ThinkPad X220 (i/T) Owners Thread

After about three or four months of use, I am experiencing a slight slowdown with the mSata. Upon some research, I believe this is just the nature of many SSDs. It's not a big deal because the speed is still great, but since I am somewhat OCD, the two to three seconds extra time of start up annoyed me. Is there anything that I can do maintenance-wise to try to speed it up (other than steps from the SSD optimization guide, which I have mostly followed)? Thanks in advance.

 

Kinda curious on this one too. My 310 has had a slight slowdown. I feel the same way you do. The speed is still great, but slowdown has definitely occurred.

 

Larry,

Been traveling so haven't been online for a couple of days. Only two things that you really need to check.

1. Have you confirmed that you do not have an alignment error? The Anvil and the AS benchmark tools will tell you if you do or not.

2. Are you using CrystalDiskMark for benchmarking? If you are, go to File > Test Data and select all 0's or all 1's. Don't select Random.

It shouldn't have anything to do with how your drive is partitioned. Let me know on the above two points.

 

I just learned the new HP Envy 15 has an 15'' IPS, how is it compare to x220 ips?

 

Yeah, I noticed HP threw in nice Radiance displays in those beasts. I was looking for a second laptop for home, and I may have to consider an Envy now. My wife won't be pleased.

EDIT: One thing I didn't realize though was that they are apparently very glossy. I don't think I can go back to glossy screens any more...IPS be damned.

 

It is supposedly of pretty decent quality but there is a huge color issue. The reds are reproduced as oranges, so if you need a color accurate screen that will be a deal breaker.

But for everyday use it should be fine.

 

Yeah there's a thread about it here.

And I think this picture just says it all really about the Envy's IPS panel...

 

Hello x220 owners,

How good is the IPS screen for viewing text? The reason I ask is because I had a Dell 2209WA IPS screen before and ended up having to return it since text was blurry unless I turned off font smoothing and clear type settings (which made it sharp, but jagged). White backgrounds were very sparkly and the matte coating was extremely grainy, which also made text difficult to read for long periods. I'm just worried this could apply to all/most IPS screens, but I'd rather confirm/dis-affirm this before adding it to my consideration list or throwing it off entirely. I'm hoping it was only a problem with Dell's monitor and perhaps an overzealous matte application.

Thanks!

 

Perhaps it's you? I've never noticed any this on any IPS screen I've seen except my X200t, but the grain on that was due to the touch surface. I've not seen the Dell. I've got no issue with using my X220i for extended periods.

 

Hi Brian,
It was the settings ;-)
alignment error was checked with the division of the offset by 4096 and should be ok...
Thanks for your advice.

 

Hi guys,
I just ordered X220 tablet. I have some noobs questions. Does clean install windows 7 important? Does this laptop come with a lot of bloatware? What is the max ram I can put into this laptop? I have core i7 version. Please help me out.

Thank you very much.

 

Can anyone comment on whether or not the x220 would be good for on-the-go film editing. Something I could use on set when i'm away from my desktop. My only concern would be the low res screen and the screen size.

 

That's a very difficult question to answer as everyone has their own preferences. Some can carry a 15" notebook all day, while others think anything over four pounds is too heavy.

The X220 is a good choice if you want something smaller as it's got a very good screen, uses full voltage CPUs, very inexpensive and is very portable, but it's 12.5" 1366x768. I personally find the stick so easy to scroll on, it somewhat mitigates the loss in resolution, though I am not a film editor. The other problem with going higher resolution on a small screen is the pixel density is much higher, making it more difficult to read. I'd say careful what you wish for.

You can of course get a larger machine, but that won't be as portable.

 

I can't speak to whether a clean install is better or not, but after installing my mSata, I just used the factory restore R&R disks since I just wanted convenience. There wasn't much bloatware to uninstall, and Norton was much easier to uninstall than I thought it would be. I believe many people delete many of the Lenovo utilities, but I actually kind of like them. You should obviously create the R&R disks first before doing a clean install.

I believe the max RAM is 16GB. There is a thread taking about that subject in this forum.

 

Hi Tongdakfiend,
Thank you very much for your help. Anyway, The ram in my laptop will be 4gb single channel I believe. I am planning to upgrade it to 8gb. Do I have to buy the 8gb, 4x4 set ram, or can i just add one more 4gb into it?

