X220 Reviews

I don't think thats true because Acer 3820TG is not much bigger and they cram a 6550M in there with its own fan. Plus it has the ability to switch it off and use intel for more battery life.

X220 uses newer a chipset than the 3820TG so that alone lowers temperatures. If lenovo engineers wanted to they could put a graphics card in the x220.

On another note, am I the only one who thinks the trackpoint buttons should be below the trackpad? I know it's for the trackpoint but it just looks weird like that.

 

Definitely not me. That would make the TrackPoint difficult to use because your hand would be spread out too much.

 

We're on different parts of the thread. I was only commenting on the X220z 1440x900 IPS display idea. I realize now you were commenting on something completely different.

I hate these roving threads. I get confused.

 

correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the NVIDIA graphics had something where it would only be used if needed and otherwise use the integrated graphics? I would think that would save on heat and power

 

You would be thinking of Optimus. Based on personal experience with it, the concept is terrific, but the execution is flawed. A lot of folks have had no problems, but it was very much hit and miss for me.

 

Yes, thats it. I figured it was too good to be true. But that would solve some of the heat and power issues, at least most of the time.

 

Take what I said with a grain of salt. Optimus didn't work out too well for me, but lots of other folks who use it have no problems at all. It seems like most notebook makers are incorporating some form of graphic switching in their thin-and-light machines. I'm quite frankly glad the Y460p has only a dedicated GPU. I'm more than happy to take the battery hit if I don't have to worry about whether or not the discreet GPU is active when I game.

I'd be more OK with hybrid graphics if I were in control of switching, which is something NVIDIA offered prior to Optimus (see the Alienware M11x R1). I much prefer the idea of using a keystroke to go between the integrated and discreet GPUs rather than having a piece of software try to do it for me.

 

I would agree, I didn't know that you can't manually control it. For example, I'm currently an XP user and dont play any games so I dont think anything I have requires a good GPU. However, if I recall, with Vista's Aero interface, which I think Win7 has too, requires a better GPU to run smoothly. I could really care less about my menus or icons looking pretty if it means I get more battery life. So when/if I switch to Win7 on this laptop, that might be a problem.

 

PC WORLD REVIEW
Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Review - PCWorld

4.5 out of 5 stars!

 

CNET VIDEO REVIEW (I hate this guy!):
Videos - Free video downloads and streaming video - CNET TV

 

TECHSPOT.COM REVIEW
Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Ultraportable Notebook Review - TechSpot

 

i got a question about the review units that are being sent out. a lot of the reviewers say that the review unit is valued at $1299. i just want to confirm that they all have the following:
i5 processor
320gb hdd
4gb ram
6205 wifi card
webcam
fingerprint reader

do the review units have bluetooth? the point of asking this question is if the review units that reviewers are getting do indeed have these specs then i wouldn't mind paying the 1299 to get this configuration

 

PC World

 

X220T First Impressions

 

The review needs comparison of the outdoor and indoor screens.

 

X220T long video:
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Re: Video above

Do most or all of you guys get your ThinkPads packed in the same way as the guy in the video does...with all those user agreements etc...cleaning cloth(!!!????) etc.?

 

When I bought my R60 from Lenovo, it was double boxed, but when I got my X200 from the outlet, it was single boxed.

 

@ Zaz...OT, but I could have sworn I saw a 13" Mac Air in your sig yesterday!

Edit: My ThinkPads always came single-boxed and no black-foldered "user agreements" (unless the latter is what is sent out with review units). I like that folder though.

 

Several comments:
(a) The reviewer really needs to learn to keep his zipper away from the camera view. It just doesn't look good.
(b) It looks like Lenovo wanted to move to 16:9 in order to get some extra space to place speakers, a fingerprint reader and a bigger hinge.
(c) Rotation one way is going to be trouble. I can already see many people breaking the hinge by carelessly trying to rotate it the wrong way. Maybe worth taking a warranty for this.
(d) The reviewer never mentioned what type of HDD he had. 320GB is irrelevant for the boot time assuming he had an HDD rather than SSD.
(e) According to the published spec sheet X220T does support an ultrabase series 3. The reviewer confused a slice battery with an ultrabase in the beginning of the video.

 

So far looks like a good machine. I would not get the tablet version though. As cool as it seems it's pretty much useless (to me), and just more things that can break.

 

I really want to see the machine with a delicate video card, the 6630 is what I had in mind. It would be an awesome machine if hey every did do that that. IPS with a delicate video card would be a perfect combo. Although the current setup is good, there is a trade off.

 

Befor they start improving ANYTHING, they really should up the resolution.
1600x900 (for 16:9) should be an option for all notebooks from 12".
I really would love to get a X220, it has all I need and even more, but at this resolution, I will have to stay with what Sony is giving me, and I know Sony wont be giving me service or driver support :-(

 

It must be the only regular HDD apparently being used in the x220 lineup, a 7200rpm 320gb (7mm) going by the lenovo pdfs.

