Quickie question about X series

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Temetka · #1 Post by **Temetka** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:11 am

What is the oldest X series that supports USB 2.0?

Also what video chip is used in the older X20/X30 series.

Thanks

faberryman · #2 Post by **faberryman** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:28 am

X31 was the first X series ThinkPad to have USB 2.0.

johnson · #3 Post by **johnson** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:38 am

www.thinkwiki.org

#4 Post by **KristianJ** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:29 pm

johnson wrote:www.thinkwiki.org

One of the best sites ever if you need to know the innards of any TP.

Temetka · #5 Post by **Temetka** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:08 am

Good site.

pianowizard · #6 Post by **pianowizard** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:24 pm

Also, don't forget the tawbook.

Temetka · #7 Post by **Temetka** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:27 pm

I haven't forgotten it, just need to locate it...

#8 Post by **JaneL** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 3:00 pm

Temetka wrote:I haven't forgotten it, just need to locate it...

Item #1 in the FAQ...

Temetka · #9 Post by **Temetka** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:58 pm

Thanks.

/slaps self

Thinkpaddict · #10 Post by **Thinkpaddict** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:41 pm

I have a Thinkpad X24, and just love this computer. No native USB 2.0, but you can always add a PCMCIA adapter for that. As for the graphics, I believe it has an ATI 8Mb GPU. The X21 has an ATI 4Mb GPU. What's the difference? Not much. If you want the best graphics for 3D, you shouldn't go with IBM anyway. Also, you can use a Dock II with a PCI graphics card (lots of problems with this, but some seem to work OK. Radeons 9250 are supposed to be very good for multimonitor setups, while you can use some PCI nVidia adapters for 3D work. However, the PCI bus bandwidth will set some limitations on this approach.)

vincentfox · #11 Post by **vincentfox** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:31 pm

I've watched a number of movies on an X22 on planes etc. and the builtin ATI Mobility Radeon is plenty of graphics for my needs. Typically divx files on the hard-drive, only crazy people lug along one of those spinning optical drives.

Original poster didn't state what their killer graphic app was.

I'm a bit leery of that big ole' Dock-II. It has a noisy fan and just seems to violate the whole X-series concept of lean and mean. I have a USB 2.0 PC-card but to be honest have used it maybe twice in the last 2 years. Ordinarily I use the network (preferably wired) for fast transfers.

I have to admit the non-WiFi versions of the X23 I just got recently off EBay make a lot of sense to me. Just plop in a 3Com XJack ABG card and they are perfect. I regret how much effort I spent on fiddling with upgrading the builtin-WiFi on an X22, or trying to work out how I was going to mount antenna into a non-WiFi X-series, when this 3Com product is so slick. I wish I had known about it sooner, or I wouldn't have spent time chasing factory-WiFi version. Now if only they were cheaper....

Next plane ride I will try watching a movie from the new 4-gig Compact-Flash card I got, and let the hard-drive spin down. See if that buys me more battery time.

Temetka · #12 Post by **Temetka** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:02 am

I was curious about the graphics chip because I would like to watch some movies / multimedia on the machine. I am also aware that the chip and software play a role in how well the performance is.

I would mainly be using the machine for light office tasks, internet, old games (they ran fine on PCI cards, so that wont be an issue), and as a glorified e-book reader.

USB 2.0 would be nice but is not required, the same goes for built-in wifi. My main concern is good XP performance for the above-stated tasks to be performed with a minimum of wait time.

For that to happen I would need the following:

1GHz + Tualatin or better
8MB Video (4 is acceptable as long is it AGP)
512MB of RAM with potential for more
standard 2.5" IDE interface
10.4" LCD but no bigger than 12.1"

So far the X22 or X23 seem like real contenders.

vincentfox · #13 Post by **vincentfox** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:19 am

The PIII-M used in the X20-series compares to desktop Tualatin reasonably well. The PIII-M had a 512K L2 cache though. Desktop Tualatins were 256K L2 weren't they?

As I said I ran movies all the time on my previous X22, it never missed a beat. I frequently watched HR-HDTV 700-meg videos on it without problems. I think CPU usage around 80%. That should give some idea of it's ability to keep up. I never saw the CPU as a limiting factor. Now upping the RAM, and putting in a new Samsung 5400-RPM 8-meg cache drive, those make a difference. Programs snap onto the screen. My killer-app beyond usual desktop and movie-watching, is GPS vehicle navigation. For that role with a copy of Street Atlas and a receiver on the dash, the X20 series is spectacular.

If I had more money and starting fresh I'd get an X31. Considering how much more it would cost me, largely to get USB 2.0 it doesn't seem like enough of an upgrade just now. Anything in the X20-series would do fine for the needs you describe I think.

The end of the X20 line was the X24, which with it's PIII-M 1.13 was quite fast. For me however I'm leery of the X24, since I would *think* it's not going to speed-step down as far, so wouldn't it have a bit less battery life? Probably not worth worrying about. Grab one and give it a try, they are cheap enough now to take a chance on in my opinion as everyone busily (foolishly) "upgrades" to Vista-capable hardware.

Once Flash SSD become cheap enough, I'll probably upgrade my X23 to that.

dmdsoftware · #14 Post by **dmdsoftware** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:25 pm

I love this thread. Glad to see so many fans of the X2*s and X3*s

I too regret there is no USB 2 until the X31, but remember that the X30 came with firewire. I prefer firewire over USB 2 anyday because of higher sustained speeds and more stable for data transfer and DVD burning.

Thinkpaddict · #15 Post by **Thinkpaddict** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:16 pm

Temetka wrote:
I would mainly be using the machine for light office tasks, internet, old games (they ran fine on PCI cards, so that wont be an issue), and as a glorified e-book reader.