 

There is another thread in this forum debating that issue. After reading through the posts, I think I fell on the side of it doesn't really matter all that much for most people whether it is dual channel or not and whether you get 1333. When I purchased my RAM, I bought a single 4GB (1333) stick from Newegg. I kind of lucked out though since the stick I purchased ended up being the same type of RAM that my configuration came with (Samsung). If I recall correctly, a few posts swore by a performance increase using dual channel and/or 1600mhz bandwidth. I think my last WEI score was 6.3 (the hard drive scored 7.7, and the RAM scored 7.4). Whatever those scores mean, I have no clue. I just know that my x220 doesn't feel limited by RAM at the moment and everything runs smoothly and quickly.

 

Want to add USB 3.0 via expresscard adapter-- to my i5-2520. Found the following on Amazon--which is best (fast, reliable)?
Flush
Expresscard express [AKE] to USB 3.0 34mm w/power cable, $14.95
AKE 5gbps BC618T 54mm 2-port USB 3.0 expresscard, supports Win 7, $9.10
Startech.com 2-port Expresscard 54mm SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter (ECUSB3S254F), $37.24

Not flush
J-Tech Digital 2-port Expresscard SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Expresscard adapter (34mm?), $24.99
Anker Digital 2-port SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Expresscard adapter 34/54mm (Renesas drivers), price?
Oyen Digital 2-port Expresscard SuperSpeed USB 3.0 adapter, $17.95 [reputedly 4x speed of USB 2.0]
IOGEAR Superspeed USB 3.0 Expresscard GEU302, w/pwr supply, $44.24

Thanks!

 

If you want higher resolution at a similar weight I think there's a 1920x1080 screen at 13.1" available in the Sony Z. $$$ though!

On the other hand the Z won't drive any external displays higher than 1920x1200, so if it's going to be your only machine that might be a practical limitation for video editing on the desktop.

S

 

Does anyone know if the x220 can drive a dell u2711 and a u2410 monitors via ultrabase or minidock dock expansion? Can it drive a U3011?

 

2560x1600 can be done via the displayport.

 

Hi guys,
Will this RAM work in x220t ?
Corsair Vengeance 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1866 SODIMM CL10-10-10-27 1.5V Dual Channel Memory Kit - Corsair - CMSX8GX3M2A1866C10

 

My sig is just above your post!

...so that's a yes.

It will drive all of those to native resolution over DisplayPort.

2560x1600 is the max.

S

 

Folks,

I am new to this forum and have finally finished reading through the 250 odd pages on this thread.

I am looking at the X220 IPS and T520 FHD for my photography work.

Let me state that at this point in time photography doesn't pay my bills, but I consider myself a serious amateur, and am working towards turning a pro.

I am not pixel peeper and take a light touch approach to editing my photos - more at the macro / overall level.

I do understand the benefits of an external monitor as discussed in this and other threads, but may not be in a position to get one at this point in time.

Color accuracy probably the most important factor to me followed by gamut coverage.

I prefer the X220 for its portability and the contrast / viewing angles of the IPS panel. However, from my reading of owners experience with the X220 IPS, I am concerned about color accuracy in the following two specific cases...

1. Reds appearing as Oranges
2. Yellow cast to whites

The portability of the T520 FHD is holding me back, but I am willing to deal with the extra weight for benefits of the panel.

I would appreciate your views to the following three questions...

1. Given my scenario, would you suggest the X220 IPS or the T520 FHD and why?
2. Updates / information on the color accuracy issues I highlighted above
3. Ghosting and bleeding issues of the IPS panel

Thank you for your time.

Kris

 

Have owned the W520 (same screen as T520) and currently still have a IPS screen on my X220 tablet. IPS from what I have read will produce superior viewing angels and better contrast ratios over the TN panels. The T520 is 95% gamut which is a plus. Honestly its difficult to tell a difference but the W520 had a slight better screen that produced more accurate colors. When I say slight I mean slight. It was difficult for me to notice a difference. No ghosting or bleeding on my X220 display.

Compared to my Dell UltraSharp U2410 both screens look rather inaccurate in color. If you cant afford a monitor I would go with the T520 FHD. In the end screen resolution would push me that way.

Colors appear accurate on my X220 but I have read somewhere about the reds appearing orange and yellows appearing white issue.

I just got into photography and ended up with X220 tablet+monitor listed above. The tablet allows me to do any minor touch up work in the field while the monitor allows for a higher gamut/color accuracy and increased resolution.

 

If you are serious about photography, you need to invest in a colorimeter to calibrate your monitor (no matter which monitor you end up getting) and migrate to a fully color-managed post-processing workflow. Once you have a color-managed workflow and a calibrated IPS monitor, you will no longer need to worry about color accuracy.

