X1 Carbon vs T430u

X1 Carbon vs. T430u

I'm a little confused. I've always thought they are the same product but not anymore?

Is the T430u basically a lower spec X1C? It's nice that the T430u starts at $800 vs $1300 for the X1C.

Is the chassis the same? Or slightly different? Will the T430u offer a 1600x900 option? It'd be nice if an IPS screen is offered as well like the X230.

 

The T430u has nothing going for it. It's the same weight as the T430s, but lower resolution than both T430s and X1C.

 

To me the ThinkPad T430u looks like the IdeaPad U410 dressed up in ThinkPad clothes. I'm surprised Lenovo is releasing it now seeing the specs and how close it is (and inferior) to other T series and X series offerings. The only advantage it may have is price so far as I can tell.

 

For a little over half the price of the X1C you get the following with the T430u

ethernet
HDMI
1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 620M graphics
easy access to the HD/RAM
Two USB 3.0 ports (vs. only one on the X1C)
better battery life
possibly a better keyboard (see LaptopMag's criticism of the X1C keyboard)

The negatives on the T430u? 1lb heavier, slightly thicker (0.83 inches). Anything else?

I imagine you're paying extra for Nvidia? But will the SSD cost extra?

Also, the thunderbolt port that was originally announced at CES has been dropped for just a display port.

Lenovo ThinkPad T430u brings X1-Carbon-on-a-budget this month - SlashGear

 

It will have backlit keyboard.

Curious if they will offer the X1 screen

 

I guess what I'm saying is the T430u is kind of a different class to the X1 Carbon, you can certainly fit more ports when you make a laptop thicker, and it blurs the line with the T430s, though I'm guessing corners were cut on build to get the price down on the T430u so it won't be as premium as the T430s.

I'm not too excited about the Nvidia 620M graphics, it's an entry level card and looking at its average 3DMark Vantage scores of 4,248 that's barely better than the Intel HD 4000 that scores just under 4,000. I'll take the battery life and lower heat benefit of the HD 4000 over this graphics card I think. You can also pickup some of these budget level Ultrabooks such as the HP Envy 4t and Lenovo IdeaPad U410 for around $700 so there's further competition there.

 

No, it won´t.

 

Considering all of the other new thinkpads offer a backlit option, it seems strange this model wouldn't. But I find this model strange anyway.

Someone needs to create a video that morphs from the W530 down through the models into the X1 Carbon.

 

Thinkpad edge S430 (not available in the US) does not have a backlit keyboard (not even an option) and that's been released 1 month ago, in fact as you said the backlit keyboard is an optional extra on most Thinkpads anyway, however all thinkpads pretty much come with thinklights and a spill resistant design.

You shouldn't be typing in the dark anyway, it's bad for your eyes.

 

by the sounds of it, it has dual storage bays!

 

This thing would be killer if it offered the X1C's screen.

Do we know if there's a dock port on the T430u? And do we know what network card it will use?

 

I think some of this info is incorrect but it is on an official Lenovo site.. Says 2x8GB sticks which I really need, and HD+ screen, but refers to T430s also :-(

ThinkPad T430u - hard-working, rock-solid business laptop from Lenovo (SG)

 

if true, then T430u is very interesting.

 

Indeed.

I just canceled my X1C order due to the shipping delay. Part of the reason was to get more time to see how the T430u stacks up against the X1C.

Another thing I'm particularly interested in that the T430u might have going over the X1C is a better keyboard. A number of reviewers (i.e., Laptop Mag, Laptop Reviews, NotebookCheck) have commented on is how the X1C keyboard, while great for an ultrabook, falls short of the other thicker Lenovo laptops due to the limited room for key travel.

So, compared to the X1C, if the T430u could deliver:

a much better typing experience
the X1C screen (or better yet, IPS)
3-4 hours more battery life than the X1C (based on the T430s battery life with the additional 3-cell battery option)
easy to access RAM slots and expansion possibility up to 16GB
ethernet, HDMI, and an optical drive
128GB SSD

all for around half the price of the X1C.

the the extra thickness and heaviness (1lb) of the T430u could be worth it.

the main question i have with the T430u at this point, besides real world battery life experience, is how does the touchpad compare to the generally highly praised X1C's?

