X220 vs. T520 for daily business/personal use

Hi friends,

I hope this finds you well. As you may know, I am in the market for a new laptop for daily mixed use - i.e. I will take it to my workplace to use office productivity tools - Excel, Powerpoint, Word and use the internet for research.

I will also take it home every evening and use it at home for internet surfing and some video watching.

This will be my primary computer in many ways, as I only have a desktop at one of my work sites. I do not own any other laptop at this point apart from the one I am using which has hardware issues.

I do NOT play games or will not be using processor intensive programs e.g. design programs.

I am deciding between the X220 and the T520 (with the upgraded 900 or 1080 screen).

My primary concern is the screen size of the X220 - whether it is 'large' enough to have a good computing experience without using an external monitor?

Also, if any of the models have superior technology or build compared to the other, please let me know.

If you need any info from me, please tell me.

Thanks,
hulahoop

 

While the X220 is great and portable, but I would not want to use that as my primary desk machine day in and day out.

For your needs it sounds like a T520 with 1080p screen would fit you well. While it isn't the most portable it doesn't have to be if you are just taking it between work and home. You'll appreciate the extra screen real estate for excel/word documents as well as watching videos.

 

The T520 isn't really not-portable. It's pretty light for a 15", at roughly 5.8lbs. Here's a review of the W520 (exactly the same thing as the T520, but different GPU), and screenshots are included to show what 1080p displays are capable of.

 

I'd vote for the T520 FHD also. (Invest in a quality bag or backpack.)

 

The T520/W520 is only visually bulky. It's not very noticeable in a backpack, and can be easily grabbed one-handed or as part of a stack of binders/books.

 

You may also want to consider the T420s which offers a 900p display in a relatively lightweight chassis.I find that it offers the right balance between portability and display real estate.

John

 

T420s is best balance between resolution and portability. X220 is not good enough for long term productivity. W520 would be a pain to move around every day.

 

Depends on who you ask. I have no problem doing exactly that, but I'm also a relatively big guy (180lbs, 6ft), so a ~6lb 15" laptop feels like nothing to me when it's in my bookbag. For a smaller person, a smaller laptop makes more sense for travel.

 

i've got both the w500 and x220. in the end, it depends on what you need it for. i really like the x220 but the screen resolution leaves something to be desired for coding and excel. for web, email, word, lightroom, and photoshop, it's ok. the battery life is definitely something to consider and your proximity to an outlet.

 

I'm beginning to think that the T420(s) would be the best bet. I've got both the T520 and the X220, and they're giving me a serious Goldilocks crisis.

The X220 is a joy to use; the HD IPS panel has a good DPI for web browsing and watching (720p) video. Every window has to be maximized, and I usually autohide the taskbar to get some more vertical space.

The T520 FHD screen is equally impressive, IMO. In fact, colors are brighter and crisper on the T520, compared to the X220, which has a "warm" feel. Using Windows at 100% DPI fits an impressive amount of content on the screen. It's much easier for comparing documents, reading A4 size PDFs, etc.

Because my work is mainly word processing, only seldom needing two windows side by side, either machine works for me. The decision comes down to this, for me:

The X220 is easier to type on, because the palmrest, although shallower, is also shorter. On the T520, the large palmrest can dig into my wrists, and my right hand will go numb from using the trackpoint for too long.

The T520 is quieter, since the chassis allows for a much bigger (hence lower pitched) fan. During normal use, the T520 fan either rarely comes on, or is unnoticeable over the ambient noise. It does come on during Flash video, but when the video is over, the fan quickly subsides. The X220, on the other hand, has a small fan that is high pitched. It turns on more frequently, turns faster, and generally annoys me (I'm probably over-picky about laptop fans, to be fair). TPfancontrol can help, but eventually I found that the BIOS fan control more effectively kept the laptop from overheating. Keeping the X220 fan at the lowest, non-whiny, setting was not enough to keep the machine from getting hot.

At the moment, I'm using the T520 as my primary machine, and the X220 as my travel machine. I keep them synced up automatically, and it feels like a good solution. The T420 might have been the better way to go, but there were too many reports of grainy/screendoor/dim screens on the T420 owners page for my taste.

