X230 vs W530 - Engineering Student

Hi Guys,

I am a current chemical engineering student with environmental leanings (means more modelling as well as MATLAB/AutoCad etc.) looking to get some advice and some clarification on laptop options.

I have done some digging around and seen that Lenovo thinkpads are the most commonly recommended, particularly for engineering students.

However something that has caught my attention is the fact that some say a X230 and others say W530 is better. I am unable to see much difference tech wise outside of a few upgraded parts and was wondering if the extra money they want for an W530 is worth it or should I just get a slightly upgraded X230?


So I put together a quick idea of what build I would want based on what the options are on their site. Hopefully you guys can tell me if it's worth it or not (i.e. if I should go with X over Y) and if the W530 is worth the price they ask (hopefully with a basic build idea).

The requirements I have is must be able to connect via wireless to my universities network, have sufficient memory to run my software and have the appropriate processing power to match.

The build I have come up with is:

- CPU: Intel Core i5-3210M Processor (3M Cache, up to 3.10 GHz)
- RAM 16 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (2 DIMM)*
- SSD: 180GB Solid State Drive, SATA3*
- Integrated WiFi Wireless LAN Adapter: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN
- Battery: 6 Cell ThinkPad Battery X44+
- Expansion Slot: Gemplus 54mm ExpressCard Smart Card Reader

The rest just being the standard components etc.

*- I hear people talk about upgrading these oneself, is it really easy to do this?
- Also I should add that for most storage I'd tend to use a portable HDD.

Any help, advice or comments you have that could help me would be greatly appreciated. If you require more information please let me and I will respond when I can.

 

pretty much what you'll be sacrificing is screen size, are you fine with the smaller more portable x230? (have mine plugged into a monitor in the office but love the portability).

as for the upgrades Lenovo even provides videos I believe on how to manually upgrade those, in terms of how easy it is, it depends... if you've ever replaced a video card or tinkered around a desktop before then you won't have a problem with replacing those parts on a laptop

 

Well, by looking at components alone, you will be "unable to see much difference tech wise outside of a few upgraded parts" (as you noted).

You should base your notebook configuration shopping on 3 key criteria: (1) budget, (2) what you intend to use the notebook for, and (3) whether you plan to carry the notebook with you most of the time.

What you're considering -- X230 and W530 -- are two ends of a spectrum. Besides, there are no "right" or "wrong," and "better" or "worse" outside of a specific context. You must be clear to yourself about your own context and should not take people's forum comments at random.

If you're going to use the notebook for graphically-oriented programs (you mentioned chemical engineering modelling, MATLAB/AutoCad), a larger screen is helpful. The 14" screen options of the T430/T430s and the 15.6" screen options of the T530/W530 should be taken into consideration. Also, will the graphics processing be intensive enough to require a discrete graphics card, or will the integrated HD 4000 be sufficient?

Don't be shy about adding a second RAM stick and upgrading the HDD/SSD by yourself. Buying RAM and SSD as part of your custom order is not a good idea because of the heavy markups.

You may not need an external USB HDD. I would keep the stock HDD (say, 500GB) for file storage while adding an mSATA SSD (64GB or 128GB) for boot/OS/programs.

 

So would it just be better than to get the stand 4GB of RAM and skip the SSD, then fill them in with my components?

Yes you are right that out of context it is all really quite meaningless which is why I am trying to give some background as to the likely activities I would using it for. I already have a desktop which when I am at home (so not too interested in games on it for the most part except perhaps WoW) but my timetable has me spending large amounts of time on campus with large gaps in between classes so I really need a portable system as well.

As for how intensive the graphics - I honestly don't know. The software packages are something I will get once the next semester starts (in 2013). However I was hoping that it wouldn't be heavy on graphics since it is mainly a process/memory intensive exercise rather than a visual one.

I suppose that's where I am hoping, at some point, a fellow engineering student might be able to comment on their experiences with these laptops. When it comes down to screen size I'd say I think 12-14" screen would be fine, but at the same time it might be easier to get a larger screen, not sure I'd go so far as a 15.6".

 

I am in a similar situation with regards to comparing the two laptops (T530 in my case). When I had the X230, the overall build quality was excellent and the laptop remained relatively cool and quiet. It was very fast and stable and the screen was very good. The three points that led me to return the laptop were the small size of the screen, the low resolution and the small palm rest area. Using the laptop for more than an hour was not very comfortable for me due to the small screen and the palm rest area. When the X230 was sitting on a table, using the trackpoint was not very comfortable due to the wrist position. A bigger palm rest would have be very helpful. In some websites, I would be constantly scrolling due to the small vertical area. So websites that have many ads, almost half the pages in some cases can be taken up by ads. When doing research, one cannot open two windows side by side comfortably.

Of course, for a person seeking ultimate portability the X230 would be excellent. When I had it, I got between 8-10 hours of battery life with the 9 cell battery. I kept the screen at 9 usually, sometimes 10. Maybe at 8 I could have gotten more battery life.

Since I don't need too much portability, a larger screen and a bigger palm area are more suitable for my needs so I ordered a T530, which is very similar to the W530 besides the graphics card. The T530 shouldn't be too heavy but it will have a larger footprint. I don't imagine having too many problems carrying the T530 since I already have a sleeve for it. Hope this helps you in your decision.

 

Well, best to see for yourself (I think its very straightforward and convenient as there is no need to go around any electronics or laptop internals):

Service Videos: go to CRU (Customer Replaceable Unit) removals/replacements then select "hard drive".

This link is originally from this website where you can find videos for lots of other models: Lenovo Partner Portal | ThinkPad Laptops

 

I'm a 3rd year Chemical Engineering Student and I'm pretty certain that 99% of the software that you'll need for coursework won't exceed your x230 configuration. I have an i5 x220 w/ 8 gig ram that I use everyday and I've run MATLAB/Polymath/MathCad/COMSOL with no problem for my classes and research. The only times that I've been limited was when I was doing extensive Solidworks assembling or running complicated COMSOL simulations. In both of these limiting cases, you'd prob need to use your class/lab desktops.

 

EE grad student checking in, I do a lot of MATLAB and XFdtd (electromagnetic simulation/antenna design w/ CAD). I had a T420 and now I have a T510 in my fleet, both with discrete GPUs. XFdtd is CUDA-enabled, so it'll take advantage of GPU rendering. Might want to research your software packages and see if they're GPU-enabled, that'll help you make your buying decision.