[...]

For that to happen I would need the following:

1GHz + Tualatin or better
8MB Video (4 is acceptable as long is it AGP)
512MB of RAM with potential for more
standard 2.5" IDE interface
10.4" LCD but no bigger than 12.1"

So far the X22 or X23 seem like real contenders.

Actually, don't discount the X21 just yet. I use it to watch full length movies full screen, and it doesn't even sweat. I have used Windows Media Player (not the latest version), and also Videolan on it. Videolan is less resource hungry than WMP, so now I make it my default media player unless I am in my Linux box and I am using mplayer.

I have run Photoshop on this X21, and while it didn't scream it performed admirably well for the machine. Windows XP was very snappy until I made the mistake to install Norton Internet Security.

My X21 has 384Mb if I remember correctly, and that's the maximum. For what you intend to use your laptop for, even 384Mb is overkill IMHO. As far as games, I have run MAME in the X21 with no problem, and even early 90s arcade games play flawlessly at full speed.

That being said, the X22 and X23 are also fine machines. The X22 will buy you an IR port also (in case you use one), and the ability to upgrade your RAM up to 640Mb I think. But for your purposes, like I said, the X21 is just perfect. Keep it lean and don't load unnecessary crap into it, and you'll fly.

Thinkpaddict · #16 Post by **Thinkpaddict** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:22 pm

vincentfox wrote:[...]
The end of the X20 line was the X24, which with it's PIII-M 1.13 was quite fast. For me however I'm leery of the X24, since I would *think* it's not going to speed-step down as far, so wouldn't it have a bit less battery life? Probably not worth worrying about. Grab one and give it a try, they are cheap enough now to take a chance on in my opinion as everyone busily (foolishly) "upgrades" to Vista-capable hardware.

Once Flash SSD become cheap enough, I'll probably upgrade my X23 to that.

Yes, I was in Best Buy the other day and a lady was looking at some laptops (probably buying one for her kid.) I almost felt like going over and cautioning her against buying an expensive piece of crap, and instead buying a refurbished IBM.

Flash SSD? Sounds good...

#17 Post by **underclocker** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:36 pm

My X23 w/384MB of RAM and 5400rpm drive is still quite snappy with WinXP. It's 866Mhz. The X24 runs a little warmer and isn't much faster. Battery life is about the same. The X22 runs about the same temp. as the X23. I think the X22-X23 are primo.

Then there is the X40. That is ideal.

mrobo · #18 Post by **mrobo** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:28 am

Temetka wrote:What is the oldest X series that supports USB 2.0?

Also what video chip is used in the older X20/X30 series.

Thanks

X31 series and newer supports usb 2.0 I have one and like it much
from new technology I miss only the fingerprint technology

ragefury32 · #19 Post by **ragefury32** » Thu May 03, 2007 8:28 am

Temetka wrote:What is the oldest X series that supports USB 2.0?

Also what video chip is used in the older X20/X30 series.

Thanks

The USB2 question is answered already, and as for the video chipset? Let's see. The 20/21s use a Rage Mobility M1/4MByte, the 22/23/24s use a Radeon M6/8MByte, the X30 uses Intel i830MG (*ugh*), the X31/32s use the Radeon M6/16MBytes.

ragefury32 · #20 Post by **ragefury32** » Thu May 03, 2007 8:35 am

Thinkpaddict wrote:
Temetka wrote:
I would mainly be using the machine for light office tasks, internet, old games (they ran fine on PCI cards, so that wont be an issue), and as a glorified e-book reader.

[...]

For that to happen I would need the following:

1GHz + Tualatin or better
8MB Video (4 is acceptable as long is it AGP)
512MB of RAM with potential for more
standard 2.5" IDE interface
10.4" LCD but no bigger than 12.1"

So far the X22 or X23 seem like real contenders.
Actually, don't discount the X21 just yet. I use it to watch full length movies full screen, and it doesn't even sweat. I have used Windows Media Player (not the latest version), and also Videolan on it. Videolan is less resource hungry than WMP, so now I make it my default media player unless I am in my Linux box and I am using mplayer.

I have run Photoshop on this X21, and while it didn't scream it performed admirably well for the machine. Windows XP was very snappy until I made the mistake to install Norton Internet Security.

My X21 has 384Mb if I remember correctly, and that's the maximum. For what you intend to use your laptop for, even 384Mb is overkill IMHO. As far as games, I have run MAME in the X21 with no problem, and even early 90s arcade games play flawlessly at full speed.

That being said, the X22 and X23 are also fine machines. The X22 will buy you an IR port also (in case you use one), and the ability to upgrade your RAM up to 640Mb I think. But for your purposes, like I said, the X21 is just perfect. Keep it lean and don't load unnecessary crap into it, and you'll fly.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the X20/21s have a 320MByte max limit due to the 440ZXM chipset?

That being said, the Mobility M1 is not great for rudimentary 3D gaming...for 2D stuff, yes, but for basic DirectX 6/7 gaming (say, emulating a Nintendo 64) you definitely want a Radeon M6. Go with the 866MHz X22 model. They are not expensive, they can be pushed up to 640MBytes of memory, and they are [censored] fine machines for most tasks.

pianowizard · #21 Post by **pianowizard** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:09 am

ragefury32 wrote:Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the X20/21s have a 320MByte max limit due to the 440ZXM chipset?

All X20's max out at 320MB. For X21's, some have 64MB onboard while others have 128MB. These can support up to 320MB and 384MB respectively.

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Quickie question about X series

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