Lenovo's X300 gets splayed in detail

Sure, you probably caught a brief glimpse of the X300's innards earlier this morning, but the photos waiting for you in the read link below are what we nerds really crave. Some lucky cat in Los Angeles managed to wrap his paws around Lenovo's forthcoming machine, and rather than booting it up and keeping it a secret, he whipped out the pliers and went to work. You know the drill -- tap that link below for all the guts 'n bolts you can handle.

[Thanks, Loran M.]

[Fernando @ Feb 15th 2008 10:56PM]

hot. AND a dvd drive

[Jamma @ Feb 16th 2008 11:05AM]

AND a removable battery

[Jamma @ Feb 16th 2008 11:06AM]

AND a removable battery

[robert @ Feb 16th 2008 6:46PM]

Why do people low-rank double posts? It's Engadget's fault for the lack of editing/deleting, not theirs.

[albi @ Feb 15th 2008 10:59PM]

the creature below is actually more scary than this anatomy thing

[Ruben @ Feb 15th 2008 10:59PM]

Ways of taking apart your ultra-slim laptop and being able to replace things and plug things in with relative ease. I didn't think it was possible considering the form-factor.

Everything seems really easy to take apart. At least someone knows how to manufacture hardware that doesn't sacrifice form and function.

[max andrews @ Feb 16th 2008 2:53AM]

Seems like they took a cue from apple's 2000 powerbook G3 pismo, which is IMO the best laptop ever made. It was the first laptop with wifi, and the first with firewire; it had TWO swappable battery trays, one on either side, once of which could take a swappable DVD drive, CD burner, or zip drive as well, and to top it off the keyboard opens up on a hinge in about 2 seconds you have complete access to all the internals. Mine runs leopard fine even though it's only a 400mhz cpu. Why apple didn't look into their own past I have no idea.
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g3/stats/powerbook_g3_400_fw.html

[Mitch @ Feb 16th 2008 7:50AM]

@ max andrews:

Or maybe not.

[DrXym @ Feb 16th 2008 5:36AM]

It is eminently possible. Apple just doesn't do it because they don't want consumers being able to replace the battery or upgrade components. After all, if consumers could do that, they mightn't toss away their otherwise functioning device and buy a new one. It is a cynical marketing ploy and has little to do with design at all.

[Steele @ Feb 15th 2008 11:03PM]

seems to be built as well as my t40 if not better, which believe you me, is a great great thing indeed

[wootman @ Feb 15th 2008 11:20PM]

countdown until someone mentions the MBA, 3, 2...

[akib @ Feb 16th 2008 12:36AM]

I think you just did.

[mike @ Feb 15th 2008 11:27PM]

MACBOOK AIR!

[Kizorblade @ Feb 15th 2008 11:46PM]

He didn't finish counting down yet. Back to the start line.

[wootman @ Feb 16th 2008 12:12AM]

1. D:

[ethana2 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:27AM]

master of business administration!

~I win.

[Apple Mac Bon Jovi Aerosmith Ipod -Unicorn Tears- ilife forever @ Feb 16th 2008 12:44AM]

I will start listening to Mac Fans only when Firefox will stop crashing when loading a quicktime. Apple dont respect anything outside their own moneymaking products.

[Down @ Feb 15th 2008 11:30PM]

Lenovo's and IBM's laptops all look horrible.

[Shyam D @ Feb 15th 2008 11:34PM]

It's a matter of tastes. Thinkpads look like they were made for the CIA. Personally, that is a much better style then "I GOT LOTS OF FLASHY BELLS AND WHISTLES", like the XPS line and Apple's laptops. In the end, it's all about personal taste, and as long as we don't push our tastes onto others, everything is fine.

[Down @ Feb 15th 2008 11:53PM]

If I had to use a laptop for a company job, I would certainly stay away from a ThinkPad.

People who buy ThinkPad's have shitty tastes.

[The Joker @ Feb 16th 2008 12:05AM]

@Down

Are you CRAZY? The ThinkPad is "THE" company notebook. The things are built like tanks.

[Jon Doe. @ Feb 16th 2008 12:19AM]

Says you. The Mac's design is boring as hell at this point. IMHO the best design out there right now is the new Dell xx30 series. The shell is a hell of a lot more attractive then Dell's previous boxy crap and takes Apple's 5+ year old design and drop kicks it into the toilet....I say this as a MBP owner....Apple should be beaten for their lack of design. Making a damn laptop thiner doesn't automatically make it more attractive either.

