Lenovo ThinkPad X201T convertible tablet hits the FCC, Australia
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 5th 2010 5:13PM
posted February 5th 2010 5:13PM
Well, we just saw a ThinkPad X201 Tablet turn up in a Lenovo roadmap earlier this week and, wouldn't you know it, something called the ThinkPad X201T has now also surfaced at the FCC. What's more, while the FCC isn't dishing out any details beyond the usual test reports, the convertible tablet has already turned up at Australian retailer TechBuy, which just so happens to have the complete specs for the device. Those include a 12.1-inch WXGA touchscreen, a Core i7-620LM processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a fingerprint scanner, and an 8-cell battery, to name a few features. A 12-inch, Core i7-based convertible ThinkPad? Yeah, that should turn a few heads. Still no indication of a release over here, unfortunately, but TechBuy is apparently taking orders right now for the local equivalent of $3,230.
Cheese and rice. A core i7 in such a tiny thing?
@ElCapitan
Precisely, I would appreciate a 15 or 17 inch tablet. Perhaps the price of touchscreens is still too expensive to be consumer accessible?
@ElCapitan
It's got a red nipple.
I hope I didn't offend anyone. No sexist intentions here :-)
@DBx Have you ever tried to hold a ~8-pound machine on one arm/shoulder all day? Gateway had a 14-inch tablet that was 6lbs. *ouch* Lenovo has T410 & T410s machines with multitouch, but not the fancy hinges to convert it to a tablet. If we ever see 15-inch (or even 17) tablet, it'll be more as smartbooks / smart tablets, not full fledged computers. This is where the iPad comes in a game changer. Even if it's barely 10-inch, it might create a market for tablet-like media consumption devices.
@johnwait [..] it might create a market for tablet-like media consumption devices with even bigger screens.
@ElCapitan 25W, less than a P series Core 2 Duo.
@ElCapitan i7s come in many favors. There's the 125W quad-core desktop versions, then there's the 25W dual-core version here. Naturally, the performance is going to be worlds apart, even if they're both called "i7"
@ElCapitan Wow a convertible tablet never failed to impress the people (with its design) but not for the price.. ? It's like 3.2K USD, OMG... I wonder which is better, this or the TM2 released by HP, last 3 weeks. Details: Details: http://bit.ly/hp-touchsmart-tm2-details
@ElCapitan Lenovo ThinkPad X201T convertible tablet is powered by a 2GHz Intel Core i7-620LM CPU, an Intel Integrated Graphics 5700MHD, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 320GB hard drive (7200rpm).
More details and pricing: http://bit.ly/lenovo-thinkpad-x201t-details
does it still have intel's integrated graphics?
does it still have intel's integrated graphics?
@untitled damn you double post gods!
@untitled
Mouhaha, you are no good at the internet.
Click the link for the info:
Intel Integrated Graphics 5700MHD
@untitled of course it does. it's not a gaming machine for christ's sake. it's for doing work. it's made to be small and light with good battery life. if you want a dedicated graphics card, you had better look at the T series.
@quillaja True. But I just want a business tablet that I can also hop into photoshop for some pen editing or watch an HD movie, something intel graphic chips really choke at.
Why bother throw in a i7 cpu, when the video chipset makes it seem like you have a 20 year old pc. Seems like a waste to me.. they should have just went with a Tegra chipset or something.
@untitled
I think people underrate the Intel chips; the 4500MHD can do HD video, all the standard functions of Compiz, and 2d graphics programs. According to the link, this will have a 5700MHD, so it should be even better.
i7 on a device like that is pretty great. Though for me, it all rides on how good the tablet aspect of things are. Meaning: how many points of pressure / at all comparable with Wacom quality in that field. Especially at THAT price.
@Xephrey
These use Wacom digitizers, so they're essentially Cintiqs with CPUs, HDs, etc.
The thing is, CPU speed has never been an issue with the X200 Tablets. Hopefully they have either A.) put in discrete graphics or B.) reduced the price. Those were really the only two problems with the X200 Tablets.
@M3
Cool! Thanks for the info! Yeah, discrete graphics would be killer. But with offerings like those, they wouldn't have to reduce the price much, since they'd be one of the best, if not the best act in town.
@Xephrey Keep in mind that the Cintiq has 1024 levels of pressure and has tilt sensitivity; the Lenovo X200t has 256 levels and no tilt sensitivity.
@Xephrey Note. As a user of a current X200T (multitouch) tablet, I have no pressure sensitivity in Photoshop. For some reason, Wacom decided not to include it in their drivers. So, please don't assume, as I did, that having Wacom inside will make things work properly. It only works in certain models.
On the other hand, my sensitivity and accuracy (in apps that use MS's Inking functions, like Sketchbook Pro) are phenomenal. Well, except for the very edge. That area's always been a problem with Wacom tabs.
@KidDynamic What! If you have a Lenovo tablet, you should definitely have pressure sensitivity in Photoshop. Have you configured your brushes, and do you have the Wacom drivers? http://www.wacom.com/tabletpc/driver.cfm
@MEAT
Ah good catch there MEAT. I'm not sure the tilt sensitivity is as important as the 4x pressure sensitivity.
How bout USB 3.0? Come on I don't want obsolete USB 2.0.
I wish I got a tablet when I started college. Now as I am about to finish up I can't see the point in getting one now.
@pauldovi Grad school! Over-educate yourself.
Ah, Techbuy.com.au brings back good memories... NewEgg is the only one that comes close over here in my mind.
