Thinkpad X1 Carbon 2012

is there going to be a separate carbon owners thread from this one?

 

Thanks, but its the same information provided by the link in my original order confirmation e-mail. Still says 8/21/2012 even though I haven't been given any shipment confirmation.

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What is your estimated arrival date, and how many days is that from your estimated ship date?

 

i placed my order 8/16 through friends and family members site, for 3443CTO ThinkPad X1 - 1 Year Depot Warranty , just the computer, nothing else.
It shows my estimated ship date is 8/23, so I called the service center see if they can gimme an update on the status.
Upon calling the service center earlier today (1-866-428-4465), I've heard from a service center rep that they are expecting delays for this new product. Exact reason is unknown , but he told me it was due to shortage of parts etc. He told me I won't be expecting my unit until like around September. I am not sure if the information he told me is accurate, I will update you guys on this.

 

Coincidentally, while perusing around, I found this very nice graph showing the HD3000, HD4000, GTX 680M performance for a current medium-/low-spec game Darksiders 2.

HD3000: 10fps / HD4000: 15fps / GTX480M: 109fps



article on notebookcheck.net

 

It's really bugging me that we can't bump up the RAM to 8GBs on the base model X1 Carbon. I'd much prefer having 8 instead of 4, but the price increase to get to 8 is just crazy!

 

It is all the soldering, sir! Solder now fabulously expensive...

 

This is great, thanks, I was getting tired of scrolling down shipping orders status...

 

I hope that is not true. If Lenovo doesn't ship on time, I'll cancel and buy something else.

 

What will you buy in its stead? The Asus compares favorably to the X1C, but its out of stock everywhere. The Samsung Series 9 NP900X3C-A04US is a step down IMO and so is the MBA 13... The Sony S and Z series are a little too fragile IMO with the latter being ridiculously so. Curious where you will take your business?

 

i'm in a similar quagmire.

i actually went to the Sony Flagship Store here in Manhattan to see and try out the Z 2012. the Z 2012 has several issues which makes it a "no go" for me:

- the 1080 screen is "too much of a good thing": the resolution makes every single webpage unviewable. I was constantly doing the Control +++++++ thing in order to increase each website's size.

- the RAID 0 is worrisome for me. why over complicate something when it is not necessary? KISS principle: Keep It Simple! The RAID striping is scary because should something go awry, the RAID array totally breaks down and one is left with nothing. At least with RAID 1, you have something...sometimes. I'd rather have the single SSD solution of the x1c.

- fragility: it certainly felt flimsy, just as flimsy as every single other Vaio's i've ever felt, not that the initial feel would tell the whole story.

Hence, I agree with aadadams above -- there is little choice besides the x1c at the moment, when all the practical praratmeters are taken into account.

 

I wonder why the i7 is no longer available...

 

Do any other manufacturers that are using the i7 3667, have delays on these laptops?

 

the guy who looks at the world with the "glass half full" approach would say that they are switching over to a circuit board for i7/8gb RAM, and thus they are discontinuing the i7/4gb RAM boards

i'm not sure i'll wait for the i7/8gb RAM, as it may or may not happen.

 

The Samsung Series 9 NP900X3C/X3B is several steps down and also several steps up from the X1C, or at least what we know of the X1C from both reliable and questionable third-party reviews.

I think it is far too simple to say that the Series 9 "is a step down".

First off, yes, I realize we are comparing a 13.3" screen to a 14.1" screen.

- The Samsung is going to have a better screen. No question. Gripe about its grey shading, gamut, over-saturation all you want. Fantastic little PLS screen, amazing viewing angles, stunningly bright.
- The Samsung has a much less bulky power adapter.
- The Samsung is smaller and lighter. Yes, I know 13.3" vs 14.1", but the Samsung is much smaller and lighter and thinner than an Air is.
- The Samsung uses a standard mSATA SSD. I can open it up, put in any off-the-shelf mSATA SSD from Newegg, Crucial, etc. and done.
- The Lenovo is going to win for keyboard. No question.
- The Lenovo is going to win for support from Lenovo/IBM.
- Lenovo gets a knock for proprietary SSD and large power brick.
- Materials overall likely go to Lenovo, but I have no issue with aluminum and I don't knock stuff around and ding it up.
- Trackpad right now is a dead heat. People have had some issues with the Elan on the Samsung, but nothing like the Elan issues on other makes/models. The one I have used works great, and it supports gestures that will not be supported on the X1C's trackpad. For example, I had read that two-finger right-click tap is not supported?
- Also, 8GB option not available on any 13" Series 9. The 15" version can be user-upgraded to 16GB, but you lose the PLS screen, which is the real advantage that the Series 9 has over the X1C.

OK, that is not everything, but it is most of what is important, but you can see that there are several pros and cons.

 

Yes, I've had a Series 9 for over a year now, and am extremely happy with it - the keyboard, track pad, screen and general solidity are all excellent. I upgraded mine to 8GB for $40.

But I'd like to upgrade to a 1600 x 900 screen, and am basically trying to decide between the X1 and the 15" Series 9. I can get the X1 base model for substantially less, which may be the deciding factor. But I think the big and heavy power brick is a bizarre decision for them to have made. (I think having a 4GB model at all is a poor decision, but I assume that's driven by classic marketing practice.)