[LM @ Feb 15th 2008 11:59PM]

Yes, the quality seems just as good as any T or X that I have worked on. It really surprised me that only 2 screws hold the keyboard down, very quick to disassemble.

[The Joker @ Feb 16th 2008 12:03AM]

ThinkPad X300 = Jason Bourne
MacBook Air = James Bond

Each is effective in their own ways. Bond's a metro and is always concerned about how he looks and is always looking to score with chicks (overcompensating for sure). Bourne justs gets his shit done quickly and efficiently... and he'll bang a chick or two if he has the time.

[Jon Doe. @ Feb 16th 2008 12:16AM]

Yah know....there is a move in there somewhere.

[FT @ Feb 16th 2008 2:50AM]

I thought James Bond uses Sony VAIO....LOL

[Big John @ Feb 16th 2008 12:06AM]

Best reason for an Air? The design. ThinkPads appeal to the business crowd but for people like me, the Air is king.

[Jon Doe. @ Feb 16th 2008 12:14AM]

Bullshit. The air's overall design sucks ass on several levels from the battery to the USB to the ability to upgrade to the pricepoint for such a closed system. The best reason for an air is the show off. That is all. Its a presentation system. Period. Its a look at me laptop. The X300 is a work laptop. The air is a presentation laptop that someone takes into a boardroom or to a client's site. Its the prima donna's laptop of choice.

[Hung @ Feb 16th 2008 12:27AM]

Yeah, Jon Doe, that's what he's saying. He wants to show it off and doesn't need all the amenities of a hard-core business laptop. If someone really does want the Air after knowing all the facts, you'd have to be a complete douche-bag to argue them.

I prefer the X300, even though it may not look as sleek as the Air. Big John prefers the Air, although it's not as functionable as the X300. He just wants it, not because it's better on paper, but because he desires it.

Quit being a dick about it, Jon. That's why he's Big John and you're a nobody, literally.

[Big John @ Feb 16th 2008 12:28AM]

Really? So I don't get work done on my Air day in, day out? I had no idea so thanks for telling me, internet troll!

When I say design, I'm talking about when I LOOK at the laptop. The battery, USB etc. aren't what I'm taking into account here. Since you brought it up though...

The battery I could care less about (4:30 average battery life for me, little less with a lot of YouTubing going on and WHO CARES ABOUT IT BEING USER REPLACEABLE). The USB... huh? I rarely have to plug in a USB device to my laptop for my daily use. Sometimes a flash drive, that's about it. If I had a need to plug tons of devices in, the Air isn't the laptop for me. Ability to upgrade... whatever. The last laptop I had lasted me about three years with no RAM/HDD upgrades. Not too worried about this one doing the same.

Thank you for enlightening me, though.

On the LOOK (sorry, apparently the word design doesn't fly) -- I'm sorry but the eraser-nub mouse? What is this, 1996? The X300 isn't exactly a looker, with the rest of the ThinkPad line. Some people like it, others don't.

[Big John @ Feb 16th 2008 12:31AM]

@Hung: Actually, the Air does exactly what I want it to. Web browsing, Mail, iCal and Notebook. I don't need anything else in a laptop. I have an iMac for my primary computing needs. It wasn't because I "desired it" or whatever. It fit the exact bill for what I've been saving up for. Instead of having a little extra money left over, I didn't. Oh well. Still love the thing.

[Apple Mac Bon Jovi Aerosmith Ipod -Unicorn Tears- ilife forever @ Feb 16th 2008 12:54AM]

I saw 2 guys in a café last friday, one had a Air, the other not so far a white EEE... they was doing same thing, browsing the net and writing stuff... sorry to say that but the eee was way more fashionable than that big standing silver plate. eee is really small, this is the key for minimal cuteness! (maybe the guy with the eee looked more clever too, dont know...)

im just waiting the eee to get a 9inch screen before plunging myself with a white one. lets go Asus, we are waiting!!!

[Big John @ Feb 16th 2008 1:01AM]

The big problem with the Eee PC is that it's way, way too small. I need the screen real estate and full-size (well, for a laptop) keyboard due to large fingers.

[Adrian Williams @ Feb 16th 2008 1:49AM]

"Web browsing, Mail, iCal and Notebook"
So you want a 3000 dollar laptop to only do just that

[Big John @ Feb 16th 2008 1:59AM]

I dropped $3,000 on it? I wasn't aware. I upgraded the processor, which I don't regret because it seems snappy enough.

