The HP Pavilion tx2500 is the much needed update to the tx2000 Tablet PC. That's right, the tx2500 has an updated processor and graphics. HP finally answered our prayers and added the new AMD Puma processor and ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics into the same great design. So let's see how much better it performs.
HP Pavilion tx2500 Tablet PC specs:
- AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-86 2.4GHz processor
- 3GB DDR2 RAM
- 160GB hard drive
- Mobility Radeon HD 3200 IGP
- 12.1" WXGA Display with dual active/passive digitizer (1280x800)
- 8X DVD multiformat burner with LightScribe
- 802.11 a/b/g/n WLAN with Bluetooth support
- Windows Vista Business OS
- Integrated gigabit Ethernet and v.92 modem
- 6-cell battery
- Integrated webcam, fingerprint reader, Mini Remote Control
- ExpressCard/34 Slot
- 1 x Multi-format card reader
- 3 x USB ports
- 2 x headphone out and one microphone-in
- 1 x Expansion port
- 1 x VGA and S-video
- Weight: 4.5 lbs
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Design and Build
The tx2500 has a solid chassis and design. The overall design is the same as the tx2000, with the glossy "Echo" imprint finish which extends onto the silver keyboard. It has a very sleek appearance, but be careful it is a fingerprint magnet.
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Weighing in around 4.5 pounds the tx2500 is perfect for students. It gets a little heavy to carry around in tablet mode all day, but it's great for sitting on your desk and taking notes and you can always substitute in the weight saver if you don't need the optical drive.
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The tx2500 still has the touchscreen and active digitizer, which makes navigating the Web easy. You can use your finger or the pen. The tx2500 also has great entertainment features, like Altec Lansing speakers, a mini-remote control and quite a few media buttons. For the price this tablet seems to be packed full of features.
Display
The 12.1" WXGA display is kind of grainy, but this is very common with tablets. It is glossy and reflective, but nothing major if you like the high-gloss screens. The screen is hard to read in the sunlight and well lite rooms. The viewing angles are average, but can be awkward depending on how the tablet is tilt, sometimes making it very hard to read because the colors bleed.
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The tx2500 has both a touchscreen and active digitizer, it's a real tablet. The screen automatically changes orientation when rotated into tablet mode and the small hinge is surprisingly sturdy. The pen feels nice as well and I prefer it when navigating over my finger because it is more accurate. At the highest setting the screen is bright and the colors are bold, but you can't tell what you are setting it too because there isn't an on-screen indication for brightness levels, which would be a nice feature to have on this high-gloss display.
Performance and Benchmarks
The tx2500 features the new AMD "Puma" platform which includes both the updated Turion X2 Ultra dual-core processor and the all new ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics processor (IGP). The Radeon HD 3200 is a remarkable IGP because it is the first integrated graphics solution that is genuinely capable of playing 1080p video without skipping frames or playing many 3D video games with reasonable frame rates. While most tablets with integrated graphics produce a 3DMark05 score of less than 1,000 the HD 3200 IGP is theoretically capable of two or three times that level of performance.
However, since the Radeon HD 3200 is an integrated graphics solution, it suffers from the same potential problems as any IGP. Namely, it shares the system resources (RAM) and is soldered directly to the motherboard (so it cannot be replaced without replacing the entire motherboard). In the case of our tx2500 review unit, we encountered an unexpected problem. While most people using notebooks and tablets with the new Radeon HD 3200 are reporting 3DMark05 scores of more than 2,919 3DMarks (including our own editorial team testing the new HP Pavilion dv5z) our tx2500 review unit never reached these impressive scores.
After a week of constant attempts by our editorial staff of technical experts to diagnose the problem (including multiple driver updates and replacing the system RAM), it was determined that the Radeon HD 3200 in our review unit was not operating properly due to a hardware malfunction. In other words, our tx2500 is going to have to go back to HP for repair or replacement.
However, despite the defective Radeon HD 3200 IGP in our review unit, our tx2500 produced 3DMark05 and 3DMark06 scores that were considerably better than the scores from other notebooks with integrated graphics (see below).
Keyboard/Touchpad/Pen
The keyboard on the tx2500 is solid. I didn't notice any signs of flex and enjoyed tying on it. It is accurate and responsive. I also like the durable finish the keys have, which is good for preserving the keyboard from those greasy fingers. The keys are easy to read and are a good size, except for the Function keys along the top, which are pretty small, so you have to watch what key you hit.