Both machines are great. For most people, the 12.5" HD screen on the X220 is probably too small for extended, daily use. If you don't mind carrying around the T520, and you will use all the pixels of the FHD, then the T520 is perfect. If you just want a little more screen space than the X220, and a little more portability than the T520, then the T420 with 1600x900 is probably the best option. Sorry for the long post. Good luck making your decision!

 

X220 tablet ready for Windows 8 and a secondary 1080p screen for work.

 

Had a friend in my English class last semester who owns a T420. I did notice a little bit of the screen door effect, but the thing is that you have to go out of your way to notice it. Sure, not as great as the T/W520's 1080p display, but it's still better than the average consumer-level display.

 

Hi friends,

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate all of them!

I think I will go with either the T420 or the T520. I was wondering:

1) Could you tell me the day to day benefits of the T520 1080 screen vs. the T420 900 screen?

Which is easier to read webpages, excel, powerpoint? I do not want to make the font/graphics very small...I am not doing screen space intensive work

2) What is the good warranty program? Should I get next day onsite + think pad protection or is there something better?

Thanks so much,
hulahoop

 

I was recommending the T520 1920x1080 because, from what I've experienced, the display quality goes like this: T520 1920x1080 > T520 1600x900 >> T420 1600x900.

The 15" gives you larger physical screen space. The higher resolution gives you more pixels within the same physical screen space. (A 15" and a 11" of, say, 1366x768 pixel resolution show the same amount of information content, but the 15" in this case tends to be "fuzzy" because of "screen door" effect.) Better quality -- which is inherent in the technology, design and manufacturing of the display panel, and not directly related to physical size nor pixel resolution -- shows contents clearer, sharper and with more vivid and realistic colors.

If your use of the laptop tends toward "webpages, excel, powerpoint" and "not doing screen space intensive work" (and not much color images and videos), I suggest the T420 HD+ 1600x900 -- but, please remember, the display quality is only average.

However, if you still care for a 15" laptop, I suggest the T520 HD+ 1600x900.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. Is there a significant total weight and size difference between the T420 (with the 900 screen) and T520 with the (FHD screen)?

I am currently using a 15inch Thinkpad T43 which is 6 years old and in wearing out its usability.

I am basically looking to replace the T43.

Thanks,
hulahoop

 

These links may be useful:

Lenovo ThinkPad T420/T520 Laptop
Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Review
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Review​

Good luck! (By the way, I'm still hanging on to my T43p. )

 

I second the T420s choice as a potential alternative. I would also recommend the 900p T420. While the T520 would be nice, I don't think it's worth the extra weight for travel. I would highly consider either the X220 with or without an external monitor or the T420/T420s.

 

At the same time, I tend to agree with these comments from the Thinkpad T420 Owner's Thread:

But then, f you look at Office documents most of the time, I guess any screen is "good enough."

 

Indeed while the T420 screen are not spectacular, for general usage such as viewing PDF's, word documents and general web browsing it is more than adequate. It becomes problematic when you plan to do some serious graphical design work on it, the screens on the T420 in that respect are pretty dire. I was hoping that it wouldn't be that bad to get away with it but eventually I resigned doing all my graphical design work on my desktop with IPS screen instead of my T420 nowadays.

 

I don't think many short flights would give you more allowance of hand luggage because you are a big guy, while a W520 could possibly get rejected during check-in True story of T60.

If you drive then I'd say the W520 is no problem. If you take public transport then it might be inconvenient.

 

Hmm, Dell Precision M6400 17" in a backpack: carry-on, cross continent and cross Atlantic. I don't take the plane every day, but I do carry the M6400 or the T520 when taking the subway every now and then.

 

I recently traveled by plane with my T500, and had no such issues. Was even able to use it on the plane itself without much fuss. It's a bit cramped, granted, but totally doable.

 

The FHD outclasses all of the other screens Lenovo offers. If Lenovo ever made a slim 15.6" machine and used that screen, it would be a strong seller. In fact, given the 15" MacBook Air rumors and the announced Samsung Series 9 15", they'd better have something cooking.