(Calibration does not help TN monitors as much because of Gamma shifting based on vertical viewing angle. No matter how well you calibrate a TN monitor, color will be accurate only for a specific, narrow, vertical viewing angle.)

 

I second this.

@Kris: I recommend the T520 FHD over the X220 IPS, given your needs and budget. (If you're not in a rush, it might be a good idea to see what Lenovo has to offer in a few months.)

 

I would also agree that if you have an x220 as your primary machine, and you don't have an external display, that 12" display, IPS or not, will start to get really small.

 

I agree, compared to my relatively low end NEC EA232WMi, the X220 IPS seems inaccurate, but it's still one of the best laptop screens I've seen and it's a joy to use.

Mine has developed a couple of bright blotches (not stuck pixels, not backlight bleed, something that seems to be with the diffuser) that are noticeable enough to be a bother in some situations. I saw a thread on a different forum where other owners had also experienced this. It's the kind of thing that you would see from excessive pressure or impact damage on LCDs, except mine travels in a pelican case. My panel is from a system built in early October so it's the later revision. That's my only real complaint about the screen.

 

+1

If that's your only screen for photography work I think it's too small.

S

 

Just ordered this:

PROVANTAGE: Lenovo 42962W5 ThinkPad X220 Tablet (4296) -Intel-Core I5-2520M-2.5 GHZ-DDR3 SDRAM-Ram: 4 GB

i5-2520M
4 GB DDR3
160 GB Intel SSD
HD 3000

1276 shipped. CTO models cost too much through Lenovo..

 

i hope you've ordered the multitouch model. the normal model makes no sense with w8...

 

There is Multi-Touch or Outdoor screen for X220 Tablet. Outdoor screen is nearly impossible to find or is greatly overpriced..

 

Maybe he doesn't want W8... or at least doesn't care to upgrade until his next machine...

But likewise, the OD models do seem to be quite rare.

 

@Tsunade_Hime congrats!

 

Well, after using my X220 for a couple of weeks, I have the following observations:

Screen is really good, much better than my HP DM1Z (although that's not hard).

Touchpad is okay, again better than the HP, but I don't think it's as good as my Elitebook 8440p. Keyboard is 'all right' as well, I actually prefer the HP's, and some keys don't seem to register unless you push right down, where others only need a tap.

Build quality - overall I would say average. I'm comparing to HP products here (and normally the consumer grade is quite bad) but the battery is so loose it constantly bangs when lifting it up, and certainly inferior to my old Elitebook. The lid closes okay but I can see it getting quite loose as well.

Didn't come with bluetooth standard (I didn't think to check for it on the order sheet), which surprised me. I guess this is my own fault for not checking...

I opted for the 500gb drive instead of the 120/160gb intel as I thought the msata would take care of things (didn't realise how expensive they are in comparison!). It seems to go okay but really should've opted for the SSD standard - I'll probably rip out the 500gb and chuck in a Crucial M4 256gb (apparently with a bit of jiggery pokery you can install one?)

Took 16gb of RAM no problems. For demonstrating Vmware/Hyper V platforms at customer sites, this is ideal.

Overall I'm slightly regretting the purchase, even though I got it cheap. I'll be talking to Lenovo about the battery issue (which seems to be *fairly* common from what I've read on the net) but I'll probably get told to suck it up.

 

@Wally Simmonds do you have the battery locked? I have read about battery jiggle but don't really notice it on my 6 cell, my 9 cell has a tiny bit of play.

 

Yeah, it definitely is. I've 'resolved' the issue for now by placing some paper in between the battery and the laptop. In all, no big drama, I just wish I didn't have to.

 

I was under the impression that the battery looseness was intentional. I rate build quality as slightly better than my old 2510p. My main build quality concern is the amount of give on the palmrest above the ExpressCard slot.

As for the keyboard. I would complain to Lenovo. Maybe its just personal preference since I'm primarily a Thinkpad guy, but I find my X220 keyboard significantly better than my 2510p keyboard.

 

@Wally_simmonds : There has to be something wrong with your screen because mine is perfectly stiff. I do have the battery issue however but it's not too bad as I have to actually push it for it to move.


I have had the laptop for a week now and I am extremely pleased with it. Besides the fact that I am still not used to the touchpad and the ctrl key position (I know i can switch it), I see no flaw at all in the laptop.

My bluetooth doesn't work but I haven't reinstalled everything yet (I formatted right when I got it) so I'm not too worried.