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The touchpad is still the famous perforated design. I like this design very much because it doesn't get worn down easily and is responsive. Your finger doesn't slide off the touchpad because it is indented in the palm rest area, which makes navigating a breeze.
The pen is solid, but still your basic pen. It reads the screen when it's about an inch above and then disables the touchscreen, this way your hand doesn't interfere when writing. Some users rest their palm on the screen and since the tx2500 also has a touchscreen you might think this would cause a problem, but it doesn't. The Wacom technology used is great, just remember you can't keep picking the pen up or the touch feature will be activated again and your hand might be detected. The pen has an eraser on the end as well, which is a feature I like especially when taking notes because you can flip the pen over and erase your mistakes, it's very convenient.
Tablet Features
There are plenty of multimedia buttons for watching DVDs, listening to music or viewing your photos. There is even an optional Webcam, which makes this tablet great for chatting with friends over the Web, especially with the productivity that comes with the new Puma processor. It converts into tablet mode with ease and when in tablet mode the speakers are still accessible, a definite bonus
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The tx2500 has both a touchscreen and active digitizer, so now you are getting the best of both worlds for under $1,000. You can take notes on the screen with the pen, which has nice feedback and is easy to navigate with, or use your finger to navigate through windows as well.
Heat and Noise
The tx2500 does tend to get warm, especially when running benchmarks or working hard. I didn't notice much heat when browsing the Web or going through emails, but the bottom does get a little warm. When the tablet is running multiple applications or benchmarks the fan kicks on and the heat comes blowing out the vent and the exhaust is hot to the touch. This is after a few hours of being on though. None of the parts of the tablet were so hot that they were uncomfortable to touch, except for the bottom under extreme working conditions.
I didn't notice any noise from the tx2500 either. The only time the tablet was noisy was when I ran benchmarks and that is when the fan kicked on high. It was annoying and sounded like a hair dryer. Besides that the fan didn't kick on much and even when it ran on a low setting it was quiet.
Ports
The tx2500 comes packed with a great variety of features and ports. I don't think most users will have a complaint in this department. The entertainment features alone make this tablet more like a notebook, which you don't see on many Tablet PCs.
Front view - Power Slider, 2x headphone jacks, 1x microphone jack, Wi-Fi slider
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Left side view - 1x DC jack, 1x ExpressCard/34 slot, 1x multi-format card reader, DVD drive
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Right side view - 1x USB, 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x Expansion Port 3, 1x VGA out, 1x S-Video out
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Back view - 1x modem jack, 2x USB, 1x Lock
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Underneath view - Vents and battery
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Battery
I found the battery life to be acceptable on the tx2500. It came with a 6-cell battery that sticks out slightly from the back, but can be used as a nice handle when using it in tablet mode. When the battery was set in High Performance mode I got around 1.5 hours of usage with full screen brightness and Wi-Fi on. The number increases to about 3 hours in Balanced mode with Wi-Fi on. I didn't try out the Power Saver mode because the screen gets very dull and you don't get much performance, but I am sure it improves battery life slightly as well. If you want more battery life, I recommend getting the 8-cell battery for longer computing times.
Speakers
The tx2500 is fitted with Altec Lansing speakers, which produce good sound quality for listening to music or watching movies. That was HP's focus; I mean the tx series are called entertainment notebooks. If you compare the speakers to your standard notebook, they produce comparatively loud, clear sound, but they don't compare to the higher-end multimedia notebooks equipped with subwoofers.
Even in tablet mode you still get that loud clear sound from the speakers because they don't get covered like on other tablet models, which is a bonus. The headphones come in handy too, if you want to watch a movie or you don't want to disturb your co-workers.
Wireless
I had no problems staying connected where ever I traveled. The tx2500 worked well at my house and my office. The WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n with Bluetooth is a good option to have and coverage doesn't seem to be a problem. I don't live in a rural area though, but still think it should work fine. The consumer level Infrared for controlling media functions via the included remote is a plus because you can watch movies while laying in bed too.
