Review ThinkPad X201
The ThinkPad X201 is a newest 12-inch ultra-portable commercial operation cover from Lenovo. As a modernise to a X200-series, a X201 showcases Intel’s ultimate Calpella platform. One of a many engaging latest processor options enclosed in a X201 is a latest 32nm Core i7-640LM dual-core CPU clocked in during 2.13GHz. In this examination we take a demeanour during a complete X201-lineup together with a X201, X201s, as great as X201 Tablet as great as see how great they smoke-stack up opposite prior models.
Our Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Specifications:
- Screen: 12.1-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) LED Backlit (Matte finish)
- Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-540M (2.53GHz, 3MB Cache)
- Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
- Storage: 320GB Hitachi HDD (7200rpm)
- Wireless: Intel 6200 802.11AGN, Bluetooth
- Graphics: Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics
- Power: 94Wh 9-cell, 65W 20V AC adapter
- Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.2 x 0.8 – 1.4″
- Weight: 3.52lbs
- Retail Price: $1,625
Our Lenovo ThinkPad X201s Specifications:
- Screen: 12.1-inch WXGA+ (1440 x 900) LED Backlit (Matte finish)
- Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-640LM (2.13GHz, 4MB Cache)
- Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
- Storage: 320GB Hitachi HDD (5400rpm)
- Wireless: Intel 6250 802.11AGN, Bluetooth
- Graphics: Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics
- Power: 57Wh 6-cell, 65W 20V AC adapter
- Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.3 x 0.8 – 1.4″
- Weight: 2.77lbs
- Retail Price: $1,335
Our Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Tablet Specifications:
- Screen: 12.1″ Multitouch LED WXGA (1280×800) row with Wide Viewing Angle
- Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-640LM (2.13GHz, 4MB Cache)
- Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
- Storage: 320GB Fujitsu HDD (5400rpm)
- Wireless: Intel 6200 802.11AGN, Bluetooth
- Graphics: Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics
- Power: 66Wh 8-cell, 65W 20V AC adapter
- Dimensions: 11.6 x 10.1 x 1.04 – 1.31″
- Weight: 3.95lbs
- Retail Price: $1,900
Build as great as Design
The ThinkPad X201 carries a same delightfully-intimidating, ultra-portable business-notebook-on-steroids pattern as all a X-series notebooks prior to it. At initial peek it looks identical to any pick T-series cover with a boxy await as great as rubberized paint yet many smaller. With a cover open, we see which a pattern is as tiny as it can be yet shortening a distance of a keyboard. Keeping a vast set of keys upon a tiny await does have consequences, however, such as a reduced palmrest that’s as well reduced to await many wrists with your fingers in their typing position. The X-series cover is radically a smallest ThinkPad which still allows Lenovo to soak up a full-size set of keys in a design.
Build peculiarity is great compared to many of a tiny netbooks as great as CULV notebooks which have strike a marketplace in a past integrate of years. Just identical to a incomparable T-series counterpart, a X201 retains a clever stainless-steel shade hinges, permanent ThinkPad keyboard, clever cosmetic cladding, as great as amalgamate chassis. The thinner pattern does deliver a tiny teenager be during home as great as a shade hinges feel “weaker” when scaled down yet this is all relative. For a 12-inch cover a X201 can simply be tossed around with tiny be concerned about it violation brazen of report or wearing out prior to a utilitarian hold up is up. Try to do a same thing with cheaper consumer foe as great as we won’t identical to a results.
End-user servicing is still taken in to care with easy mental recall as great as tough expostulate access. The X201 retains a side row to fast barter out a tough expostulate as great as a bottom cover to ascent a complement memory.
Screen as great as Speakers
While a set up peculiarity surpasses many CULV-notebooks a single area a X201 unequivocally falls during a behind of is in a shade category. Compared to many of a complicated 11.6- as great as 12-inch silken screens found upon latest consumer ultraportable notebooks, a panels upon a X201 as great as X201s tumble during a behind of in tone superfluity as great as contrast. Colors appeared used as great as diseased whilst black levels felt cleared out. This seems to be a downside to many commercial operation notebooks. Vertical observation angles have been normal with colors starting to upset fast when we lean a shade 10 to fifteen degrees brazen or back. Horizontal observation angles have been softened with colors staying unchanging even during tall angles.
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The X201 Tablet shade is a step upon tip of a X201 or X201s as great as offers many softened tone superfluity as great as contrast. Viewing angles have been additionally severely softened with minimal tone inversion even when slanted 45 degrees brazen or back. One complaint we beheld upon a X201 Tablet examination indication yet was a shade appeared unequivocally comfortable (yellow/orange). This gave a shade an elderly demeanour as great as was not unequivocally appreciative to a eye.
The backlight liughtness of all 3 notebooks was copiousness splendid to be ocular in an bureau setting. The X201 was a brightest of a garland as great as totalled 250cd/m2 during a brightest point. The X201s was second as great as totalled 232cd/m2 during a brightest point. The X201 Tablet came in third measuring 182cd/m2 during a brightest point. If we devise upon regulating a X201 outdoors, Lenovo offers a high-brightness outdoor-viewable shade upon a X201 Tablet as an option.
Keyboard as great as Touchpad
Each of a latest ThinkPad X201-series notebooks we have in for examination offers a same set of keys which was formerly seen upon a X200. After a outrageous shift with a T400s as great as T410 we were awaiting to see a identical redesign with a X201 models yet which wasn’t a case. With which pronounced a typing knowledge is all we have come to design from a devoted ThinkPad brand. The set of keys distance is 100% with a 12-inch widescreen framework which is an alleviation from a 4:3 aspect comparative measure X61 which had precipitated keys along a fringe of a keyboard. The typing aspect has glorious await with hardly any be during home underneath assuage pressure. The pleasing feel from any pass is great with soothing clicks emitting unequivocally tiny receptive to advice when wholly pressed. If we devise upon spending hours sitting in front of your mechanism typing a ThinkPad set of keys is tough to beat.