I had about $2,000 saved up for a new laptop since I realized a little under a year ago that my old Dell was starting to circle the drain. I switched to Mac in Feb '07 and knew I wanted a Mac laptop. It would have been foolish to buy a laptop mid-December (when I had saved up the money I wanted) so I waited for MacWorld. I figured on getting a MB or MBP with the spec upgrade but didn't really expect the Air to fit so well. Instead of having some money left over, I got the Air.

I'm comfortable with my purchase choice, thanks.

[david1223 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:08AM]

As a Lenovo employee, I am so happy you guys like it.

[ethana2 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:29AM]

www.dell.com/ubuntu

I'm afraid I favor some other models more, for obvious reasons. As a lenovo employee, I hope you can give that data to the people that need to hear it.

Or you know, start up your own ideastorm-like thing. Listening to customers works wonders.

[ldrn @ Feb 16th 2008 2:09AM]

Please! It doesn't have to be Ubuntu, but this is a determining factor in my future purchase choices. It saves you guys money too, right?

I installed Linux on my X60 after buying it, but I've decided not to do that anymore, now that Linux is being shipped on so many laptops.

[max andrews @ Feb 16th 2008 2:59AM]

Nicely done. Now do hire yourself a freakin' design team already! :)

[zargon @ Feb 16th 2008 8:03AM]

"Nicely done. Now do hire yourself a freakin' design team already! :)"

Do not change the Thinkpad! It is classic and even though generation hipster, we want form over function, a lot of people like the design and love the rock solid build. Let those other people be lured to flashy or shiny things.

[BigD145 @ Feb 16th 2008 3:36PM]

I say give back the option of NOT having Windows on the computer. Other than that, this is a good ThinkPad.

[Jon Doe. @ Feb 16th 2008 12:09AM]

I miss the days when you could actually do this to a damn Mac. Where the concept of upgrading didn't just apply to RAM and if you have a low end consumer model a hard drive.
Fuck you Steve Jobs. Fuck you and your fetish for all things thin.

[Big John @ Feb 16th 2008 12:29AM]

Jesus get over yourself already. There is a MacBook waiting for you somewhere if you could stop moaning for three minutes.

[ethana2 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:30AM]

It's all about control. Letting people take things apart isn't conducive to that.

[TKWarrior @ Feb 16th 2008 9:01AM]

@ Big John
"Ultraportables are a hot topic right now for blogs. It draws out the "MacBook Air is a horrible piece of crap" crowd in droves. Hell, just look at the comments here. They're mostly about the MBA and the comparison of the X300 to it."

This coming from the guy who makes one of the first Pro-MBA/Anti-Lenovo related comments: "Best reason for an Air? The design. ThinkPads appeal to the business crowd but for people like me, the Air is king." I'm sorry, how is that related to the article in any way? Please don't answer, I need you to meet my friends Pot and Kettle first.

And at 12:06AM no less. At least we know how you like to spend your Friday nights. Seriously, stop the apple trolling and get a life.

[SFO Kevin @ Feb 16th 2008 12:34AM]

I always thought the Thinkpads aesthetics were part of some sort of anti-theft device...

[N30 G30 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:57AM]

Yeah, the Macbook Air isn't Apple's best product (personally i think it's garbage), but some of you guys make it seem like the X300 is Lenovo's best product. I love the fact that Lenovo is trying out the 13.3 inch market and SSD market, but with the weak processor and weak video card, it's not for everybody.

I prefer the x61 with an updated processor if all else right now from Lenovo and I prefer a MacBook Pro from Apple.

If I could get what I want from Apple, it'd be a 13.3 inch MacBook Pro and throw an SSD drive in there just for slickness.

[Graham @ Feb 16th 2008 1:15AM]

I have to agree with everything you are saying. I use an X41 Tablet, and love it. The X300 isn't the best, but it is no way the worst.

And yes the Air is Garbage, it was a dissapointment. Spend the extra $200 and get a Mac Book Pro people, it's a way nicer machine, way more features... And is a little bigger (talking about the 15" here), but damn you get a good machine, with some functionality. Bang per buck.

[nikster @ Feb 16th 2008 8:59AM]

And yes convertibles are Garbage, they are a dissapointment. Spend a few grand less and get a Minivan people, it's a way nicer machine, way more features... And is a little bigger (talking about the 15" here), but damn you get a good machine, with some functionality. Bang per buck.

[N30 G30 @ Feb 16th 2008 2:23PM]

Convertible?! That's a stupid analogy, unless you leave one seat, take out the CD player, and weld the hood shut so users can't change the battery or anything else inside. Let's also put an updated but weaker engine on there.

I see the MacBook Pro more as a X5 or an M Class if you say a MacBook Air is a covertible. How dare you call one of the best laptops out a freaking minivan?!