Thinkpads Forum

Hi All,

I am addicted to thinkpads I don't like Lenovo. Even though my latest computer (X60S) was not that great I still want to buy a X200S. Problem is and I am not sure people are aware:

1. Even though the Spec for the X200S calls for a WXGA+ screen it is being currently marketed only with the X200 Screen! In Canada Lenovo is selling it with the WXGA+ and just warns you that if you choose this option it may take more then 4 weeks to ship. I think Lenovo is just counting on people not to understand that the reviews read about the X200S refer to a different screen!
2. In other places than the US the X200S is already being marketed with the SL9600 chip (2.13 Ghz).

My question to the forum is what is going on I waited for 3 months now to buy a new X200S (Yesterday MY X60S died I need a new one ASAP) hoping the new chip will be sold - Now I cant even get the WXGA+ screen – So I am thinking to go for the X200 why bother buying a sub X200S ? If the Screen is from the X200 the case may be also a X200 Case? Lenovo is getting to me – no way to get any info but what is written in the website – the sales people are just useless in giving some insight. I am not sure but I feel Lenovo is playing the US market customers….. would like to get feedback on what is going with the X200S.

1) As far as I know the X200s could be bought with 1280x800 from the beginning. Besides that: Lenovo already counts on people that don't know what they buy, because both the X200 and X200s are garbage compared to the AFFS screen of the X200 Tablet.

2) Well, in other places ThinkPads are two times more expensive and they sell next to none. So although it's being ""marketed"" here (NL (EU)), it's too expensive to actually buy, so don't worry: your SL9600 chips aren't going anywhere. One of the cheapest place to get a high-spec Thinkpad here is to either import or buy a TOPseller model combined with some Asus notebook and then gutting them both out and exchanging parts. Seriously, for €1500 here ($1770) you get something like a T400 with 1GB RAM and 160GB HDD, onboard video and CD-RW DVD-rom combodrive, combined with 5100 wireless, 6 cell battery and 1280x800 screen and P8400 CPU.

Which do you prefer - Lenovo sells you a notebook that gets delayed endlessly because they don't have the part, in this case the WXGA+ LCD, or Lenovo sells you a notebook they can deliver? For whatever reason the WXGA+ is OOS. There's not much you can do about it. You can buy a pre-configured X200s with the WXGA+ screen if that's what you want, at any number of internet retailers. Look in the tabook to find one with the specs you want. You can always upgrade the hard drive and memory yourself if it's not to your liking, and it's usually cheaper to do that way anyway.

We know how it works with Lenovo...

-They offer something great (for example this 1440x900 X200s or a 4:3 1400x1050 T61)
-They fail to buy sufficient parts
-The waiting time goes up to two months
-Lenovo drops the entire product "because of absent demand"

They did that with the 4:3 screens. "no demand" GRRR, there was no supply and plenty demand, even with the $300 premium for the 4:3.

All of you have made great comments. However I fail to understand why there is no Uniformity. Why in the UK you can get the SL9600 + WXGA+ and in the US you can’t get either. By the way just an afterthought can I upgrade the CPU ? Also I have looked for a X200S with WXGA+ at the retailers that I could upgrade they don't seem to be a lot of them and they seem expensive (I may be wrong). Anyhow thanks for the responses. I was just thinking thjat Lenovo is getting ready maybe to ship a new model? but that should happen only the beg of 2010...?

There is no such thing as getting something new in Europe while it's not in the US. That simply doesn't exist.

Even if it's offered, it still takes a month to arrive and is probably even more overpriced.

I can wait a month after a Thinkpad release, screw up my bankpayment (2 weeks), wait for shipping (1 week) and still be the first in my country to have the new TP.

The X series CPUs are soldered to the board. You can replace the CPU, but it requires a new planar unless you want to do the solder work yourself.

I just snapped up the last two X200s with WSXGA (1440x900) screens in the Outlet store. Looks like with the introduction of the X300/X301, the X200s is relegated to the ultra low power slot in the product line up and performance options had been removed.