Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Review Discussion

[elpedro8]

I've been using my X31 for past 5 years and the only reason I havent upgraded it is that I really hate the concept of batteries sticking out of the laptop body. The new X220 is a disappointment once again. Even my old X31 has a 6cell that is COMPLETELY hidden in the body. I would be willing to buy an X220 with a 3cell not sticking out, but i think it does....

Do you guys not care? I'm really interested in your opinions...

[vertigo_2_20]

I've been using my X31 for past 5 years and the only reason I havent upgraded it is that I really hate the concept of batteries sticking out of the laptop body. The new X220 is a disappointment once again. Even my old X31 has a 6cell that is COMPLETELY hidden in the body. I would be willing to buy an X220 with a 3cell not sticking out, but i think it does....

Do you guys not care? I'm really interested in your opinions...

I'm more of a function before form person, not the other way around. As long as it's not completely awful looking and it performs well I'm not too worried about it. Maybe it's just because I'm used to it with my Inspiron 700m, but the battery sticking out doesn't really bother me, as long as the the battery lasts long enough, and the footprint, even with the extension of the battery, is still reasonable.

What I think would be neat would be to have a small, polymer, reserve battery inside the laptop, taking up all the odd, internal shapes, but have a normal battery that can be quickly replaced as well. This would allow for maximal use of space and swapping of the battery with a fresh one once it's depleted, during which time the laptop could just run off the internal. Right now you either have to choose to be able to easily swap the battery to keep the size down, but you have to plug in or shut down first, or you can have an internal that you can't quickly swap, but add a slice battery to get more juice without having to power off or plug in first, but then you're making it heavier and bulkier.

[k2001]

I've been using my X31 for past 5 years and the only reason I havent upgraded it is that I really hate the concept of batteries sticking out of the laptop body. The new X220 is a disappointment once again. Even my old X31 has a 6cell that is COMPLETELY hidden in the body. I would be willing to buy an X220 with a 3cell not sticking out, but i think it does....

Do you guys not care? I'm really interested in your opinions...

There is a 4 cell battery, that should last you for around 5hrs. The 4 cell should completely hidden inside the body of the x220. You could take a look at the Edge E220s/E420s, they have flush battery too.


x220 with 4 cell

[elpedro8]

Thanks for the picture! I searched the web for some pics of X220 with a 4cell but couldn't find any. I got worried when I looked into tabook and saw that the size with a 4cell and a 6cell is the same (19.0 - 34.6mm) which is odd because the 6 cell makes the back quite high-heeled ...
If the picture is real I might have finally found a successor to my dying X31.

[MidnightSun]

Thanks for the picture! I searched the web for some pics of X220 with a 4cell but couldn't find any. I got worried when I looked into tabook and saw that the size with a 4cell and a 6cell is the same (19.0 - 34.6mm) which is odd because the 6 cell makes the back quite high-heeled ...
If the picture is real I might have finally found a successor to my dying X31.

The picture is accurate. The 4-cell battery has a flat bottom, and the "feet" of the laptop will touch the desk surface. The 6-cell battery has a curved bottom and protrudes slightly from the flat base of the laptop, so that the back "feet" of the laptop will not touch the desk surface--the "feet" on the battery will instead. I've seen an X201 with both the 4-cell and 6-cell, and honestly, there's almost no difference other than weight.

If you're bothered by the <1" protrusion from the 9-cell battery, I'd suggest going with the 6-cell. If battery life is a non-issue and you can't stand the slight protrusion of the 6-cell, then you could go with the 4-cell instead.

[coldmack]

What was the estimated battery life on the 6-cell again?

[MidnightSun]

What was the estimated battery life on the 6-cell again?

From NBR's review of the X220:

The ThinkPad X220 with Intel Core i5-2520M processor delivered 8 hours and 47 minutes of battery life with the 6-cell battery. Our standard battery life test sets the screen to 70% brightness, wireless active and continuously refreshing a website on a 60-second interval, and Windows 7 set to the "balanced" power profile.

You're probably looking at between 6-8 hours of solid, real usage.

[coldmack]

That pretty good considering I get around that much out my TT with a ULV cpu, and this is standard voltage cpu.

[elpedro8]

Can I ask anyone who gets his/her hands on the X220 to measure the height of the back with a 4cell? (not including the "feet")

[gsride]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and will probably buy the Lenovo X220 Tablet when available. I have looked for information outdoor screen info but still remain confused on which screen would be best for me. I plan on occasionally using the tablet outside and realize the IPS with 300 nit would probably be the right display choice but wonder if gorilla glass makes the screen easier to see outdoors? I don't need the strength of the gorilla glass so if it has no bearing on outdoor viewing quality then I don't want to pay for something I don't need. I would appreciate any input of screen selection. Thanks