 

something looks off here.

the machine and specs in the above link are different from this one:

ThinkPad T430u - powerful business-class Ultrabook from Lenovo (US)

for example, the encasing around the screens look entirely different. these look like two different machines but maybe that just reflects the two different display options?

will an optical drive be an option with the t430u? it also looks like this has a full display port and mini display port (and the HDMI)?

 

I find Lenovo's site quite unreliable at this point. For example the T430u page lists "Up to 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7"?

What is the difference between the T430u and the T430s anyway? Besides the slightly larger trackpad..?

 

in addition to the bigger trackpad on the u i can think of four differences with the s:

1. HDMI on the u vs. VGA on the s
2. possibly better screen (X1C's or IPS)
3. no optical drive, the removal of which allows the u to meet Intel's definition of an ultrabook.
4. SSD standard, which is also an ultrabook requirement.

 

LOL, crappy display on the T430u...14.0” HD (1366 x 768) (200 NITS)

See:

http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/t-series/t430u/t430u-datasheet.pdf

 

yeah, the base display is a non-starter, but supposedly they are also offering an HD+ display with the same resolution as the X1C. hence the speculation it could be the same display.

 

According to Lenovo's website: Laptops | Professional-Grade PCs | ThinkPad T Series | Portable Powerhouse | Learn | Lenovo (US)

The u seems to lack a few of the security features... specifically the roll-cage. Interesting why Lenovo would decide to take that out. I thought it was quite an important feature of the Thinkpad construction?

 

It has not the roll-cage of the other T-Series. It has a auminium "sandwich" construction (see the HMM of the T430u: http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/t430u_hmm_0b48901.pdf or the T430u service videos: ThinkPad T430u Ultrabook Training RTPW1050).

 

That is some great intel!

Particularly pleased with this gem from the manual:

Note: There are two memory module slots under the keyboard. If only one memory module is to be installed on the computer you are servicing, install it in the memory module slot on the right.

This means 16GB RAM is 90% likely... great!

Also other nice things:

User-serviceable mSata & SSD/HDD enclosures (2 drives! yay!)

Date of the manual is August 2012, so recent, and likely to be accurate.

All I need now is HD+ resolution and I'm sold.. don't need IPS on the X230, but NEED 16GB, and prefer higher res than HD if possible.

 

Actually I got a bit carried away there... looks like just a 3 cell battery and no HD+... back to the X230 then for me... although for some stupid reason I can't get this in the UK with the IPS panel AND the webcam.

 

I really don't understand Lenovo (or any other PC manu. right now)... All you need for a top selling machine are as follows...

Thinkpad roll case and mil spec toughness.
A large responsive track-pad (like that of a x1c)
A nice keyboard (they already do this)
A good display 13-14" (1600x900 is fine) that doesn't wash out.
Two user accessible DIMMs for Ram.
MStata slot
2.5" slot (even if it can only support 7mm drives)
5 hour battery that is removable.
Keep it under .85" thick.
Normal i3-i7 offering
Normal Bluetooth Option
Normal MBroadband option

Nothing else is really that significant. And if this could be built for $1000 base price, they would sell a boat load.

 

Amen to the above! Why don't any companies get this? Damn!

 

Any hint at a release date for this machine? "Coming September 2012" is quite vague considering it's almost a third of the way through the month.

 

If this sucker supported an option for a higher resolution display... I would be a potential buyer.

 

They would, but its difficult to have common competitive pricing when you're offering specialised solutions. Even if you manage to provide advanced manufacturing to produce these babies for $1000, Some other brand would be able to offer the same essentials in a plastic box for half the price.

 

$1000 base pricing really isn't that far out.

With a coupon code, I just configured a t430s i5/nvidia graphics unit build out almost identically to what I listed plus a dvd bay battery for less than $1000. Mind you, a base model would only need an i3 and integrated graphics.

So if they redesigned it thinner, removed the DVD drive and used some of the space for extra cells of battery, and throw in the x1 carbons touchpad.... they are there.

 

I agree, its not far out.
The X1C is a turning point for Lenovo. Part of the premium cost might be from the infrastructure investment in being able to mass produce the things.
Tbh, I'm expecting a lot of good things from Lenovo in the near future. Even if their development looks slow compared to Samsung or Asus, they're getting a lot of things right.

