X302 anytime?

[Antioch]

I've been needing a Digital Output on my X61s for some time now. Seems the only way to go to get that is the X30x route. Unfortunately I don't know if its worth it to pay that much for such a horrible screen. As it is, I had a hard enough time adjusting to the X60/X61s' gritty screen. Ugh. I hate sitting next to my friends with the Dell Mini 9s and have their cheap screens look multiple times better than my X61s'.

Breaker - what's this about the digital output not working to digital displays in Linux? That doesn't make sense to me. If the displayport is working then it shouldn't matter what's on the other side - the signal should still be sent, no?

[ssd_thinkpad]

You can try a usb to dvi solution. It is okay for webbrowsing and watching movies, only fullscreen flash is not looking good.

[archer6]

No, they want to sell you an X301. They don't want you sitting on your wallet for 6 months and changing your mind.

Excellent point! Even if there was a new X3xx about to be released in just 30 days Lenovo will keep it under wraps, in order to keep selling the remaining X301 models. Its just the way it is.
.
Cheers...

[beaker]

Antioch-

Currently there is no Linux device driver support for DisplayPorts. The current Intel xorg device driver supports playback from VGA, LVDS (LCD), and SVDO cards. Here is a quote from Adam Jackson from Red Hat:
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.re ... ral/323073

Here is a listing of supported interfaces from Thinkwiki (scroll down to "Outport port names"):
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Xorg_RandR_1.2

Beaker

[Antioch]

Breaker - well that makes me want to cry. Ever since I powered on my first LCD I have loathed analog video - especially at the resolutions I prefer to run at. I noticed that in one of the links you provided one gentleman said that it's not available now but "in progress." I certainly hope this is the case. But I guess it gives me reason to wait for X302 to hit the shelves.

I guess I'll extend my X61s usefulness by adding an SSD for a while.

[beaker]

The following two quotes are about Intel's roadmap that specifically concern the processor used in X30x series. The first article which predicts:

The mid-year refresh is also expected to spur the release of thin and light notebooks – or as Eden more honestly calls the, “thin and sexy”.

“I believe you’ll see a lot of thin and sexy systems with the Montevina refresh, not because it cannot be done today but because people are trying to refresh for specific cycles” Eden explains. “You have the back to school cycle, you’ve got the holiday cycle, and normally the OEMs are trying to come up with the new SKUs in line with selling seasons. So I believe we’ll see a lot of thin and sexy designs for back to school”. (Note that the US back-to-school sales season typically runs from mid-August to early September).

This next [url=http://apcmag.comintel_to_upgrade_notebook_screens_to_displayport.htm]article[/url] details when Intel has to release a Linux driver for the Displayport output. It says:

“We’re now shifting that over to DispayPort, which runs off a lower voltage and has a shorter voltage swing” explains Jeff LeGassick, Intel product marketing manager. “We can also move the display interface from the Southbridge over to the Northbridge, which is what we’re doing on Auburndale (the Calpella CPU), and then we can turn off all the HDMI and VGA ports.”

The first mobile Calpella release will be Clarksfield, not Auburndale (source Digitimes). While this means Intel could have a Linux Displayport driver this year, nothing REQUIRES it.

[perplex]

I think the eventual and soon 1.6GHz upgrade will keep the X301 going until winter.

[rhe1111]

Updated Roxio package outs the X302 . . .

This Roxio Creator Business Edition applies to the following Lenovo systems:

* ThinkPad R400, R500
* ThinkPad T400, T500
* ThinkPad W500, W700
* ThinkPad X200, X300, X301, X302
* ThinkCentre M57p
* ThinkCentre M58
* ThinkCentre M62

Excerpt from:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-72359

[beaker]

This is excellent news! Lenovo is also releasing a T400s:
http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecific ... mID=378131

[archer6]

Updated Roxio package outs the X302 . . .

Kudos for the fine work in finding this!

Cheers...

[archer6]

This is excellent news! Lenovo is also releasing a T400s

More Kudos are in order!

Another excellent find.

Cheers...

