X200 or X61 ? for a friend

a friend of mine wants something very light but with a cdrom option in near future, i wanted to recommend the X300 for him but seems kinda out of his budget, i was going to x200 then he can guy the ultrabase

what do you think? shall he goes for X200 or X61 ?

 

If they want an optical drive then I'd look for something else.

 

The x61 will most likely be cheaper (it is being discontinued and you can pick up some good deals on the Lenovo outlet) than the x200. It offers a great value and is far better than other computers you could get at that price.

However, the x200 does offer some substantial advantages over the x61. It is on the newer Montevina platform (45nm processors, DDR3 memory, 1066MHz FSB). It has a better integrated video card (the x4500 accelerates decoding of high defenition video and is about twice as fast as the x3100). The x200 also features a wide screen (slightly physically smaller, but higher resolution of 1280x800 vs. 1024x768). A consequence of the wide screen is a true full size keyboard (the x61 is very slightly compressed) that is superb. Internal WWAN is also an option on the x200 (I would recommend you get the AT&T card as it allows you to put in any GSM SIM [including one pulled from a SmartPhone] and get internet access almost anywhere).

You also may be better served by a simple USB DVD±RW drive than the Ultrabase. This should be a few hundred dollars cheaper than the ultrabase and unless you have a use for the full docking system (digital output for an external monitor, frequently use external keyboards, mice, USB hard drives, etc. at a fixed location) and would be a good choice.

You should also look into DVD imaging software e.g. ImgBurn to create an image file and Daemon tools to mount them as a virtual DVD drive. This will allow you to carry your frequently used discs with you as files on your internal hard drive or an SDHC card (faster, quieter, and lighter than a physical drive).

If your friend really wants an internal DVD±RW, you may be able to get a decent price on the x300. Lenovo is trying to clear stock on these as well because it has been replaced by the x301. However, you should be aware that the x300 is built on the same platform as the x61 and is substantially slower for computationally intensive tasks than the x200. However, it may feel faster for more standard tasks due to the SSD.

 

i was comparing X200 with X200s seems the s version has rollcage and longer battery life but kinda double the price from what im comparing over ebay

unfortunately i cant buy from lenovo outlet as i;m not based in the US so my only option is ebay

just called my friend to pay me a visit to feel the X300, maybe i can convince him to get X300 since it has it all and i dont think h needs the power at the X200 since he is a normal office usage person

any more thoughts would be great

thank you

 

my friend decided togo with X200 due the price factor

any recommendations for external usd DVD+CD ? preferably IBM/lenovo brand ?

Thank you

 

I think he will enjoy the x200 (the lack of an internal optical drive doesn't bother me).

The main thing you want in a USB DVD±RW is for it to be bus powered and slim. This will allow you to take it with you and power it with your laptop on the off chance you need to take it with you. Lenovo sells a variety of these (mostly Targus brand), but they tend to be overpriced ( storefront). I would either pick one up from newegg that looks decent, or just do what I did and put a DVD±RW pulled from a old laptop (it should be a non-ThinkPad because it calls for a normal, rather than slim, height drive) in this $13 enclosure.

You should also look into DVD emulation software as it is a fantastic way to take your discs with you while still leaving them at home ( ImgBurn and Daemon tools are my choices).