Which one should I get? X200, X200s or X120e

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Ldiaz318 · #1 Post by **Ldiaz318** » Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:37 pm

Hi.
So Ive been looking for a lighter laptop to carry around since my MBPro 13in is kinda heavy after a while of carrying and the iPad is not a laptop. I've always liked the Thinkpads so I've looked at some of them. The ones I looked closely at were the x200, x200s and x120e.
My main concerns are:
Is the red nub easy to get used to? (so I won't miss the track pad...(x200)?)
Will the lightness be noticeable? (MBPro is like 4.5 lb)
How's the performance? I'm buying it used and I'm used to core 2 duos (MB is c2d -_-) but
I just want to know whether they still feel quick.
How's the x200s? Is it much slower than a normal x200? The 2.5 lb (4 cell) sounds pretty good.
*Are they all upgradable to 8gb of RAM? This is a big question I have since I've seen then with more than 4gb but Lenovo usually claims up to 4gb.

So to sum it up...for less than $200, which one would you take for blend of lightness and performance?

Im considering an SSD upgrade as well since it makes a difference supposedly.

I also looked at comparable laptops from other makers but in the price range, they usually run DDR2 or are heavier and Im sure te thinkpad will win here anyways.

Any help, guidance or ideas is very much appreciated.
Thanks!

-Leo

#2 Post by **ZaZ** » Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:33 am

If you're looking for the lightest, that would be the X200s. It's about a half pound lighter than the X200. The X200 offers better value because you can probably get it for less. These are value questions that are highly subject. One person's answer can vary greatly from the next. Personally, I'd say the X200 as I don't see a half pound being worth more money.

#3 Post by **underclocker** » Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:54 pm

If the price works for you, then at least look at an X1 Carbon.

RRHODY · #4 Post by **RRHODY** » Fri Aug 23, 2013 6:11 pm

I've had both X200 and X200s, both since passed on to my grandsons. I could tell the difference in the weight when both were in my hands, but didn't think there was much difference when they were not side by side. I saw somewhere that the s model was not as swift as the plain 200 [something about saving weight meant lesser capabilities], but I never noticed any difference when I moved from one to the other. They were both Win7Pro with max RAM. Unless the weight is a major concern I'd opt for the least cost.

rjwilmsi · #5 Post by **rjwilmsi** » Sat Aug 24, 2013 5:51 am

I was in the market for a used ThinkPad a few months ago. I went for the X200s, am pleased with my choice.
The TrackPoint (red nub) is great to use, quick and accurate. Only thing I find is that if I use it for a whole working day my wrist starts to ache a bit, maybe I have my wrist at the wrong angle.
Weight: my X200s is 1.3 kg (without the charger), it's very noticeable versus my Samsung 2.0 kg laptop, particularly if you have it in a shoulder bag for extended periods.
I find my X200s with the SL0400 C2D and a Crucial M4 SSD to be great in all general use: web, office, video playback, software development. It's only felt limited when running a virtual machine. The CPU is a bottleneck when running a virtual machine, but I think the same would be true of a 35 W P8400 C2D in the X200, need a quad core or newer CPU for easy virtual machine use on a laptop.
So yes, performance in general is good. What makes the big difference is the SSD so I really recommend allowing for an SSD in your budget (a 64 GB one is sufficient for OS + general applications + documents and in the UK can be had for around £45, though 128 GB at ~£65 second hand is better value).
I think the X120e series would be fine for light use but would feel slow in multitasking due to the slower CPU. It's closer to a netbook in my mind.
RAM: I have 4 + 2 GB in my X200s so it would take 8 GB using 2x 4 GB. I believe all DDR3 ThinkPads officially take 4 GB (or 8 GB if newer ones) DIMMs. The DDR2 ones (X61 etc.) are 2 GB per DIMM officially.
Only thing I am not entirely pleased with is the screen. As a CCFL TN panel it's fine for office & web use but for multimedia use the limited viewing angles and black levels aren't good. That said, I knew that before I bought it, when I looked at the prices it did not seem worth paying more than £250 to get an IPS screen (still at 1280x800 or 1366x768 resolution) by buying an X220. For watching sport the X200s screen is OK, it mainly looks poor in dark scenes of films/television. If you want the IPS screen on a budget look for an X200 tablet, though the weight is then hardly less than your existing macbook.
Second hand cost between X200 and X200s is minimal. X120e doesn't seem to have much availability.

So yes, since I bought X200s for £100, plus genuine charger £10, plus 128 GB Crucial SSD £65, plus 4 GB DDR3 RAM £15, all used, total £190, I would recommend the same.

Compared to other brands I have found the ThinkPads to be the best documented, most complete support downloads, best Linux support, best keyboards and hardware LEDs. Once it's in your hands the build quality is apparent.

Soul_Est · #6 Post by **Soul_Est** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 5:16 pm

Like you, I had a Mac before switching to ThinkPads. (September 2006 MacBook)

I currently own a X200s that I use everyday. I've got model 7470-5HU with a 1440x900 display which is sharper than the 1280x800 display found in many others. That extra resolution helps a lot when programming in VIM. The TrackPoint is easier to use for me since my fingers never stray very far from the home row.

The weight of the X200s was always low, even with a 9-cell battery attached. Like rjwilmsi stated before, definitely get the SSD. I thought the system was fast enough with the stock 160 GB (Hitachi) HDD installed. The 60 GB (Mushkin Chronos Deluxe) SSD that I have installed blows the doors off of the previous configuration.

I paid 350 CAD for mine last year and it was in like new condition so paying ~$200 is good IMHO.