New company laptop: Lenovo X220 or T420 - Hmmmm

[mjrpes3]

Really? You can hit $1.5K pretty easily with an X220 if you load it to a (what I consider) usable config. Is $500 more that big a deal for what the Z is, I wonder.

I don't know whether Sony runs deals but I got my x220 with an i7, premium screen, 4GB, camera, 9 cell battery, for $850 when the deal came up on slickdeals.net. I wouldn't have bought an x220 at $1500+ retail.

Since then I have found they offer a good deal on this model every six weeks or so.

 

[Neutralman]

x220 hands down!

 

[aceO07]

Typing on an X61T right now, which has a 12.1" screen. No problems at all for general office and web usage. However, it's 1400x1050 rather than 1366x768, so it's hard to say.

If only they retained that screen for the X200+ series..

 

[ViviTheMage]

I am used to 2x24" and 2x 6970's on my desktop...and this 12.5 is a-ok to use.

I paid $1104 for my x220 (with the 120gb ssd)

Intel Core i7-2620M Processor (3.4GHz, 3MB L3, 1333MHz FSB) w/ USB3
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
12.5″ Premium (IPS) HD (1366×768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 2×2 Antenna
Intel® HD Graphics 3000
4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
128GB Crucial M4 SSD
ThinkPad Battery 29++ (9 cell)
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2×2 AGN)


I bought mine about 2 months ago, so deals CAN be had.

add another $120 for when I bought my 4GBx2 kingston 1866 memory (better for gaming, not required to run awesomely, bumped graphics up 25%~) sold the 4GB DIMM on AT for $30....made another $40 for the mechanical drive I sold as well on AT.

 

[hans007]

I am used to 2x24" and 2x 6970's on my desktop...and this 12.5 is a-ok to use.

I paid $1104 for my x220 (with the 120gb ssd)

Intel Core i7-2620M Processor (3.4GHz, 3MB L3, 1333MHz FSB) w/ USB3
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
12.5″ Premium (IPS) HD (1366×768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 2×2 Antenna
Intel® HD Graphics 3000
4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
128GB Crucial M4 SSD
ThinkPad Battery 29++ (9 cell)
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2×2 AGN)


I bought mine about 2 months ago, so deals CAN be had.

add another $120 for when I bought my 4GBx2 kingston 1866 memory (better for gaming, not required to run awesomely, bumped graphics up 25%~) sold the 4GB DIMM on AT for $30....made another $40 for the mechanical drive I sold as well on AT.

i thought the sandy bridge chips did not take advantage of over 1333 memory since they dont support it and you cant o/c the bus?

 

[ViviTheMage]

i thought the sandy bridge chips did not take advantage of over 1333 memory since they dont support it and you cant o/c the bus?

Nope, I saw a huge gain in gaming (specifically playing LoL on it right now), even windows index went up 1.5~ points...I should have screenshot it.

 

[hans007]

Nope, I saw a huge gain in gaming (specifically playing LoL on it right now), even windows index went up 1.5~ points...I should have screenshot it.

Well my t420 only came with one dimm. When I put a second one in it became dual channel and it made a big difference for some things too but um pretty sure no sandybridge chip can run over 1333 except the k series ones on desktop

 

[beginner99]

to all x220 owners:

Can you really do work on the 1368x768 screen? I'm concerned about that but else I would prefer it over a T420(s) because of the supposedly crappy screen.

 

[alkemyst]

We offer a selection of the T420 as well as the 15" MBP, MBP's lead the way and almost all run parallels or fusion to have Windows 7 up at the same time as MacOSX...mostly for Visio.

Resolution is limited for detailed work IMHO, but the small form factor is much more travel friendly.

The best would be to have a 12"-13" laptop as well for heavy road use.

I carry 50lbs of tools on most of these travel jobs, a smaller laptop would work just as well consoling into a router/switch.

