Thinkpad X-series: any rumors of new slimmer design?

I have a x200 (circa 2009 model) and its screen in beginning to give me hassles--graphics color bleeding and fading color (not sure what the issue is but looks like trouble to me).

Anyway, I was wondering if Lenovo will be slimming the X2xx series any further in the near future (at least in 2012)?
Like ultrabook design without compromising on performance?--wishful thinking.

SL

 

Good question. Lenovo has been very tight-lipped about its Thinkpad refresh.

 

Rumors put the mobile Ivy Bridge announcements in beginning of June. So probably new ThinkPads announced after that. Availability: my guess would be mid- to late summer.

 

The refreshed T-series laptops are usually announced right when the new Intel platform is announced. The X-series is typically delayed by a few months. Don't expect a significant X220 redesign, though: Lenovo/IBM has historically stuck with a proven chassis for a couple years before making major changes.

 

I think we'll see the X in June, too. At least the announcement.

I still think it'll take to Q3 to start shipping IB machines. I am sticking with my prediction.

 

Seeing as IB has been delayed by quite a while, that's a fair guess for this refresh, at least.

 

Given that the X220 is the first of the new design, i would imagine the X230 would be of similar design using similar parts.

There could be a new X1 coming out.

 

I'm eagerly waiting to replace my x220 tablet with an ivy bridge version. I'm hoping the newer X2xx tablet will have a slimmer chassis and a better battery design (something that allows the laptop to lay flat on a hard surface). But this is unlikely given Lenovo's history.

I'd settle for a tablet version of the X1 with an IPS, but that's probably wishful thinking.

 

Sadly, I think it is. Lenovo is releasing the Yoga convertible tablet in October along with W8. I doubt that we will see a tablet version of the X2 refresh. I've been watching the X1 for some time now but I'm becoming more convinced that a tablet might be the better solution. If the X2 is nice enough however, I might just bite the bullet.

 

If X230 comes with physical buttons for the touchpad then I'll replace my X220 with it.

 

I hope thinner doesn't mean crap keyboards

 

Quoted for truth.

 

crap as in X1 keyboard?

 

thats everyone dream . the clickpad sucks.

 

Ugh this, I hate the clickpad, it is a major piece of junk.

 

It doesn't. The X1 keyboard is really nice to type on, what I don't like about it is the fact that it is missing keys.

Wouldn't mind 7 row chiclet at all. Has to be 7 rows though.

 

X1 keyboard is great, but the trackpoint and trackpad sucks big time... and the fact that you can't switch off the trackpad makes it even worse.

 

What's wrong with the X1 trackpoint? Seems like an unusual place for Lenovo to screw up.

 

it is recessed more than the other trackpoint on ThinkPad classic line, and it is more difficult to control. Then the trackpoint's click buttons are not curved like they are on the normal ThinkPads, which make them harder to use.

It just feels wrong, i think overall aesthetics played a greater part towards the design then usability.

Also, on the X1 there is Fn key group for switching between the ultranav options (i.e. trackpoints only, etc) and there is no Fn function for hibernating (i.e. Fn + F12).

While, the resolution of the X1's screen is low, the colour accuracy, viewing angle, and contrast is great. If you view it straight on, you probably couldn't tell much difference to the X220.

Apart from the trackpoint/trackpoint and screen resolution, everything else on the X1 is spot on.

 

I am really interested in seeing how X-series tablets (not the Android Thinkpad tablets) will evolve with Windows 8. Although Windows 7 have much better touch support than XP/Vista, touch still feels like an afterthought, a
piece of additional layer on top of the OS, and lags behind iOS/Android tablets. Windows 8 looks really promising so far, and with the trend towards ultrabooks and all these touch-related hardware advancements in the last few years, I hope to see a much thinner X-series tablets this year.

While I'm a big fan of Android, ARM-based tablets like the iPad and ICS/Honeycomb are still far from having enough power for my everyday work (I'm do academic research, and need large amount of memory and powerful CPU for data processing). This may change in less than a decade, but not in a year or two.