X230: is it for me?

[think?]

Hello ThinkPaders,

Looking for a machine to replace my ageing desktop & laptop setup with a single machine.

I currently use a dual monitor setup (DVI on both) and would prefer in the short term at least to continue using both monitors with the X230 through a ultrabase dock. I understand from reading here that the X230 can drive 2 displays total so through the dock I can connect both monitors and not use the thinkpads display. fine.

Here comes issue on which I would like your assistance, the experience of transitioning between internal LCD and dual external output. Ideally i would like to leave both monitors in standby, drop the machine into the dock and have it automatically work out what to do to use the 2 DVI monitors (ill be using an external keyboard/mouse so if it can be set up to run lid down that would be even better). when L'm done simply remove the X230 from the dock open the lid and carry on working on the internal LCD else where. Is it this simple or will i have to reboot each time/reconfigure the monitor setup. (I'll be using windows 7 if that makes a difference.)

If it isn't that simple would it make matters easier if I replaced the Dual monitors with a larger DP monitor instead.

LCD matters aside is ThunderBolt that much of an improvement over DP, USB3.0 seams to cover all the usecases where i can think TB would be useful. Am I wrong?

Im aware there seems to be an issue effecting some X230's touch pad, what is lenovo's policy on replacing machines which arrive with sticky/jumpy touchpads? as well as turn around time on repairs (UK specific?)

For fellow Brits, any advice on where to purchase thinkpads from the cost direct from lenovo seems rather high compared to EU resellers.

[loyukfai]

Thunderbolt is an entirely different thing from DisplayPort though they share the mDP port. It's essentially an external PCIe bus. (it's of course more complicated than that but, simply speaking...)

As of writing it's very much a niche interface, example use cases include DAS and docks.

I don't have the knowledge to answer in detail with regard to the external monitor question. but don't think you'll have to reboot.

Cheers.

[think?]

Cheers loyukfai, if I do pull the trigger itll be the i5 no need for an i7 in that case.

Would be good to hear from anyone who has had it setup and working with 2 displays on how good the transition was from docked to unlocked.

[loyukfai]

There used to be a "hardware profile" configuration option, which one can use to configure different profiles for docked or undocked operations, but it seems to have been removed in Win7. There are a bunch of discussions about this at the Microsoft support forums.

Switching between external and built-in display is pretty simple for me, the Fn-F7 or Win-P combinations work quite well, but I'm neither using a dock nor using multiple external monitors, and this is a much older model.

You may like to PM Peter Gerten or post in another thread (http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 70#p687170) and ask how he does it.

Or get something from Matrox if it's too complicated or... Like you said, switched to a single monitor setup instead.

Cheers.

[beef]

Hello ThinkPaders,

Looking for a machine to replace my ageing desktop & laptop setup with a single machine.

I currently use a dual monitor setup (DVI on both) and would prefer in the short term at least to continue using both monitors with the X230 through a ultrabase dock. I understand from reading here that the X230 can drive 2 displays total so through the dock I can connect both monitors and not use the thinkpads display. fine.

Here comes issue on which I would like your assistance, the experience of transitioning between internal LCD and dual external output. Ideally i would like to leave both monitors in standby, drop the machine into the dock and have it automatically work out what to do to use the 2 DVI monitors (ill be using an external keyboard/mouse so if it can be set up to run lid down that would be even better). when L'm done simply remove the X230 from the dock open the lid and carry on working on the internal LCD else where. Is it this simple or will i have to reboot each time/reconfigure the monitor setup. (I'll be using windows 7 if that makes a difference.)

If it isn't that simple would it make matters easier if I replaced the Dual monitors with a larger DP monitor instead.

I believe I have an answer for you. I have an X230 and an mini dock plus series 3 that I use as a desktop replacement. Note that you will want the mini dock plus as it has 2xDVI/2xdisplay port/1xVGA while the ultrabase 3 only has 1xDP/1xVGA. I have 2 external monitors plugged into the mini dock both via DVI. As others have said here it seems you can't run 3 monitors including the built in display.

When I need to take it to a meeting I just push the eject lever and the 2 ext monitors go to sleep and the X230 monitor turns on. Then when I get back I just plop it into the dock and the 2 ext monitors start up again. No reboot, no fiddling.

I use an external keyboard and yes you can run with the lid closed, just set it to do nothing in power manager.

I use ultramon to manage multiple displays. Doubt this is relevant to your question but it seems to work well with my setup.

Hope this answers your questions...cheers.

[JKGuru]

Was wondering if the same could be accomplished, thank you for shedding light on this.

[beef]

Forgot to mention one problem with running with the lid closed is that my X230 doesn't know when it's been undocked. So it doesn't hibernate or go to sleep when you detach it. I just crack open the lid when its docked. Slightly annoying...