ThinkPad X1

thats because people on this will be doing ridiculous things with it. quadcore in that chassis was probably a decision made for customers who work in finance/banking who do complex financial simulations. that kind of application is more of a "burst" of processor intensive activity, as opposed to an hour of rendering or etc

 

Like everyone else, I would like a machine that is thin, light, massive processing power for compiles or encoding, massive GPU power for extreme gaming, 13-14" IPS screen, and unlimited battery power.

But the laws of physics apply for power consumption, square centimeters, heat dissipation, etc.

The magic machine simply doesn't exist at this time.

 

i think the quadcore can be handled, but under load i have never seen a laptop that is quiet (except fanless ones, which have such anaemic processors anyway). for daily use i suspect it will be fine.....as for the massive GPU....

surely there must be a way to integrate a desktop card into a docking station? if the rumored new sony Z does have external graphics it may very well come close ..

 

Man I just went to configure the X1 and the upgrade prices are crazy..

Over $100 more just to upgrade to the lower level I-5. Harddrive and RAM upgrades were ridiculously priced (even though you should do those yourself).

If you want to configure a decent system you are looking at $1600 easy.

 

And it never will, so long as we keep comparing notebooks to desktops. Now if we compared across time periods then they already do exist .

 

they always are crazy prices, but then after you save the config, you call the rep and u can get 25% off easy....

 

I spoke to the lenovo sales folks and a 2.5 inch ssd drive will fit in the X1. Also it supports Sata II not Sata III. One benchmark that I did not see was one looking at memory performance alone. The X1 has only 1 Dimm, so I would think dual channel memory speeds would be not applicable. ALthough the combined benchmarks are pretty good. I currently own an acer and while you can mod it and put a backlit KB in it, I really like this option on the X1. I am pretty sure I will order one with the standard HD and put my own ssd in it. I will keep you guys posted.

Hox

 

probably the drive is going to have a 7mm height instead of the usual fare of 9.5mm

And yes much like the vaio S, 4g are already soldered to the mobo, thats why the hefty prices on ram upgrades

 

The X1 takes a single DIMM so if you want 8GB you have to use a single 8GB DIMM. That's why it's so expensive, $450 (one 8GB DIMM) for the X1 vs $240 (two 4GB DIMMS) on the x220.

 

Wow, it is 50% more expensive than my X220 and with less of a processor iand without the ability to cheaply go to 8 mb of memory and without a camera or the ability to go on my Dock. (my extra 4mb stick is sitting here waiting the X220 delivery.

Perry

 

So true. The X1 compared to my first notebook is truly magic.

 

My first notebook was a Tandy 100. Any current smartphone will seriously out perform it.

Bronsky

 

Showing your age --

My first portable (if you can call it that) was a Compaq with the 5inch green CRT and a 10MB HDD. I used to travel with it too... Then I moved up to 1st Class --- a Zenith with a LCD screen (Hi - tech - both were 8086 processors)

 

I just ordered one - complete specs for $1816 (pretax)

1 1286CT CONFIGURED SYSTEM
06/17/11 $1,761.80 $1,761.80
0A71415 SBB I5-2520M2.5GHZ3MB,1333MHZ
45M3090 VBB GENUWIN7PROFES.64 (windows 7 64)
0A71519 SBB W7P64 ENGLISH
0A71417 SBB 13.3PRHD1366X768LEDBACDIS
45M4572 VBB 4GBPC3-10600DDR3 1333SODMM
0A71424 SBB KEYBOARD US ENGL
0A71649 SBB TRPOWITHFINGREAAND CLICK
0A71423 SBB INT160GB SOLSTDRV,SERATA (160GB SSD)
39T6442 SBB COUNTRY PACK NORTH AMERICA
0A68261 SBB BLUETOOTH 3.0
45M4804 SBB IN.CENT.ULTIMATE-N 6300
44C7950 SBB INT WRLSSWDAREANTWRK UPGR
0A71460 SBB LANG PACK US ENGL
75Y1582 SBB MOFHB2010NAENGLISH (office home and business 2010)
40Y9214 1YR ONSITE + 1YR TPP (1 yr onsite and protection)
1 57Y4600 LENOVO POWER HUB WITH US LINE (extra ac adapter with usb)

Total price: $1925 with tax.

make sure you call them if you want to get a deal. It was definitely worth my 20 minutes.

