The great Laptop discussion forum

I have been using the Lenovo x200s since Feb 09 and, about 11 months into it, I'm still in love. This thing is fast enough but i wish the screen was larger... it's a 12.1" WXGA LED screen which is stunning but i would prefer more screen real estate... at 2.43 pounds only, the portability factor cannot be beat.

As of prices right now, the base model of an x200s is about $1,069 and you can get it nicely equipped for under $1500. A little high but this machine is a really solidly built piece of machinery.

I just wish Lenovo grade machines were more media friendly - there are no hdmi out ports on this unit so i can't hook it up to my 50" plasma tv like i do with my hp unit. But that's not what they're for... I'm asking for too much :D

Interesting. These appealing to anyone who got an X-series Thinkpad (or is considering one)? I feel pretty good with the X200 I built for $1,200, but if these still give me everything I need for the rigors of school, I wouldn't mind spending half.

Also, would the release of these cause the X200 price to drop much?

I think the x200 prices would only dip if they introduce a new processor into those existing models - then you would see a slight dip but nothing extrodinary. Historically, Lenovo/IBM prices have been high but the reliability of their machines is second to none.

I took a look at the x100e models and they look great! I have been an IBM / Lenovo user for years(I've had 5 in the last 10 years) and one thing I love about them is that they keyboards are nearly identical to a traditional desktop keyboard. You can move from typing on the x200 to their larger units and you would almost not notice the difference.

That being said, the x100e keyboard slightly differs from the x200. I took a look at the videos on the lenovo site and this unit looks promising. It's business grade everything with a great price. I am maybe 90% persuaded to recommend this unit over the x200 for b-school use but i would like to get one up close (or see one at a store) and type on it for a bit... if typing on the x100e keyboard is as easy as typing on the x200 and their other units - i'd buy this thing in a heartbeat :D

I am definitely interested in the x100e as a travel laptop. While the T400 is relatively "thin and light" hauling it around is getting to be a pain. The x100e seems like it might have enough power under the hood for most bschool purposes too, although the small screen might be a pain for spreadsheets. Unfortunately, the Lenovo order page is showing all three versions as taking more than 4 weeks to ship! You would think that by now they would have figured out how to account for increased demand whenever a new model comes out.

^ Lenovo always has shipping delays. If you custom build an x300 with an SSD drive, it says it'll ship in about 6 to 8 weeks! by that time, cheaper and better technology will be out... :: rolling eyes ::

But I agree - the small screen would be the downer.... I wish they made 17" netbook-like machines :D

I think this is just a laptop envy thing. The only people who get all flustered about this stuff are PC users, who project their frustrations with their own computing experience on those of us without them.

For what it's worth, two of my friends at school have converted to MacBooks thus far this year. Can't wait to see the tablet!

I have a MacBook that i'm considering booting in favour of a Samsung or a Toshiba or something when I get to business school. The Mac is just too heavy and as 3underscore says, the shortcut keys (or lack therof) is the most annoying thing ever, especially if you're an excel hack like me.

What's the best for super lightweight and high powered?

the two i've kept my eye on for awhile are the acer 1810t, and the asus ul-30a.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Timeline-AS1 ... 130&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/UL30A-X5-Light-13 ... 161&sr=8-1

they're pretty much the same price, the asus has a slightly bigger screen, both claim 7+ hrs battery life, neither has a dvd drive, and both are under 4 lbs. i dont think the video card is great on either of them, but if you have to do heavy image editing in b-school, you must be doing something wrong lol.

there are also cheaper versions of both of these out right now (slower processor, less RAM). personally, i'm going to wait till the last second possible to buy a new laptop, as 7 months is a long time in the computer world. prices will probably be cheaper later in the year.

this is just my opinion, but from the price and specs you listed on your computer, i'd say it's WAY WAY overpriced. now, by nature i am a pretty frugal shopper. others might see that comp and say, yeah it's a little expensive but it's worth it. that's fine. i personally would look elsewhere.

i just posted 2 different computer setups a few mins ago as a reply to another post. you should take a look at them and see if either interests you. the main difference i can see (besides the fact that the 2 i posted have a "slower" processor) is the fact that neither of these are lenovo. i dont have direct experience with asus or acer laptops (although my 2 y/o LCD monitor is asus and has worked fine), so i cant say if they are crappy or not. just giving you other options though. happy shopping

Thanks shadowsjc

+1

so what's the verdict on the laptop to get for the 2010 intake?

I'm looking for something around $1000, but the problem is that I won't be able to take advantage of Lenovo's USA offers and I'm in Asia...

I would personally push the x200 or x200s (if weight is a concern)... They're business class, business grade, have long life and greeat warranty. You will probably never use the warranty though - I have a 6 year old IBM that's still working fine.

The x200s is a little over $1200 but worth it, IMO. For business school, I wouldn't trust my data, nor my time, with any other brand.

I'm personally blown by the Intel CULV based processors. The ASUS UL30t or UL80vt is a really good value for money laptop. I guess AMZ has it for around $600-$800. The CULV processor is specifically interesting as you can now get netbook like form-factor and battery life with Core 2 Duo performance.

I'm personally looking at the Sony Vaio Y Series which was recently announced at CES. Do check it out. It will retail in feb for around $800.

what do you guys think about the Vostro V13?

I'm trying to decide between Lenovo G550 (duo core processor) or Lenovo ThinkPad T400. What do you think?

I would opt for the Thinkpad T400 I've used a thinkpad and it was a wonderful experience. Ideally I would get the x200s, though it seems way overpriced here.

I'm also looking at the Vostro, specifically the Vostro 1320. I'll be getting one for business today and it seems pretty good - 4gb ram, 320 gb hdd. Pretty cheap too versus the x200s, unless there's a special promotion for the x200s that I need to know about

adcxaway, any thoughts on the vostro V13?