Anyway, back on the subject. The i7-620LM makes sense @25W, with 2 cores x 2 threads @2,0 GHz, maxing out @2,8 GHz with TurboBoost. For those still dreaming of discrete, it will sport the usual (but I guess improved?) Intel integrated graphics only, especially since it's now part of the CPU package (I think only the i7-6xx in the Core i7 Mobile series have the IG in the same package). No X2nn/X2nnt refresh will have discrete graphics for the next refresh. It wouldn't make sense anyway.
Over at forums.thinkpad they found the US models of the X201(s) and prices.
32492EU $1104.82 TOPSELLER X201 I5-540M 2.53G 2GB 250GB 12.1-WXGA BT BFP W7P
32492FU $1381.24 TOPSELLER X201 I5-540M 2.53G 2GB 320GB 12.1-WXGA BT BFP W7P
3249J2U $877.78 TOPSELLER X201I I3-330M 2.13G 2GB 250GB 12.1-WXGA W7P
514328U $1,473.38 TOPSELLER X201S I7-640LM 2.13G 4GB 320GB 12.1-WXGA BT BFP W7P
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=84565
I wonder what the battery life is like with an i7 processor in such a small package?
@bigcow05 16 seconds
@bigcow05 Decent. Don't be fooled by the "i7" label - this is the power-saving 25W version, not the power guzzling 45W 720QM or the 85W desktop version.
Is it Singletouch or Multitouch?
Even when its Multitouch; I bet its 2-Finger-Multitouch. Why is it that we cant have real Multitouch with 10 fingers...
@Indyaner
see "surface"
Cool, I will be sticking with my x200t. I don't see the core i7 being able to run for 8 hours on a single charge like my current one does.
@PerryAJ
I'm pretty sure it will. Lenovo isn't that stupid.
Australian import fees are horrendous.
Did they add more than two point multi-touch over the previous generation x200? Cause I really want to be able to play some games against my fellow bored meeting participants.
Actually though, the core i7 adds some serious desirabilty to this thing when it comes to wireless displays (ie, projectors). This thing just became the best Powerpoint inflicter made.
I run a old-school X41--basically the same chassis--which IMO is one of the most durable chassis available (better than the unibody macs).
With that much power packed in this thing, 12.1" screen is just too small, albeit a touchscreen. I just hope it's got an HDMI port on it. Also, what graphics are we talking about IGP would make this thin hot and heavy, but man will all that power...
@recharged95 Most tablets are sized so that the screen is comparable in size to an 8.5x11" notepad that business folks are used to carrying to meetings. any bigger and it gets a bit unwieldy, heavy, and a shorter battery life (from powering the display), any smaller and they feel cramped when taking notes. It seems to be the size most companies have settled on.
Too bad the X200 series seems to only be getting a minor refresh in the form of the X201 series, which still has the bump on the screen bezel and doesn't have a centered screen or the other features that the new T410/T410s/T510/etc will have.
And there isn't even any refresh for the current X301 series.
I wonder when we'll see the next refresh (presumably a X210 and X310)?
Also, how come this picture of the X201T doesn't have a touchpad? Is the touchpad only coming to the non-tablet X201 models?
@beq Re touchpad. -- yeah, the tablets don't have touchpads. Strange, if you ask me. Maybe it's because of the funky latching system. It leaves a pretty big hole in the wrist rest. (looking at mine now...) I think I can see China.
@beq
I have been itching to pull the trigger on the x200 series but haven't because of lack of USB 3.0 and HDMI out. This boosts performance but is still lacking in the port department.
@beq
The standard x200 has a centered screen and no screen bump. But yeah, it can haz a lot of bezel.
As for USB3, I think we will see them pop up silently in this year's crop of notebooks like they did for Dell.
@Eternity
I'd like usb 3 too, but I kinda doubt it'll take off right away, especially since Intel is refusing to use it till like next year or something. Also, I'm pretty sure the x201 has DisplayPort.
@quillaja Yet another reason why I am looking forward to ARM/Linux or AMD/Linux eating away at Intel's market share.
I was concerned about pressure sensitivity on my tablet before I saw this video awhile back. After 256 levels it becomes a law of diminishing returns:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMUUDYiKEKA
My big problem is lack of accuracy on my t4220 (and other tablet pcs I've tried) No matter how I calibrate them, they're always a few millimeters off. Better stylus accuracy, which I'm guess would be tilt sensitivity, plus a larger screen would be great for us artist-folk. Plus, wouldn't making a larger slate as opposed to a larger convertible significantly cut down on weight? Personally, I just draw on my lap or at my desk so it's not a big deal. I had a Motion LE1400 that had a detachable keyboard and that worked fine.
Glad comments are back!:)
I was concerned about pressure sensitivity on my tablet before I saw this video awhile back. After 256 levels it becomes a law of diminishing returns:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMUUDYiKEKA
My big problem is lack of accuracy on my t4220 (and other tablet pcs I've tried) No matter how I calibrate them, they're always a few millimeters off. Better stylus accuracy, which I'm guess would be tilt sensitivity, plus a larger screen would be great for us artist-folk. Plus, wouldn't making a larger slate as opposed to a larger convertible significantly cut down on weight? Personally, I just draw on my lap or at my desk so it's not a big deal. I had a Motion LE1400 that had a detachable keyboard and that worked fine.
Glad comments are back!:)
Sorry for the double post.
God, please let me win the loto... or make this tablet in the US cheaper.
I was hoping they'd make it cheaper with a i5-520UM or even SU9600, but seems like they're keeping it fast and expensive.