On the other hand, I like the one I have enough that I may just wait.

 

an old fashioned, heavy, clunky power brick is just so 1985!

there is no way that Apple can make a svelte power brick with a magnetic contact and Lenovo, after sweating it all out with the rather understated, attractively designed x1c, with all the technical expertise that went into it, including passing all the MilSpec tests, cannot come up with a superior solution. These old fashioned power bricks are ridiculous to the extreme.

one way to compel companies like Lenovo to change their power bricks:

Show the TOTAL WEIGHT of the laptop PLUS its POWER BRICK as the weight of the laptop!!

You can bet that all the clunky power bricks will become diminutive, svelte devices! N'est-ce pas?

 

They sell the accessory slim AC adapter. There is a great case to be made for picking one up for the bag and leaving the one it comes with for the desk.

 

Not nitpicking here, but I read of folks taking their own opinion as fact all to often here. IMO=in my opinion. While you make a number of comparisons in your posts some of which are quite filled with opinion I might add, to me, it is that simple. The difference between our posts is that you take your assessments/comparisons as "fact" when that isn't the case for everyone. Buying a computer is one of the most subjective activities we take part in here... I think we should all remember that.

 

If you have the slim AC/DC adapter kit all you need is the tip. It's available from Lenovo for $10 separately. It appears to be in stock.

 

But I bet you can't use the slim adapter for "rapid-charging." Rapid-charging usually requires a full-powered adapter (90w or more) which the slim adapter may not be (65w?).

 

This one appears to be 90W.

 

Aamsel has got me thinking about the Series 9 again!

 

Mine is 90 watts.

 

OK, IMO you are nitpicking.
Everything I stated is IMO, and just because I don't type IMO or IMHO does not mean it that it is not.
Every "formal" reviewer states their opinions, but it is stated as if it were fact.
Every person who posts on any forum about computers, tires, eyeglasses is stating their own opinion. They can be emphatic about certain things being true, as I was, but yet it is still opinion.
If there is any inaccuracy in what I have surmised, I am happy to be corrected anytime.

It is all about trade-offs, pros and cons, and compromise.
Each has its good and bad points.
If you want the thinnest, lightest, smallest 13" with the best screen, get the Samsung. Best little screen I have seen in some time.
If you are going to be typing 800 pages and want a better keyboard, and want better support it is the Lenovo. Like almost everyone here I haven't seen one, or its screen, so my opinion of it is sight-unseen.

 

For what it's worth:

On the Series 9 vs x1c argument, pretty much the only thing that is keeping me from the Series 9 is the fact that it doesn't have a touchpoint and the x1c does....which is a big productivity boost for me.

And I was going to go with a 15" Series 9 i5, upgrade it myself to the Samsung 830 256gb and at least 8gb 1600mhz, maybe 12gb like I have in my quad-core Envy right now, and it would still cost about as much as a 128gb/8gb/i5 x1c.

 

My opinion is that its a step down. Step is figurative not literal. Even if it weren't it's still my opinion which by definition isn't wrong as your retort contended. Either way, I appreciate your comparisons and will gracefully bow out of this exchange IMO.

 

That's why everyone's needs are often different.
I don't use a touchpoint, never have wanted in my life to use one.
That's why I didn't even mention it in my comparison.
You, and many people do use and like them.
Many "real Thinkpadders" can't do without them.

I mentioned the 15" Series 9, but only considered the 13", because the screen is so much better on the 13". It is not PLS on the 15", is much more dim, less sharp, poor viewing angles, etc. No real comparison between the two that I could otherwise make.

 

Well, I don't use a touchpoint, and I'm not even a touch-typist. I think I'd better take another peek at the Series 9 laptops (BOTH sizes!) before the next big Lenovo sale comes along.

 

i was wondering what's so magical about this so-called "slim adapter". well, if one were to read the reviews right on Lenovo's site, you'd see that folks hated these so-called "slim adapter"!

Lenovo 90W Ultraslim AC/DC Combo Adapter | Lenovo | (US)

 

the slim adapter is much heavier than the 65w adapter.

 

It's slimmer but the footprint is larger the weight is about the same... If I had to assign pros to go with the cons...
1. Thinner which would produce a smaller bulge in a slim laptop case.
2. Car compatible...
3. Airplane compatible (I think?)
4. The tips are modular so it should be compatible going forward... (reaching, I know...)

Actually, I never used it... I ordered it to go with a T420s that I ended up canceling. It's not compatible with my W510..., so my slim adapter has been in a drawer collecting dust as I waited for the X1 Carbon and T430s to be released and reviewed. Now I'm on the move to find a use for it.

 

Airplane compatible?

what can that possibly mean? with everything that i've tried to plug into the outlet next to my seat on the plane, it's been the same transformer that i use at home: my mobile phone, my bluetooth headset, or my laptop.

So...i don't understand what "Airplane compatible" would mean.

 

See this review for the 90W ultraslim power adapter. In here the reviewer talks about the Airplane compatible parts. Specifically he mentions that this adapter is EmPower compatible (which is used on some airlines).

