X220 vs T420 Size

Okay so I am having second thoughts on the X220. Can someone take a picture of the x220 next to a t420 or possibly the x220 next to a CD. This will be very helpful to see the actual size. I don't know of anyone that sells thinkpads in town so I can't really just go to the store.

Thanks!

 

Here is one next to a cd:

 

Thanks! That looks pretty small. Do you ever regret getting it? I have a T400 right now and there is still time to cancel my order and grab the T420.

 

I went from a T400 to the X220. The size and weight difference is just unbelievable if you move around a lot.

 

I can take a picture of a T420s next to an X220 if you like?

 

That would be amazing. The only difference between the T420 and 420s is the the thickness correct?

 

It is pretty small, but I couldn't believe how much better the keyboard felt compared to other small laptops. It felt like I was typing on a 15 incher!

 

There's a reason for that. (It's got the same exact keyboard as the T520.)

 

As someone who bought and subsequently sold the X220, I would recommend the T410s/ T420s. It's of similar weight, and the form factor is much friendlier to use. If the x220 would be your main computer, and you don't plan on getting a dock, the screen (16:9 12 inch vs 16:10 14 inch) and the keyboard/ palmrest might disappoint you.

 

Will I still have to pay the restocking fee if I get the X220 and exchange it for a T420?

 

Most likely, yes. The only way I've seen anyone get out of it is if they ordered a more expensive machine before returning the other, but I don't have any firsthand knowledge.

 

I know a few people who did manage to avoid the restocking fee when returning a Thinkpad for another more expensive model... but don't count on it.

EDIT: ZaZ ninja-ed me

 

One of my professors has a T420, and it is thicker than his old T400 and my T61, and definitely thicker than my X220.

The screen on the T420 is also inferior to the X220's, and the viewing angles are very poor. Today, we were going over some data on his laptop, I was sitting across from him, and it was difficult to see his screen unless he turned it almost all the way to me.

The trackpad might be better on the T420 though, I'm not sure, but any ThinkPad has a better trackpad than the X220 at this point.

 

Yeah, the IPS option on the X220 does make it an attractive option for a lot of people.

 

I disagree. It does not have any ghosting or similar issues, and is still plenty bright and sharp enough for me (I rate it as very close to an old Dell UltraSharp display I had). Add in the higher resolution, and to me it's superior to any 1366 X 768 screen for doing work. No issues with poor viewing angles either-- maybe your coworker's and mine were made by different manufacturers, I wouldn't know. I certainly don't have to turn it to directly face someone sitting next to me.

The X220 screen is a tool of the gods to some, but to others it is a fairly subpar IPS screen with limited resolution. YMMV.

The touchpad and palmrest are indeed better on the T420 (I had the pleasure of trying out an X220 before buying), although I wouldn't call the touchpad a great design either. It's not recessed and has a nasty texture, but at least it has buttons.

 

This has also been my issue, but I am going with the x220, I just feel the x220 is more high tech better battery life. I mean the screen is only a couple of inches bigger. I also feel the x220 is a better unit, it "feels" better.
Just my two cents

 

More "high tech" XD . The T420 is rock-solid, and certainly no worse built than the X220, which is known to have more flex in the lid (not saying this is necessarily a design flaw, but it's certainly not better built).

 

X220 and T420 side views. Here you can see the much more wedge-like shape of the X220 (obviously these two pictures are not normalized for actual size comparison). In the X220's favor, it is noticeably thinner on its thin end.

Still, as you can see, because of the battery design it has a bit of a pooch. I switched to ordering a T420 when I realized that like the X201 I own, the X220 would be no easier than the T420 to slip into my work bag due to its thicker end. I chose to carry around an extra 1+ pounds essentially in order to get the bigger screen, bigger palmrest, and touchpad with buttons. Different strokes and all that.

From http://laptoppics.com/laptop/lenovo-thinkpad-x220-pics-prices/ :


From http://www.notebookmag.in/new-lenovo-business-machine-lenovo-thinkpad-t420/ :


Here are the same photos, with the laptoppics T420 image normalized to present a true size comparison (I actually looked up the dimensions of each and counted pixels on this one, so I hope I made someone happy):

 

Don't confuse the presence of flex with a lack of build quality.

The machines are built to different design criteria. The X220 is supposed to be small and light, and is not designed to be the same (structurally) as the T420.

The X series have always had less protection (compared to the T series). It comes with the subnotebook territory.

 

Less protection = less build quality. It's not like there is zero wasted space in an X220 chassis; they could have added 1mm more of carbon fiber or something to the lid; etc. Sure, they chose tradeoffs-- and one of them was for less robust build quality to save some space and still come in at a certain price point.

In any event, there's no need to lecture me, of all people. Perhaps you didn't read all of the text to which you replied. Also, I was responding to an assertion that the X220 is built better than the T420.

