Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Review Discussion

[Jayayess1190]

Can anyone tell me how well multitouch gestures are supported?

Is the trackpad synaptics or elantech or a terrible ALPS?

Does it support tap to click (not physical press to click, but tap)? Two-finger scroll?
Two-finger tap for right click?
Three-finger tap for middle click?
Other gestures (4-finger, pinch, zoom)?

I was very excited to buy my Acer 1830T, but I got one with an ALPS trackpad, and it's just been a miserable experience. I'd like to get an X220, but the deciding factor for me is the trackpad.

(Also, the speakers on the Acer 1830T are terribly weak to the point od being useless; how are the speakers on the X220?)

It is a Synaptics, not even sure if Elantech or Alps make touchpads with the buttons integrated into them. And I had an 1830T, installing the Realtek HD drivers and playing with settings improved volume greatly.

[zOne31]

I'm really excited for this especially with the slice battery providing up to 23 hours of battery life (with 9 cell). While the screen resolution is less than amazing, another big thing is the touchpad which I feel like is useless on the X-series. I would rather have just the trackpoint like the X201 has with the touchpad as an optional addition. The non-latch thing also worries me a little but not as much as the touchpad and resolution.

[unreal25]

You can always disable the touchpad, I assume.

[Elyahu]

The X220t was officially announced yesterday as well, and will be available beginning in April, I believe. I haven't seen official pictures for the X220t yet, though. The X220t will have two display options, both with a glass overlay and rated at 300 nits. The multitouch version will have a normal glass overlay, while the pen-only version will have a Gorilla Glass overlay.

I read that the i7 is a big drain on power for the x200 tablet and reduces performance. Any comment ?

[vertigo_2_20]

I read that the i7 is a big drain on power for the x200 tablet and reduces performance. Any comment ?

I don't have any evidence of this, but I would suspect the i7 to have little if any impact on the battery life. It is rated at the same TDP as the other chips, and is really just an i5 with a slightly faster clock speed and more virtualization support. I could be wrong, though. Also, I can't see how it would reduce performance, being a faster chip and having more cache.

[ragtopgeek]

I'm somewhat confused about the buttons between the touchpad and the spacebar. On my t60p, though I have the "normal" buttons on the edge of the touchpad, I still can use the buttons above the touchpad (beside the spacebar) just like normal mouse buttons without using the trackpoint (presumably the red button in middle of keyboard). Is this not true for the X220 as well?

[TiffanyinTexas]

I've really loved my EEPC T91 except for two things. My SSD is too small and most importantly I can't see anything when I'm outside or in the car and I work outside a lot. I don't need sparkling graphics since I'll plug it into my large screen for that but when I'm out and about I need to be able to read the text on my spreadsheets or my latest Civilization IV game.

Can someone let me know about their experiences with outdoor usage? I'm looking at the X220 with either

12.5" HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna or
12.5" Premium HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna

[AboutThreeFitty]

Can someone let me know about their experiences with outdoor usage? I'm looking at the X220 with either

12.5" HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna or
12.5" Premium HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna

Get the Premium HD. It's an IPS screen that offers more brightness, better contrast and insane viewing angles. Direct sunlight might be an issue, but a little shade or a few clouds will greatly help.

[vertigo_2_20]

I've really loved my EEPC T91 except for two things. My SSD is too small and most importantly I can't see anything when I'm outside or in the car and I work outside a lot. I don't need sparkling graphics since I'll plug it into my large screen for that but when I'm out and about I need to be able to read the text on my spreadsheets or my latest Civilization IV game.

Can someone let me know about their experiences with outdoor usage? I'm looking at the X220 with either

12.5" HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna or
12.5" Premium HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna

On maximum brightness, and sometimes even a little less, the IPS screen performs beautifully in direct, bright sunlight. I've used it in the car and outside, both in bright sunlight, and have had absolutely no issue seeing the screen. Bear in mind, of course, that this will drastically reduce your battery life (speaking of which, I've yet to come even close to the claimed battery life with mine). As for using a large external monitor with it, be aware higher resolutions put more demand on a video card, and playing a game that way might be asking too much of the integrated graphics, leaving you disappointed. All depends on what games you play and what your expectations are.

[edit1754]

12.5" HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna or
12.5" Premium HD (1366x768) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready, 3x3 Antenna

Get Premium HD. It's the IPS screen. It would be a waste not to get that upgrade, because it makes more of a difference than anything. To say the least, the quality is significantly better than the meh-grade stock screen.