Thinkpads Forum

If you can read Chinese, the original post is here:
http://forum.51nb.com/thread-629204-1-1.html

12' wide screen
http://forum.51nb.com/attachment.php?id ... update=yes
http://forum.51nb.com/attachment.php?id ... update=yes

You can't see the pics in the link if you didn't register for that Chinese forum.

Instead, you can see them here
http://www.51nb.com/viewnews-34314

Looks pretty ugly I would say....

Doesn't seem to have changed much, but what is up with that bezel? Are they taking design cues from Dell?

qviri wrote:Doesn't seem to have changed much, but what is up with that bezel? Are they taking design cues from Dell?

Volume buttons are black, Power button is back to IBM style, so are red stripes. Going widescreen means change of display resolution. There is built in camera as well.

ryengineer wrote: Volume buttons are black, Power button is back to IBM style, so are red stripes. ....snip.

It seems that voting in Matt Kohut's Blog paid off

why is it called X200 and not X62? it seems like there isn't any serious design change. Why is lenovo stopping the traditional numbering system? What is going to be the next X series .... Q7300???

mattbiernat wrote:why is it called X200 and not X62? it seems like there isn't any serious design change. Why is lenovo stopping the traditional numbering system? What is going to be the next X series .... Q7300???

Almost sounds too similar to the 3000 series numbering system (N200, V200). In any case, I'm not a massive fan of the large bezel, and the antenna integrated in the bezel (I think that's what they are either side of the webcam) looks rather strange. And unless it's my eyes deceiving me, that keyboard looks rather wonky in the 2nd pic.

I actually like the design. Now, let's see the competitiveness of price and performance...and the keyboard feel...

ajkula66 wrote:I actually like the design. Now, let's see the competitiveness of price and performance...and the keyboard feel...

if the keyboard feels good and the build quality did not go down then i won't complain no more.

why is it called X200 and not X62?

I recall reading somewhere (here?) that Lenovo's R&D were inspired by the X2. series, and it certainly looks that way, so maybe that's it. I think my X22's bezel dates it but to each their own. This thing looks like an X25.

Bonus here is it's obvious that at least the control, windows/super, alt, enter and backspace keys are larger. These are amongst everyone's most commonly used keys, so the improvement is welcome.

Anyone else think this doesn't look like a widescreen?

ryengineer wrote:

qviri wrote:Doesn't seem to have changed much, but what is up with that bezel? Are they taking design cues from Dell?

Volume buttons are black, Power button is back to IBM style, so are red stripes.

Very minor adjustments...

ryengineer wrote:Going widescreen means change of display resolution.

But not a change of depth of the laptop unfortunately! The LCD bezel is ridiculously thick, and there's no words to describe what is going on above the screen. I don't care if it has a 5 MP webcam and an antenna that would let me pick up signals from Toronto, it's massive and ugly.

lightweight wrote:Anyone else think this doesn't look like a widescreen?

It doesn't look like one, but you can't really tell well because of the angle. For what it's worth, the area of the LCD in the picture is approximately 300 by 205 pixels, which is almost exactly 1.6. Then again, angle.

not bad looking..whats that thing on top of the lcd bezel...speakers?

Historically, when pics of future models surface, how long after does it take until they officially announce it and launch to market?

chazz wrote:not bad looking..whats that thing on top of the lcd bezel...speakers?

Looks to me like the wireless antennas. It appears that the screen is very thin.

Nice.

Brad

lightweight wrote: Anyone else think this doesn't look like a widescreen?

I was thinking that myself. Maybe the perspective in the photo is skewed somehow due to camera angle, but the screen sure looked like the traditional 3:4 ratio to me.

I really hope that it is widescreen. I know it's controversial here, but I want a widescreen format on my next laptop. I have too much difficulty these days with software that really could benefit from the extra width.

FWIW, and IMHO, adding the camera is a good move. I work in a distributed company -- my boss is in England, one of my coworkers is in Manilla etc. We use Skype a LOT to keep in touch and collaborate on projects. We tried once to get everyone set up with external video cameras, but that proved to be too much of a pain, and the initiative never took off. But a built-in camera is a different story. I rather hope that Lenovo makes it the default rather than an option.

I'm wondering whether it is supposed to be a successor of X61 or whether it will exist side by side with non-widescreen X series. I fear it is the latter Or is it the 13" series ?

Looks like ThinkPads are going "lenovized" to silently merge with Lenovo 3000 design. The ugly thick screen bezel has ruined X series beauty at all. Widescreen makes it unnecessary bigger and more heavy. I don't want widescreen, I want "good old" X with 12" SXGA+

Two advantages of the widescreen I can see are the higher resolution, and the fact that the keyboard will be full-sized, like on the T-series.

But, man, the bezel on this one really is thick and ugly. Kind of like on the T61.

mattbiernat wrote:why is it called X200 and not X62?

I don't like the name either because Dell already had X200 and X300 in their ultraportable Latitude line. It's as if Lenovo was copying.

I do not like that extra wide LCD bezel - although it may be advantageous for office workers though - they will be able stick their post-it notes to it - instead of on the LCD panel -

the keyboard and lower half casing really has me thinking it is widescreen... otherwise the bottom casing would be taller. I have had an x20,x22 and x24 and they all appear to be taller in the lower half than the x200, so I am really thinking widescreen.

While I dont question the merits of wide vs standard aspect, isnt it true that consumer widescreen laptops are not high resolutions, so lenovo would have a hard time finding a supplier. On the other hand, if they turn the widescreen into a tablet, an x200t with multi touch and multiview, sign me up cause I can only imagine how nice it would be to have that extra width... lengthwise for notetaking!

