ThinkPad X220 (i/T) Owners Thread

Given the fluctuations in product availability, it actually looks like the i7 X220 is the best deal right now. I was wondering, can any i7 owners tell me if the computer gets louder/hotter and worse battery life with the i7?

Thanks much

 

I had searched a lot on this before ordering my i7. The short answer is not much.

 

Thanks for the reply, so the i7 has similar, battery, heat and life results that the i5 does? I think I might go for the i7 in that case given the tiny difference in price

 

the heat output difference between the i5 and i7 X220 is minimal, so is the performance difference. The only benefit is the usb 3.0 port on the i7 X220.

 

thanks, the USB 3.0 might be worth the minor upgrade price

 

Just got my X220 i7 w/ IPS about 30 minutes ago... the screen is BEAUTIFUL! I've always had larger systems, can't believe how light this thing is even with the 9 cell battery! ... I think that I'm going to love this thing for a long time

 

Good to hear! I was thinking about the 9 cell upgrade. Did you experience a long wait since you customized? We were talking about that on one of these threads

 

I ordered on June 5th, missed the first delivery attempt that was made yesterday, so it was ready for me (on a customized configuration) in 9 days including shipping to the US.

 

Depends on the use. The HT is nice to have when you are loading the machine with work.

 

All Corei mobile chips have HyperThreading...

 

Ok, after testing and inspection found one thing wrong with my X220, however I don't think it's a big enough deal that I'm going to do anything about it because I don't want to risk fixing it and breaking something else --- My Battery light on the outside of the cover does not work... Anyone else seen that?

Nevermind, it comes on when it's on battery ... I guess this is just different than my other ones where the battery light is lit or flashing when plugged in.

 

Thanks for all the tips guys I went ahead and ordered the i7 with a battery upgrade. I'm looking forward to its arrival!

Edit: Here are the specs:
Processor

Intel Core i7-2640M Processor (2.80GHz, 4M Cache with Turbo Boost up to 3.50GHz)

Operating system Genuine Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)

Operating system language Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 - English

Display type 12.5" HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, 2x2 Antenna

System graphics Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor graphics with dynamic frequency

Total memory 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)

Keyboard Keyboard - US English

Fingerprint reader UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader

Camera 720p HD Camera

Hard drive 320GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm

Battery 9 Cell Li-Ion Battery

Power cord 65W AC Adapter - North America, Latin America (2pin)

Bluetooth Bluetooth 3.0 wireless

Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN

Language pack Publication - US English

 

@ computress

Did you choose the premium display or the first choice on the list? I underlined the IPS versions in red in the accompanying screenshot. I strongly urge you to double check your order as the IPS is far superior to the TN display.

 

thanks for reply--I don't think I selected that! How big of a difference are we talking>?

 

The difference is significant! The viewing angles are always better on an IPS screen versus a TN panel. Here is a video showing a side by side comparison of the X220 IPS verus the X220 non-IPS (TN) panel. It is in German but language aside the video clearly shows the advantage of the IPS panel.

Display: TN vs. IPS at Lenovo Thinkpad X220 - YouTube

 

yikes, the IPS does look better. Is the IPS matte as well? It's a bit hard for me to tell in that video

 

Matte.....

 

hi all,i have a question..is that true if i use 90 watt adapter will makes my x220 works at maximum performance?...in my mind, it means my laptop working at not high performance now, because i only use 60 watt adapter..

 

It used to be a bug that the i7 models would throttle if not 90w. That has been fixed now. Max performance works even on the 65w adapter.

 

ok thank you for your information.so, i can save my money.

 

You got a few details wrong. Throttling is a Problem with all Processors, not only the i7. I have an i3 and I'm still getting Throttling problems with my 65W Adapter without a battery. I have the newest BIOS installed.

Just leave the battery attached and you don't have to worry about anything.

 

anybody, please tell me what is mSata cache?i do not understand about combination between mSata ssd and also hard drive conventional...where is the operating system installed?

 

As far as I know, Intel Smart Response isn't supported on the X220 because there is no RAID setting in the BIOS. The QM67 chipset should support it in theory.

Instead, install the OS to the mSATA SSD and use the HDD for data and large applications.

Here's an article on SSD caching: AnandTech - Intel Z68 Chipset & Smart Response Technology (SSD Caching) Review

 

Thanks for the link. It was an interesting read. I also installed the OS to the mSata. My only regret is not getting a larger mSata drive since I had to install three larger applications to the hard drive.

@gradyutuna: I would consider purchasing a MyDigitital 128GB mSata over the Intel 80GB mSata. It is surprising how fast 80GB can go. Otherwise, the mSata has been the best laptop related hardware purchase I have made in years.

