X-220/X1 Quality These Days

Hi,
I've been wanting to make the "big switch" to TPs for some time now but have become addicted to ultraportables so the X1 or X220 are the only choices on my radar screen. Went through 2 X220s this past summer and had quality problems that were fairly common at the time: backlight bleed, m-sata not working with i7 models, build quality not up to what I'd heard. I'm not aware of any wide spread quality issues with the X1, and I prefer its keyboard (backlight included) and audio quality, but not so much the glossy screen and need for a sheet battery to get more than 4 hrs. (Bear in mind, been using a Sony Z11 for 6 months and no screen will not feel like a come-down.)

Overall, the X-220/IPS should do it (hard to argue with $731 - well, $1.400 after SSD + wtty, but again, I'm used to nosebleed altitude Sony Zs!) but I really don't want multiple returns if I can avoid it.

What's the latest feeling about quality on the X220?

 

The latest X220's quality is pretty good, the IPS LCD do still have issues with backlight bleed, but build quality is really good. Well at least that is the case with all 5 X220 that i have seen that is delivered in the last 4 months.

X1 wise, the quality is top notch, but the screen resolution is a bit limited.

 

My x220 that I received in November has very little bleed at the bottom. I probably would not have given it a thought if I didn't know to look for it. I hate the resolution, but I knew that going in.

 

Hmm...good news and bad. Regrettably, I'm coming from a 13" 1600x900 Sony Z11. What did you have to adjust from? There's nothing wrong with my Z - to the contrary, everything right with it - but it's not very durable and I have to do a bunch of traveling, so I need the knock-around quality of the TP - provided it works well, which it sounds like it does. Sounds like I go with the $731 version and do w/o the SSD or the extd. wtty and use it like a "rental" car when I travel. It will feel so nice to come home to my Z.

 

Comparing an old R52 to a T510 or a T520 I would have to say that the older Thinkpads were stronger thicker plastics thicker chasis. All these days they all use recycled plastics and less than thicker plastics than before.

 

I'm coming from an x120e. Same resolution, smaller screen.

 

The R52 only have the ABS/PC casing to give rigidity to the laptop, later laptops have both the ABS/PC casing with internal magnesium rollcage.

 

Ah, but you're forgetting the strength added by the IBM logo!

On a more serious node, while many of the pre-2005 designs "felt solid", I'm rather confident that most of the newer designs are stronger than their older counterparts. The X200 that I owned was definitely a more durable design than the X40 that I had. My T43p felt stronger than my T500 -- but the latter isn't prone to die from motherboard flex. My 600X feels "more solid" than my T420 -- yet it's got problematic port cover designs, weak screen protection, and a chassis-mounted hard drive.

Don't judge a ThinkPad by its cover or its label.

 

I would say you can't compare an X1 to an X220. X1 is based more like an Edge and is nowhere near a traditional ThinkPad whereas an X220 follows the traditional ThinkPad recipe.

X220 is the best ultraportable for the money, IPS screen for 40 takes the cake, you just will have to live with a 720p screen (which for an ultraportable is perfectly acceptable).

 

For a ultraportable machine the x220 rates as having the best value along with build quality. Compared to my x201 build quality is basically excellent for both generations.

Note: I have the tablet version which has the same quality as the x220. Only other portable machine I have seen that had decent build quality was the m11x. Besides the screen issue that thing was build like a tank.