There is now a 4 sec video posted on that Chinese forum.

Here is the link
http://www.cc8000.com/temp/ibmx200.rar

I watched the video. Interesting that the Thinkpad logo sticker wasn't in place yet. You can see a cutout for it though.

That screen still doesn't look wide to me. It looks like normal 4:3.

... I don't like it. My first reaction was: what's with all of the outdated design resurfacing?

Although I like the classics, I think Lenovo has done an excellent job in updating the X series as technology progressed to not only keep up with it, but improve the overall smooth operation of a Thinkpad.

If this is the successor to the throne of the X-series, I'll stick to my X61s for a long, long time.

I was more expecting a thin LED-lit widescreen display with about 1cm of plastic bezel. As for buttons and keyboard, I was hoping for more of what they have been doing in the X60 series. I prefer the X60 keyboard over the X31 or other prior Thinkpads.

Anyway, only time will tell if this is the real deal.

Puppy wrote: Looks like ThinkPads are going "lenovized" to silently merge with Lenovo 3000 design. The ugly thick screen bezel has ruined X series beauty at all. Widescreen makes it unnecessary bigger and more heavy. I don't want widescreen, I want "good old" X with 12" SXGA+

maybe we should suggest merging Xseries with lenovo 3000

Yes it is wide, but this cant be blamed on Lenovo, this is [misguided] consumer demand which has made it difficult to get reliable stock of 4:3 at reasonable prices which would allow Lenovo to compete (i blame Dell/Acer/The Public - i'm not sure who exactly but it certainly wasn't Lenovo who stuck out longer with 4:3 than anyone else).

Yes the bezel is large but it has to be, if it wasn't then the palm rest would be far to short, I know Sony do it differently but most of us appreciate a palm rest.

Silver buttons gone? Yeah!
Camera? Yeah!
Coloured Stripes? Boo! (ok i accept i'm in the minority on that one and I can live with it although I still think there was some cheating went on with that poll)

Its nothing like the Lenovo 3000 rubbish - those will rightfully be dead soon, T series didn't become like generic crap when it switched to wide and neither will X series (although I do still prefer the 4:3 form factor).

iamdmc wrote:... I don't like it. My first reaction was: what's with all of the outdated design resurfacing?
As for buttons and keyboard, I was hoping for more of what they have been doing in the X60 series. I prefer the X60 keyboard over the X31 or other prior Thinkpads.

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard ANYONE say in my life.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but it's close.

Boo progress - is that what I should be saying?

I won't, so you can keep calling my views ridiculous.

The buttons/keyboard on the X31 are simply not as smooth as on the X61.

If this X200 has this design, Lenovo's taking one step forward and two steps back. I definitely won't buy it, or any other X-series, until they change the design.

iamdmc wrote: The buttons/keyboard on the X31 are simply not as smooth as on the X61.

You're just flat out wrong! Everything about the X32 keyboard is superior to the X60 Tablet keyboard. The trackpoint buttons are far superior. The palm rest is superior with it's curved edge for my wrist.
Also, it doesn't burn my palm at all, unlike the X6x. The X32 keyboard feels a lot like my A31 keyboard. When I type on the X60, I have to watch because I can't land my fingers on the keys accurately. The A31 has one of hte best laptop keyboards ever, and the X32 is just slightly trimmed down on the outside edges.

Now if you were making another comment, like you like the styling, or the look of the 6 of the 3, or some other such nonsense, I would have let it go as a matter of opinion, but on this you're just plain wrong.

I can't see the pictures of this "new" X series. It says there are pics in the subject line. I tried those links and see nothing but a bit of chinese symbols.

When you see it, your opinion may change.

To just call me wrong without having seen it seems (read: is blatantly) ignorant.


All of my colleagues and friends who have used both the X30 and X60 series agree that the X60 series has major improvements over the previous models. The Mouse buttons are less disruptive, and the sleek silver complements the classic Thinkpad back.

IMHO, Lenovo will lose out on a lot of orders if they downgrade their designs. The hardware will be there, but it will also be available from other manufacturers.

Long live the X60 series.

snife wrote:Yes it is wide, but this cant be blamed on Lenovo, this is [misguided] consumer demand which has made it difficult to get reliable stock of 4:3 at reasonable prices which would allow Lenovo to compete (i blame Dell/Acer/The Public - i'm not sure who exactly but it certainly wasn't Lenovo who stuck out longer with 4:3 than anyone else).

Yes the bezel is large but it has to be, if it wasn't then the palm rest would be far to short, I know Sony do it differently but most of us appreciate a palm rest.

Silver buttons gone? Yeah!
Camera? Yeah!
Coloured Stripes? Boo! (ok i accept i'm in the minority on that one and I can live with it although I still think there was some cheating went on with that poll)

Its nothing like the Lenovo 3000 rubbish - those will rightfully be dead soon, T series didn't become like generic crap when it switched to wide and neither will X series (although I do still prefer the 4:3 form factor).

Re: Snife from Greenock, Scotland


yeah, I understand that Lenovo crap from China is nothing, compared to good old ThinkPads made in Greenock (my old trusty T20 is from Greenock), but on the other hand I tested a 3000 N200 the other day and it was much more robust than I thought!
At least way better than some generic Quanta stuff (i.e. Averatec, Fujitsu Amilo, Twinhead etc.)

There are more X200 (11,1") and X300 (13.3") photos on the web. I think they look ok.