Conclusion
Overall I am impressed with the tx2500. The updated AMD Puma processor and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics are a big plus. Web pages render faster and surfing the Web is a breeze. Even though our tx2500 had some problems with the integrated graphics it still performed better then most tablets on the market now and we are sending it back to HP to fix. College students and other consumers should be happy with all the features the tx2500 packs, especially considering it's available for under $1,000. The active digitizer/touchscreen combo is very nice, even though the screen is a little washed out. Watching movies on it is still a lot of fun and it still maintains the same sleek design as its predecessor.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Touchscreen and active digitizer
- Entertainment features
- Solid design
- Improved GPU
Cons
- Washed out display that can be very reflective
- Hight heat output when system is stressed
Acer is announcing U.S. availability of the Acer Aspire one, an ultra-lightweight mobile Internet device (mini notebook) with prices starting at just $379. The Aspire one provides easy-to-use access to the Internet in a stylish and ultra-compact platform. It's designed to be an affordable and simple solution for web browsing, checking email, instant messaging, VOIP calls, streaming video, viewing photos and listening to music.
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The Next Evolution of Mini Notebook Internet Devices
Weighing just 2.17 pounds and measuring 9.8 x 6.7 x 1.14-inches, Aspire one is lightweightand compact for easy travel. Initially offered in either sapphire blue or seashell white, Aspire one will also be available in golden brown and diamond black later this year.
The Aspire one features an 8.9-inch CrystalBrite WSVGA LED backlit display with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. Integrated in the screen is an Acer Crystal Eye webcam featuring Acer PrimaLite technology for live video streaming, video chats and conferences even in low-light environments.
The Aspire one comes with a standard 3-cell battery that provides up to 3 hours of battery life. The optional 6-cell battery and the Linpus Linux Lite version of Aspire one offers up to 7 hours of battery life.
There are two options for data storage: a NAND flash module of 8GB with an additional SD card slot for smart storage expansion or a 120GB internal hard drive. The additional SD card slot seamlessly integrates with the internal NAND flash module as an added storage device. The ability to have both a 5-in-1 card reader and a SD card reader at the same time, allows users to download photos from the "multi-in-1" to share with others and store to the SD card as an internal storage device simultaneously.
The Aspire one comes with two built-in stereo speakers and offers high-definition audio support. The system also comes standard with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.
Simple, Easy to Use Software
The Aspire one is offered in several models based on either Linpus Linux Lite or Windows XP Home operating system.
The Linux interface clearly organizes everything in a task-centric manner. The pre-installed software is separated by use in four distinct areas on the screen: Connect, Works, Fun and Files ... making it easy for novice computer users. A click of the home key brings users back to the home page at any time.This new mini notebook comes with the Aspire one mail software suite that lets users manage up to six email accounts with a single application interface. A small icon to the right of the message quickly and clearly shows the appropriate mail account. The system also provides Messenger for Instant Messaging with a single sign-in to manage multiple messenger accounts, which allows users to simultaneously access Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Microsoft Windows Live Messenger and various other instant messaging services. The software can be used with the integrated video camera for instant file sharing, voice chats and video conferences.
Additional software such as Acer eRecovery Management, McAfee Internet Security Suite, Microsoft Office Trial 2007 and Adobe Reader are also installed on the Microsoft XP Home version.
Specifications, Pricing and Availability
The Acer Aspire one is available now via Acer's authorized resellers including BestBuy, Circuit City and CDW. Prices range from a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $379 to $499 depending on configuration. All models come with a one-year limited warranty. The available models include:
Acer Aspire one AOA110-1722 ($379):
- Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
- 512MB Memory
- 8GB SSD NAND Flash Module
- 8.9-inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite 1024 x 600
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
- Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
- 10/100 Mbps LAN
- 802.11b/g Wi-Fi Certified WLAN
- 3-Cell battery
- Multi-in-1 Media Card Reader
- SD Storage Expansion Card Reader
- Linpus Linux Lite
- 3 USB 2.0 Ports
Acer Aspire one AOA150-1570 ($399):
- Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
- 1GB Memory (512MB On-board)
- 120GB Internal Hard Drive
- 8.9-inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite 1024 x 600
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
- Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
- 10/100 Mbps LAN
- 802.11b/g Wi-Fi Certified WLAN
- 3-Cell Battery
- Multi-in-1 Media Card Reader
- SD Card Reader
- Windows XP Home
- 3 USB 2.0 Ports
Acer Aspire one AOA110-1566 ($449):
- Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
- 1GB Memory
- 8GB SSD NAND Flash Module
- 8.9-inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite 1024 x 600
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
- Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
- 10/100 Mbps LAN
- 802.11b/g Wi-Fi Certified WLAN
- 6-Cell Battery
- Multi-in-1 Media Card Reader
- SD Card Reader
- Linpus Linux Lite
- 3 USB 2.0 Ports
The Lenovo ThinkPad X200 is an update and evolution of the ThinkPad X61 12.1" screen ultraportable and, as the name suggests, borrows a bit from the design cue of the much praised ThinkPad X300 ultra-slim laptop. To be sure, the X200 is not as expensive nor as cutting edge as the X300, the high-end features and supermodel thin X300 outdo what you'll get design-wise with the X200. With that said, the ultraportable X200 certainly has a lot to like about it, offers better performance than the X300 and has a more reasonable price. This review will delve into the features and updates the X200 has to the previous X61.
