W520 questions

Just a few questions for now:

1. I hear people talking about the RAID option (over say the T520) but what controller do they use for this? Is it a discrete card or just Intel (software)? How does Lenovo implement RAID (is it RAID0 between two same or different 2.5" drives or with the mSATA)?

2. What are the multi-monitor support options for their GPUs? Do both the Quadros support two external monitors (plus the internal LCD screen) natively? If there is a dock, how many monitors would that allow?

3. Does anyone use the slice battery? Is there a modular bay battery? How do you find them?

4. How is the 1600x900 screen? I assume it's 6-bit TN panel with LED backlight. I prefer this resolution over HD and FHD and would like to know how it compares to the other panels from Lenovo and its competitors (namely the HP Elitebook 8560w and Dell Precision M4600)?

If these questions have been answered previously, I apologize, and hope someone can link to the relevant discussion or just transcribe/summarize below.

 

1. Intel as far as I'm aware.

2. 2 external + internal, dock or not.

3. Some people use the slice. There isn't a bay battery. It doubles your battery life in theory.

4. It looks great to me, the blacks are nice and the colours look nice.

 

Thanks, Kira. I assumed it was Intel too and thought it would be implemented via software but there were some users in the W520 lounge saying that if you don't select that option (to do RAID) then you would not be able to do it in the future. Is there any truth to that? I would have thought that the feature set would be in the chipset (which should be included in the T520 too) and one would just have to use the Intel software to configure it, but would just like someone to clarify it.

 

I believe it is more of a BIOS thing than software. You cannot enable RAID if you do not order it. As far as I'm aware, there is only one chip used for the controller, but you need a RAID enabled BIOS for RAID to work.

 

1.- From what I've read, the W520 comes with hardware RAID only if such a configuration is selected from the factory: there is no BIOS option to select RAID otherwise. Here's a Lenovo Forum thread on this issue. The chip, though, is part of the Intel chipset (RAID is only enabled on specific models). Also, on the Hardware Maintenance Manual for the W520 (PDF), you can see that there are different part numbers for W520 models with and without RAID enabled (see Pages 117, 137-138).

2.- With both Quadro cards, with or without the dock, the W520 is limited to a maximum of two external displays and one internal display simultaneously (W520 must be in Optimus mode and not discrete-only). See this Lenovo Forum thread for the discussion.

 

Interesting, I wonder how Intel's hardware RAID stacks up against their software RAID. Thanks for the info, MidnightSun. I know in the Acer subforum there is a thread dedicated to unlocking BIOS options, anyone try it for Lenovo?

 

Since erik posted answers to several inquires about W520 RAID before (including in the Lenovo Forum thread), I'm sure he'll be able to give you a more technically-complete answer once he drops by here