Used x240 is weirdly cheap

[andyj]

Just to be clear, I'm not the seller.

But this guy seems to have a supply of x240's that he is selling for < $500
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/sys/4603993989.html

My question: how is this possible? Are they stolen?

Full disclosure: I've already bought one and I'm feeling guilty that it may have been "hot." Is there a way to check with Lenovo?

[brchan]

Have you tried calling Lenovo?

[ajkula66]

My question: how is this possible? Are they stolen?

No. They're just junk that no one wants. I've seen them pop in the Outlet at similar prices.

Is there a way to check with Lenovo?

No. They will NOT tell you whether the machine was reported stolen.

[andyj]

Well, I fell better that's its probably not stolen... but not feeling great that people think it's junk...

[ajkula66]

Well, I fell better that's its probably not stolen...

If you do a search on sold X240 machines on feebay you'll see that quite a few sold under $500...

but not feeling great that people think it's junk...

You shouldn't care if it works for your needs. Lenovo sure as heck doesn't...

[andyj]

If you do a search on sold X240 machines on feebay you'll see that quite a few sold under $500...

Nothing like due diligence after the fact

You shouldn't care if it works for your needs. Lenovo sure as heck doesn't...

You're right, it's working for what I need... it does have the 256gb ssd and the bumped up core i5 so at least my price was comparable to ebay's. This is my first thinkpad so I don't have the previous history to compare with, but it's better than my old latitude, which admittedly, isn't saying much.

[pianowizard]

it's better than my old latitude, which admittedly, isn't saying much.

It depends on exactly which Latitude model you are comparing with. I am sure there are at least a few Latitudes that are actually superior to the X240. But in general, I am no longer a fan of 12-inch laptops. These days, we don't need to sacrifice screen size to get good mobility, because there are 13-inch and even 14-inch laptops that weigh about the same as or less than your X240. 12-inch laptops are an obsolete idea.

[andyj]

12-inch laptops are an obsolete idea.

A couple billion dollars at Apple would disagree with you, but you're probably right on the PC side.

[pianowizard]

A couple billion dollars at Apple would disagree with you, but you're probably right on the PC side.

That's different, because there aren't 13- or 14-inch Macs that are as light as or lighter than the 11.6" MacBook Air. If someone finds the 3-lbs 13.3" MacBook Air too heavy, the 2.4-lb 11.6" version is the only option. These people want to stick with Apple, so they can't really switch to a Wintel machine.

12-inch laptops used to be hugely popular, but have now been almost replaced by 13- and 14-inch ultrabooks, because it is now technically possible to make such larger laptops extremely light.

[Saucey]

Hmmmm... I'd say the X240 is a decent performer, maybe overpriced at certain points, but if it was $500, I would be fine with it.
I mean I did pay about $300 this year to get a X300, so price to performance wise, I think it would be stellar.
Probably got a refurb, corporate order, student discount or a returned laptop, since it isn't new they would have to sell it with a decent discount.
Kinda hard to believe a laptop can be so cheap, I configured a Dell Precision M4800 with a decent CPU,GPU, QHD display and it cost upwards of $2300, and that was with cost cutting components.
Yet when checking eBay and NewEgg, they've had that machine with those options and they were $1600, heck I just checked now and I could get one for $1380!
I'm going to sell my W700ds for this thing! Just kidding, I'm going to sell a kidney instead.

[andyj]

12-inch laptops used to be hugely popular, but have now been almost replaced by 13- and 14-inch ultrabooks, because it is now technically possible to make such larger laptops extremely light.

I excel at picking obsoleting technology

But it is a cheap entry-point into a thinkpad, at least. That's how I'm rationalizing it anyway.

[Puppy]

No. They're just junk that no one wants.

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-Th ... -p/1695607
Our company has recently purchased over 100 Lenovo x240 and multiple users are reporting an issue with them randomly receiving a black screen with a white cursor on it. To resolve this they have to forcefully turn off their laptops and turn them back on again.

[flyingsherpa]

12-inch laptops used to be hugely popular, but have now been almost replaced by 13- and 14-inch ultrabooks, because it is now technically possible to make such larger laptops extremely light.

Do you have any recommendations on which 13-14" ultrabooks a longtime Thinkpad-only guy might like? I currently have an x60s, but it's getting long in the tooth (and the screen is pretty bad). I do like how easy it is to upgrade RAM and HD/SSD in the average Thinkpad, and I've always been wary of ultrabooks since they seem difficult to do things like that. But I'm trying to open my mind a bit

[DaKKS]

Whats the issue with the X240? I used one at work for a while until I got back my T440p from lenovo service. I kinda liked it and I'm considering buying one for myself.

As stated before, the prices are abnormally low for a computer of this calibre. The only thing that makes me hold off is the graphics. I've been known to be a SWTOR junkie, and if I'm going for a new rig i mights as well opt for something that has more juice than the HD 4000. The 4400 is barely better.

[jdrou]

Whats the issue with the X240? I used one at work for a while until I got back my T440p from lenovo service. I kinda liked it and I'm considering buying one for myself.

As stated before, the prices are abnormally low for a computer of this calibre. The only thing that makes me hold off is the graphics. I've been known to be a SWTOR junkie, and if I'm going for a new rig i mights as well opt for something that has more juice than the HD 4000. The 4400 is barely better.

If you are happy with the T440p you'd probably be happy with the X240 too (just much less powerful and smaller screen); the major issues are the lack of real trackpoint/touchpad buttons and the keyboard layout which are the same for all models of that generation. A secondary issue for me is that the X240 uses lower-powered CPUs than previous X models so it isn't much of an upgrade over them. Might be better named X240s since the s models also used the lower-powered CPUs.

EDIT: The X240 uses 15W TDP "U" CPUs with 4400 graphics where a proper upgrade from X230 would use 37W "M" CPUs with 4600 graphics or at least the 28W "U" CPUs with 5100 graphics. Previous 3 generations all used 35W CPUs.