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The Lenovo ThinkPad X200 is an ultraportable business laptop, but certainly some consumers that want a portable and durable laptop might also be interested in this notebook. Like its larger brothers from the ThinkPad line, the X200 shares all of the same rugged features, and now even has the comfort of a keyboard that matches the size of the larger ThinkPad T400 and T500 series. Thanks to the new widescreen design the X200 is now wide enough to support larger sized keys.
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Although the X200 is indeed smaller than its ThinkPad counterparts, it still packs the same power. Our review unit comes with a new Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.40GHz processor from the Intel Montevina family, and it's definitely no slouch. The option for speedy SSD storage, 4GB of RAM and Intel Turbo memory can all contribute to a powerhouse in a small package.
With all this newly found power under the hood you might be wondering if the X200 is a power monger that will drain the battery like it's its job and generate so much heat you can warm your nearby coffee. This is not the case, incredibly battery life capability has increased over the X61 and the laptop remains very cool, indeed cooler than the X61.
Specifications of the X200 being reviewed are as follows:
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.40 GHz (3MB L2 cache, 1066MHz FSB) (Montevina)
- Chipset: Intel GM45/ICH9-ME
- Memory: 2GB DDR2 667MHz (1x 2048MB) (can support up to 4GB of DDR3 Memory @ 800/1067MHz)
- Hard Drive: 7200RPM 160GB SeaGate Momentus (ST9160823AS) SATA
- Screen: 12.1" widescreen 1280x800 LCD, 200 nits of brightness
- No built-in Optical Drive (need X200 UltraBase for this capability)
- GPU: Intel X4500 Integrated Graphics
- Network/Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300 (802.11 a/b/g/n) 1Gb Ethernet Card, built-in Verizon WWAN and Bluetooth (56 Kbps modem optional, not installed)
- Inputs: 95 Key Keyboard with Three Button Touchpoint
- Buttons: Power, ThinkVantage, Volume Up and Down, Mute, and WiFi/Bluetooth On/Off Switch.
- Slots:ExpressCard/54mm, SD card reader (5-in-1 media card reader optional, not installed)
- Battery: Nine Cell Cylindrical (4-cell, 6-cell and 9-cell options)
- Dimensions (with large 9-cell battery in):
- Width: 11.61 inches
- Depth: 9.2 inches
- Thickness: 0.8-in - 1.4 inches
- Dimensions (with small 4-cell battery in):
- Width: 11.6 inches
- Depth: 8.3 inches
- Thickness: 0.8 - 1.4"
- Weight:
- 4-cell battery starting at 1.34 kg / 2.95 lbs
- 6-cell battery starting at 1.47 kg / 3.24 lbs
- 9-cell battery starting at 1.63 kg / 3.58 lbs
- Operating System: Windows Vista Business
- Extra Options: Web-cam, fingerprint reader, 56Kbps modem, 5-in-1 card reader
Design and Looks
It's so easy to write about the look of any ThinkPad notebook: it's black, everywhere, and if you have a problem with that then look elsewhere. Cheek aside, there are noticeable design changes from the X61.
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The most noticeable change we see between the X61 and X200 is that the display is widescreen instead of the "standard" 4:3 ratio aspect screen seen on the X61. The question is, when do we start calling widescreen standard for a notebook screen? There are few laptops left that aren't widescreen so this change comes as no surprise. We think the switch is for the better due to the lower overall system profile, more spacious keyboard and ability to more easily view two windows side-by-side. Some people will no doubt be miffed by this change though.
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More subtle design changes include red accented mouse buttons coming back from the ThinkPad days of old. The volume control buttons have gone from a silver color on the X61 to black on the X200. The power button look changes to that we saw on the X300, except it is not backlit.
12.1" ThinkPad X200 on the far left, 13.3" ThinkPad X300 Center, X61 on the right (view large image)
For a business notebook the look of the X200 works as it is clean and professional. We do wonder if the relentless push for new designs on consumer notebooks won't spill over more to the enterprise business space and force the ThinkPad team to shake things up just a little eventually. We're seeing with the new ThinkPad SL line some introduction of consumer design features such as a glossy screen and glossy lid. The leaked pictures of the new Dell Latitude E series indicates that company might be willing to put their neck out in a bet that business buyers might just like a notebook that's not bland looking.