One wholly latest underline upon a X-series ThinkPad is a slight Synaptics touchpad upon a X201 as great as X201 Tablet. The X-series has regularly had a reduction of being TrackPoint only—which is a outrageous turnoff for a tiny users. With a infancy of buyers preferring a touchpad interface it was a no-brainer to see Lenovo adding it to a X201 to assistance enlarge sales. The tiny touchpad is peculiar to see during first– it is about half a tallness of a normal touchpad–but we get used to it unequivocally quick. During a examination routine we adored a touchpad over a TrackPoint as great as had no difficulty regulating it with usual multitouch gestures. The touchpad had an glorious reply time with no conspicuous loiter as great as any pivot offering a same increase in speed rate to forestall neglected ovals.
Ports as great as Features
Port preference has stayed a same as prior models with 3 USB ports, VGA-out, LAN, ExpressCard/54, audio jacks as great as a modem jack. For storage enlargement Lenovo additionally includes an SDHC container located upon a front corner of a palmrest. we was unequivocally anticipating to see a tiny form of digital video out yet as this is a business-oriented indication many commercial operation users still direct VGA-out for bequest projectors.
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Performance as great as Benchmarks Compared to a Intel P8600-equipped X200 we reviewed some-more than a year ago, each X201 we reviewed offering a estimable progress in speed, together with a X201s with a latest Core i7-640LM. Overall complement opening went up thirty to 50% opposite a house depending upon configuration. 3D-performance went up 63 to 106% with a newer GMA HD integrated graphics over a some-more aged X4500 chipset. Users will note which a GMA HD inside notebooks with a low-voltage Core i7 processors have been clocked lower–at a 266MHz bottom magnitude instead of 500MHz–than similarly-equipped Core i5 systems. If we rely upon your cover to be your “desktop-away-from-home” a newer tallness offers copiousness of opening to prove many users. Multimedia enthusiasts will suffer streaming 1080P Flash video by YouTube or decoding downloaded 1080P cinema with hardly creation a cover mangle a sweat. If we find yourself wanting some-more energy than a customary run-of-the-mill netbook or CULV cover can provide, a single of a 12-inch X201 ThinkPads competence be a many appropriate alternative. wPrime processor some-more aged formula (lower scores meant softened performance):
I have to confess which when we initial listened Lenovo was adhering a Core i7 processor in a X201 we had a mental picture of a 12-inch gaming or workstation-class notebook. That was not a box as a Core i7-640LM processor enclosed in a X201s as great as X200 Tablet have been dual-core processors written with energy potency in thoughts as great as not breakneck performance. It additionally turns out which a low-voltage Core i7 processors have been slower than a Core i5 processor we tested—making things even some-more treacherous for a normal consumer who competence be purchasing a cover upon indication numbers alone.
PCMark05 measures altogether complement opening (higher scores meant softened performance):
3DMark06 measures altogether graphics opening for gaming (higher scores meant softened performance):
HDTune storage expostulate opening test:
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Heat as great as Noise
Thermal opening of a X201 is unequivocally great even with a Core i5-540M processor. Under a light bucket a set of keys as great as palmrest stayed a couple of degrees upon tip of room temperature. Temperatures increasing with a complement underneath a full bucket yet “touch” areas upon tip of as great as next a cover stayed inside of in accord with levels. The cooling air blower was heard in a still room yet usually when a complement was being stressed. With a receptive to advice scale in a room with a tested 31.5dB ambient background, we totalled a complement air blower upon low speed during 33dB, midst speed during 38dB, as great as tall speed during 42dB 6 inches from a empty vent.
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Battery Life
Battery hold up opposite all a models we tested was excellent—even upon a X201 with a Intel Core i5-540M processor as great as 7200RPM tough drive. Each indication was tested with a shade liughtness set to 70%, wireless active, as great as Windows 7 set to a offset profile. Note which a X201 is versed with a 9-cell battery, a X201 Tablet has an 8-cell battery, as great as a X201s is configured with a 6-cell battery. Our formula have been shown below:
During a exam a X201 with a Intel Core i5-540M as great as 7200RPM tough expostulate used up in in in between 7.5 to 8 watts of power. The X201s with a Core i7-640LM used up in in in between 6.5 to 7 watts. The X200 Tablet additionally regulating a Core i7-640LM used up in in in between 7.5 as great as 9 watts of power. If we wish a undiluted brew of speed as great as battery hold up a X201s tested with a 9-cell battery stayed upon for eleven hours as great as 50 minutes!
Conclusion Pros: Cons: Individual Ratings: *
The Lenovo ThinkPad X201 offers utterly a couple of plain facilities compared to a some-more aged X200. Users who cite a touchpad interface can right away get it upon a X201 as great as X201 Tablet, as great as even yet it is netbook-sized it is still unequivocally usable. The newest Intel tallness offers a outrageous progress in altogether opening from a prior era as great as in a tiny cases doubled a 3D performance. Battery hold up additionally increasing opposite a house with a assistance of a power-sipping Intel Core i7-640LM processor. If we find yourself regularly wanting a bit some-more than what many netbooks or CULV-based notebooks have to offer, a Lenovo ThinkPad X201 packs a outrageous punch in a tiny package.
Software & Support 
Upgrade Capabilities
Usability 
Design
Performance
Features
* Ratings averaged to furnish last score
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