Thinkpads Forum

So what would you like to see added/changed/removed in the newest X series Thinkpad. Sure it won't come out for a few months, but it's fun to just imagine.

I'll go first: X62s / X70s
-OLED 12.1" Widescreen SXGA+ (WSXGA+) - if you raise the font size too, you get a better picture with legible text. OLED would also make the screen INCREDIBLY thin!
-Low-voltage 45nm CPU
-64GB+ SSD - A company in the US made a 450GB+ 2.5" SDD
-Better dock connector battery (the Extended Life battery on the X61s gives you only about 2.5h)
-Turbomemory as a standard - if it does anything
-Fingerprint reader as a standard - and better location
-ExpressCard slot standard - yes there are more Cardbus cards, but expresscard saves a lot more space, and has a faster interface
-No VGA port - instead have a port like on the Macs where you can plug adapters in for VGA / DVI / HDMI (for TV out). You often won't use it, but it's nice to have the option to use it as you like.

I agree that the X61s isn't such a media laptop, but who says it can't be? It's powerful enough! Why let a manufacturer determine how you use your laptop (what is this, apple?) I used my old Dell Inspiron 4100 as an school laptop, TV/DVR, Game laptop, media laptop, etc. It wasn't the fastest thing in the world, but it worked.

iamdmc wrote:-OLED 12.1" Widescreen SXGA

You mean WSXGA+, i.e. 1680x1050?

I humbly disagree with many items on your wishlist!

-OLED 12.1" Widescreen SXGA

Agreed that OLED would be great but widescreen is mostly useless for a business laptop. The option for higher resolution would be nice for some people that seem to want it, but honestly, I have perfect vision and squinting all day at a high-res 12" screen is not my idea of tranquility.

-64GB+ SSD

As an option this would be great although the technology has some gains to make before it is worth it IMO. Who knows what will be available by the time the next x-series is ready.

-Turbomemory as a standard

As of now turbomemory is mostly useless and will become antiquated in large part by the advent of SSDs. Vista has poor support for the time being.

-Fingerprint reader as a standard

This adds more complexity and some cost to the notebook for people that don't need or want it (like me). Keep it optional.

-No VGA port - instead have a port like on the Macs where you can plug adapters in for VGA / DVI / HDMI (for TV out)

Again, the x-series is not an entertainment machine, it is a business machine. I don't want to have to carry around a DVI->HDMI adapter just so I can use my notebook in my University classrooms with older VGA projectors. I'll be sure to bring my notebook with me when I'm teaching a class (it's hard to forget!) but little adapters can go missing or be forgotten easily. DVI adds little (or nothing) in terms of picture quality in the most common applications.

I carry my X-series in my backpack, with other notebooks. The size is almost an exact match. A widescreen would afford me nothing but a more unbalanced backpack.

I don't mind if there's an option, but please keep the 4:3. I'm not at this point sure if I'd prefer 1024*768 or 1400*1050... both as options would probably be optimal.

Agree on the adapter BTW. One more thing to loose or forget.

My X61t isn't for "fun" either, so also I don't need nor want widescreen or a silly display port that is useless unless I carry around extra adapters.

Expresscard is hopefully in the works already, as PCMCIA is outdated.

The most important thing on my wishlist is a SXGA+ that is non-Superview. The Superview screen shows fingerprints/handprints much much worse than the non-Superview SXGA+ screens on X60t's do. Makes inking annoying and painful, because the screen is left cruddy afterwords; i.e. kills the benefit/joy of having a Tablet.

- 12" SXGA+ (non-TN)
- still the same keyboard, no single change ! NMB preferred.
- keep PCMCIA slot as an option. There are still so many PCMCIA cards with no ExpressCard option.
- DisplayPort or at least DVI
- ability to boot from USB flash disks (via better BIOS, bootable flash disk utility etc.)
- 7200 rpm HDD
- integrated graphics or non-nVidia video chip
- provide an option to select English version of preinstalled OS and software in non-English speaking countries at first boot
- ship with 64bit Windows Vista
- support more than 4GB of RAM
- stereo speakers

SXGA+ for sure. Everything else will just be the icing on the cake.

I'm pretty happy with my x61t. The only thing I'd really want is a DVI port instead of VGA. At the very least, there should be a DVI port on the base

My ideal X62s would have/be:
- sub 1.3 kgs
- SXGA+ display with LED backlight, 4:3 ratio
- smallish 4C battery with at least 3h charge capacity
- same keyboard as current X61T
- 64GB SSD drive
- 2.0 GHz ULV proc.
- 64bit Vista with SP1 (or no bugs or downsides whatsoever )

My ideal X62T would have...

LED SXGA+ display that does not come unglued
7K200 HDD
Discrete GPU option
2.0+ GHz LV 45nm CPU

dyne wrote:I'm pretty happy with my x61t. The only thing I'd really want is a DVI port instead of VGA. At the very least, there should be a DVI port on the base

Ditto. I use my machines both for travel and on my desk. In my office I have several 1600x1200 and 1920x1200 monitors. DVI is a must. I can't understand why it can't be on the dock like on the T and R series - it is the same graphics chip.

Also - an SSD should be an option and I'm sure it will be soon.

I wouldn't mind a slot-load DVD like on the Dell XPS 1330 as well.

Just don't mess with my trackpoint!