Build Quality
The X200 is a durable ultraportable computer, it features a magnesium-alloy casing on both the top and bottom of the body. To go along with the external mag-alloy casing is an internal magnesium "roll-cage" skeleton that reinforces the overall feel of the notebook, there's little flex to be found anywhere.
The steel hinges that we're used to seeing on ThinkPad notebooks are of course still in place. The hinges keep the screen firmly in place with no wobble, even during bumpy plane rides. There are two latches to hold the lid tightly closed when you have it in a bag.
There are two spill drains on the keyboard area that will carry any liquid spills safely out of the bottom of the notebook. Spilling that morning cup of coffee on your X200 might not be disastrous thanks to this feature.
The ThinkPad Active Protection System (APS) for the hard drive is still part of the mix. The APS is software on board that works with a built-in accelerometer to detect drops and knocks and remove the read-write head of the hard drive so as to prevent any damage to the data.
For upgrades and repairs that might come up down the road, the X200 keeps the user in mind with easy to remove access panels and covers. The most frequent upgrade items being the HD and RAM are accessed through panels on the bottom and side of the X200. Other items such as the keyboard, wireless cards, and backup battery can be reached by removing a handful of labeled screws on the bottom, and easily popped out. Worth noting is that even if you don't get WWAN configured to start with (WWAN is available via Verizon, Vodafone, Telus or KDDI), the necessary antenna is installed by default so all you would have to do is open up the X200 and put in the WWAN card and voila, built-in WWAN.
Input and Output Ports
The port selection has changed a bit from the X61, placements are especially a bit different. Gone is the old style PC card slot, it's now an ExpressCard 54mm expansion slot. The FireWire port the X61 had is dropped with no appearance on the X200. One strange option you now have is to choose either an SD card reader and no built-in modem or an enhanced 5-in-1 card reader and a modem. Our review unit has just an SD card reader and the modem port is blocked off. Why having a 5-in-1 card reader dependency tied to having a built-in modem certainly isn't obvious to us, how annoying!
The port locations are best described by taking a picture tour:
Left side - power jack, heat vent, USB port, monitor-out port, Gigabit Ethernet, USB port, ExpressCard 54mm slot, wireless on-off switch:
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Front side - SD card slot or optional 5-in-1 card reader:
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Right side - USB port, headphone out, microphone, modem port (blocked in this config):
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X-series group shot: ThinkPad X61 on top of X200 on top of X300.
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Keyboard and Touchpoint
The keyboard on the X-series ThinkPad has always been a standout in the field of ultraportables. Now with the extra real estate width the keys that were slightly shrunken on the X61 appear in their full glory here. Indeed, the keyboard on the X200 is exactly the same as that you'll get on the T-series, so it's entirely comfortable for typing with no adjustments necessary for smaller keys you often find on ultraportables.
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The feel of the ThinkPad keyboard is well documented as being probably the best in the industry. Each key is individual, there's no sink to the keyboard no matter how hard you push, and the feedback you get from each key is so perfect it's just plain satisfying. It's also quiet and won't click or rattle to annoy others in a business meeting room, lecture hall or wherever you happen to be working away.
The lack of a touchpad will probably come as a shock to some users upon seeing only the red cap of the ThinkPad Touchpoint. To save space the X200 omits the touchpad system in favor of a touchpoint. The touchpoint is easy to use and allows you to move a cursor around the screen more efficiently as you can keep your fingers placed on the keys and use it without lifting a hand down to a touchpad. However, some users that are familiar with a touchpad will take some time to adjust, and potentially never get over the fact the X200 is touchpad-less.
The mouse buttons just below the space bar are easy to use with a nice travel distance, good smooth feedback, and no stiffness or annoying click noisiness.
Screen
Mercifully Lenovo saw fit to increase the brightness of the X200 screen to 200-nits from the 150-nits present on the ThinkPad X61. One of our major complaints with ThinkPad screens in the past has been the lack of brightness, so it's great to see this remedied. The 200-nits of brightness is more than adequate for any indoor situation, but it's still not bright enough for outdoor viewing. The brightness can be adjusted along fifteen levels, if the room is dark it's recommended to dim the screen to half brightness in order to protect your pupils - there's no ambient light sensor to do that for you like some business laptops have.
