IBM ThinkPad X22 [WR Machine] *** Review ***

[hoax32]

After a long 24 hours of tinking.....
She is finally finished!
The FASTEST and currently MINTEST ThinkPad X22 in existence!

Here are the specs:
------------------------------------------------
CPU: Intel Pentium III-M Tualatin @1.13GHz 512KB L2
GPU: ATI Mobility Radeon [WR OC!] CORE: @213MHz (+%49!) MEM: @200MHz (+%40!)
RAM: 640MB PC133 SD RAM 133MHz 3-3-3-6 ULTRA LOW LATENCY
HDD: NEW Samsung 30GB IDE 5400RPM HDD 8MB Cache
OS: Microsoft Windows XP SP3
HARDWARE: Intel Pro Wireless 2200 B/G Mini PCI Wireless Card

http://s32.postimg.org/z69twyvd1/system.png


This machine is a TRUE ROCKET!
I have installed Windows XP SP3 fresh and disabled all unnecessary services making the OS appear VERY LIGHT!
You can do ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING on this machine that an atom netbook could do, if not more!
I am going to cover multiple sections and topics about this laptop, which is NOW MY PRIMARY HOME COMPUTER!


http://s32.postimg.org/74i0e1lxh/TPF.png


PHYSICAL CONDITION
I have purchased over 5 carefully selected X2x series laptops in order to build this masterpiece over a time frame of 1 year.
It's physical condition is a 10/10! Not a scratch, not a ding, not even the rubber on the edges is worn! It is truly a trip into the past!
The screen looks amazing with not a single scratch/ dead pixel / uneven lighting.
The hinges are EXTREMELY TIGHT and all indicator lights shine bright!
The keyboard has 0-WEAR!!! Even the battery looks brand spankin new!
This X22 is TRULY as close as you can get to new, almost 2 decades later.

http://s32.postimg.org/biv33mlvo/lap1.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/kphz4nghw/lap2.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/57uh0ya10/lap3.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/6bj6qnk1w/lapdoc.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/hzd8l796s/lapshut.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/v9nb9hvlw/bottom.jpg


FUNCTIONALITY
The X22 is %100 fully functional (including the dock) and all hardware has been replaced with brand new factory sealed top of the line performance hardware.
Not a single defect.


CPU
I have swapped out the system board with a X24 high end system board packing the 1.13GHz Pentium III-M Tualatin with an impressive 512KB L2 Cache! This is a massive upgrade from the 800MHz! %42 to be exact! The biggest gains are noticable during fast web browsing and playing flash videos on youtube! The 800MHz would reach its limits quick. 144p was smooth, 240p was smooth at times and 360p would be a pure slide show impossible to watch!
With the 1.13GHz Tualatin 144p, 240p and 360p are all now FIJI-Water smooth!
144p and 240p are even smooth in full screen! And lets be honest! With a 1024x768 on a 12" screen 240p does not look that bad in full screen. 3D Mark 2001 was held back by the CPU as well but I will cover that further below. Overall BY FAR the BIGGEST (but not the only) upgrade from switching to the X24 system board.
%0 CPU utilization on the desktop at idle.

http://s32.postimg.org/l2dyoko5h/image.png
http://s32.postimg.org/k4trah8hx/idle.png


GPU
Ohhh yes, the ATI Mobility Radeon! Packing a whopping 8MB of DDR video RAM!
Even on stock clock the card outshoots the slower S3 Savage found on the T20 T21 T22 ThinkPads!
But this card packs a lot more punch than the factory settings have to offer.
The card is an overclocking monster!
Using ATI Tool I was able to clock my card to an astonishing 213MHz core speed and 200MHz memory speed!
That is almost %50 OC on both memory and core!
Average FPS of the 3D model inside of ATI tool raised from 4FPS to 8FPS!!!
That is double the FPS from only OCing the GPU!
It took many hours of testing and reboots to find the PERFECT OC clock without artifacts, craches, bluescreens and good temps!
But there is something else that I have discovered!
The GPU in the X22 and X24 IS NOT %100 IDENTICAL!
The chip has a different design on it and different ID#'s.
The base clock of the X24 Mobility Radeon is ACTUALLY LOWER than on the X22.
(140MHz vs 160MHz)
HOWEVER the X24 Radeon overclocks OVER %25 MORE!
The X22 Radeon would hit its limit at 190MHz Core and 180Mhz Memory with an average 6FPS in ATI Tool's 3D model.
Overclocked this graphics card OUTPERFORMS many newer ThinkPads!!
It runs laps around the intel graphics in the 30 and 40 series ThinkPads in 3D Mark 2001!
Performance wise in both bechmark and real world gaming it came very close to the GMA 950 which has over half a decade of newer technology packed in it!!
With the overclock performance is above a Mobility Radeon 9000 near a Mobility Radeon 9100.
That is TRULY impressive!!
I have over 40 laptops and these are all results based on 3D Mark 2001.
The X22 has the slower CPU of all computers tested so it is %100 the graphics chip.
Keep in mind however that even though the core can be very fast, the low amount of memory limits the use of the quick core!
I will cover benchmarks furth down.

http://s32.postimg.org/grlinrex1/gpu.png


RAM
The X22 is packing 640MB of PC133 SD RAM.
Compated to PC-100 a decent upgrade in terms of speed.
I have purchased a high end Samsung 512MB memory module with the lowest available latency!
Together with the fast CPU I was able to outperform every other Pentium III set up in Everest Home Edition coming close to Pentium 4 memory read / write Performance!
With no programs open Windows XP SP3 is only utilizing a little over 100MB leaving me with more than half a Gig of memory to work with which is PLENTY for single and light multi tasking!
Even with a word processor, youtube and file explorer open I have over 250MB of RAM left.
Plenty for the machine and more than enough for the games that it is capable of!


