Two questions about the X300

1) What is it, aside from the SSD, that makes the X300 so much more expensive than the X61?

2) Does Lenovo only offer the SSD on the X300 because it does not even support a standard 2.5" HDD?

I would love to see a more affordable 13.3" ThinkPad.

 

bigger screen?
LED backlit display?
Next-generation ThinkPad "roll cage" technology?
GPS?
WWAN?

Lenovo Compare

 

They will offer HDD models later most likely. The SSD is why it costs so much.

 

The bigger screen cost should be minimal. As a matter of fact, at that size, a bigger screen is usually *less* expensive.

LED display? Couple hundred, maybe.

Roll cage? The materials can't cost *that* much.

GPS? I guess I just don't see what the big deal is with integrated GPS to make it worth much as a feature.

WWAN? I believe that's an option that would jack the price up even more.

Starting configurations have the X300 twice as expensive as the X61. Sure, the SSD is gonna account for $400 or so of that difference, but I'm just not seeing the rest.

 

Unless you have tons of money to blow, it really isn't worth a two thousand dollar increase over the X61. The X61s with the 8 cell also has a MUCH longer battery life.

 

Yeah, I wish I *did* have the money to blow. That's one slick machine.

 

I believe the higher cost is in large part attributed to the R&D difficulty in optimizing the board layout to fit in such a small area.

 

I believe the HDD will be the 1.8" one instead of the 2.5", which isn't that great in performance.

 

Also, how the the LV processors compare to the mobile C2D's in terms of performance?

 

LV processors are exactly the same as their "normal" counterparts. However, as the name implies, they run on a lower voltage. This makes the more power efficient but also more expensive.

When Intel (or AMD) sample chips they get a wide range of quality. Some chips have defects and must be sold in lower-end bins. Others, like the LV chips, turn out good and can run well at a lower voltage.

 

Ok. I lied. Turns out I had more than two questions.

How would one go about getting the best possible price on an X300, short of resorting to eBay? Speaking of which, is there really anything to worry about buying one from a highly reputable eBay merchant?

 

Just keep checking the Lenovo sites for price drops. The X300 is a fairly newer model, so it's unlikely that lenovo will drop the price much on them anytime soon though.
As far as buying on E-bay is concerned, it's a crap shoot. Some people have bought great laptops from good sellers, others have not. Just when you do want to buy a computer on E-bay, triple check the sellers information first (his/her feedback, etc.). Most people that sell T61's, etc. on E-bay are trustworthy, but there is always that one person that craps in the apple pie and makes life difficult for a potential buyer. Just keep your eyes open for a good deal, and if you see a deal that's "too good to be true", it more than likely is, so stay away from those deals.

 

Well, a couple hundred bucks in savings isn't enough to get me to buy it on eBay rather than straight from Lenovo, so it would only be for a *very* good deal and only from someone who has clearly established themselves as a high-quality merchante (high number of positive feedbacks, etc.).

 

I bought mine with a 6 cell and no DVD drive for $1989 using an employee discount. For some reason when the x300 first came out it cost about $2500 and the EPP reduced it an extra $500. Now it is way more expensive.

 

What do the 2 X300 models sold at Newegg NOT have?

Andrew

 

Only that I would be buying it from a reseller rather than direct, is all. I did not know NewEgg sold ThinkPads. Thanks for that info!

 

They are missing something, WWAN or GPS or something.

Andrew