 

Really, just putting screens that are on par with the x1c and dropping its trackpad into all its laptops would be huge.

 

Is true T430u going to use the X1C's trackpad? It looks similar in the photos, from what I recall.

 

Exactly the specs I have been hoping for with no luck. You would think that is not so difficult but whoever is in charge of these product lines at Lenovo is clueless. I returned my X1 Carbon. It was "pretty good" but why couldn't they have just let us upgrade the RAM and SSD? They used some new bogus SSD that is unknown in the parts universe. If I could have just upgraded RAM and the SSD with a mSata I would have been happy. The screen was OK but I think it would have been asking way too much for a high-end display option. Sheesh.

 

I have a T420s and the the specs on this new T430u are hardly different. In fact, the T420s is slightly lighter. And it's 2 years old. I've got an X1 on the way and it should be a significant improvement over size/weight of the T420s.

 

Does anyone know if the T430u will be 21mm thick over the entire body? ( http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/t-series/t430u/t430u-datasheet.pdf)

The T430s ranges from 21mm to 26mm and can get quite thick on some parts (compared to the X1 Carbon, of course). But if the T430u is only 21mm all the way through, the the different would be negligible.

 

Apparently it's supposed to be a cheaper version of the X1 Carbon...it's half the price.

 

X230 data sheet that I'm using for comparison

-I'm guessing its 21mm throughout. The X230 thickness dimension is 19-26.6mm, so if it wasn't 21mm throughout, we should have gotten a range for the T430u thickness as well.
-The X230 datasheet mentions the IPS display, the T430u one does not mention any upgrades. So either the T430u page main image is wrong, or the pdf is wrong. I'm hoping the pdf.
-The battery is 47whr. This is about the same as the X1 Carbon battery (45whr), which also has very similar internal components. Based on the X1C battery life from reviews I would guess 5-8hr of battery life.

 

Perhaps it will have better quality than the X1C..everyone is complaining about the carbon

 

Unfortunately, Lenovo has never used good screens..they are all bad except for the ips on the X series but even those are low resolutions

 

Really? Where?

 

This is not right. 15,6" HD+ and FHD screens are not bad, they are good indeed.

 

You don't have to look too hard. Lots of complaints about the screen door effect. I have an X1C and while I LOVE the resolution, the screen door effect is pretty bad.

 

That question has to be balanced with how many CX1 have been sold. X1 C must have been sold several thousands already, judging from those who ordered on Aug 14 and still are waiting for their units.

 

I got one too, and I notice the screen door effect as well. However, despite that I am still okay with the screen - and so are many others. So yes, whilst people notice the screen door effect, it is not the same as saying "everyone is complaining about the carbon" which implies a much more negative attitude.

 

I'm not seeing how it's not negative. The X1C screen has an issue. That many choose to live with it doesn't mean they are happy with it. I can't remember a recent laptop with as many screen complaints as the X1C.

 

The X220/X230 1366x768 only thing is still severely complained about. VAIO SE/S15 IPS Orangegate got a lot of complaints. Compared to those, I would say the X1C screen has had barely any complaints at all.

 

I think the only thing I would say to that is that the X1 Carbon is supposed to be the 20th Anniversary premium notebook. In those terms, there shouldn't be any complaints on the screen let alone the widespread complaints that we are seeing.

 

We must be reading different things.

My company has literally hundreds of the X220/X230 around and the screen is so much better than the X1C.

 

How about this review of X220 on cnet.com

"noting good on it to type about it..."
1.5 stars
on December 27, 2011 by TZ24

Pros: Just have a good battery

Cons: In this laptop noting good on it, just good for kids to typing with it, no good graphic no speed no design, bcz it's Lenovo.

Summary: After IBM sold his Laptop company to Lenovo I'm not seen a good laptop from it...

'noting good on it to type about it...' - Lenovo ThinkPad X220 user review and rating - CNET Reviews

This guy/gal claims the keyboard on X220 is only good for kids to practice typing.

 

Definitely higher in quality, but lower in pixels. Personally if the main draw of the X1C for me is the screen. Quantity > Quality.