Lenovo's ThinkPad X200 reviewed: it's a winner
By Darren Murph 
posted July 15th 2008 1:21PM
posted July 15th 2008 1:21PM
posted July 15th 2008 1:21PM
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I love my Sony SZ.
A laptop i can replace my x40 with, no touchpad! I am very glad that lenovo finally increased the screen brightness, on older models this is the only, nevertheless very annoying 'feature'. The ginormous battery life is unbelievable, compared to other manufacturer's models, i wonder how do they achieve it, maybe thats the centrino 2 powa.
i understand for some this is a show stopper, but in my experience majority of the users who learned to use it and type a lot find it essential.
Nothing matters without battery life and unfortunately,the only thing the review found was:
"The system delivered a whopping 9 hours and 18 minutes of endurance in MobileMark 2007 with the Wi-Fi connection disabled, which gives road warriors the ability to work all day before needing a charge. We’ll be updating this review once we’ve had a chance to run our wireless-surfing endurance test."
That's great and all, but what about the standard 6cell (so we can still call it a subnote, instead of a subnote with a big honkin batt). And while indications without wifi sound good, I'll reserve judgment until we get that tested - its little use to me as an ultraportable without connectivity.
If they can slam the tablet features on this and then replace the OS with XP Pro even though M$ is trying really hard to push Vista out so Win 7 can be the new media boi, I'll take this as is for $1200 incl. tablet features.... sleek....
IBMs are great workhorses. I just wish it had some wow factor like the Envy. I mean nobody is going to envy you carrying this thing around.
No touchpad == FAIL
(No touchpad == FAIL) -> FAIL
Oily keys on keyboards have been my # 1 pet peeve and #1 priority to avoid it when buying computers. I have recently purchased an Apple keyboard for my Dell desktop and it seems to be the only keyboard that doesn't get oily. Taking a look at this image of X200 here, I can already see an oily print on the CTRL Key: http://www.laptopmag.com/review/newgallery.aspx?id=16341&img=13
The one and only reason that is keeping me from buying the X200 is that I am afraid that its keyboard will become oily easily, just as any conventional desktop keyboards.
I might just end up getting the new VAIO laptops as they seem to adopt the Apple keyboard design (minimal key push-down travel time = less tendency for users to slam their fingers on it = less contribution to oily print) if the X200 have an easier tendency to get oily.
For anyone with experience in using Thinkpads, how easily does your keyboard gets that smooth oily print on them?
I know what you're talking about... I don't think it's "oil" as much as your finger actually buffing the plastic to a shiny gloss.
I have a Thinkpad X40 that's around 4-5 years old and it's suprisingly gloss free. The lid is a magnesium alloy covered with a matte black finish and you can't even see a scratch (and I use this thing daily). My pet peeve on laptops is the palm rest area becoming worn. The Thinkpad actually looks fairly brand new after abusive use.
I also have a Dell x300 that's around the same age and when the light hits the keyboard just right, it blinds you. The gray palm rest area has worn to an ugly darker color that looks like a permanent stain. The screen has a permanent ghost circle in the middle from the Dell circle crushing the LCD without any sort of reinforcement and a hinge cracked.
Overall, I've owned HP, Dell, Toshiba and Thinkpad laptops. I'd only buy another Thinkpad. I'm looking into the SL300 right now, I'm a little scared because they cite using cheaper parts (plastic lid, etc.) to reduce the cost to the consumer. It's also geared towards small to medium business users. The X200 line is geared more towards large corporate environments where laptops tend to change many hands, mobile use is a priority and laptop abuse is common.
Listen, this machine is made for serious computer users. Most of the machines Lenovo makes are made with practicality and usability as the design ideal. When someone needs a laptop for doing real work, work that has to be done on deadlines and with a level of quality and compatibility, these are the goto machines. Any respectable engineer or business person for that matter who is grinding it out day after day wouldn't be caught dead rocking a mac. If a thinkpad goes down or the corporate software they use craps out on the machine, they aren't going to the "genius bar" and waiting for some pimply faced fanboy to mail the machine off to some unknown screwdriver jockey to kick it back to them in 3 weeks. That kind of downtime is out of the question. The machines have to be able to be backed up on the company servers without issue. The software has to be able to be restored remotely without issue and the equipment has to be repaired or replaced without issue. Try any of that with a macbook air. Good luck. As far as the looks of the machine go, Thinkpads have developed the opposite mystique of apple products. People see Macs and get glossy eyed and say "oooOOOO Shiny!" whereas when you see someone with the flat black of a Thinkpad you know that person is working or serious about their computing. It demands a certain level of respect. It says "Get out of my face, i have work to do." Also as a note, any respectable nerd knows that flat black is as pimp as it gets.
Why the hell do they only give us the slimmest point? Damn marketing BS. I need to know how skinny this thing is at the THICKEST if my needs demand a certain size laptop. 0.8" my ass - it's 1.4" at the thickest!
Thumbs up for the touch point though. I've always thought forgoing the touchpad on small laptops was the only sensible solution. I just wish there was a decent "netbook" that had only a touchpoint.
I understand that people like the functionality of the thinkpads, but why the hell can't they at least make them a little bit nicer looking? There's no reason you have to have only one. It's like you people take their sheer ugliness as a frickin badge of honor. It's as ridiculous as Apple users who think they are better just because they have a pretty laptop - but reversed. It's still all about "making a statement."
Now I'm definitley looking forward to a X200/X300 Tablet. Have to replace the aging X60 of mine sometime!
Grab a discount on a Lenovo laptop by swinging over to CouponMeUp.com to grab a coupon before you shop online!
...totally agree with you. Don't forget that when someone sees a matte black magnesium lid, they just might be a government agent. This is the laptop that the government trusts (and I don't think that they trust a lot of people). It's truly the "I've grown up, gotten a job and did something with my life" laptop.
I still do about 90% of my work at home on an IBM T20, circa 2000. Looking at the latest Thinkpads, the design has changed very little, but then why should it? It's iconic, instantly recognisable, and totally practical, with excellent ergonomics. We're looking at the original laptop line here - everything else has to be different just to make a mark.
My T20 is still going strong because it was well specced and well built eight years ago - I've no doubt this is the same.
I think Lenovo is correct to keep the Thinkpad look , in the end of the day this is the Thinkpad original and traditional look, you cannot just change it , it is the look of business people.
Lenovo already came up with alot of designs with the consumers oriented lines.
This thing is FUCK ugly. The original thinkpads were good industrial design. Now theyre just tastelessly done up to look like they control nuclear reactors or some shit like that.
When you guys say "businesslike", what are you referring to? the 6 or so flashing status LEDs, and diagonal stripes that tell you where the antenna is embedded? the totally batshit use of textures and contours that make it look like a spaceship?
Grow up guys, its the software that makes it businesslike, not the fact that the enemy cupertino laptops look blank and harmless.