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The viewing angles of the screen are typical for a laptop, the horizontal viewing angles are pretty decent while vertically colors tend to invert as you tilt the screen away from you. With business users you'll often find a 3M privacy filter in place, especially when a business person is on the road, so we don't care as much about how good the viewing angles are on a portable business laptop - the goal might actually be for as few people around you to see the screen as possible.
For those that lean towards the geeky side, below is a screenshot from the Astra32 application that reads the screen info of the machine:
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Speaker
As you might expect the speakers, excuse me, speaker (as in mono sound) on the X200 is rather pathetic. The speaker is actually located on the bottom of the laptop, so in case it wasn't muffled enough to begin with that just about smothers things. Lenovo claims the speaker performance was improved over the X61, but that's certainly a relative thing.
System sounds are mostly fine and audible but headphones are necessary for any decent listening experience for those favorite tunes you might have stored on the disk.
Performance
The X200 is very impressive in terms of raw power in a small package. This is one of the first systems we've seen with the Intel Montevina platform on board and the news is good, we're finding better performance but no sacrifice with battery life or the heat increasing. Frankly, 2.40GHz of dual core power and a 3MB L2 cache, Intel Turbo Memory, SSD storage and 4GB of DDR3 RAM running at 1066 MHz might just be overkill for a laptop this size, but the option is there if you're like Tim the Tool Man Taylor and want more power for no other reason than the fact it's more powerful.
Onto the benchmarks, here are the scores we received running various benchmarks against the Intel P8600 2.40GHz, 2GB RAM, 7200RPM hard drive setup:
wPrime is a program that forces the processor to do recursive mathematical calculations, this processor benchmark program is a multi-threaded application that can use both processors at once, it measures the amount of time to run a set amount of calculations. The P8600 performed admirably well.
Battery Life
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The ThinkPad X200 comes with three different battery options: 4-cell, 6-cell or 9-cell. The bigger the battery the longer the battery life and of course the heavier the weight. We have the 9-cell cylindrical battery which causes the system weight to jump to about 3.6 lbs instead of the 2.95 lb weight you get with the 4-cell. It turns out that the 9-cell may well be worth carrying the extra weight, especially if you're a mobility freak that hates having to hunt down the next power outlet. Lenovo gives a quoted battery life of 9.2 hours with the 9-cell battery, and for what may be the first time ever our system outperformed the manufacturers quoted time. With the screen set to the 4th level of brightness, wireless on and the system idling for about 8 hours and being used to surf the web for about an hour the battery finally gave up at 9 hours and 53 minutes. This was no torture test on the battery, but during heavy usage with screen brightness all the way up you'll still pretty safely hit 5 hours of battery life. This reviewer took the X200 to a coffee shop to do some work for about four hours and only drained the battery down to 55% of the battery life while constantly surfing, typing, opening and installing programs. It's nice to not have to be glancing around wondering when you'll be able to pounce and claim that guys table who is camped out next to the coffee shops only power outlet.
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The power adapter for the X200 remains the same as that used for the X61 and X300, though the battery for the X200 is compatible with neither of those X-models. The power manager interface within the ThinkVantage software has also changed, the UI is a little more friendly, though some long time ThinkPad users may have to figure out how to find information they were used to seeing in a different way before, there's a bit of a re-learning curve if you will.
Heat and Noise
The ThinkPad engineers have once again raised the bar on reducing both heat and noise. The X200 has adopted the "owl-like" fan design that was seen in the X300. The fan is amazingly quiet when it runs and does its job well. Even if you don't care to appreciate the details of the engineering with the fan design, you'll appreciate the fact there's simply no areas of noticeable warmth on the X200. Even if you put your hand up to the heat vent area it's hard to feel anything more than a bit of warm air coming out. We often find with ultraportables that the heat buildup can be off the scale and noisy fans the norm as designers have to cram all the internals into a smaller space. The X200 proves this does not have to be the case if the right type of engineering is used. Reducing the heat buildup is important to both your comfort and also ensuring that the system doesn't cook itself and break down under the heat stress.
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Wireless
The X200 has a number of Wi-Fi options: the Intel WiFi Link 5100, WiFi Link 5300, Intel WiMAX/WiFi Link 5350 and ThinkPad 11b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Express. The Intel "WiFi Link" chipsets are new with Montevina and we can once again thank Intel for obfuscating our buying decisions. What exactly the difference is between the WiFi Link 5100 and 5300 is not obvious, though we do know the 5300 offers 802.11 a/b/g/n since our system does support this. The 5350 chipset with WiMax support will not be available on the X200 until later this year.