The screen is amazing, the keyboard is great, the SSD (160GB Intel 320) is excellent, the cpu is awesome (i7 2640), the battery is absolutely incredible (coming from a 5.5year old Dell XPS M1210) and the power adapter is tiny

Great machine

 

Just quick comment, I have both the x220 ips and the 232wmi. Granted, the 232wmi is very cheap, but gamut wise, it covers almost the entire sRGB gamut spot on. You are correct in noting that your x220ips is inaccurate. Not so much the gamma tracking, but the gamut on the screen is very much lacking. The blue primary lies OUTSIDE the srgb space, and the reds and greens are lacking by almost 50% saturation. I measured this with an eye1display2.

 

Finally got mine and set it up. Jeez stock Lenovo image has 114 startup entries. And that 6 cell is FAT.

 

Am I right in thinking there was a thread in this forum about "X220 suddenly discharged at low percantages" or something like that? I can't seem to find it if it did exist.

My X220T was at 35% battery according to Battery Bar, and it reported having 2.5 hours left according to my power usage. However, the next thing I know both Battery Bar and Windows report I that I have only 5% battery left and warn me that it will force Hibernate or Shutdown on me soon.

I have it plugged into AC right now and it started charging from 5%, so my guess is faulty battery capacity reporting. After googling the issue I read something about bad ACPI communication leading to bad remaining capacities, but I really need to know more. Has anyone else had this issue? I have the Lenovo Power Manager with a threshold of 70%-85% charging, if that means anything at all. Thanks.

 

Something can happen any time once, but I wouldn't be concerned unless it happens again.

 

Wasn't there supposedly a BIOS to address that issue? I haven't had that specific issue yet with my X220 Tablet.

 

I have the newest BIOS; perhaps there is a bug? I searched some more and found a thread here from the lenovo forums about this issue. Some were suggesting (back in 2011) that the battery could have a faulty cell and should possibly be replaced. I'll do further testing to see if I can replicate this behavior. If so I'll call up lenovo and see what they can do.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Well then again, I ran System Update as soon as I got mine and I did a BIOS flash. Intel HD 3000 got a huge boost.

 

It happened again. After calling, the lenovo tech said I should try discharging my battery to 2%-5% then perform a Battery Reset overnight. According to Power Manager my battery is in good condition, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed the battery reset will do the trick.

Edit: It hit the 35% mark and now it won't do the immediate 30% capacity drop to 5%. Now I have to wait forever to discharge the battery lol. That's good though, honestly. I am feeling optimistic now that the issue seems to be software/calibration related.

 

This has happened to me about three times in the past month. Randomly surfing...get a windows warning of a critical battery (at 2%). By the time lenovo power manager opens up the battery jumps back up to its correct charge state.

 

Hello,
I have an X220 Tablet, I recently opened it to attach an OCZ 60GB SSD via the empty mSATA port next to the WiFi card.

My question is: Is it possible to remove the WiFi card and attach another mSATA SSD? Then I could buy an external USB WiFi receiver?

Thank you.

 

Hello everybody,
I am going to purchase a x220 but I do not know whether it has ips screen or not.
From IBM parts lookup I get the following information.
0A59810 04T3599 Win7PROx64 SP1 C&L Nordi Y
0A66673 04W3462 LCD LGD Y
0A86464 04W1420 ULTRA BASE Y
0B42385 04W3767 Not Safety Requirements Y
0B42520 ... ... Y
0B42528 04W0688 FRUPlni7-2640MNVwAMTwTPMUSB3 Y
41R0642 0000000 MEMORY I/C;DDRIII 1333; LOW HALOGEN;SODI N
42T1203 42T1204 FRU 320GB HDD Tray-SATA7 C320AF Seagate Y
42T1365 ... ... Y
42T4868 ... ... Y
42T5126 0000000 LINE CORD:LINE CORDS N
42X4525 0000000 LABELS; ENERGY STAR LOGO LABEL - SYSTEM N
45N2115 45N2150 KEYBOARD FRU Y
45N7452 45N7453 CD/DVD DRV RAMBO-VI FRU Y
60Y3252 60Y3253 WLAN ICA-N Y
60Y3270 60Y3271 FRU Bluetooth Card Elpis 3.0 Y
71Y3514 0000000 COA LABEL:LABELS N
92P1154 42T5283 AC ADAPTER 65 WATT 3 PIN FRU Y

It doesn't say IPS screen.
Can anyone help me please?

Thanks in advance.