 

While it's not integrated with a docking station, you can use a vidock with your docking station.

Village Instruments : ViDock

 

Confirmed
The x1 uses a 7mm hard drive height. I have a 320 series ssd and the black plastic spacer can be removed. I found an old notbook hard drive with four short screws that work with the 320 drive so I will first try and see if this drive work in the X1. Of course it won't arrive til June 23rd according to my order confirmation.

 

The SO-DIMM is not soldered to the mobo. It is a single 8gb DIMM (low profile type). So it can be changed and yes they are expensive. If if buying them 3rd party from Crucial -- also over $300

By the way the manuals - user and maintenance are in the support center.

 

In Canada, 8GB is only +160$ ! vs +450$ in the US.

 

So it is. What's up with that? The Canadian site also has a better layout for configuring it. The options are all listed on the same page vertically so you don't have to keep clicking NEXT.

 

im just not sure about the lcd resolution...not even an option here.

 

Click Switch to list view.

 

Wish I had noticed that before!

 

What sort of delivery did Lenovo give you??
I ordered a similar config on line they said 10 business days and after order placed it came up with 6/17

 

I wonder how much extra time we can get by switching out the HDD in an X1 to a SSD?

 

Lots. Had you ever used a SSD? Once you do, you'll never go back to a rotational disk for OS and apps.

 

I was contemplating between the x1 and Samsung's Series 9 mainly due to battery life. Can I make a safe estimate that if I use a SSD w/ the X1, I'll be able to reach the same battery life as the Series 9 while having a full voltage i-5 CPU?

The weight really doesn't matter to me as long as the dimension is slim.

 

Although, I am no fan of the X1 with the glossy screen, I still prefer the brand over Samsung's Series 9 , just seems as though the X1 will be durable.

 

Most definitely not. SSDs do not affect the battery life in a substantial level.

 

In my experience, some SSD drives and scenarios are superior over a HDD. In Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Battery Life, Heat and Noise you notive they got nearly 6 hours of battery life with the 320GB low profile Hitachi drive.

On the other hand, they only got 4 hours in the review at http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-x1.aspx?page=2

6 hours is what I was getting with the SSD based Samsung Series 9 900X3A.

 

Lenovo states 5hrs battery life of the X1, Samsung states 7hrs for their Series 9. SSDs are superior in speed, but their power draw depends on the situation. HDDs and SSDs consume so little power in relation to the CPU, GPU, fans and LCDs that they will not affect battery life at all. In fact, in some situations, they will lessen battery life when compared to an HDD.

The SSD Power Consumption Hoax : Flash SSDs Don?t Improve Your Notebook Battery Runtime ? they Reduce It

 

hmm... thanks for the info. I read it and now I'm again, very hestiant to get the X1 since I don't see the point of using a slice battery when ultra-portability is what I'm looking for.

 

That tom's test is ancient. I am basing my experience on drives used in the past 6 months under real world conditions, no synthetic benchmarks.

I have personally tested the 900X3A. My X1 eval order is in the queue.

 

Somewhat considering the X1 now. I was dead set on a W520 but I finally got to see the power supply personally and I admit it is huge. Not a deal breaker but I hate the thought of having to lug it to work in my backpack. Still might jump but it really is overkill for what I need. I was also looking at the X220 but I fear the screen is a tad to small. This would be my main computer at home and I won't be buying an external monitor. The 13.3 size of the X1 is perfect (at least I assume it would be as my friends macbook pro 13" seems big enough to me). I also don't like that the X220 has a short palm rest. I understand it has to be the small for portability reasons but I worry it would start to hurt if you were typing for a long time (with your palms hanging off).

I know the X1 is not really a true thinkpad but I do like what I see. I am not a fan of glossy screens but it really isn't a deal breaker to me. I don't like the 1 dimm for memory but I know 4gb will be plenty for me for now (maybe even forever) as I am mainly going to be surfing the next, getting into office, or remoting my desktop at work. I could always buy an 8GB later when the prices drop. The battery situation is something that I worry could be an issue but maybe not. My 3 year old R61 only lasts about an hour and a half before it needs charging so I don't believe a 4-5 hour battery life would be a big issue. I definitely wouldn't buy the slice battery as it makes it to thick and I am not spending another $150.

