Some questions regarding x220

[SetTainte]

I'm considering to purchase X220 for myself.

My requirements are:

• USB3 --> i7
• IPS screen
• 3G

The list seems pretty challenging combination here in Finland. It is almost impossible to find IPS and 3G combination...
So i have some questions that I'd like to clear before I place my order.

3G - WWAN
The 3G card in X220 is Qualcomm Gobi 3000 - right?
Does all the models have 3G antennas installed? Is it possible for me to install Gobi 3000 card to my X220 and get the 3G and GPS connection?

mSATA (solved)
I'd also like to have 2 HDDs on my laptop, mSATA for OS and HDD for storage.
So far I have seen it mentioned that WWAN and mSATA exclude each others? I mean, do they really use the same card slot or something?

Ethernet (solved)
Is there some significant difference between vPro and non-vPro models?

WLAN
It looks like camera and Intel 6300 wlan also exclude each others.
Is there a significant difference between Advanced-N 6205 and Ultimate-N 6300?

[Harryc]

Here's a description of vPro technology -
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ ... neral.html

You are correct, if you use an mSATA card it uses up the same slot as WWAN

WWAN card options - http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X220
Qualcomm Gobi 3000 WWAN
LeadCore TD-SCDMA (LC5730D) WWAN
Ericsson HSPA + (F5521gw) WWAN
Huawei EV-DO (EM660) WWAN

US carriers: Gobi™ 3000 Sierra MC8355 Wireless EV-DO/HSPA WWAN Minicard
- this card is dual mode supporting EVDO and HSPA for Verizon/Sprint/ATT. Only ATT needs a SIM so if you oder this card you'll get an ATT SIM.

3G for all non-US countries: Ericsson HSPA+ WWAN Minicard (F5521gw)

Specific card for China Mobile: LeadCore TD-SCDMA WWAN Minicard (LC5730D)

Specific card for China Telecom: Huawei EV-DO WWAN Minicard (EM660)

Note - Not all models have WWAN antennas installed. TTBOMK, the GOBI 2000 and 3000 drivers enable GPS by default.

[bill bolton]

3G - WWAN
The 3G card in X220 is Qualcomm Gobi 3000 - right?

That's a Sierra MC8355, which is based on the Gobi 3000 chipset. You can use that card, or an Ericsson F5521gw card (which for some reason is not shown on most of the Lenovo European web sites). The Lenovo part number for the Ericsson F5521gw card is 0A36186.

• Model name 0A36186
  Description ThinkPad Mobile Broadband
  
  Communications
  Wireless type WWAN
  
  Limited warranty period One year
  
  Weight & dimensions
  Depth 50.95 mm
  Height 4.25 mm
  Width 30 mm
  
  Environmental Information
  Maximum Operating YYYY 95 %
  Maximum Operating Temperature 65 C
  Minimum Operating HumidityXXX 10 %
  Minimum Operating Temperature -10 C
  
  Wireless Networking Components
  Wireless Standard Integrated Mobile Broadband (3G)
  Wireless Type WWAN
  Wireless speed --
  
  Architecture
  Depth Metric 50.95 mm
  Height Metric 4.25 mm
  Height US 0.1675 in
  Width Metric 30 mm
  Width US 1.18 in

My US purchased X220 came with a Sierra MCMC8355, but I had some issues with connecting reliably to local 3G networks, so I bought the Ericsson card from Lenovo here in Australia... it turned out to be much better for me. Australian 3G services on the whole are much more like European 3G services than they are like US 3G services.

So far I have seen it mentioned that WWAN and mSATA exclude each others? I mean, do they really use the same card slot or something?

They do use the same card slot. You can have internal WWAN or mSATA but not both.

Ethernet
Is there some significant difference between vPro and non-vPro models?

Not as far as I'm aware.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[yaoxing]

So far I have seen it mentioned that WWAN and mSATA exclude each others? I mean, do they really use the same card slot or something?

exactly the same slot, you must choose 1 from WWAN and mSATA...

[Harryc]

I mean, do they really use the same card slot or something?

Yes, it's been stated twice above.

[SetTainte]

TTBOMK, the GOBI 2000 and 3000 drivers enable GPS by default.

So there are several otion for the WWAN card.

They all work around the world right?
At least they all support the same bands...

GPS can be enabled on all the cards by driver?
In Finland (and Germany) I have only seen 1 X220 model that has mentioned it has GPS :-p

[crashnburn]

A related and little off topic set of Qs:

- If this Gobi card from Qualcomm is built in (it shows CDMA/EVDO & GSM/3G compatbility on Qualcomm site) then we dont need any other WWAN modem or card right?

- If my T61 and/ or X61T (outlined in signature below) did not have the WWAN Gobi thing in it, does it have the ability to use mSATA for an SSD drive?
- Also, can it be installed with a new Gobi card?

[erik]

- If my T61 and/ or X61T (outlined in signature below) did not have the WWAN Gobi thing in it, does it have the ability to use mSATA for an SSD drive?

no, the mPCIe WWAN slots in your T61/X61T aren't wired correctly for mSATA despite the sockets appearing to be similar.

only the latest generation of systems (X220, T420/520, W520, etc.) can use mSATA SSDs.

[SetTainte]

[quote "Harryc"]TTBOMK, the GOBI 2000 and 3000 drivers enable GPS by default.[/ quote]

So there are several otion for the WWAN card.

They all work around the world right?
At least they all support the same bands...

GPS can be enabled on all the cards by driver?
In Finland (and Germany) I have only seen 1 X220 model that has mentioned it has GPS :-p

Anybody has an idea if all the WWAN cards have the GPS and if they are all compatible around the globe?

[quote "crashnburn"]- If my T61 and/ or X61T (outlined in signature below) did not have the WWAN Gobi thing in it, does it have the ability to use mSATA for an SSD drive?[/ quote]

no, the mPCIe WWAN slots in your T61/X61T aren't wired correctly for mSATA despite the sockets appearing to be similar.

only the latest generation of systems (X220, T420/520, W520, etc.) can use mSATA SSDs.

Some more info available here.

[bill bolton]

They all work around the world right?

Only the Sierra and Ericsson cards could be considered to be in that general class.

The Ericsson card supports HSDPA+ up to 21Mbps raw link rates, while the Sierra card supports HSDPA+ up to 14Mbps raw link rates. The Sierra card supports the non-3G WWAN solution offered only by Verizon/Sprint in the US, while the Ericsson card doesn't. Neither card supports the split-band 3G services available only in North America.

GPS can be enabled on all the cards by driver?

It can for the Sierra and Ericsson cards, I don't know about the others.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[JPH]

Sorry, not trying to bump this post, but one quick question about the HDD: why is the max size of HDD offered by Lenovo only 320GB? Is that due to a <9mm thickness limitation?

I have a new x220 with all bells and whistles on order and the only thing that is annoying me is that I may not be able to use any of my existing 500GB XT/7.2K drives in there if the HDD thickness is the issue

[Harryc]

Yes that is the issue...7mm is what is available in the HD bay. As an example, folks are removing spacers from 9.5mm SSD's just to make them fit.

[iamdmc]

@HarryC

yep, and that works just fine

BUT - don't do that with your hard drive. A 9mm HDD in that slow would burn up, have no shock mounts, and be more prone to failure as a result.

[gbernard]

so i ordered a 4286CTO, but I need to order a WWAN card for it for use here in Australia.

do I go GOBI or Erricson ?

[Harryc]

Bill Bolton is from Australia and he's recommended the Ericsson HSPA+ WWAN Minicard (F5521gw)

[gbernard]

many thanks, will go down that path.

f5521 i mean . .