X230t first impressions (it's not good) -- cross post

Just wanted to post a quick update: I was contacted by a Lenovo community manager on the support forums, and they want to look into the wobbly-foot issue, and possibly the other issues. They sound very proactive in making sure this isn't an issue for other X230ts.

I'm glad they're taking it seriously, and mods have fixed what I reported as censorship on the forums. (Apparently it wasn't intended that way, though I interpret it as having had that effect.)

 

I think this is a good thing (I own an X220 which seems to be mostly the same as the X230). The laptop is very light with most of the weight in the back, so being able to open it with one hand would mean the lid could come open unintentionally. Higher hinge resistance means it'll stay firm longer too (the hinges are spring loaded friction plates).

Otherwise, it sounds like you got a bad one, but I agree on the resolution thing. A high res screen option would take away the Vaio Z's raison d'etre, imo. Laptop manufacturers need to stop this 1366x768 BS. That's basically my only complaint about my X220, the resolution is just way too low for anything besides browsing the web.

 

I got an update from Lenovo. They examined the laptop and determined that the light leakage isn't a manufacturing defect and not visible in normal conditions. I agree with the first statement (though it's not ideal) and disagree with the second, as I found it significantly worse than my x201t while watching a movie. But it's not a dealbreaker to me, as others have reported that other PC laptops with modern displays have this issue. I'm not sure I could do better with another laptop.


They also said that this condition (which presumably they reproduced):



Is due to the design of the machine. They said the chassis on my machine isn't warped and the raised foot isn't due to a manufacturing defect, but it's "due to aspects of the 6-cell battery and overall system mechanical design."

It's probably clear already, but I believe this is a serious problem. It may be as-designed but it is unequivically and unacceptably a defect. No laptop with any system battery should be designed with this issue, and especially not a ThinkPad.

Lenovo is trying hard to make sure I'm happy with the machine, but unfortunately the 3-cell batteries are backordered and using a 3-cell over a 6-cell would obvoiusly mean making compromises in system runtime and battery wear (3 cell means deeper cycling and shorter lifespan). All my contact with Lenovo's support and community representatives have been pleasant, and I feel I've gotten help with this issue (with the exception of some initial moderator action in the thread on the Lenovo support forums), but I don't feel this is an acceptable resolution.

I don't know what Lenovo can do short of changing the battery design, which is clearly unrealistic. I'm not sure what I'll try to do with the machine yet.

 

I really have hard time believing this raised foot isn't a defect -- I mean... other reviews would surely have noticed something like that?

 

Try contacting Mark@Lenovo either here at NBR (he visits occasionally) or on the Lenovo Forums; he can usually be very helpful in these sort of situations. The warped chassis is most definitely a defect; my friend's X220t sat perfectly flat with the fat 6-cell battery.

 

Mark's already been working with him.

 

I got my X230 (non-tablet) yesterday, it has the 6-cell battery and it has the same problem, with the front right not making contact with the table. It also was DOA, so I can't comment on the light leakage issue.

 

if you persist then it will get fixed.

 

Hi guys,

I don't mean to spam here, but I just notice some manufacturing problem with the X230t and I want to collect opinion of those who have purchased the system to see if this is a common flaw, or if it is not flaw then why it is designed like this, which make no sense to me. The 3 leg problem is understandable as it is some sort of battery design but What is this thing and why, look at my thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/len...ubber-hinges-one-loose-one-tight-reasons.html

Thanks X230 fellows!

 

The X230 review unit I have has no such issue.

 

Did the unit you review the X230t or X230? If it is trutly just personal case, I can easily have them replaced, but for people I know that got this system for just within 1 week and got this problem already, it makes no sense. And yes, I understand that this should not loose like this, either both gotta be loose, not one loose one tight. Will see other people opinion too, I'm very curious about this. As I mentioned, the base of the one on the left is smaller than the one on the right, which perhaps created the loose pattern.

 

When you make that many laptops, you can't QC them all. I have the X230, the non-tablet version.

 

Lol ok, the X230 non-tablet version doesn't have the rubber hinge on the keyboard bazel so It is definitely not an issue with the non-tablet version, I'm sure there is reason why they make it loose for the left rubber hinges on for every X230 tablet one, will find out soon

 

My laptop returned form headquarters a few days ago, and I took the weekend to try living with what Lenovo says are design decisions.

I've finally decided to return it, once and for all, and just got back from UPS. After a weekend of usage my biggest complaint is still the battery and wobble, but there are subtle things I didn't consider before, but which end up making the laptop annoying to use. Such as the lack of LEDs on the laptop. When I started using the laptop in daily use, I discovered how only having two status LEDs is wholly insufficient:

Plugged in, off, and charging


Plugged in, off, not charging because power supply disconnected from wall


Plugged in, ON, charging


Plugged in, ON, full battery


Unplugged, off


Unplugged, on


In case it's confusing, the only situation where you see ANY indication about the system's state is when it's on and discharging the battery, or on and in suspend mode. You have to open it to see if it's on, off, charging, not charging, etc.