I haven't decided on anything yet. I never thought I would be considering so many models after returning the T420, lol. At least I am doing my research .

 

Same here. Real world test shows that an SSD helps battery life a bit in my Acer over the stock 5400rpm WD conventional drive. About 20 minutes in 6 hours.

Bronsky

 

I'd say based on the fact you already returned a 420 due to screen disgust, you are down to two thinkpads, the W520 or X220. Since you are already concerned about lugging the W520 around, that narrows the selection doesn't it?

If you want to go outside the realm of ThinkPads, you might consider the Samsung Series 9 (available everywhere now). Expensive but interesting. Most ThinkPad lovers aren't going to like the machine. The keyboard and trackpad are well below our standards.

The X220 with the IPS screen is probably the winner for you.

 

Thanks for the response. The T420 screen wasn't horrible but it also wasn't any better than my 3 year old R61 (maybe a little brighter but that's it). I guess for the money I payed, I expected more. Most likely the laptop will stay at home 75% of the time or more which is why I was still considering the W520. I could probably deal with occasionally carrying around the power supply if I had to.

I honestly like the X220 quite a bit but the screen size is something that I am not sure about. I bought my wife an X120e (great laptop for the money) and I like it but I definitely need a bigger screen. That is why I was looking at the T420 originally. I wouldn't think the X220 would be that much smaller but that is an inch and a half difference screen wise. I also would be remoting my work pc from home when I get called for an issue so I would want something that was manageable (and not hard to see or manage windows open on my desktop). For me, I thought that 13" or greater would be the sweet spot for a desktop replacement but the X220 really is not much smaller when compared to the X1 (screen size).


I don't think I could buy any other brand but Thinkpad at this point. I was looking at a Macbook Pro but I can't justify the cost plus I actually do like Windows 7 .

 

I have the W520. It's certainly heavier than the other small machines you are considering but it's a no compromises machine. The FHD screen is bright an beautiful.

If I could only have one machine, it would be the W520. But I need the extra memory and other stuff it has.

 

The W520 I want will run about $1800 out the door. That's with the quadro 2000m, FHD, 3 year warranty, etc. I was trying to just get the one with the 1600 X 900 but I really want the FHD. I also priced out a W520 with the 1000m for $300 less but I really want the 2000m for some future proofing.

I already have an extra 4GB stick (that I purchased originally for the T420) that I can use to push the memory to 8GB. The X220/X1 will run me anywhere $1100-$1300 with warranty etc.

The price is without a doubt the main reason I have not ordered the W520 yet. It's a great deal though even at what they are asking. I just have to decide if I can justify an extra $500 (or a bit more) compared to the other smaller models.

 

Divide the $500 by the number of weeks you plan to keep and use the machine.

 

It is amazing how little attention the X1 and this thread is getting. Maybe we'll see this unit on deep discount in the outlet soon? (I know - fat chance)

Bronsky

 

More like 6 months from now. I don't even think the X1 is even reaching customer hands right now right? IIRC, they start shipping sometime next month? The point I was trying to get across with SSDs, is that you shouldn't expect miracles in power-savings. All you are going to gain is probably 10 minutes, maybe 30 minutes tops. Dimming the LCD or turning off WiFi/BT will result in much greater benefits.

 

Yea, so far the only attention is from the first round of marketing attributed to the early look seed units. There weren't many surprises from those reviews other than most felt the keyboard was phenomenal.

 

I agree, Bronsky. I really like the X1. Even though this one thing that isn't quite perfect, at least it is easy to fix. I'm referring the screen resolution. The Sony S have HD+, the X220 has IPS, and I am waiting until Lenovo figure out how to put an HD+ (or FHD, please!) IPS screen with AR coating into the X1.

I'm not in the market for a new lappie, I'm watching this thread to form and consolidate my opinions about the X1. Lenovo aren't completely deaf, so I expect more screen options to show up eventually (maybe before September).