 

anybody, have u install widi driver on thinkpad x220?i just try to upgrade driver via lenovo update centre and found 3 driver(2 widi and 1 wifi). Is is true?

unfortunately, sellers in Indonesia only sell mSata with 64gb as the highest memory.not more...so sad..the distributor told me that i have to wait until this october to get 128gb..i think its better to wait and take it later...honestly, i need big drive.

btw please add my pin...maybe we can create a group for x220..i will be the moderator.please add 261a9380

 

You can't buy anything from the US?

 

sure, i can order anything from ebay or amazone, but the stumbling blocks is from law customs.They tend to block every goods from outside Indonesia.In the end, i must pay tax for more than $100..it does not make sense.

 

Recently installed this update on my x220 and experiencing random crashes and lockups:

Intel - Other hardware - Intel(R) Active Management Technology - SOL

More information:
http://winqual.microsoft.com/support/?driverid=20450417

And ideas what is happenning? I dont have system restore and i cant seem to find a way to uninstall the update. I have tried reinstalling all the chipset drivers on the lenovo page but im not sure it will help. My machine is basically stock with a crucial ssd and upgraded ram. Never had a problem prior to the update. Its just an assumption that its the driver but i could be wrong. Any ideas?

 

Hey guys, I'm planning to call support to request a new keyboard because the trackpoint on mine keeps moving in the opposite direction once I move the cursor somewhere and let go. Is this normal?

If not, is there anything I should know about FRUs for these (which is better etc) and will they mail it to be replaced by myself or do I have to have someone come and do it? I've already taken the keyboard off myself so I'm hoping its the former.

 

Mine does that sometimes, mostly when I haven't let go of the trackpoint for a while. I have my sensitivity on max and tend to not rest my finger on the nub.

 

neither do i, try to call lenovo and ask them to change ur keyboard...good luck

 

Hi,

I had the same question and AFAIK, this is "normal". If you rest your finger on the trackpad, or keeps it in one direction for prolonged time for any reason, it will reset its resting position when you let go.

After knowing this, I just let it go for about 2 seconds when this happens, and all is fine. It is to be expected it seems.

Here's a thread talking about it:
forum.thinkpads.com • Trackpoint Drift [plausible solution inside]

Hope this helps

 

hi all,

any x220 user here who uses eGPU but experienced error 12 issue with unable to allocate enough resources?

I have tried to solve the issue by DSDT override but have obviously failed; can anyone provide me guidance in this?

http://forum.notebookreview.com/e-gpu-external-graphics-discussion/603730-diy-egpu-troubleshooting-faq.html#q3

eagerly awaiting to put my egpu in action, since i only have a week's break

thanks all

 

xilef0610, what BIOS revision are you on? BIOS 1.23 through 1.28 seem to be the ones that have a known good TOLUD, I'm not sure about 1.29 or later.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/e-g...851-diy-egpu-experiences-653.html#post8053646

Betreff: Request to fix TOLUD in newer BIOS files - Page 17 - Lenovo Community

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/8duj17uc.txt

 

Just another data point here....

I'm using bios 1.29 with PE4L 2.1b and GTX 460.... no problems.

Version 1.31 really changed nothing except something for WAN so you should be good on that.

 

Hi I read about some people getting X220 with TN screen...is that true? i though all X220 had IPS panel

 

Not all X220 come with an IPS screen, it is an optional extra so you have to check carefully with the specifications to see if it comes with one. Lenovo label their IPS range as "Premium HD Display" so look out for that.

 

I have an X220 with TN Panel (X220i). Let me tell you this: I have never before in my life seen a worse screen than this one. Even when viewing the Screen from 90° head on, there will be slight distortion on the top and bottom part of the screen. Only the middle part is displayed correctly.

ALWAYS go for the IPS Panel!

 

The vanilla X220/i come with an option for the IPS, Premium HD as noted. All X220/i tablet versions are IPS.

 

I have a X220t, and now I'm regretting not getting the Intel Wi-Fi card in the first place. The Realtek Thinkpad b/g/n performs worst in terms of performance and signal strength compared to the Aethros card in my old T61.

So I'm planning on upgrading to a Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 - my X220t has a 3x3 antenna setup (no webcam)- , any ideas on where to get it? Would prefer one that dosen't involve any bios whitelist hacking.

 

hey allurgroceries, i am on bios revision 1.24, which is the version that i've read on lenovo's forum with lots of people complaining about TOLUD issues and someone finally fixing it in 1.24

an update on what i did with my setup
- had error 12 (not enough resources to allocate) so i tried to disable the video card's audio devices and also DSDT override, which returned with a BSOD
- downgraded to BIOS 1.24 (mentioned on lenovo's website that there was a fix regarding the TOLUD issues)
- install desktop drivers since someone mentioned that it's the same as verde drivers for newer version
- i am not seeing anymore code 12 issues, but more importantly i am not seeing the device being detected 90% of the time. i got it to recognize a few times when i turn on the egpu after i slept my x220, but when it recognized it says the device is not using any resources because it has reported problems
- now i keep trying different combinations to have my laptop recognize my egpu, i got it to detect it one or two times and i do see under device manager that my GTX 560 Se is up and working, however it quickly disappeared after ~2 seconds of showing up on device manager.