I really can't understand design decisions like this. Is it to cut costs, or to try and execute around a new, minimalist design? What's the point of preventing the user from gaining valuable information, such as whether their laptop is plugged in, on, or off?

The situation is actually worse when you open the lid. You only have two LEDs: WiFi and HDD access. No caps lock, numlock (the numpad is gone), power indicator, battery critical/discharging/charging indicator, plugged-in indicator, or suspend mode indicator.

It's just another irritating thing that is a definitive step down in quality and design from my X201t. Are these decisions coming from engineers that don't understand how to make quality laptops, or from management that is willing to pump out more profit at any cost? Are Lenovo employes USING the laptops they create?

 

Just return it for christs sake

 

"I've finally decided to return it, once and for all, and just got back from UPS."

Reading is hard

 

It seems like the number of status LEDs goes down with each new revision of X series. I also don't get it. I'd like to see more innovation in their design, e.g. wouldn't it be useful to have LEDs showing the status which power plan you're using, if it has dedicated graphics whether the systems runs on it or IGP, then how about a proper volume level (Instead of a 3-state crap you get on windows taskbar.), a WiFi signal strengths, maybe current power consumption and such...

 

FWIW, the little rubber screen locks on my x230t are not loose at all...both solid. I have the tablet.

The lack of a cap lock LED does not bother me, because when you hit the caplock key you actually get a HUGE BLACK CAP LOCK symbol on your lower right hand corner of the screen. I am surprised no one mentioned this....

As for the charging status...I think there may have been something wrong with the poster with the photos--or I am misunderstanding him. Mine is on when it is charging. Off when I am not charging. Now, it will be off when plugged in if you have a battery plan that says, for example, don't charge below 90 percent but above 50 percent, because, well, it's not charging the battery (though the laptop is on AC and not drawing the power down on the battery.

I have no wobble the front foot is planted firmly (that has to be defect, and Lenovo is smoking something if they say otherwise).

I DO have some pretty bad backlight bleed on the lower part of the screen. Not as issue in normal use, but maybe if you were watching a movie. Bugs me on start up.

The thing that has me most concerned thus far is I already had a key pop off while mild typing (doing a power point presentation--it's not like I was writing 10000 page novel or playing DOOM. Just light typing. Never had a key pop off on any t- or x- series I've ever owned.

I've been giving the new keyboard the benefit of the doubt for now, but come on....keys popping off a Lenovo? that just does not happen in my book.

 

I can see how the provided on-screen caps lock indicator would be sufficient for many users, but it doesn't work well for the business-related tasks I do on my ThinkPads. I use vim, vimperator, virtual consoles, relatively esoteric window managers like Openbox, and various OSes in virtual machines.

Lenovo only provides a Windows-based solution for the virtual caps lock indicator. Even if I felt like wrapping a similar workaround in Linux, it would be inoperative for virtual consoles and virtual machines, and inconvenient for everything else. Not to mention the other drawbacks of OSDs, most serious of which is that it's inappropriate to use a transient presentation of information for something that's state-based.

There're only three explanations I have for why Lenovo opted for their solution, and I'm not sure which is worse:

1. They can't or won't design a keyboard that has an LED in the key (Apple's solution...patented?)

2. They're intentionally strangling profits out of their coveted ThinkPad brand by making the machines cheaper and cheaper. Fewer LEDs means more money and lower entry price.

3. They're sacrificing necessary functionality in the pursuit of a minimalist design ethos, which comes at the expense of making ThinkPads more consumer-oriented and less about being powerful, business-oriented machines.

 

I can see where that would be a problem for you, but you're really in the minority, I think, in what you're doing. That's pretty high-end use for a 13-inch ultra-portable

I agree, it would be preferrable ot have normally expected LEDs, I just find this issue does not bother me all that much--in fact, I am surprised to find myself saying I prefer the big screen alert.

But, I don't think it would have hurt to have both....

 

I guess I disagree that I'm using ThinkPads past what they are designed to do (or should be designed to do). I've always seen them as business class machines, and that includes their tablets. The whole ThinkPad brand is supposed to be a competitor to MacBook Pros, and my company has exclusively purchased ThinkPads for software engineers for years. I only have anecdotal evidence, though--it's just my opinion based on my own experience and requirements.

I do think it's telling that the T and W series don't have caps lock LEDs either, though. Those machines definitely ARE designed for business-class use.

 

I guess I am drawing a line between "road warrior" sales people and data entry people and engineers/programmers.

I don't know exactly what you do, but in IT, I'm just not thinking virtual machines for someone when I hand someone a laptop like this.

But, again, I agree--there is no reason to make a laptop LESS user friendly. Seriously, what's a caplock LED really cost?

Personally, the thing that absolutely drives me insane is the lack of harddrive activity lights on some of today's modern laptops.

If I am working on a laptop and it "freezes" I want to know is the harddrive thrashing? Is anything going on or is it just frozen?

 

haha..in my personal opinion, probably this is the effect why a company wants to sell a product with high price but equipped with low quality..this is the new era...effectiveness and efficiency are the key