 

[ViviTheMage]

to all x220 owners:

Can you really do work on the 1368x768 screen? I'm concerned about that but else I would prefer it over a T420(s) because of the supposedly crappy screen.

yes, battery life makes it worth it...it really depends on what the user thinks is a priority.

Well my t420 only came with one dimm. When I put a second one in it became dual channel and it made a big difference for some things too but um pretty sure no sandybridge chip can run over 1333 except the k series ones on desktop

yes, it can do/take 1866, and i've read dual channel is helpful, yeah. I had 1 4GB DIMM, but wanted to just bump it to 1866 anyhow.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/len...-1866mhz-really-boost-intel-hd-3000-x220.html

actual review of memory here :

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1599/1/

 

[hans007]

to all x220 owners:

Can you really do work on the 1368x768 screen? I'm concerned about that but else I would prefer it over a T420(s) because of the supposedly crappy screen.

I do have to agree, the T420's screen is pretty bad viewing angle wise.

its a TN screen, like most laptops, but not a particularly good one either. but IT IS 1600x900 (maybe the selection of 1600x900 panels at 14" is particularly not great in the industry).

to compare i have an acer iconia A500 10" tablet. itsTN. the viewing angles are much better so are the colors.

I still got the t420 though. I have had a few 11.6" netbooks , and I have a dell D420 still (12" 1280x800) and well, though you can "live" with 1366x768 / 1280x800 its not ideal for doing say programming or even browsing with a lot of windows or reading. It all depends on what kind of work you want to do. I would not want to use a 12.5" 1366x768 as my primary screen to do any real work for a serious amount of time personally.

I think for me, the screen in the sony S or Z series is almost idea. 1600x900 in a 13" or even higher res. a 1440x900 screen in the X220 would be nice (like a 13" macbook air)

 

[vbuggy]

I don't know whether Sony runs deals but I got my x220 with an i7, premium screen, 4GB, camera, 9 cell battery, for $850 when the deal came up on slickdeals.net. I wouldn't have bought an x220 at $1500+ retail.

Since then I have found they offer a good deal on this model every six weeks or so.

Yeah - I guess we are pretty much polar opposites in terms of how we look at stuff. You look at the price tag first and ultimate effectiveness for the task at hand is compromised against that. I only look at ultimate effectiveness for the task at hand. And I think it would be fair to say I'm price-insensitive, although I do usually ask for discounts as a matter of principle.

 

[jimhsu]

I did get the X220 tablet though for several reasons, one being that the price offered was too good to pass up with coupon stacking:

$1299 - 15% "employee perks pricing" - $150 coupon + tax - $150 Facebook "Link, Like, Love" deal for a little over $850. For a tablet. Nothing else in that price range could beat it. Think with the FB deal in particular plus everything else, you could get a completely loaded X220, PLUS 3 year warranty, for less than $1000; less if you live in a state w/o tax.

Plus, I actually do use the tablet feature extensively (actually exclusively) in lecture. Writing on slides in OneNote while your professor is going through 150 slides at 100 miles per hour - win. Lack of vertical resolution is sort of a minus, but thanks to flexible OneNote scaling, this isn't such a big problem. Kind of annoyed though that I can't make the Office ribbon vertical - that would actually improve usability significantly.

 

[beginner99]

I do have to agree, the T420's screen is pretty bad viewing angle wise.

its a TN screen, like most laptops, but not a particularly good one either. but IT IS 1600x900 (maybe the selection of 1600x900 panels at 14" is particularly not great in the industry).

to compare i have an acer iconia A500 10" tablet. itsTN. the viewing angles are much better so are the colors.

I still got the t420 though. I have had a few 11.6" netbooks , and I have a dell D420 still (12" 1280x800) and well, though you can "live" with 1366x768 / 1280x800 its not ideal for doing say programming or even browsing with a lot of windows or reading. It all depends on what kind of work you want to do. I would not want to use a 12.5" 1366x768 as my primary screen to do any real work for a serious amount of time personally.