 

IMO the x220 "feels" much thinner than it actually is. The pictures don't really do the justice, and if there is some store selling them, I'd definitely recommend holding one in your hand before you make a decision.

 

QFT!

how so? it feels like a t420 with the sides chopped off and palm rest shortened to me :/

 

whoa whoa... ppl lets not start a flaming thread here.

Obviously some people here like the X220 better than the T420, and there is another camp that likes the T420 more than the X220. But in the end, they are both good laptops that targets different market segments and there will be design trade offs to address the different needs of the market segment.

I mean there is no point festering over these differences and get all fired up about these things.... the only thing that you would get out that would be bunch of people not liking each other, but the laptop would still stay the same its warts and all.

So lets just keep the discussion cordial and not fight over minor differences.

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For reference, the X220 is thinner than the T420. The X220 with the screen closed has the same thickness as the T420 base thickness. The T420 gained some thickness due to the use of the ultrabay enhanced optical drive slot. The T420s on the other hand has about the same thickness as the X220.

 

Your assertion is as correct as the prior statements that the X220 is built better or is "more high tech". You can refer to the images on the last page, which were measured to the pixel level. You may be forgetting about the quite large battery bulge on the bottom of the X220, which contributes to much more thickness on its rear edge.

 

I think instead of counting pixels and work of that image, get these two machines and sit them side by side. I have used both of these machines and don't really need to count the pixels to tell you this. Also, when you count the thickness of the X series machine, try not measure with the 6 cells or 9 cells battery inserted, since they would give a false indication, use a 4 cells instead. Better yet with no battery inserted at all.

Here is how i usually measure thickness.

Also, i usually measure the thickness of the machine without the rubber feet, just like one measures the actual height of the person without their shoes on.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48896534@N06/5155651451/in/photostream

 

Well, sure-- anyone can say any number of incorrect things without doing any work at all. As shown irrefutably by the pictures I posted of actual real-life machines, your statement about thickness is false.

Almost nobody uses a four-cell battery due to the horrible battery life. Thus the only true indication of real-life thickness is using the nine- or six-cell battery. Do you use a four-cell battery in day-to-day use? If so, you are probably in the good company of much less than .1% of users. Or perhaps you run with no battery inserted.

Yes, I'm sure you can come up with all sorts of justifications to ignore the huge battery bulge on the X220. They're wrong, but you can certainly measure whatever you like to measure instead of the actual thickness of the machine as used in the real world, which is what actually matters to people.

 

im going to use a 4cell and use the 6cell as backup when i go to uni

 

You're in a tiny minority, choosing to greatly hobble your battery life in order to get a little more thinness. Most people don't hobble their machines that way-- and notice that getting a nine-cell battery with the T420 doesn't increase the thickness at all. For people who actually have to work on their laptops, battery life is important; YMMV for checking email down at the local Starbucks once an hour.

You've been forced to accept terrible battery life because of the huge bulge on the standard 6- and 9-cell batteries.

BTW, you're better off with the nine-cell battery for university use.

 

i think most people care more about weight (and not thinness) when using the 4 cells versus 6 cells or 9 cells.

Lenovo won't increase the thickness of the T420 anymore, since it is already a fairly chunky machine compared to the older T series Thinkpads.

For most people weight and battery life are important that is why they have a X series.

 

Once more you show your bias, and make a grand pronouncement without any basis. BTW the T series is the best selling line of ThinkPads, and has been for as long as I can remember. This is despite the fact that the X series essentially costs the same today.

In any event, to be perfectly honest, when someone asks in the future how thick the X220 is, you should include the battery bulge; you can say something in addition like "If you are willing to sacrifice a great deal of battery life you can get a slimmer 4 cell battery, making the system slimmer".

ETA: The 6-cell battery is .33 pounds heavier than the four cell. You must be right-- people are choosing the four cell, with its reduced battery life, because of the third of a pound, and not the absence of that big bulge.

 

I am biased? how so? I am not sure why you try to put a negative connotation on everything that is said which differs from your opinion.

T series is the best seller because it is the bread and butter of the Thinkpad range, and until the X220 came out the X series were around 30 to 40% more expensive then the T series. So hip pocket nerve and the T series were a good compromise between R and X series.

Although i have used enough (and own enough) Thinkpads to know what i am talking about.

 

nah, i like the slope of the 6 cell but the 4cell looks better and is lighter for when i'm working at the beach with just the sleeve. there are power outlets everywhere so 4 hours of battery is all i need. 6cell for backup and lecture halls that have tables but no outlets

 

Oh, I don't. I just point out the flaws in your misleading and inaccurate statements; it's not based on disagreement with me, but factual inaccuracy. Your bias is shown in the way you make misleading and inaccurate statements to prop up one model line over another. Anyone is free to read the thread to see examples of this.

