X301 versus X300

I'm deciding between the X301 and X300...(and also the Dell E4300), but I'm not sure about whether the extra 20% of performance in the X301 is worth an extra $900. I can configure the X301 at $2900 and the X300 at $2000.

I'm a new MBA student and I plan to take my laptop with me on my 9 min walk to class each day. I have a quad core desktop already. It would be nice to build all of my Excel models on this laptop.

Here is my question, is the 1.2 ghz dual core processor in the X300 powerful enough for these tasks? At my old work place I have a 2ghz single core intel with 1 gb of ram and it was enough to build my models. It was a bit slow but still manageable.

Obviously, I'd like to get the X301, but it's pretty **** expensive. Also, the Dell Latitude E4300 is supposed to come out next week and it is packing a standard voltage processor. It is only slightly thicker too.

 

The X301 will have a good performance boost over the X300 and it will also have a good battery life boost as well. I guess it comes down to how tight is your budget. If you are already looking to spend $2k on a laptop do you want to "cheap" out?

 

There is no way you can have anything half-portable that matches the performance of your quad-core desktop. However, the 1.2GHz in the X300 should handle many Excel models fine.

(Well, unless you are a quant and you need to do a lot of simulations...)

If you really need performance, you probably want a "regular" (as opposed to low voltage) processor anyway.

 

One thing though, the E4300 does not pack the same resolution in its screen. A high-resolution screen is *really* helpful in doing spreadsheets.

 

I chickened out and just ordered the X300 instead of the X301.

If I need to work on a major model that needs a lot of simulations, I have my quadcore desktop for that.

I'm going to spend the $1000 I saved on food, wine, and women.

 

At the current price, the X300 is absolutely unbeatable if a low-voltage processor suffices.

 

Then you want a Sony Vaio Z with 13.1" 1600x900 screen

 

I was also considering the Sony Z, however, it's almost as expensive as the X301 with SSD. I've actually had 2 Superslim Vaios in the past. But I think I'm more comfortable with a Thinkpad in general. My perception is that the X300 and X301 have better build quality and overall support.

 

Gah! I have to wait for an X200 until Sept 4... But I really want the X301 (skinnier, built in DVD-R, better resolution).

Stupid Lenovo taking its sweet time!

 

13.3" @ 1440x900 -- ~128 dpi
13.1" @ 1600x900 -- ~140 dpi

The fonts on the high-resolution Sony Z are quite small. I have seen them in person.

 

i'd say go for X300 off ebay way cheaper you could save upto $1500 with people selling them cheaper these days with X301 is out

this is what i did

 

Does anyone know if the X301 has the exact same screen as the X300?

 

from which way ? size or resolution ? i think they are the same

 

My X300 has just shipped. It originally said the est ship date was 9/16/08. I'm getting it on this Saturday.

 

Wow that is quick. You are very lucky. I hope you enjoy it and be sure to tell us what you think. Congrats.

 

why order from lenovo when you can get them $500-$1000 cheaper on ebay and ships overnight ?

 

The only thing holding me back from the X301 is the lack of warranty upgrade!

ARg!

 

So, I know I want an X200. . . . .will there be an X201 anytime soon?

 

Not anytime soon.

If you remember the X300 launched under the Santa Rosa platform in February. The reason they released the X301 was to bring the laptop up to the current Centrino 2 (Montevina) platform. Since the X200 launched on the latest platform, I wouldn't expect a refresh until Calpella is released in about 1 year (Q3 2009).

 

why go to eBay when you can get an x300 for 1500 using cpp plus code for 5% off. I've already ordered a u330 but that price point makes it mighty tempting.

 

The X4500 is about 2 times as fast as the X3100 and the 1.4Ghz Penryn chip should be roughly 20% faster than the 1.2Ghz LV7100 chip. The memory has a much higher bandwidth, which should easily saturate the 800Mhz FSB. So in terms of performance the X301 is going to be quite a bit faster than the X300.

