ThinkPad X201's official maintenance manual reveals new models' specs

That X series refresh we've been waiting on from Lenovo seems to have become imminent as the company's website has published the latest version of its maintenance manual, which now includes the models X201, X201s, X201i and X201si. The X201 will come with Intel CPU options ranging all the way up to the 2.66GHz Core i7-620M -- a true powerhouse with 4MB of cache that is already available on T410 and T510 models -- while the slimmer X201s will plump for the lower-volted Core i7-640LM, clocked at a reputable 2.13GHz but also consuming 10W less power than its chunkier sibling. The X201i and X201si will likely prop up the pseudo-affordable part of Lenovo's range with Core i3-330M parts. And oh yes, touchpads are now an option -- not being excited about this upgrade, however, is not.

[AlienSix Posted Feb 16th 2010 4:45PM]

Excited about this and the new buzz buttons Engadget has added.

[Engrudget Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:31PM]

Especially about the Bad Request Error 400 message I get when I click on it.

[AlienSix Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:58PM]

@Engrudget That actually works now

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 16th 2010 6:30PM]

@AlienSix EeeeeehH!! (giggles like a schoolgirl at the X201)

[M3 Posted Feb 16th 2010 4:47PM]

I reserve my right to be unexcited about the Touchpad. The only way I can see space for this on the X200'ss would be if they shrunk the keyboard, which to me, is unacceptable. The keyboard is to a Thinkpad, what OSX is to a Macbook.

[PerryAJ Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:20PM]

@M3 I agree that they better not mess with the KB, but I think they could make room for the touchpad without having to shrink it. Looking at my x200t, there is room at the top (above the power and volume buttons) to shift the whole think up by a least a cm. If they move the screen locking mechanism from the center of the computer (have two straddling locks) they could easily free up 1-1.5cm more. They could also slightly reduce the size of the trackpoint buttons and save a total of nearly an inch, all without making the KB any smaller.

That said, I don't care for touchpads and wouldn't want it on there anyway. Trackpoint all the way.

[sinai Posted Feb 16th 2010 4:51PM]

in other words, a great time to get a x200 for cheap!

[jalapeno Posted Feb 16th 2010 4:57PM]

All I need is the red nipple, no touchpad for me!

[R Posted Feb 16th 2010 7:03PM]

@jalapeno
Yeah, I agree. I never liked the UltraNav setup. It was just too weird having that touchpad and extra set of mouse buttons there, even if they could be disabled.

The maintenance manual shows parts for models with and without UltraNav. So I guess that's a good sign.

[siva Posted Feb 16th 2010 4:58PM]

x201 series are great, but we would also like x302/x310 in 2010, unlike what the road-map shows otherwise

[ArhcAngel Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:21PM]

@siva

The X-302 has been out since 06/07/2002

http://www.gateworld.net/wiki/X-302

[Cameron Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:07PM]

Where's my new tablet, dammit?!

[Xeno Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:08PM]

My x200t is awesome. It's the most solid laptop I've ever owned.

[PerryAJ Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:23PM]

@Xeno yup, agree 100%. I added a 160 GB X25 SSD a month or two ago and it's simply the best mobile computing experience I have ever had. Nothing comes close for me.

Admittedly, I would love to have slightly higher screen resolution, but that is really the only thing I would want to change if I could (aside from the obvious 'more power and longer battery life' which can be said for any mobile device).

[RandomGuy Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:08PM]

Is the screen still a two point multitouch or has it bumped up to 4 like the x410?

[scat19 Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:17PM]

I'd like it have better options for HD out. Hdmi/displayport please! If not, the other option is the t410....

[Gward Posted Feb 17th 2010 1:04AM]

@scat19 Yeah. We’d have to get the UltraBase for the display port… Oh why can’t we just have it on the laptop itself!

[1800BelowMe Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:28PM]

My lenovo nipples explode with delight

[KAL326 Posted Feb 16th 2010 5:31PM]

I can say I'm not excited about embedded CPU's which given the long motherboard FRU list the x20# has. Kind of cuts down the ability to extend out the longevity of a machine by upping the processor. I've done this with a R61 quite extensively. Refurb. or used parts come pretty cheap. I got a basically give away R61 and swapped some parts into it to make it a decent running machine. When all said in done the only thing original in the R61 was the bottom half of the chassis, the mobo, and battery. CPU, wireless, lcd, ram, and hd were all replaced. Makes a nice little Franken'novo.

[Wowzers Posted Feb 16th 2010 7:04PM]

How about an option to switch the ctrl and fn keys, and not just in the bios.

[CMA Posted Feb 16th 2010 7:17PM]

How about they make one with a half-decent screen. Bring back IPS in laptops.

And FBO.

[Javindo Posted Feb 17th 2010 12:33PM]

Am I the only person who feels that Lenovo could do a bit more to make ThinkPads look as though they were designed any time after 1995?

[Astounding Posted Feb 17th 2010 8:21PM]

@Javindo Yup, just you.

Don't mess with the ThinkPad's look and design.

Perfection cannot be improved upon.