x220 or t420

I am going to be docking this at work every day and running a lot of business applications

which is better? do they run hot?

 

Well do you want a 14in or a 12in?

 

really doesn't matter. unless there's a huge difference in weight.

i had a terrible experience with a dell xps13 overheating so i'm leary of small laptops but i need something small because i have a shoulder injury.

X220 - fan constantly on / revving up and down - Lenovo Community

was there a recall of some sorts or has this been fixed?

 

I cannot comment on the 2 since I dont own either. I can say that my older 14in and 12in thinkpads run pretty decently. My 12in does run hotter then the 14in, but also weighs alot less. Im sure there are some parallels, but Ill let owners chime in.

 

If it's going to be docked everyday, you get more bang for the buck with a normal sized laptop (though x220 is very attractively priced).

x220 has it's host of issues, but avoiding the i7 will reduce headaches. The T420 has a much better cooling system, so it can handle the i5/i7 alot better than a 12.5" ultraportable ever will.

 

thanks everyone. i am curious about the temps. will it get hot if i'm running spss, excel sheets, etc, nothing graphics intensive for 4-8 hours a day?

also the t420 gets up to 4.8 lbs. is that with the largest battery?

good to know to just avoid the i7

 

I went from an XPS 1340 to an x220, and I must say this is a huge upgrade. The bottom of the x220 is slightly warm for me when the CPU is pushing 90C. Contrast that with the XPS which was burning hot just surfing the web, even with a substantial undervolt. The x220 is also much lighter, has a 10x better screen (IPS), and much much longer battery life (9-10 hours with the 9-cell). If you prefer the T420, then get that. It's basically like a bigger x220 without an IPS screen option. Everything else is very similar.

 

It's more like you had to avoid the 65W power adapter. Most of the issues don't happen if you use the 90W with the x220 (which I would recommend).

 

I picked the T420 over the X220 because it had discrete graphics, a longer palmrest, and a bigger screen.

 

I would dispute that. My X220i runs very cool and quiet, and has been a great notebook the few months I've had it. The X220 is the best notebook being sold right now in my opinion. I would agree the i7 in an Intel marketing gimmick.

 

Probably because it has a core i3.

 

okay, i'm taking notes!

another xpser! thank you for your input. i had the same problem with my xps burning a whole in my lap. i had to replace 3 mobos before i sold it on ebay. the one thing i absolutely loved about my xps13 was the size. it was perfect.

 

so people using i5, do you still have fan issues with the latest bios?

 

also are there any configs that i can avoid which would make the x220 run warmer? like a fancy video card or..

http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/poll-2950-a.html

interesting poll on my old craptop

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm waiting for my i7 x220 to come in the mail! Did I make a poor decision by choosing the i7 option?

 

I don't know if Lenovo has fixed the issue yet, but the i7 had really bad throttling issues.

 

what are you guys idle temps? or is there a thread that lists those somewhere?

 

Only with the 65W. It doesn't occur with the 90W.

 

interesting

 

Can you guys just grab the T420 with one hand and feel normal? I have to use some effort to pick my R61 up with one hand.

 

I was trying to decide between the t420 and x220 as well. In the end I went with the x220 because of the IPS. I was worried it would be too small for me because my eyesight isn't the best, but it is perfect. I love the size, and the screen doesn't cause me any strain. I think the matte is what reduces eyestrain for me. I would say if you need the higher res, go for the t420. Otherwise the x220 is awesome. Good luck.

 

Wait, so I have to go out and buy a 90w adapter when my x220 arrives for the best performance out of the machine? That's ridiculous!

 

No fan issues here. Runs quiet 95% of the time, fan is barely on while surfing the web and office work which pretty much what you are aiming to do. The only reason to go to a T420 would be for the screen (or for the option for a dedicated video card).

 

awesome, thank you

 

That's just how it is. I got a 90 watt adapter as my T410 also has that "issue" (it's by design, all thinkpads are this way) and it works. No need to have the battery in to get full performance.