The new Intel WiFi Link 5300 worked well for the most part, though it did frequently seem slow in acquiring network associations and a couple of times the system froze for a period of 10 seconds while the card was trying to connect to a network. Once connected things were fine though and the range and speed what you'd expect. The antenna placement at the top of the X200 screen helps a lot when it comes to improving range.
Built-in WWAN is an option with theX200 of course; the great news is if you're not sure you want it at the time of purchase you can easily add it after market. This is because Lenovo already pre-wires every X200 they produce so it's ready for WWAN, so the antenna that's necessary is placed into the lid area. Once the urge or need arises to put in a WWAN card, you just order the Mini PCI part it requires, open up the X200 and pop it in, and you're ready to go - once you've agreed to pay Verizon, Vodafone or Telus a monthly fee of course.
BlueTooth is also an option with the X200. It's definitely a recommended feature for those that want to use a wireless BlueTooth mouse or pair the X200 with a PDA or Smart Phone device. Also part of the mix now is a built-in GPS option.
A new Access Connections interface makes finding wireless networks visually more appealing, a screenshot of the 3D satellite-type view of networks you now get is shown below:
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Expansion Capabilities
The X200 has an updated docking connector and so there is a new UltraBase dubbed the X200 UltraBase. The X200 UltraBase allows you to snap into a dock with the following ports: UltraBay Slim (SATA), 4 USB 2.0 ports, VGA, DisplayPort, Microphone in, Headphone out, Stereo Speakers, RJ-45 Ethernet, Cable lock slot, Key lock slot, 2nd battery charger. The list price for the X200 UltraBase will be $219.
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Environment
Lenovo has been working on making their products more friendly to the environment. The ThinkPad X200 is the first PC to be certified by GreenGuard, it meets a Silver EPEAT rating and is Energy Star 4.0 compliant -- Lenovo is claiming a 25% lower power consumption than the previous generation of ThinkPads. Less power in but more power out -- not bad.
Conclusion
The ThinkPad X200 is a very worthy successor to the ThinkPad X61. The amazing battery life capabilities and cool and quiet running performance are real highlights. Having so much power in a small package while still maintaining a cool and quiet computing experience further adds to the impressiveness there. The ThinkPad X200 is also durable enough to last a very long time even with the most abusive of owners, shoving the X200 in a tightly packed bag and then physically forcing it under seat 21A on the plane won't cause this laptop harm.
The downsides are that there's no optical drive like you get with the ThinkPad X300 and no touchpad for those that prefer that style of input. The removal of FireWire and then no built-in DisplayPort, HDMI or DVI port could be a deterrent for some. The all black and professional look has stood the test of time and looks both clean and professional, we like it, but those business people demanding their IT department to support the Apple iPhone might just care about how cool their laptop looks too. And let's face it, the X200 won't cause anyone to do a double take for its looks.
Overall though the X200 is yet another step forward for the ThinkPad X-series line and another check in the column for a job well done by ThinkPad designers and engineers.
Pros
- Powerful performance with the new Intel Montevina platform, regular clock speed processor of up to 2.40GHz
- Runs very cool and quiet thanks to unique fan design
- New widescreen display and extra width means more keyboard space and easier for dual-window viewing
- Incredible battery life, close to 10-hours potential on the 9-cell cylindrical battery
- Great wireless options such as BlueTooth, WiMax, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, WWAN
- Cool features available such as integrated GPS and integrated web-camera
- Very sturdy notebook built to last with mag-alloy case and magnesium internal roll-cage
Cons
- No built-in high-definition video output port such as HDMI, DVI or Display Port
- No touchpad available, just TouchPoint
- No built-in optical drive
- Can't fit it inside a manila envelope for inter-office mail like with the ThinkPad X300 and MacBook Air
Lenovo today unveiled nine new ThinkPads, including a completely new line of ThinkPads designed specifically for small-to-medium business (SMB) users: the new SL series of ThinkPad notebooks.
The new SL series includes the SL300, SL400 and SL500, all of which feature new technologies, such as built-in high speed mobile broadband connectivity, integrated Intel or dedicated NVIDIA graphics, an optional Blu-Ray DVD player on select models as well as a black glossy cover. To help simplify your productivity, Lenovo also combined software that helps with everything from data recovery to setting up an Internet connection with a new optional service package featuring on-line data backup and on-site warranty repair.