They definitely don't configure them with a 320gb vertex 2

I have a feeling even the CTO will have that drive as a base standard, with the only other options being SSDs (128gb something and intels) or extra drives in ultrabay etc.

 

I don't know if this info is available on some of the previous threads. I did take a look but came up a cropper...more likely, I may have missed it...

The question I have is:

(1) Does the x201 have a mg roll cage all around it like the R400?
(2) Does the x220 have the same?

 

Errrr... I don't know which PDFs you are looking at. In tabook on page "ThinkPad X220 Tablet Accessories":

You can find tabook here: http://www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/tabook.pdf

 

Reading the tabbook, it's not apparent to me what the difference is between the X220 models 4296, 4298, and 4299.

The only difference I see between the 4298 and 4299 is that the 4299 includes some onsite service.

The only differences I see between the 4296 and 4298 are that no 4296s include the "slice" external battery, and the WWAN is described slightly and confusingly differently.

Can someone hit me with a cluestick, please?

 

Both the x201 and x220 have roll cage

 

The basic difference is (as I understand it):
(1) Type of, and duration of Warranty: (On-site vs. Depot and 1 year or 3 years)
(2) 'TopSeller' or Not. I expect to see an 'Education' series added at some point.
(3) If they were to offer discrete in addition onboard graphics, there would likely be another series as well.

 

I'm super excited for this to come out and really considering getting one with a 6 cell and slice battery even though I already have a T410 from last year. I'm really liking the reviews especially about the IPS screen and long battery life although I wish they had stuck to a 16:10 resolution and added an option for a 1440x900 resolution.

 

Does anyone know if X220 has a change in cooling system such as a better fan and heat sink?
I wonder whether this new X220 is a little quieter than X201.

 

Hey guys, so what is the size of the HDD? 2.5'' and 7mm height or the standard?

 

It's pretty much confirmed to be 7mm. It's not a huge issue though, since quite a few SSD's are 7mm with spacers that make them full-height.

The issue is gonna come for those who want the capacity of a hard disk. I think the largest 7mm hard disk is 320gb. You're best option then is to get the 320gb hard disk, and the optional mSATA SSD, to store your os and apps.

 

According to tabook, it seems that X220 can use regular docks, not just Ultrabay.
What an improvement it is!

 

and just lose the SSD that I just bought.... this is a major bummer

 

I find it somewhat funny with SSD's. Because they're so expensive, I know a lot of people will buy a big one and hold onto it for several years, moving it from computer to computer.

You'd never do anything like that with a mechanical hard drive...

 

yep its funny, but i think that given that its the only thing aside the ODD (and only in some cases) that you can carry to your next machine, you tend to keep it, since without it the value of the new machine is diminished

Not that Im in love with the extremely overrated sandforce controller, and since if I sell it to someone that dont know about the controller issues, Im going to be basically nailed to a cross, I wont do it.

Do you know that if there is an intense read and write moment, like when you are watching videos and writing stuff to the SSD, it locks? (lack of buffer memory to the controller)

Or that in some models you cant use S3 sleep, otherwise you get a BSOD? (completely terrible fimrware)

So yeah I wont sell it

 

Not to get totally off topic in the thread, but I totally understand, regarding selling things to people, when you know there is a serious issue with the item.

I've been noticing, after 3 years of heavy use on my sony vaio tz's SSD, that i do get the occasional lock up for several seconds. Figured it had to do with my SSD getting older...

 

So what will be the starting base price for this mofo? I keep reading $899 then 949$ what is it? How much do you think is the IPS upgrade?

 

If you can't understand the language, just stare. I need this thing NOW!
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I love the fact that they did a water-resistant test on the x220.

 

This might be my next TP.

Yes, I also love this part(actual test): YouTube - Review ThinkPad X220

 

I noticed that, and I really hope so. The ultrabase is just cheap feeling junk, and I don't need the portability aspect of it. I'll wait for some confirmation before I plan on that, though.

Edit: They've added the X220 to the compatibility list on the docks since I last checked, so that's enough confirmation for me.

 

Ethyriel,

Yeah they change the docking station to the regular one. Of all the documentation I read about the docking solution for the x220, they all point to the regular dock. The machine is almost perfect, but I am a light gamer so this machine is not for me.

 

Would it be possible to switch the panel by myself for a higher res panel?

 

I was thinking of doing this with a different laptop, but there is a problem with this idea, the availability of 12.5 hd+ panel. This is a relatively new format and not all panel have the same adapter, so you might not even find a hd+ panel that is compatible with the x220.

 

There is always the open-wallet-extra-wide method, Intel will be happy to sell you a 600gb 7mm SSD for around a grand

At least the 320gb 7200rpm 7mm HD seems to be bog standard, a lot of space in a ultraportable. No prebuilt model so far has less than that, or it has a SSD instead.