I bought a new T420 not long ago for $899 with the dual core i7, Optimus graphics, 1600x900 screen, etc. I upgraded the memory to 16GB of RAM and recently dropped the Samsung Series 830 256GB SSD in it. This machine is now a mini W510. Other than the AOU screen quality, it's a great little machine. Fast as hell and gets good battery life. 4-5 hours on the 6 cell.

See the attached WEI screenshot for an idea on performance.

 

I would recommend X220 since I also use my machine for work and watching movies. From my experience the T-series is a bit bulky and would not recommend it, last time I bought the T60 and immediately shocked looking at the size. Since then never bought the T-series ever again. I dont need that graphic card wathing movies. And when I'm home I hardly do anything on my laptop except some emails. Got to have some time for the family. During my business trip I use my X220 to do some emails and watch movies. That's it.

 

No WEI score for display quality? 2.7, maybe.

 

Yea, it would be nice if that could be measured. I knew what I was getting into before I bought it.

 

I haven't been spoiled by other screens so the t420's screen is perfectly fine for me. It depends how tolerant you are of "grainy" screens and how much you've been used to better quality screens in the past.

 

Too true. Once I had a T42 with SXGA+ FlxView LCD, it's hard to use anything else.

 

Hi friends,

I am currently using a Thinkpad T43 type 2669 with a 15inch screen. It was purchased in 2005, and I do not know what the screen resolution is?

Any idea on what it may be and how it would compare to 900 screen on the T420 and the 1800 screen on the T520?

Thanks,
hulahoop

 

According to the withdrawn products .pdf at http://www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/ltwbook.pdf, it looks like the 15" T43 2669 models were 200 nit FlexView displays. That display will spoil you.

 

Hi friends,

Thanks Thors.Hammer for your reply. It seems that the Thinkpad T43 that I am using (6 years) has one of the the following screens:

15.0" (381.0mm) SXGA+ (1400x1050) TFT color / Active Matrix / 200 nits /
FlexView display with wide viewing angle and high density using IPS technology

OR

15.0" (381.0mm) UXGA (1600x1200) TFT color / Active Matrix / 200 nits /
FlexView display with wide viewing angle and high density using IPS technology

Do you know how the T420 900 screen or the T520 FHD 1080 screen would compare to the T43 screen?

Thanks for your help,
hulahoop

 

My T43p has this.

And I am thoroughly spoiled.

Obviously my T43p FlexView panel has aged (although still performing well -- bright, sharp and vivid). So, today, in terms of subjective quality viewing, I'd rate them as follows:

T43p 1600x1200 FlexView = T520 FHD 1920x1080 >>>> T420 HD+ 1600x900.

 

The T520 FHD screen would be the closest because the viewing angles are similar. The FHD screen is going to be much brighter than you are used to but it is easily dimmed for comfort via Fn+End hotkey combo.

The T420 900 screen really depends on which one you get. There are three suppliers and I have the AOU on mine. I would rate the screen fair. Good enough for my needs right now, but I plan to buy another machine in the next 6 months so I can put up with nearly anything right now.

How much do you really use the notebook in hours each day? Do you plan to dock it most of the time and use an external LCD?

If you plan to use the screen 12+ hours each day, your eyes will be grateful if you get the FHD screen. The font size at 1920x1080 can be controlled easily via DPI%.

If you only use the screen 8 hours each day, the 1600x900 screen will probably be sufficient for your needs, and the actual machine will be smaller and lighter.

The only person that can answer these questions in the long run will be you. You have 21 days to return a machine from the time of shipment, assuming you order direct from Lenovo.

Good luck!

 

Hi friends,

thanks for your replies. Right now I use my T-43 about 12 hours a day - as I use it all day at work (NO external monitor, keyboard or mouse) and then for a few hours at home every night.

I can easily get an external monitor, keyboard etc. for home and work.

How does the IPS screen on the X220 compare with the T43 screen we have been discussing?