I think for me, the screen in the sony S or Z series is almost idea. 1600x900 in a 13" or even higher res. a 1440x900 screen in the X220 would be nice (like a 13" macbook air)

It would not be my main computer but I would need it also for programming when on the road or on vacation. (I'm working + studying CS). Watching videos and web browsing would be the other tasks. The thing is i could get x220, T420(s) for "cheap" now. Those things cost about 2000$++ here...rip off...and I could get them for about 60% of that price.
Sony Z is even worse but the new samsung series 7 looks promising...

I have a 9" eeePC but programming is just not a nice experience...

 

[Gibson486]

I love Lenovo, seems to be the only company that isn't putting freaking mirror-like glossy displays in their laptops. Matte all the way.

Actually...Sony has a new line that does not have that glossy screen....I know...sony, out of the companies...

 

[alkemyst]

I was never an Apple fan since the //e. The MBP running Parallels and Win7/Snow L* converged is an awesome experience. The hardware is tough, everything works.

My biggest gripe is only two USB slots...I don't care for bluetooth mice yet, and love my MX Everywhere mouse...I am burdened with having to use a USB to serial adapter to talk to the gear I support daily. That leaves no phone charging using USB nor thumbdrives easily.

I have a T60 here and have ALWAYS loved Thinkpads even when they said no to the WINDOWS key.

I wouldn't say the current Thinkpad is a terrible laptop, but for a road warrior/non gaming productivity daily driver; the MBP leads the line. Also we offer the W520 vs the 15" MBP (non-enhanced graphics). The T420 is an option...

 

[mrblotto]

We still have tons of T60's in service where I am. Not a bad lappy, they're def showing their age tho with the newer software coming out. I think they're rolling out T410's/420's and W510's and W520's (which are freaking huge and have a huge PS lol)

 

[alkemyst]

the general failure in old laptops (T60 is a good example) is inability to do modern GPU needs. There has been a shift in tech. You need to have a 'good' GPU in a laptop. I went with X1400 vs the FireGL V lineup due to heat and all that.

Either way it's really now just an email and web type device.

 

[firewolfsm]

Nope, I saw a huge gain in gaming (specifically playing LoL on it right now), even windows index went up 1.5~ points...I should have screenshot it.

This is almost entirely from the upgrade to dual channel. I put in a second 1333 4GB DIMM instead and saw the same gains. Even if the motherboard can run ram at the speed, which I doubt, there are articles on anandtech that clearly state the sandybridge controller doesn't really see much gain from faster ram. Maybe up to 3%.

On the X220, yeah, get it.

 

[RichUK]

Woohoo - Getting my X220 on 25th October.

I'm looking to start using Microsoft OneNote as well so I can take all my notes electronically when going to meetings.

 

[paul878]

I like my 420 except for the screen which is utter rubbish. Someone in another thread said the screen was very poor and I thought, aw it can't be that bad. It is that bad.
Viewing angles are pathetic, very poor

Some company put 3m privacy filter on their laptops, which limit the viewing angles even more.

 

[jlee1]

as another biased X220 owner, I appraise the quality and features of this Thinkpad.
My specs are:
i7 2620M
4gb 10600ddr3
usb 3.0
12.5" ISP Display

I LOVE the display. 12.5" is perfect for me as I am a student and need the light weight mobility and smaller form factor. However, the small screen doesn't seem to be an issue when I'm simultaneously writing a paper and researching switching through windows and what not. Watching movies and tv shows are awesome. And the quality of the display.. drooooool

 

[RichUK]

Much Win.

Company laptop and company phone pic:

 

[biostud]

I love Lenovo, seems to be the only company that isn't putting freaking mirror-like glossy displays in their laptops. Matte all the way.

the HP Probooks/Elitebooks use matte display as well.

 

[Chaotic42]

Much Win.

Company laptop and company phone pic:

I'm seconds away from clicking order on an X220, but WTF is up with that enter key?