In battery life things are just as good. The SU9400 has a 40% lower power TDP than the LV7100. (17W versus 10W). The GM45 + X4500HD has a 11% lower power TDP compared to the GM35 + X3100 (13.5W versus 12V). DDR3 uses 30% less power than DDR2 memory. So the power consumption should be just dandy.

Furthermore, the 128GB SSD offers a huge increase in storage for a fairly reasonable price.

Right now, the only draw back for me, is the lack of a 3 year warranty upgrade and no LoJack offered.

 

Can you not upgrade the warranty after purchase?

 

Are you outside the US?

 

Wow MarkBot DUDE... you're a COLLEGE STUDENT dropping 2 or 3 grand on a laptop...?? Whoa - I thought they taught MBAs how to manage money

I use a $500 refurbed ThinkPad X41 daily literally 16-20 hrs/day, every day.

I'm a power-user, technologist/analyst so my computing is probably just as demanding as yours, maybe more so. Heavy-duty Excel, CAD, graphics editing and DTP - just about everything you can think of installed, along with a slew of web-based apps we use with clients. I'm on the road 150+ nights a year and the X41s are beat to hell on airplanes. I've been doing this roughly as long as you've been alive (I'm guessing you're in your mid-20's) and have used laptops for roughly a dozen years.

But here's the bottom line... I can furnish my entire staff of 4 for what you just paid for one machine. Since the X61s are next for retirement, you'll see them popping up with some very good deals in the near future. My next TP will probably be one of those.

Like you - I used to drop the big bucks on laptops... my first couple ThinkPads were $4500 or so fully equipped. Then I figured out that those were only a little faster/better than the left-over open-box units you can pick up from legit resellers for a fraction of the 'new' price. And the refurbs last just as long. I usually find deals that still have the 3-yr depot service from Lenovo. I have a couple of preferred eBay sellers who are legit dealers and use eBay to move old or returned inventory.

Actually - I've been looking at all the new X series.... I too had an X301/300 fetish, but it looks to me like the X200 is pretty much the same thing for around half the price. If I don't go with an X16 refurb, one of those will be my next ThinkPad, but I'm going to wait till they start showing up as open-box returns on eBay. A grand for a laptop is my absolute cap these days- it's like wine.... I like to pay $10/bottle but I'll go $15. Anything more is for special occassions only.

Moo

PS - You absolutely can't compare Dell laptops with ThinkPads. The rest of our company uses Dells and I'm also the "IT Guy" who has to keep them running. Don't get me wrong - Dell does a great job with their machine ID system and all - it's very easy to get them serviced and so forth - but they're a clunky Chevy pickup truck compared to a Lexus cross-over ThinkPad. Everything about the Lenovo machines are better-designed. The clueless grunts in the company can have Dells - I'm staying with ThinkPads.

I'm ragging you a little bit about your purchase, but if you want to you'll be able to give it hard use for 4+ years. You'll be sick of it before it wears out - and even if you need to replace a keyboard or other parts... THinkPads are very modular and easy to fix. So you'll get your value out of your purchase.

PSS - I don't use a desktop at all in-person...although I do remote desktop back to one in my office. I find TrackPoints to be the definitive pointing device because your hands never leave the keyboard. I can draw with CAD and never plug in a mouse. Try that with a Dell touchpad.

 

Does anyone have any benchmarks for the Intel SU9400's performance?
Eg. wprime or super pi. Thanks

 

On November 10 2008, Lenovo updated their x300 manual. It looks like they have added capability for the 128GB ssd-hard drive, but we haven't seen this offered yet....

So potentially the only difference now betw x301 and x300 is the displayport capabilities. Does anyone have a read on whether this will be released soon.. ?

New Manual
ftp....software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/42x4239_03....pdf

 

The x301 also has a faster processor, newer chipset, x4500 vs. x3100 graphics [decodes 1080P video, and DX10 compatible], and DDR3 memory.

So there is a little more to the x301 than just DisplayPort.

I think both the x300/x301 use 1.8" drives. So any SSD (or even HD) at that size should work in it. I don't know when, or if ever Lenovo will release an x300 w/ 128GB SSD (I expect it to be phased out soon, as the x301 is a slightly superior model).