Lenovo W520 Owner's Thread

Starting a thread for W520 owner's. Well, I've at least ordered this on 3/30:

Processor: Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor (2.20GHz, 6MB L3)
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
Display type: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display
System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro 2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
Color sensor: No Color Sensor
Total memory: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
Keyboard: Keyboard US English
Pointing device: UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad plus Fingerprint reader
Camera: 720p Camera
Storage subsystem: Internal RAID - Not Enabled
Hard drive: 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device: DVD recordable multiburner
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Power cord: Country Pack North America with Line cord & 170W AC adapter
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2x2 AGN)

Price was $1897.10, including two year next day Warranty, and a 10% coupon. Estimated shipping date is 4/11, and I'll be sure to post pictures once I receive it. I'm also curious about Starcraft II FPS rates with the Quadro 2000, so I'll post those as well.

I've got 8GB more memory on order, so it'll have 12GB. And I'm sure I'll go to SSD once Sata III drives come down in price a bit.

 

Looking to order mine right now. Where did you get 10% off?

As ordered, mine will be:
Processor: Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor (2.20GHz, 6MB L3)
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
Display type: 15.6" HD (1600x900) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display
System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro 2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
Color sensor: No Color Sensor
Total memory: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
Keyboard: Keyboard US English
Pointing device: UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad plus Fingerprint reader
Camera: 720p Camera
Storage subsystem: Internal RAID - Not Enabled
Hard drive: 320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device: DVD recordable multiburner
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Power cord: Country Pack North America with Line cord & 170W AC adapter
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2x2 AGN)

When I'm done swapping parts from my W510, it should look something like this:
Processor: Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor (2.20GHz, 6MB L3)
Operating system: Windows 7 Enterprise 64
Display type: 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display Will try to swap from W510. FRUs don't match in HMM, so may not work.
System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro 2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
Total memory: 4x4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (4 DIMMs)
Keyboard: Keyboard US English
Pointing device: UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad plus Fingerprint reader
Camera: 720p Camera
Storage subsystem: Internal RAID - Not Enabled
Hard drive 1: mSATA Intel 310 80GB SSD (OS)
Hard drive 2: 80GB Intel or 128GB Samsung SSD (Virtual Machines)
Ultrabay device: 750GB Seagate Momentus (Two Partitions. One for XP. One for Data and ISOs) in Ultrabay adapter.
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Battery 2: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery Slice 27++
Power cord: Country Pack North America with Line cord & 170W AC adapter
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)

 

Are we talking about the GOOGLESHOP coupon code that expires at midnight today?

 

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks man, worked for me! +Repped.

 

I used the LOGICBUY10 code and it worked. Very similar system.

I have 3 sticks of Crucial memory on order. $155 rather than $480 from Lenovo.

Looking for an SSD SATA III.

Take a gander at this blog: Guru3d.com for the review on the SATA III OCZ Vertex 3. Also has a review on the Intel 510 SATA III SSD.

It has a ton of information on how to best set up the computer to optimize SSD life. Apparently you would use an SSD a lot differently than a HDD.

With the W520 we can use a full size 2.5" SATA III SSD so I am looking at them now.

Perry

 

Just ordered my W520 last night and I am excited. I am ordering more RAM to upgrade to 16GB total and I plan on upgrading to an SSD later in the year when I have more money and they prices have come down a little.

Processor Intel Core i7-2820QM Processor (2.30GHz, 8MB L3)
Operating system Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
Operating system language Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 English
Windows XP Mode Microsoft Windows 7 XP Mode - English
Display type 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System graphics NVIDIA Quadro 2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
Color sensor Color Sensor
Total memory 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
Keyboard Keyboard US English
Pointing device UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad plus Fingerprint reader
Camera 720p Camera
Storage subsystem Internal RAID - Not Enabled
Hard drive 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device DVD recordable multiburner
System expansion slots Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader
Battery 9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Power cord Country Pack North America with Line cord & 170W AC adapter
Bluetooth Bluetooth 3.0
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2x2 AGN)
Integrated mobile broadband Integrated Mobile Broadband -Upgradable
Language pack Language Pack US English
Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader

 

so how much you paid for this config

 

The final configuration cost was about $2400 (after applicable discounts and taxes) which includes a 4yr depot warranty (over $200) and a $30 accessory item.

Taxes alone was about $196.

In retrospect I probably didn't need to upgrade to the i7-2820QM, but that's fine....

 

pkincy - Where are you getting your information that the W520 supports SATA III 6.0 Gbps? Evidence I'm finding in other threads and on http://www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/tabook.pdf seems to indicate Lenovo has limited the T420, T520 and W520 to SATA II 3.0 Gbps.

 

In Keith Comb's blog. It should appear with a google of W520 review.

Perry

 

Blog in question:

Lenovo ThinkPad W520 - mini review - Keith Combs' Blahg - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

 

I read the review and all the blog comments, and I maintain that there is still no consensus that SATA III 6.0 Gbps is actually available/accessible.

The underlying chipset does support it, but there appears to be a chance that Lenovo might not have made it available.

 

Time will tell. Hopefully Keith is savvy enough that when he (or others) get out a hands on review, we will know.

I just ordered my Ultrabay Caddy III, so with that and the 3 sticks of memory on order I am good to go but for an SSD and I will wait the resolution of this question before ordering that.

Too expensive to be wrong on SSDs.

Perry

 

I contacted Lenovo support, they said that SATA III was indeed functioning.

 

deleted post.

(lenovo chat rep told me that it is sata2, but after some pressure he told me that he based this info on tabook...)

 

FYI - IBM SPP discount is currently 15% on W520 just as it was when the W510 was released. But they also have a 5% discount on all Thinkpads until April 1. 5% after 15% works out to about 19.25%. You only need 1 share to qualify.

 

Hmm, the extra 9% would have bought the share.

Thanks for the info for next time.

But does IBM shares have anything to do with Lenovo these days?

Perry

 

So really, is it SATA II or SATA II!

 

Congrats guys! I can't wait to read the reviews. The 2000M is very interesting!

 

And you could always sell the share and just be out the transaction costs. Also, I bought mine in my IRA which is money I can't spend on a laptop anyway.

IBM must have made Lenovo honor its SPP when they sold them the Thinkpad brand. I don't know if there is a sunset or if it will continue indefinitely, but in either case it is in effect today.