Do you think it can be an issue related to my power supply? The most thing I'm concerned about is not recognizing the egpu at all since there's nothing i can do at that point. when i turn on the egpu the light on D1 is green, D3 is orange.

with egpu plugged in, windows takes approximately 20 seconds longer to load (transitioning from the 4 dots of wisdom to windows 7 itself, there is a period of black screen). also, when restarting the computer it seems the computer is being forced shutdown twice, as it gives out the exact same sound when i force shutdown my laptop. not sure if these are normal

I don't know how much power the video card needs by itself nor do i konw how to do the calculations to see how much power is being supplied... please see below:



Thank you!

 

What is the rating of your power supply in watts?

Edit: Maybe this person is having a similar problem: http://forum.notebookreview.com/e-g...detecting-gtx560ti-448-through-pe4l-2-1b.html

 

Wanted to get some input on operating temperature of other X220 owners.

I've had an X220 for 13+ months now (out of warranty).

IIRC, my X220 used to run really cool, probably one of my favorite things about it. However, I feel like it's started to run hotter than normal. Not sure if it's because the higher ambient temps is taking a toll or if there's actually something wrong or not.

X220 I5-2410M, Bios 1.29.
Ambient temps: 86F, 60% humidity.
CPU @ 71C, ~16W (hwinfo64).

42C/108F is the max temp underneath the laptop (by the CPU), and it's noticeably warm between the memory cover and battery, and by the memory cover. I can feel air by the exhaust being warm as well.

Am wondering if someone can comment on their X220, and if there's anything I should be looking at. Thanks in advance.

 

71C is definitely hot idle. Is it always that hot? Mine tends to be hi 40s to mid 50s C depending on the ambient.

Is there anything pegging your CPU? Have you ever cleaned the exhaust vents with compressed air or a datavac?

 

Never cleaned it, but I've been pretty diligent about running it on fairly "dust-free" surfaces. I'm sure there's some dust that's gotten in but probably nothing significant. Looking in to the vents, there's no noticeable dust.

It was not at idle when I checked the temps. I'll shut it down and check the temps tomorrow morning with a cold boot to see starting temp and idle after 10 minutes, will post back.

Well, just wanted to update. CPU idle temps are hovering around 50C.

The higher temps I reported earlier were during typical use on a summer day. I was running Intel Wireless Display to my display to the tv, which was playing an xvid video full-screen on the tv with laptop lid shut off, so the primary display was widi.

I've used the laptop in the same way many times before, but the summer and higher temps I think have made it more noticeable. It definitely has to work harder to cool, and has a harder time dissipating heat when the ambient temps are 15-20F or more during the summer.

Honestly, I still feel that it is running warmer than it used to, but not too critical. Any advice on whether it's worth taking it apart to clean out the dust? I don't see any visible dust clogging the vents.

 

50 is still a bit high in my opinion, but I don't know if dust would do it. It is worth a shot though, I took mine apart after a year and it was pretty dusty. However my machine still idled at 37-40 dust or no dust with the 2520.

As an aside, even if you think you are using the comp in non dusty areas/tables, dust still finds its way in. Mine didn't look dusty from the outside, but it had a good bit on the inside.

 

I just ordered an X220 off of lenovo's website yesterday on July 10, and they're giving me an estimated ship date of October 17th o.o. Is this an error by lenovo that will just resolve by itself eventually or does it really take that long?

 

It depends. Generally it shouldn't take that long, but if you ordered a part that's back ordered, it would delay your computer. So it depends on the configuration. Anything that causes a delay should be mentioned on the site however, such as "this would delay your shipment for 4 weeks" or something along those lines.

Otherwise I would wait a few days and if nothing happens or changes, give them a call.

 

Since these type of forums are predominantly filled with problems... My i5 x220 is over a year old now. As a flight mechanic, my laptops usually have a hard life of constantly on the go with me being used hours and hours in dirty cargo jets, hotel rooms all over the world, and regular few month stays camping out in a tent in the desert. This one has held up beautifly thus far and has turned out to be the perfect balance of size and spec too. While most consumer grade laptops start feeling creaky and loose if not flat out falling apart by then with that sort of life, this one is still completely solid like new still. It's not perfect, we all know the annoyances, like weak trackpad and all, but despite that it's been one of the best laptop purchases I have ever made.

 

That's it, folks -- X220 is no longer available from the main Lenovo US website. There are still a few left in the outlet, though.