I like ThinkPad; however, I am not a ThinkPad loyalist for the sake of the black box. I like the direction Lenovo have taken with the X1. They have wisely introduced improvements in a new model, rather than redesigning an existing one. Those who wish to buy a classic ThinkPad (non-isolation-type keyboard, non-backlit keyboard, matte screen, etc.) have them in the forms of the X220, T420, W520, et al. Most of the complaints against Lenovo fall under two categories. 1) You're messing with the classic ThinkPad design!, and 2) You're building cheaper (or weaker) laptops!

Maybe the X1 addresses both. True, it is a bit of a departure from the 'classic' design, but it also brings improvements in several important areas. They keyboard is better. Multiple reviews say that this keyboard was either their favorite or else gave the review his/her fastest typing speed ever. ThinkLight or backlit keyboard? - to me they serve the same purpose. I've worked on laptops with both lighting styles. I'm a touch typist and don't look at the keys. To me the feel is most important. I also think it's very wasteful to carry around a laptop to use as a flashlight. And if I wished to re-type something like a business card, it will need to be inside the circle of light, or basically on the keyboard, which would make typing difficult. My biggest beef with the X1's specs is the glossy and low resolution screen. I say specs because there are varying levels of glossiness in laptop screens. Who knows, maybe a T420 screen would look just as colorful and "nice" if they were glossy? Maybe the glossy screen is just a cheat to push the X1's perceived performance? However, I can live with glossy. I can't put up with HD in a 13" screen. With an HD+ screen, I'd be satisfied. I'm passing on this iteration and waiting for round 2 (or 1.5). In the meanwhile, I'll brag about the X1 to those who want a strong, light, full-voltage laptop, but don't know or don't care about screen resolution.

OK, sorry about that rant. Didn't somebody say they wanted to read my complete and uncensored thoughts on this matter?

 

Yep, by far and away the largest complaint is the low res screen. I think Lenovo is aware of the situation since even official reviews state the same thing. What irks me a lot though is the footprint size of the laptop as well. It's almost like a 14" laptop due to the slanted sides.

The mil-spec rating that 'real' Thinkpads are known for actually may have very well hindered the X1 due to the inclusion of Gorilla glass. Sure, you get the mil-spec rating, but at the cost of a heavier and glossy screen.

 

That would probably bother me more if I hadn't become so accustomed to my T410s. Together with another friend who bought one, I prefer the T410s over the X2** because of its thinness-to-screen-size ratio, despite the large difference in battery life. I like the large screen and I also like how thin the laptop is in proportion to its footprint. It feels so thin. Seeing that the X1 is even thinner. . . .wow! I agree, though, that the bezel is a bit generous.

 

They could probably squeeze a 14" screen in there. Would make it stand out more amongst the competition.

 

I cringe at "reviews" like this:

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 – Thinnest Notebook Ever Made

"It is the thinnest laptop ever made, and its cleanly designed slim 13-inch screen, makes it best suitable for business travelers."

"It weighs 3.8 pounds, which is lighter as compared to 13-inch laptops in the market like Samsung Series 9, Portege R835 and MacBook Air."

 

I agree with Bronsky et al., the main reason for an SSD is speed, boot time, application loading time etc., just happen so fast. SSDs really make a difference, I like the INTEL 320s so far they make even my old crappy acer 3810 fly.

I too am surprised the buzz is pretty low about the X1. Not sure why, I will certainly post a review when mine arrives in June. And when you look at the pricing, its competitive once you call the rep and get a discount. They are sticking you for the 8gb stick of ram here in the states, but they are giving you a pretty decent deal on the SSD. The 160 SSD they are using is the 7mm intel x-25 series which I think was a $305 dollar option. I found the same drive several places for $400+.

 

Well, to be frank, the X1 doesn't really offer anything more when compared to the X220/T420s save thinness. Worse yet, it doesn't do anything better when compared to it's rivals (MBA, Series 9, SA, etc). It pretty much is a middle-ground/very forgettable laptop when compared to the others. We do not need to go over the disappointing specs again... It'll be as successful as the X30x offerings, but I doubt there will be a cult following afterwards.

 

If your T410s is like mine, then we are talking about a 16:10 1440x900 res screen.

What the X1 shoulda been.