EmPower connector type information and airlines that use it.

 

Don't over think it... It's car compatible too... It's in the description of the adapter here: Lenovo 90W Ultraslim AC/DC Combo Adapter | Lenovo | (US) Note: I already bought it and it sits in a drawer doing nothing so I have to grasp at straws for its true purpose(s).


----Quoted from link above----
Leave your multiple AC adapters at home and only take one on the road! The Lenovo 90W Ultraslim AC/DC Combo Adapter can power your notebook, cell phone, MP3 player or other peripheral devices, when it is plugged into a standard AC wall outlet or the DC outlets available in automobiles and airplanes. It is Lenovo's smallest and lightest combo power adapter yet, so it tucks easily into your carrying case for travel.

 

Awesome.

Notebookcheck just released their review of the X1C ! Much, much quicker than I though, took them forever to cover the new Thinkpad XX30 series. I have not read it yet !

Review Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

 

Only an 81% overall rating. I expected it to be higher.

 

Ditto! (10 char)

 

Well they rate it as a multimedia notebook and list the lack of the glossy Gorilla glass as a negative point....

 

... and the poor gaming performance!

I've seen a much more critical point, that's the battery runtime of only 3:22 hours. It's the worst runtime of all reviews till now!

 

While I enjoyed this most recent review in terms of a few of the specifics that others have not yet brought forward (i.e. more detailed descriptions and pictures of the Sandisk SSD, its proprietary connectors, the incompatibility of mSATA at the rear SIM card area, etc), there are other aspects that are a bit odd.

Like the above poster, why would this be bunched up with multimedia notebooks? Shouldn't this be more aptly compared with other ultrabooks/ultra lightweight notebooks? After all, at exactly 3 pounds, its level of thinness/svelteness, it is not a standard "multimedia notebook" by any measure!

 

And what's with the "DVD" noise level?? Where did that come from?

bert

 

Damn. I thought itd for sure be up around 90% where the Asus UX31A and S9 13" were. I don't believe that's right. What's weird is that their English review came out first. I feel like its usually the German review the hits firsrt, followed by English much later. That could mean a different reviewer than normal did it.

But I'm glad to see the screen did better than I thought and it has a large gamut. 681:1 contrast ratio is higher than the measurements I saw from the 3dnews review awhile back.

I guess the complaints on no gorilla glass, lack of connectivity, and temperature don't concern me TOO much. Kinda bummed to hear about the battery, but ill manage.

On the other hand..

@jacseng: Dear @Lenovo, your ThinkPad X1 Carbon chipped my watch. O.O That's how hardy it is. #truth #justsaying http://pic.twitter.com/gJcmqY5G


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As with many things, the devil is in the details... I hope folks read the review instead of purely comparing the percentage based ratings, so that they can make informed decisions. DVD noise, gaming performance, multimedia class, what gives? That battery life rating leaves a great deal to be desired...

 

For those interested, the X1 Carbon Maintenance Manual is now online: http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/x1carbon_hmm_0b48811.pdf

bert

 

i'm not sure if this is true with Ivy Bridge but I recall that the more powerful Sandy Bridge laptop processors were significantly hotter than the base processors, and this test was with the i7. so i wonder how much cooler the base i5 will be?

 

my understanding is the this particular dual core i7 is very very similar to the i5: some even say that this i7 is essentially the same as the i5 but from the better performers selected from the same batch of production.

whatever the case is, it would make sense for the i5 (2 cores) to run cooler, or no hotter at least, than the higher clocked i7 (2 cores).

 

This review is really bad:
- The X1 Carbon isn´t a Multimedia Notebook (nor a gaming notebook)
- Noise Level with DVD??? (sure, you can put in DVDs via the fan vents)
- "No Gorilla Glass" Oh yes, the X1 was bad because of its glossy display, and now, the X1 C is bad because they changed to a matte display?!

Here is a better review: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/08/a-worthy-ultrabook-appears-the-thinkpad-x1-carbon-reviewed/

 

You're right. For me, I rather have the larger 15" screen than a smaller 13" PLS.

For people who don't mind a 13" screen and for those who don't want a touchpoint, I don't see why you don't just get the Series 9. It would be the perfect ultrabook for you!

The Series 9 is so good vs the x1c (especially because of the user-replaceable RAM & SSD), that I've many times thought to just forgo the touchpoint and go with a 15" Series 9. The Series 9 also has the fastest boot time and longest battery life of almost any other ultrabook out there. That's without an "upgraded" hard drive. However, I have heard there are some issues with the keyboard & trackpad...though I can't imagine those being much worse than what I have in my HP Envy 15nr.

Don't think I can wait much longer for a X1C sale either. My current Envy is shutting down on me almost every 10min (it's the Intel 160gb SSD x25m that's causing issues)!

 

I think that's the worst review I've ever read on notebookcheck.

Compared to the Vaio Z23 the X1c scores worse at workmanship and keyboard? Really???
On the other hand its higher rated at application performance.

I would recommend the tester to send this notebook to his german colleagues and let them do the work, as customary.