Saying "it is the bread and butter of the Thinkpad range" of course ignores why that's so. You're right-- it continues to be-- and despite the fact that the X line is priced pretty much the same.

We will have to agree to disagree about that, I suppose.

 

Well, AndromedaB just said he/she choose the 4 cells because of the weight. 0.33 pounds is more than 10% of the total weight of the X220 and some actually care about that extra weight.

Where did i pop up one model line from another? Please quote me a sentence where i am trying to say X220 better than the T series other than weight and thickness? Have you even owned another Thinkpads other than the T420/i you got right now?

Regarding the bread and butter comments, well i have already mentioned couple of reasons why it is so.

FYI, i currently have around 16 T series machine versus 8 X series machine, so there you go about my machine bias.

 

Where you incorrectly painted a picture of the X220 in relationship to the T420 that left the X220 in a better-than-actual light. You can read the thread-- links are right up there on the page.

My god, that sounds ridiculous and pointless. It certainly doesn't show you're some sort of expert, especially after your inaccuracies here.

 

I use my X220 more than 90% of time plugged in AC. When I travel and need battery, it's just for an hour or two but usually it's used just for preserving RAM content.

Currently, I have 6cell but 4cell would definitely be enough for me.

I think that usage pattern of many other people may be similar.

 

Let's try to stay on the topic. Everyone's entitled to their own opinions.

I'm also debating rather I should go for the x220 or the T420. Does anybody here have an issue with the "clickpad" that is on the x220? I saw some reviews about an issue with your wrist not fully seated on the palm rest, is that an issue for some of you guys as well?

Thanks!

 

Better than actual light? you mean thickness? Hum not sure how i am painting it better, it is what it is. The thickness of the machine is like that, i can't change it or modify it. T420 is what it is, it aims for a different market. X series the Ultraportable model and T series is the full size model.

Well this just proves the point that i am not bias against the T series, which is basically what you are implying in the various posts you are making.

Another one just told you that 4 cells is okay for their need on the X220, which for some reasons you can't accept.

 

Clickpad is one of the weakest points on X220. But I got used to it and it's OK now.

Palm rest is inherently small. I don't notice it now but yesterday I used my old 14" Z61t and it was much more comfortable. Again, you'll get used to it.

 

You get use to it in time, the X2x0 thinkpads have much better palmrest design than the X6x laptops. In terms of palmrest comfort, the T series, R series and W series are much better. The X1 probably have the least palmrest comfort especially if you are wearing a watch with thick wrist strap, but it does get better if you add the additional slice battery to the X1.

 

Thanks. I think I'll go with the T420 instead. Even though the IPS screen is really, really drawing me towards the x220.

 

Excellent choice. I think the palm rest and form factor is the decisive factor here.

 

And yes, I think your wrists will get used to it sooner or later.. maybe by developing carpel tunnel syndrome...

 

Fortunately, being a programmer, I don't type much.

 

The way everyone is talking I feel like I am getting a glorified netbook. I guess I will just have to try it out and worst case I'll buy a T420 thats more expensive and hope that I won't have to pay a restocking fee.

I mainly use my computer to watch movies/tv, browse the web, type notes, use a lot of excel, and type papers. The rest of the time It'll be docked with 2 monitors so I won't care about the form factor.

I'm really really concerned with my purchase!!! Am I overreacting?

 

glorified netbook? The X220 is a full performance business machine. If you are going to watch movies then the IPS X220 is something you should get, as the colour and viewing angle is much better than the TN panel.

Well you would know whether your purchase is right or not once you use the machine.

 

I know the specs are great, but I meant from a size perspective. I guess we will see. Thank all of you for your help.

 

The way everyone is talking I feel like I am getting a glorified netbook.[/QUOTE]
Not really. We're just arguing about whether indisputable images really show that the X220 on its thicker edge is about as thick as the T420. The X220 is a high-powered ultraportable.

They cost about the same.

It sounds like 1366 X 768 resolution might be slightly limiting for the times you're away from your monitors. (Note BTW that the viewing angle for watching movies is not a compelling reason to buy an X220, unless you and your friends plan to huddle around the tiny machine on movie night.)

I don't think so. I agonize every time I buy a laptop. For me, the increased usability of the T420 was worth an extra 1+ pounds of carrying weight, but you have your own priorities. Either machine will let you get your work done; the fit will just be different for different people.

Here's one thing to try: go down to a local BestBuy or something and try out laptops with different resolutions and screen sizes. See how much the T420's extra resolution of 1600X900 would matter to you, or the larger screen size.

Next, try toting the weight of the X220 for a day in a backpack, then try with the weight of the T420. Or simply throw in an extra 1-2 pounds and see how much extra strain it causes you over the course of the day.

 

I guess the T420 is for me. I dont care about the weight.

 

The Clickpad is a disaster, IMO. But, the right drivers can make it better. I'm hoping Lenovo improves this design in the next iteration of the X2xx (X230?).