your R400 lid from corner, there will be slight bending/deformation of lid, it will not be straight line between both front corners of the lid - the corner you will be opening will be lifted slightly above the opposite corner.
And unless your laptop lid is made out of concrete there is no way to avoid such minor flex, given that lid on R400 is made out of CFRP(?) and contains roll cage inside it, thus there is little space for minor flex.

 

whatever it is, i've never seen such a high degree of flex on any other notebook than i have on the Z.

 

I think some of that has to do with the carbon fiber material they use for the lid.

 

Sounds a lot like the new Z concept except the Z will probably have a 1080p display. If Sony is successful with this concept, the other manufacturers will follow like sheep.

Bronsky

 

yea it would be the best of both worlds, because i think most people dont need a quadcore processor, so the only thing stopping an ultraportable from becoming a desktop replacement is graphics.

 

Clearnly you have never owned an X1, a Sony X1 that is.

 

nope, my notebook history consists of workstation dells and helping friends and family who mostly have 14 or 15" notebooks, not ultralight/ultrathins

 

Naw, there's plenty of potential for battery tech increase. The redox reaction produces the same voltage, but there is a lot of research going into the amount of lithium that the electrodes can hold, which has a ton of room to grow. That said we can't expect this to show up in consumer devices anytime soon.

 

Talking about high screen resolution - judging by news from SID it looks like in coming year we might get tablets with 300+ppi resolution displays, perhaps laptops will follow in couple of years, if someone markets the idea to consumers.
Probably Apple as usual will be the first ones to start the trend for laptops

 

And price their stuff even higher I think I see a problem with that?

The ultra high resolution screens look nice, but they're pretty unnecessary. That said 1366x768 is pretty unacceptable, I hope they bump it up a bit in the future.

 

Seems logical to me that a display that costs more to manufacture would sell for a higher price, regardless of who sells it. Last I checked Lenovo charges extra for their premium displays. Of course Apple didn't increase the price of the iPhone when they moved to 300+ppi IPS screen but then that's a smaller display.

 

You can forget about IPS. See http://shop.lenovo.com/us/ww/pdf/X1_datasheet.pdf

 

X1 vs E220s

The ThinkPad X1 is a notable, stylish laptop that's heavier on durability and performance, but lighter on integrated battery life, portability, and affordability. 3.8 pounds isn't particularly light, and the longer width of the X1 offsets its sleek angled compactness, making it feel more like a MacBook Pro than a MacBook Air.

The ThinkPad Edge E220s is lighter and has an edge in battery life, plus it's considerably more affordable. The smaller footprint helps it slip into a bag much more easily, and its dimensions feel more compact. It's not the modern powerhouse that the X1 is, but it's a more portable experience.

 

Guys here is a follow up about the quad-core statement. Jason Inofuentes, the author of that Anandtech article, replied to one of the comments:

There is hope after all...



Off-topic: why does the manually quoted text not show up when others quote my post? Am I doing it wrong?

 

A quad core isn't going to fix the design issues with the X1. In fact, it might make one of them worse (battery life).

 

yes, but its going to offer a different product from the X220, and not only in the beauty dept, but in the design language itself.

If this is true, Im seriously considering buying one instead of the new Z

 

The (US) order page for the X1 is up. Starts at $1585 for the following configuration:

Processor
Intel Core i3-2310M Processor (2.1GHz, 3MB L3, 1333MHz FSB)

Operating system
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64

Display type
13.3" Premium HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display
Doesn't Premium HD mean IPS?

System graphics
Intel® HD Graphics 3000

Total memory
4 GB DDR3 - 1333MHz (1 DIMM)

Pointing device
TrackPoint with Fingerprint Reader and Clickpad

Hard drive
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm

Integrated battery
Integrated RapidCharge Battery

Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000

Warranty
1286 : 1 Year Depot Warranty - TopSeller

 

Options:

2.5 GHz i5 adds $105

8GB DDR3 adds $450

128GB SSD adds $280 and 160GB SSD adds $360

The usual Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G option prices...

 

Whoops. Starts at $1585 but apparently it's already on sale so the actual starting price is $1199.

 

No, it does not (unlike specs on the X220). All of the reviews state that there is no IPS. Many others on this forum have actually called Lenovo and their sales reps have also confirmed that there is no IPS. It's just one of the many 'errors' on the webpage. For all we know, the word 'premium' may refer to Gorilla Glass.

Errors crop up every now and then. A few minutes ago the E220s was labeled as costing $11,000!

 

That's what I thought but I was holding out hope...

 

Use the Lenovo link at Mastercard Market Place. Better deal for X1.

 

The saving grace of the X1 will be the Quad-Core processor. This model really doesn't compete well against the X220 and T420s (and apparently even the E220s) for the reasons already discussed, but it does really well against the W520 for someone who needs high processing power but doesn't need the graphics capability. They must have made the chassis this big to accommodate the heat requirements of the Quad-Core, somehow. A 14" screen would compete against the T420s, so they probably had no choice but to downsize it to 13". Lenovo's created the frankenstein of notebook niches.

 

Huh? We're comparing an X1 with a W520 now? I don't think so.

 

Before someone who needed Quad-Core processing power had no choice but to look at the bulky W520. Now there's a 3.7lb alternative..

 

Quad core ultraportable. A bit niche, but I think people will bite. Like a friend that uses a Panasonic J9 that fits a standard volt i7 into the 10 inch form factor apparently. It will also serve as a halo product.[\b]

 

Wouldn't it be a better idea to give the 14in T series a quad core option, seeing as the competing 14in Elitebook has it available?

 

Except for the processor -- is this machine much different from an X301 that I have had for 2 years. (I generally replace my computer every 2 years and pass the old machine to my kids or wife).

 

Good point. I can't wait to hear about fan noise and heat if it really happens.