How does the return policy work? Can I use it, install software etc. and then return it for a full refund within 21 days?

I will be buying it directly from Lenovo.

Thanks,
hulahoop

 

I priced out the T420, T520 and X220 on the Lenovo site using my student discount. Prices as follows:

T420 with i5-2540, windows home premium 64, intel hd graphics 3000, 6GB ram, 160gb SSD, 6 cell battery, N6300 3*3 AGN wireless card, 720p HD camera
= $1169 without additional warranty

T520 same specs WITH 15.6" FHD is $1349 without additional warranty

X220 with 4GB ram, 12.5" Premium HD 1366*768 screen, Intel centrino advanced 2*2 AGN wireless card is priced at $1304 without additional warranty

Any thoughts on which one to pick based on the pricing? All are within my budget.

Thanks,
hulahoop

 

you would proabably save money by buying minimum ram and hard drive and upgrade to ssd on your own. check out newegg for prices.

 

Hi,

thanks for your reply. So, I should go with the lowest 4Gb ram option for whichever model I choose, and the lowest non SSD HD option?

If I were to upgrade the HD to SSD on my own:

1) How easy is it?

2) Would I need to buy a new OS software?

Thanks,
hulahoop

 

I would go with the T520 FHD.

Yes, you can return it, but not for a full refund. Lenovo charges 15% restocking fee.

4GB RAM should be plenty for your usage pattern. Order 4GB RAM as part of your CTO (configure-to-order) and put your mind in using the laptop.

1) A 7200rpm 500GB HDD is good enough. You can consider a SSD a year from now. It is not difficult to replace a HDD with a SSD. They look virtually the same in terms of mechanical form and electrical interface.

2) No, you don't need to buy a new Windows 7 license if you upgrade the RAM. When you install Windows 7 onto the new SSD, you can reuse your COA (Certificate of Authentication) number, which is posted in the battery compartment (under the removable battery pack). When you are ready to do this, there is plenty of relevant and helpful information in this forum.

 

another option you should also consider is getting a mSATA SSD drive as a boot drive. these are basically very small chip (smaller than a credit card) that fits in certain laptops (thinkpad is one of them). what's great is that you can have a mSATA ssd in addition also your regular hard drive.

you can buy say a 30 or 60 gb msata ssd for pretty cheap to install windows and applications. this will make your computer insanely fast. and the advantage of this is you still have your regular 300 or 500 gb hard drive for regular storage of music, videos etc because a large regular ssd is mad expensive and not worth it in my opinion.

i probably didn't explain it well, there is a lot more information around on these forums about mSATA if you are interested. in my opinion, upgrading to a msata ssd is the single best upgrade you can make after upgrading the screen. in fact i would advise you to bump down to core i3 processor and put that money towards an msata ssd.

edit: check out this video to see the speed increase. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPeJ84OuaXk

 

I would consider a T420. The T420 is a tad smaller but you obviously would be paying a premium for a slightly thinner and lighter chasis but keep in mind you sacrifice a bit of cooling capacity. I'm not 100% sure but I think the T420s may have its CPU soldered on so there won't be an option to upgrade.
T420 can be had for pretty cheap.

 

As a X220 owner, I can tell you I have been debating about the pros and cons, and at the end, it really came down on what my most important criteria was. Since I travel pretty often, battery life and weight were important factors for my decision.

________________________________________________________________________
ThinkPad X220 i5-2520M / G-Skill 16GB RAM / 128GB MyDigitalSSD mSATA SSD / IPS screen / 500GB WD Black Scorpion 7200rpm Drive

 

After going back and forth on the X220 and T520 (I have both), this comparison helped me.

Here is what the 1366x768 X220 screen real-estate looks like compared to the 1920x1080 T520.



I love the X220 because it's compact, well-built, and makes me feel somehow more efficient. But the T520 is a more "luxurious" screen. If I want to focus on a single task with a maximized window, then the X220 is perfect. If I need to work with a few overlapping or side-by-side windows, then the T520 is as good as having an external monitor (as long as your eyes are good enough that it doesn't feel like squinting).