Modding and maxing a X220 (4290-2VM)

[Core Share]

Hello fellow Thinkpadolytes,

I just happily bought a ThinkPad X220 (4290-2VM), with the following salient specs:

i7-2620 Processor, 4GB RAM, Win 7 PRO x64 SP1, 320 GB HD 7200 rpm SATA, WWAN Enabled, 9 Cell Battery, and a TN (not IPS) display.

I am very happy to have a worthy successor to my beloved old T40, finally, however I do want to modify the X220 further:

1. Additional memory.

According to a thread in the T400 series sub-forum, the T420 can be kitted out stably and successfully with 16 GB of RAM (instead of the official 8 GB); and so can the X220.

The concept of having a laptop with 16 GB of deep "deep space", finally, thrills me no end - particularly with the running of virtual machines.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations and caveats on the choice of RAM for the task?

2. Upgrade the HD to an SSD.

To totally max out the speed of this machine I am thinking of getting a 128 GB SSD drive, to replace the 320 GB Hard-drive; albeit at the loss of immediate storage - the dictates of the modding budget.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations and caveats on the choice of an SSD for the X220?

Any assistance with these specific modding and maxing questions (as well as any reflected general wisdom on "mod/max") most gratefully apprised, thank you.

I have attempted to do due diligence, with questionable efficacy, in existing topics, so I apologise, aforehand, for any over-looked pre-existing topic threads of relevance.

Thank you.

Best regards,

Core

[wolfman]

Core Share,

Congrats on your new machine! I use 2x8gb Corsair Value Select RAM in my T420 and it's been flawless. I'd have had no problem buying Crucial or G.Skill RAM instead - I bought on price alone. The current Thinkpads don't appear to be as picky as they used to be about RAM. I'd grab a good quality brand like one of those listed and you'll be fine. Just remember to test the ram to ensure you have good sticks and you'll be set.

Regarding the hard drive -> SSD, you can have your cake and eat it too with the X220 if you don't need a WWAN card by placing an mSATA SSD in the WWAN slot and keeping the 320gb drive in place as a storage drive. Check around here for folks who have done that, I hear good comments about the Crucial mSATA from time to time (like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... rentOnly=1).

Hope that helps...

[Core Share]

Thank you for the advice, wolfman, most appreciated!

I'll probably go with 2 X 8 GB Corsair sticks. Would 1333 MHz be the correct type, or would 1600 be tolerated as well? (forgive the parading of my ignorance, like a pet dog, it needs to be exercised regularly! )

How would the existing 4 GB (one module) compare in battery load to 2 X 8 GB modules?

The concept of using an mSATA SSD drive is most interesting indeed, alas, however I am somewhat enamoured of having the inbuilt WWAN, even if I would only use it every blue moon or so.

The 320 GB 7200 RPM drive would be no slouch, and with 16 GB of RAM page file use should be minimal, however I am still inclined to getting a SSD drive.

Though, off-topic, to this thread, I do have to observe that I was somewhat disappointed by the alignment of the stickers, three out of four were wonky... This is not the case with my IBM T40 and my IBM X60s, only my first Lenovo ThinkPad, but I digress.

The hard-drive is FRU 42T1159:

http://support.lenovo.com/en_AU/product ... MIGR-76754

Which has a depth of 7mm.

I take it I need to find an SATA 3 2.5" SSD with the same depth?

Any assistance most gratefully apprised, thank you.

[Core Share]

Doing a bit of due diligence with some mental elbow grease, never goes astray.

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-Th ... d-p/429743

Clarifies my RAM speed question.

As for my SSD explorations I'll open a new topic to disambiguate and for any information to be of greater utility.

BR, Core

[JPH]

As I have myself gone through the process of maxing out an x220 progressively (and painfully), I feel compelled to share my opinion and experiences.