A small thing but I wouldn't mind if they made the little 'moon' led symbol for sleep orange so that you could tell at a glance that the computer is off.

I think an integrated webcam would add a lot of value

superbrudd wrote:I think an integrated webcam would add a lot of value

And weight! Webcams are okay for bigger laptops but Lenovo tries to make the X series as light as possible.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think integrated webcams are extremely light. My complaint is that integrated webcams are hardly better than no webcam at all - the picture quality sucks on the ones I've seen.

Webcam is a cool gimmick for those who need it. I don't, for instance. It's simply useless, there's hardly an occasion when one would want/need the webcam IMO. And when you need it, usually the quality is too lame to be useful. Moreover, you can't be using the webcam in many businesses etc. That is of course just how I see it.

a dedicated graphics card is the only thing holding the X from being perfect IMHO

they need to figure out how to put it in the ultrabase, so you can have integrated on-the-go graphics and dedicated when your home with the ultrabase, giving you the best of both configs, there's no reason it cant be done
i personally would pay $500 more for an X with that option
i hope you read these threads, lenovo!! =)

How about an external e-SATA port (instead of FireWire) and hardware disk encryption in addition to the previously mentioned ExpressCard (54).

A Seagate FDE option (for instance) would save me a lot of headaches and I suspect would be a big hit with the corporate crowd.

e-SATA would be great.

Let's see...

1) Non-TN screen. XGA/WXGA/WXGA+ is OK. SXGA+ is pushing it where it shouldn't go, IMO. But lots of people seem to think it would be cool, so it should exist as an option.

2) Built-in optical drive. And ship all units with a travel bezel so that people can take them out and reduce weight.

3) DVI, at least on the ultrabase. There is currently no way to get a digital video signal out of an X6x, and this should be changed.

4) Built-in webcam - why not? So it will add 10g to the weight - gimme a break.

5) If possible, move the battery to the front. It's a great way to balance weight, and it is what makes the X32 much less bulky than, say, an X60 Tablet, which is not really heavier.

Of course, do not change what's currently there and good.

But really, I'd consider getting an X-series if only (1) and (2) were met. Others are bonuses.

anarky321 wrote:a dedicated graphics card is the only thing holding the X from being perfect IMHO

they need to figure out how to put it in the ultrabase, so you can have integrated on-the-go graphics and dedicated when your home with the ultrabase, giving you the best of both configs, there's no reason it cant be done
i personally would pay $500 more for an X with that option
i hope you read these threads, lenovo!! =)

Yeah, personally, I love the X61.

I'm used to using the T60p, which has a FireGL V5200.

While the X61 has a better Intel GM965 card, and it's basically the best graphics card Intel has offered because it supports HW shader support, I still think getting a better video card in this puppy would make it perfect.

This would be my IDEAL X62:
Have the option to keep the IBM logo
And have a better video card.

Also, this doesn't have to happen, but what if they added a touchpad as well? (I'm half and half on this, because I love it just the way it is, but I tend to alternate my usage.)

I very much agree about the 64GB+ SSD option, and of course the ever faster components (processor, RAM).

1.3-2MP Webcam - option would be cool as long as it's tiny - and to those who say that it doesn't have any business applications... how about web conferencing? yeah

eSATA - nice option, but it doesn't work with Vista ([censored]). Still, I wouldn't like to see this as an integrated port until/unless it becomes more standard. An eSATA ExpressCard would be best.

I stick by the WSGXA+, since it would be perfect for graphics design, other types of design, and just great picture. The high res doesn't mean that the text and icons have to be so tiny you need a magnifying glass to see them - just change some display settings and everything looks like normal, just much better quality.

I'd also be in for the discrete graphics - but it would have to be at least 128MB to be worth dirt. The Intel GMA X3100 is good enough for me.


I can just imagine the X62s with a SSD - virtually silent. Can you hear it? Exactly

One more:

Some Sony machines have the ability to use the Intel graphics to save power - or to turn on discrete graphics when you need/want it.

All high-end Lenovo machines should do this!

Add a non-tablet SXGA+ option and I'd be ecstatic.

Other than that the X61 is perfect!

- SSD options would be nice for the future model, but it needs to come down in price before I would purchase it (and it will).
- LED backlighting and higher resolutions are a must
- DVI instead of VGA
- ULV processor option

1. DVI, at least on docking
2. Wide screen opt
3. OLED Backlight - IPS Panel
4. Give option for 1024x768 1280x1024 1400x1050 for 4:3 and 1280x800 1440x900 1680x1050 for 16:9 screens.
5. Keep X61t's weight, but use non-BGA CPU
6. 4x PCI-E connector for external Video card (this is depend on Intel more maybe)
7. If 6 can't be done, Lenove, please make a advanced ultrabase can put video card in.

Actually, as I understand it, OLED displays don't need a backlight - that's one of the reasons that they are so flexible and impossibly thin! It's an exciting prospect.

If OLED displays are too expensive, I'd settle for an LED backlit LCD.

In order:

8+ hours battery time with wireless on and regular business use.
1280x960 or higher, 4:3, without the tablet.
Keep the Thinkpad logo.

tetete wrote:1680x1050 for 16:9 screens.

I will personally shoot anyone who claims that 1680x1050 is usable on a 12" screen.

Maybe if you run Vista and scale fonts to like 200%.