X200s -- Flimsy screen, case flex, keyboard flex

[JGA]

>Which specific keyboard was better than the other? Was it the NMB (42T3671)
>or the Chicony (42T3737)?

After reading a number of posts on this subject, it appears that the Chicony is the preferred keyboard (no flex).

-Jeff

[Initial D]

^^^

Thanks!

[GrandMasterKhan]

I'm sure the Thinkpad engineers know more about rigidity than all of us combined. The flex may be to reduce trauma to the screen in case of blunt force impact.

[ThinkRob]

I'm sure the Thinkpad engineers know more about rigidity than all of us combined. The flex may be to reduce trauma to the screen in case of blunt force impact.

I'm not a hardware engineer, but I suspect that it was a conscious trade-off: the X200s lid resists downward pressure when closed far better than the X4x/X6x design. That will allow it to handle the case of dropping something on the laptop or stepping on it while closed far better than its predecessors.

What I'm more concerned about -- and what I suspect the X200s is more vulnerable to -- is impact to a corner while the laptop is open. I have a specific scenario in mind, actually: I work on planes quite frequently, and several times a year, a fat and/or careless passenger will walk past my seat and knock the corner of my screen with their bag or body. In this case, it's the resistance to torsion that keeps my screen in tact, and I'm worried about how the move to more flexible lids will withstand said impacts.

Now it's kinda a moot point for me now, as I've sold my X200s and gotten a T500 (which I love), but it's definitely something I'll keep in mind when shopping for an ultraportable replacement.

[GrandMasterKhan]

Think of it this way. If you drop a glass bottle it will crack unless its very think and heavy. If you drop a flexible plastic bottle it wont crack. It might bend even as you hold it but that is about it.

Why the W500? Doesn't seem portable. With a big notebook like that I can see the passenger in front of your reclining and blunt force impacting the lid. If its an big person the suddent impact of something 100x times the weight of the lid could warp the hinges and mess up the lid.

[ThinkRob]

Think of it this way. If you drop a glass bottle it will crack unless its very think and heavy. If you drop a flexible plastic bottle it wont crack. It might bend even as you hold it but that is about it.

That's not quite a fair comparison. Yes, the plastic bottle will survive impact due to deformation -- but it's filled with air. Lids don't have that luxury -- the screen itself is still susceptible to bowing when the lid is torqued. If you've got an X200s you can verify this (though you might not want to if you're the cautious type): torque the screen and you'll see ripples appear as the panel is subjected to pressure from the lid.

I can certainly understand why they made the change, and I think for the majority of users it's probably a net positive. But for me, given the sort of conditions that my laptops may (unfortunately) be subjected to, I'd prefer the older design.

[GrandMasterKhan]

The reality is unless one flys first class, its really difficult to work with any notebook on a plane. So the clown sitting in front is inevitably going to take off his or her shoes (eeew), recline back as far as they can and prohibit you from using your computer anyway. Top it off with an obese person next to you insisting on the right of eminent domain for both armrests from the moment they finish their double snack after they sit down then it becomes impossible to work. I could see some other clown with a huge duffle bag full of heavy stuff swinging it accidentally directly toward the outside shell of your LCD. Impact is like Barry Bonds whacking a baseball beyond the bleachers. lol.

[ThinkRob]

The reality is unless one flys first class, its really difficult to work with any notebook on a plane. So the clown sitting in front is inevitably going to take off his or her shoes (eeew), recline back as far as they can and prohibit you from using your computer anyway.

Hence why I have an X61s You can use it fully opened with the seat in front fully-reclined (on American and Delta 757s, 767s (ER and otherwise), and 777s -- not sure about others.)

Interestingly, the move to 16:10 was kinda helpful in this regard -- the X200s has no problem with comfortable use on many tray-tables.

Top it off with an obese person next to you insisting on the right of eminent domain for both armrests from the moment they finish their double snack after they sit down then it becomes impossible to work. I could see some other clown with a huge duffle bag full of heavy stuff swinging it accidentally directly toward the outside shell of your LCD. Impact is like Barry Bonds whacking a baseball beyond the bleachers. lol.

That is *exactly* the scenario that has happened to me several times. The left and right corners of my X61s have fended off several such impacts. My X200s didn't fly enough to suffer any, but I'm not too confident that it would have tolerated them as well.

[GrandMasterKhan]

You need to be more alert about people walking about the cabin near you. Usually I take an aisle seat and stick my leg out (not too far though) to keep people at a distance when I'm working. I figure its better for them to trip and fall than to harm my notebook. Also bring candy (chocolate, gummy bears, super sweet candy) and cookies to break the ice with your seat neighbor if they are heavy set its kind of a soft negotiation (with high probaility of success) for the arm rest. Leftover Halloween candy is a good idea as as its a sunk cost already. Sometimes even offering the dessert on those awful meals does wonders.

[ThinkRob]

You need to be more alert about people walking about the cabin near you. Usually I take an aisle seat and stick my leg out (not too far though) to keep people at a distance when I'm working. I figure its better for them to trip and fall than to harm my notebook.

I am quite cautious, but that doesn't stop some random passenger from turning suddenly and smacking the side of my notebook with a bag or an appendage.. I fly a lot, and while I've fended off a number of these impacts, I'm not fast enough to stop my ThinkPad from taking a few blows here and there.

The folks next to me aren't usually problematic -- while they may not make for a comfortable flight, they don't usually pose much of a threat to my notebook.