X230 vs X1 Carbon

I am torn, do I wait till August for the X1 or jump on X230 now? What will be the major differences between these two laptops?

Obviously the X230 is a 12inch and the X1 is a carbon 14 inch.

I'm assuming the guts won't be that differnt though right? Same processors and integrated graphics.

How will the screens differ?

Both will play Diablo 3 just fine right?

Both will have webcams....who has better audio?

 

There's noting preventing you from waiting until August to make a decision. Right now the X1 is too unknown to make an informed decision. I'd say an ULV CPU, HD+ on the X1 with HD on the X230, and Intel GPU seem likely, but the rest is speculation.

 

What's HD+ vs HD? what does the PLUS mean?

So the X1 will be leaps and bounds better with that intel GPU. Plus it will be thinner and lighter. What does the X230 have over the X1?

 

HD+ means the resolution will be 1600x900, rather than the X230's 1366x768.

The GPU should be the same; either way it's going to be the integrated Intel GPU.

Your choice is basically thinner but longer/wider (and bigger screen) on the X1 Carbon vs. thicker but smaller on the X230. Also, the X230 probably still allows running two drives, with a thin SSD in the WWAN slot. On the other hand, SSDs have come down enough in price that that might not be too much of a deal breaker.

 

The X230 has a very nice IPS screen, but what we don't know what's coming with the X1.

 

It'll have a typical docking station connector on the bottom, which the X1 will not. The processor in the X230 will be a full fledged normal voltage Core i3/i5/i7 whereas the X1 will have a Core i5 ULV processor.

Price wise, you can expect a pretty serious premium for the X1, it certainly won't be available for the $800 we've seen the X230 start at so far.

 

x230 could provide more ports than x1
and x230 is upgradeble in the future, and x1 just likes other major ultrabooks, you could not add internal memory or something else.

And I do not like ULV CPU...at first I expected T430u might provide a normal CPU with HD+ screen...but both are not..

 

pixel density is similar between the two computers due to the screen size difference (~125ppi on the x230, ~131ppi on the x1c)

your biggest differences will be
- larger screen
- lighter
- thinner
- worse processor
- potentially better battery life (though no extended or slice battery options)
- more expensive
- lack of upgradeability (looking at the press shots, i'd bet on integrated ram and an mSATA ssd.)

 

If you are just using the laptop for work and stuffs, then X230 represents a better buy, if you got too much money then X1C is your better candidate.

Having seen the specs for a Macbook Air 13 inch with WQXGA resolution, X1C screen no longer seems this big of a deal.

 

Is there going to be a better ultrabook than the X1C that isn't a macbook? I want something thin and light. The X230 is light enough, I'd rather have about a 13-14.1 inch machine though. I have decision paralysis.

 

The Samsung Series 9 or Asus UX32 might be worth a look.

 

Maybe I'm in the minority on this, but I found the X220's palmrest a bit short for long typing sessions (e.g. writing an article, for example), and this problem tended to be worse when resting on a table because of the overall thickness (i.e. the angle as such that wrist strain was increased). In this respect, I think the X1 Carbon has a significant advantage due to the larger palmrest and thinner profile which will both contribute to less wrist strain (at least for someone like me).

 

X230 can certainly play Diablo if you attach a ~$200 GTX460 x1.2Opt DIY eGPU using it's expresscard slot. X1C has no expresscard slot so you'd be hoping a HD4000 can pull you through. Could be an expensive gamble going with the X1C.

The most potent eGPU would be attached to a i7-model T430s. Unlike a X230 or X1C (so I read) it will have a Thunderbolt port giving a x4 2.0 (and maybe x4 3.0) external pci-e link to a desktop video card. x4 3.0 is the same bandwidth as x16 1.0. The 2011 and upcoming 2012 Macbooks also have Thunderbolt ports as will the 13" Acer S5 and 14" Gigabyte U2442V/N ultrabook.

We are expecting MSI GUS-II and BPlus TH05 Thunderbolt eGPU enclosures to be released July 2012. These are revolutionary products as will make available for the first time true desktop FPS performance levels in an Intel notebook using an external desktop GPU.

If you want only a dGPU then consider a 13" ASUS UX32VD (GT620M), 14" Gigabyte U2442N (GT640M) or 13" Sony SA (GT640M). The U2442N's Thunderbolt means it's the most versatile. Could throw a pricey 13" Sony Z3 into the mix which will probably have a HD7650M in it's PMD eGPU device, or a HD7690M if lucky.

 

For me the major issue will be to get either the T430u or the X1 Carbon.

 

Nando, I think both will play diablo without the eGPU. Keep in mind diablo isn't a high framerate game.

 

Palmrest should not be used when typing, to avoid wrist bending => strain => carpal tunnel . They are for rest periods only.

"Normal" keyboards, like Model M keyboard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , don't have any palmrest at all.

 

If you can't decide, maybe you should buy them all! J/K.