HDD
Going from 4200RPM to a 5400RPM is a huge jump being a brand new plate with 8MB cache it really wakes up the laptop and with all my programs installed I still have 20GB to spare!
More than enough!
Boot up from Windows XP loading screen to opening "my computer" takes 17 seconds!
Shut downs take 10 seconds!
Those are average numbers from 5 total attemps each with no programs open when shutting down.



BENCHMARKS
OK guys!
We all love numbers!


3D Mark 2001: 2407 3D marks
http://s32.postimg.org/t194s5ohx/3d_mark.png

Memory Read: 1.019GB/s (1019MB/s) - close to DDR speed
http://s32.postimg.org/nv768lohx/memread.png

Memory Write: .25GB/s (250MB/s) - Good performance!
http://s32.postimg.org/x0fj2grwl/memwrite.png


Memory Latency: 137.5 ns - surpassing some DDR and P4/AMD Setups EXCELLENT!
http://s32.postimg.org/sfor9sith/memlatency.png



GAMING
You may laugh at 8MB video memory but let me tell you, this thing will FLY with certain older games.
Return to castle Wolfenstein was released early 2002 with MINIMUM system requirements stating that at least 16MB of video memory is needed.
I was able to get 60-80FPS on medium settings with my overclocked ATI!
http://s32.postimg.org/8ie8n3akk/wolf1.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/3rnjwjwhw/wolf2.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/gzmxphu10/wolf3.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/7hdzxytl0/wolf4.jpg

Other games like AssaultCube, GTA2 and IcyTower for example all ran 60+ FPS on high settings!
I am installing GTA3 tomorrow which will be a real challenge however I am confident that even such a demanding game for this machine will play fluently!
This is the most powerfull graphics card next to the 16MB Radeon in the A22p until the 40 series foind in ANY THINKPAD when overclocked!

[jaspen-meyer]

The FASTEST and currently MINTEST ThinkPad X22 in existence!

Is an x24 with an x22 sticker really an x22?
Still, those are bold claims.

The biggest gains are noticable during fast web browsing and playing flash videos on youtube! The 800MHz would reach its limits quick. 144p was smooth, 240p was smooth at times and 360p would be a pure slide show impossible to watch!
With the 1.13GHz Tualatin 144p, 240p and 360p are all now FIJI-Water smooth!

My 800mHz x22 plays 480p youtube videos smoothly. It is jittery at 720p - I wouldn't call it slideshow but it is something between 8mm film and smooth.

Shut downs take 10 seconds!

I'm at 9.6 seconds, without any concentrated tweaking - but using a cheapo ssd and linux.

[hoax32]

The FASTEST and currently MINTEST ThinkPad X22 in existence!

Is an x24 with an x22 sticker really an x22?
Still, those are bold claims.

The biggest gains are noticable during fast web browsing and playing flash videos on youtube! The 800MHz would reach its limits quick. 144p was smooth, 240p was smooth at times and 360p would be a pure slide show impossible to watch!
With the 1.13GHz Tualatin 144p, 240p and 360p are all now FIJI-Water smooth!

My 800mHz x22 plays 480p youtube videos smoothly. It is jittery at 720p - I wouldn't call it slideshow but it is something between 8mm film and smooth.

Shut downs take 10 seconds!

I'm at 9.6 seconds, without any concentrated tweaking - but using a cheapo ssd and linux.

On media player classic I play 720p smooth.
Playing 480p on youtube on windowds on 800mhz wont happen

[jaspen-meyer]

Playing 480p on youtube on windowds on 800mhz wont happen

Try this http://www.smtube.org/

[hoax32]

Playing 480p on youtube on windowds on 800mhz wont happen

Try this http://www.smtube.org/

good app!

[hoax32]

Got the Core and Mem clock a few more MHz up and cleaned out the system.
New 3D Mark 01 SE best score: 2455 - %2 gain

[dr_st]

Try this http://www.smtube.org/

MiniTube is also a good option (but costs money).

hoax32, I like your machine. Thank you for the review.

[whitelabel]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing this review with us
Very unique and fabulous gem you got here. I like it.

If only these old X2/3/4- series laptops can go with the SXGA IPS panel...

[shawross]

Your gem is in great condition and I like the fact that it doesn't have a touchpad.

I have always liked the hinges on that series. IBM nailed it back then and if it is usable still all the better.


Very nice and a thumbs up from me