Lenovo ThinkPad X301

Recently the Lenovo has launched his new version of ThinkPad series refer as ThinkPad X301, its earlier versions were ThinkPad X300, a great notebook for the business minded. With many improvements from its already great predecessor, you can expect great things from the X301.

Sturdy Design

When the matter comes into the designing part, the Lenovo X301 has the same look that the previous versions had. If you like then it’s your choice. As if we see the user reviews some reviews says design is very simple & effective some of it says it’s dull. It is your opinion what you think. As there is on any argument’s on the ThinkPad mad machines as they posses a very strong characteristic that makes it different from other ThinkPad’s. The ThinkPad X301 weighs very light it’s about 3.5lbs with an 8x DVD burner & a 6- cell battery equipped. It’s finishing is really very decorative & has a matte black finish & exterior is squared. The dimensions of it are 12.5x9.1x0.9; it’s almost same as the ThinkPad X300the sides are little bit tapered. The beautifully constructed machine of Lenovo X301 has an internal roll cage design & a carbon & class fiber interior, that according to Lenovo it is not only stronger but also very lighter as compared to titanium.

The company also pays much attention towards the gripping part for that it provides the rubberized soft touch paint that provides a secure grip to keyboard & its outer shell that feels great. The X301 has all the regular connectors and ports with three USB 2.0, Ethernet, microphone and headphone jacks, Display Port, and a VGA connector. The memory slot is not included in it, it means that with the USB card reader or adapter you have to do your work.

Display & Speakers

As for as concern about the display it is best, as it employs the LED-black lit, 13.3” (1440x900 resolution) displays with having the matte finish that prevents most glare. It has a very high resolution that makes a difference while you are viewing the documents & web pages; it may be the default text may to small. The backlit, low-reflectivity LED keeps the display legible when outdoors. It provides the wide viewing angles & a variety of colors that makes available for watching DVDs and other content. The stereo speakers are built into it that lacked low –end punch, but due to their close proximity (located in the palm rest), the volume was clear & loud. It also has a 1.3 megapixel webcam that provide somewhat dark visuals when tested through video chat.

First-Class Ergonomics

In line with all the other ThinkPad models, the X301 features a magnificent design & the machine that definitely ranks with the top runners in the business. The design of the keyboard is really magnificent as there it provides space in between the individual keys. It also includes the touchpad & a pointing stick (between G and H) for mainly navigation. The size of the touch pad is not very large but it is sufficient to work. Its also includes the biometric fingerprint reader on the right of touchpad to provide a secure and maintain the privacy in the business, that also to keep away from the unauthorized individuals. At the top of the keyboard you will see the buttons for volume, mute, Think Vantage (for launching Lenovo system utilities), and of course there is power button.

Performance

The base configuration is equipped with 2GB of RAM and an Intel Core 2 Due (1.4GHz) U9400 Ultra Low Voltage processor. The ThinkPad X301 achieved a PCMark Vantage score of 3157, which is 400 points higher than most ultra portables. It’s a great score, but still falls about 60 points shy of the Sony VAIO VGN-Z530N’s and almost 500 points shy of the Lenovo ThinkPad X200.

The X301 didn’t fare so well on its entire graphics tests. On the 3DMark03 benchmark, the X301 (which is powered by an Intel GMA X4500MHD graphics card) netted an 1812, a score that’s 400 points higher than its competitors and its predecessor the X300. However, the 3DMark06 score was 200 points less than other machines in its category. F.E.A.R was also tested in auto-detect mode, and the game ran at a miniscule 14fps. When the settings were increased to maximum, it ran at only 6fps. W.O.W ran at 27.4fps, which is okay, but it is important to remember that this is not a gaming laptop, and should not be expected to out perform Alien ware, for example.

Lenovo’s X301’s boot up time is below expectation. With a 64GB SSD, it took about 1 minute and 37 seconds to boot Windows Vista, almost 30 seconds slower than the average ultraportable and 48 seconds slower than older X300. But it not disappoint too much as it has a fast transfer time copying 5GB folder in approximately in 2minutes and 40 seconds, which is somewhat miles head of 13.4 megabyte per second as compare to other competitors that they are using mechanical drives. If the 64GB SSD is not sufficient than you can upgrade with option of having 128GB SSD, which costs $400.

Wi-Fi and Battery Life

The 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi moves data at an excellent speed of 20.8 MB/s at a distance of 15 feet from the access point, and 18.7 MB/s at 50 feet. These are nice improvements over the 16.7 MB/s and 16.1 MB/s averages presented by the X300, and made for a pleasant surfing experience. Although the default configuration does not include integrated mobile broadband, you can add a 3G connection from AT&T ($80) or Verizon Wireless ($150), which also features integrated GPS. The X301 will support WiMAX and Ultra-Wideband technologies when they become available.

When it comes to the long battery life, the X301 definitely falls short by quite a bit. It has six cell battery which lasted for an approximately 3 hours & half during the tests. On the same test, Sony’s VAIO VGN-Z530N lasted 5 hours. A little more should be expected out of ultraportable laptops when it comes to battery life (at least 4 hours).

Software, Security, and Warranty

As if anyone concerns about the security part on their notebooks will definitely appreciate theX301 ThinkPad because it provides the full disk encryption, centrally managed passwords, ability to disable the BIOS port, and remote lockdown. The machine is covered with an extendable 1 year warranty and 24/7 tech support. Included with the X301 is Lenovo Camera Center, a 60-day trial to Microsoft Office, Access Connections 5, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Roxio Creator Business Edition.

At last after reviewing all the facts the X301 is a really very nice notebook, its previous version X300 is also great job done by Lenovo. With the new Centrino 2 platform and an ultra-fast 64GB SSD, the X301 comes at a price. If you are looking for a new notebook or to change, then the X301 it’s a good option it will not disappoint you. As one thing I want to say that you should keep a spare battery with you.

CPU	1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9400 ULV
RAM Included	2GB
RAM Upgradable To	4GB
Hard Drive Size	64GB
Hard Drive Speed	90MB/s Read and 70MB/s Write
Hard Drive Type	SSD Drive
Optical Drive Type	DVD+RW
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Display Size (inches)	13.3
Native Resolution	1440×900
Graphics Card	Intel GMA X4500MHD
Video Memory	384MB
Wi-Fi	802.11a/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.0
Mobile Broadband	Optional Add-on 3G connection from AT&T ($80) or Verizon Wireless ($150)
Operating System	MS Windows Vista Business
Ports (excluding USB)	DisplayPort; Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; VGA
USB Ports	3
Card Slot(s)	N/A
Warranty/Support	One-year parts and labor/24/7 toll-free phone
Size	12.5 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches
Weight	3.4 pounds