ThinkPad SL400. (view large image)
In addition, Lenovo also announced six new notebooks - the ThinkPad R400, R500, T400, T500, X200 and W500. This new ThinkPads include many of the technologies seen in the popular ThinkPad X300 notebook, such as solid state drive storage, LED backlit displays and GPS functionality to select models in the line. The new T Series includes models with technologies like switchable graphics and support for Display Port. The notebooks also expand Lenovo's portfolio of environmentally-responsible notebooks with many of them being rated Gold by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. All the newly announced ThinkPad notebooks, including the SL Series, are based on Intel's latest Centrino 2 (Montevina) processor technology.
ThinkPad X200. (view large image)
All of the latest ThinkPads now follow a new naming convention. The first number of the name refers to the display size of the ThinkPad, making it easier for you to understand the different offerings (eg.: ThinkPad X200 = 12.1" display, ThinkPad SL300 = 13.3" display, ThinkPad SL400 = 14.1" display and ThinkPad SL500 = 15.4" display). Also, all ThinkPad systems are now transitioning to widescreen offerings.
Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation today debuted six new notebooks and tablet PCs based on next-generation Intel Centrino 2 (Montevina) Processor Technology. The New A6120, E8420, S6520, S7220, T5010 and T1010 offer a broad range of features and performance all at reasonable prices.
On the tablet PC side of the house, the LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet PC ($1,769) and the new LifeBook T1010 convertible tablet PC ($1,299) are equipped with a 13.3-inch display, yet weigh in at just 4.5 pounds and 5.3 pounds, respectively. The enterprise class LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet PC offers a modular bay that can accommodate an optical drive or a second battery and supports Intel Centrino 2 with vPro technology. The LifeBook T1010 convertible tablet PC, which offers a fixed optical drive, and has all the power of the LifeBook T5010 notebook without the additional high-end security features required by enterprise customers, is more geared towards consumers, small businesses and educational institutions.
See our sister site, TabletPCReview.com for more information about these new LifeBook tablets
The LifeBook E8420 notebook ($1,359) is the new flagship of the Fujitsu corporate desktop replacement portfolio with security features and performance that rivals a desktop PC. The E8420 supports Intel Centrino 2 with vPro technology. Rounding out the Intel Centrino 2 powered
S6520 notebook ($1,529) with a 14.1-inch widescreen Crystal View display and the thin-and-light LifeBook S7220 notebook ($1,229) with a 14.1-inch anti-glare widescreen display and built-in webcam.
 LifeBook E8420. (view large image) |  LifeBook S6520. (view large image) |
LifeBook S7220. (view large image)
The LifeBook A6210 notebook ($1,149) offers two 15.4-inch wide-screen display choices. Users can choose the Color Enhanced Crystal View display model or the standard power-saving Crystal View LP display model. Both models feature an integrated HMDI port, which makes it easy to connect the notebook to high-definition televisions. The gesture touchpad translates finger movements into on-screen motions, for instance, parting two fingers to zoom in on a photo.
LifeBook A6210. (view large image)
The Windows Vista Home Premium operating system with Service Pack 1 enables an integrated home-entertainment experience that includes photos, music, video, and television. Options include faster 802.11n wireless for up to 450Mbps of upload/download speed, and an eSATA port for faster data exchange. The LifeBook A6210 notebook also offers a choice of shared or dedicated graphics, an external ExpressCard TV Tuner, a fingerprint sensor for security and password management, and an optional Blu-ray(TM) ROM drive.
Availability and Pricing
The LifeBook A6210, LifeBook T5010, LifeBook T1010, LifeBook E8420, LifeBook S6520 and LifeBook S7220 notebooks are available to order immediately. The LifeBook T5010 and LifeBook E8420 notebooks will be available with Intel Centrino 2 with vPro technology in 30 days. The LifeBook A6210 notebook is priced at $1,149 for a base configuration. The LifeBook T5010 tablet PC is priced at $1,769 for a base configuration. The LifeBook T1010 tablet PC starts at $1,299 with a $50 mail-in rebate. The LifeBook E8420 notebook is priced at $1,359 for a base configuration. The LifeBook S6520 notebook is priced at $1,529 for a base configuration. The LifeBook S7220 notebook is priced at $1,229 for a base configuration.
All six notebooks are available through the Fujitsu direct sales force, website, channel partners and select retail outlets. Users can choose from a recommended configuration, or they can customize their system using the Fujitsu Configure To Order (CTO) program. See http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com/store/index.shtml for further information.
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