In terms of memory, up to BIOS 1.28, RAM speeds above 1333MHz are supported (some say you can go higher than 1600Mhz). I am myself running @1600MHz. You could pick up any PC12800 DDR3 if you want to go for 1600MHz, but Corsair Vengeance has lower CAS latencies, hence the premium thereon. In any case, 16GB will give you a WEI of 7.6 . I have another x220 with 16GB and my WEI is the same although it is running @1333MHz on BIOS 1.37. But pls note that the apps do not run any faster simply because of the higher RAM speed and in all honesty, this higher speed is all about the feel-good factor.

As regards storage space, get rid of any 3G mSATA card if you have it and upgrade your lappie with an mSATA SSD and leave the original HDD in for data storage. I have tried several mSATA SSD's and the best two IMHO are the Mushkin Atlas (with Sandforce chipset) and the Crucial M4 (Marvell). Now on purely synthetic benchmarks, nothing comes close to an Atlas with its 85K+ IOPS, but in real-life performance, I note a slightly faster shutdown with the Crucial M4 (with their latest firmware). Samsung PM810's are midrange products and do well and will certainly be faster than even the fastest HDD but will not scorch the asphalt; and I have not had the chance to try PM830's and 840's yet. Any mSATA SSD will up your WEI from about 5.4-5.6 to 7.6-7.8 if that means anything at all. I also have an x230 i7 and the WEI scores are similar to the x220 i7 with the same mods (BTW I prefer the x220's keyboard by far) except for the faster HD4000 video card (6.4 v. 6.3 with the latest Lenovo drivers).

Finally you can still upgrade your screen with an IPS one if you don't have one as std. It costs about USD150 for a new one on eBay. I did upgrade my son's x220 and it is fairly easy to change the panel. Well worth it IMHO.

And finally as the x220/230 is only a laptop, there is not much else left to play with. Maybe a larger size data HDD.

[ansible212]

Though, off-topic, to this thread, I do have to observe that I was somewhat disappointed by the alignment of the stickers, three out of four were wonky...

One of the first things that I did with my X200s and X220 was remove the stickers.

[Summilux]

Congrats for your acquisition, OP

I basically did the same thing as you, ordering my X220 with basic RAM and HDD, then fitted it with a 128Gb Samsung 830 series (now replaced by the 840) and 2x8Gb Corsair Value.

And, as ansible212 proceeded, immediately removed the stickers when I received my unit. Those weren't supposed to be part of the final design anyways.

[Core Share]

Still in the process of upgrading components - I will report in properly, when complete!

With regards to the stickers - can they be removed by hand/finger-nail without having to recourse to solvents for any glue residuum? - and is there any risk of damaging the laptop surfaces? - Thank you.

[JPH]

Not sure why you guys would want to stealth your laptops (not that I am a proponent of ricing them out either), but pulling the stickers still need a minimum amount of care. Fingernails won't do unless you want to cover your palmrest with unsightly scratch marks on that particular texture. A small X-acto should help lift up one corner of the sticker and everything then goes up. You may still need to use glue remover if the sticker has "cooked" on there for some time.

[ansible212]

I have found that the minute scratches that are sometimes left from using a less than razor-sharp knife soon buff out as a result of use as indeed does much of the texture (as well as being shiny smooth, the palm rest of my long serving A30 had two depressions where my palms wrested!)

[Core Share]

Well, I have finally got to back to concluding this thread that I initiated, back at the beginning of the year.

Thank you to everyone who contributed.

An odyssey of system building and refinement, mostly good, apart from a 'SSB' chapter (Solid State Brick).

I have finally realised, that all of my laptops are always an ongoing 'work in progress'

The X220 has a 7200 RPM traditional spindle, 16 GB of RAM, and a tuned, thinned out and tweaked Win7 Pro; I am happy as a pig in proverbial.

The i7 Cores are spirited beasts, but TPFanControl keeps the whinnying, whining cooling fan in check; and the i7 allowed the USB 3 port which is a thing of joy and wonder.

A pity the display is not 4X3 - but you can't have everything.