[ssd_thinkpad]

For all the regular "where's the new x302" people out there, here are search results for x302 on lenovos pages.

http://www.google.com/search?q=x302+site:lenovo.com

[Nitehawk]

I hope the X302 matches the macbooks airs specs in terms of performance. 2.16GHz, and Geforce 9400. That would be one sweet thinkpad.

[masterus]

I hope the X302 matches the macbooks airs specs in terms of performance. 2.16GHz, and Geforce 9400. That would be one sweet thinkpad.

then I would sing: "Allelujah"

[k3davis]

I hope the X302 matches the macbooks airs specs in terms of performance. 2.16GHz, and Geforce 9400. That would be one sweet thinkpad.

I have no special insight into Lenovo's business plan, but I would seriously doubt this on account of their not using Geforce in any of their current or rumored models.

I would be happy if they would just start shipping the SU9600 model listed in the tabook back in April. Or better yet, if the X302 could inherit a few of the changes in the T400s. (I'm guessing the processor is too much to hope for.)

[pavlova]

k3davis, fyi you can order the SU9600 model that I believe you are talking about here: http://www.costcentral.com/proddetail/L ... /10542082/

[MarxMarvelous]

According to this leaked roadmap, the future of the X301 does not look good... there are X210 follow-ups to the X201 slated for early 2010 (along with a host of other models with Calpella) but no corresponding X310. Not sure if it is legit but looks viable.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/19/leak ... nuary-2010

[visionviper]

I hope the X302 matches the macbooks airs specs in terms of performance. 2.16GHz, and Geforce 9400. That would be one sweet thinkpad.

I hope it doesn't -- I'd much rather have better battery life than better performance. I wouldn't mind a bump in power as long as the battery life doesn't drop.

[amardeep]

Intel mobile roadmap http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/img/pcw/d ... 3.jpg.html

[cb474]

Doesn't the sale prices listed on all the ThinkPad models on the Lenovo webiste, including the X301, indicate pending refreshes to these systems? That's been my observation/experience. They put the old models on sale for a while, to sell out stock, then come the refreshes.

In any case, it seems obvious that sooner or later the X301 will get processor and platform updates, whether or not there's a more substantively redesigned X302/X310 model any time soon. What I'd like to see though is an option in the X3xx series with a higher power processor and an option with lower power better battery performance processor, as used to be the case with the X6x series. The X3xx ought to be the flagship of the ultra lightweight thinkpads and not having a high processor performance model seems odd to me.

[omf]

Just to throw my two cents in:

I'm surprised that none of the many machines that have come out since the X300 was introduced beat its size/performance ratio. The very thin/light machines being released have a relatively low resolution screen and no optical drive.

My last few laptops have been Sonys, which I was happy with until the X300 was introduced, and I was lured away by its larger-but-not-too-large screen.

Things I'd like in my next upgrade, in order of importance:

• Better battery life.
  I almost returned my X300 due to this, but decided to grin and bear it instead.
• Better screen.
  I like the size and resolution, but the contrast, brightness and clarity don't compare to the Sony screens I was used to.
• Better performance.
  CPU speed isn't usually a problem, but a more powerful graphics chip would make a huge difference. Hardware-accelerated HD video decoding is needed, and a bump in 3D graphics capabilities would be nice.
  The other big performance problem with the included SSD drive...
• More and faster storage.
  I'm looking at getting Intel's 1.8" SSD with higher capacity and better performance than the included 60GB unit, but the prices are still prohibitive. The built-in drive also seems extraordinarily slow - not much better than the 1.8" non-SSD drives I endured on my last couple of Sonys.
• Blu-ray writer.
  Not a requirement, but in a high-priced machine like this, I'd expect to have the option.

Anyway, I suppose I'll keep my fingers crossed!

~omf

[akao]

I'm finally starting to consider getting a replacement for my X300, and Lenovo still hasn't come out with a compelling upgrade. If the best is the X301, then I might as well stay with the X300.

Anyone considering anything else? There seems to be a whole slew of light and small laptops, but most of them seem to be running Atom. You can't use Eclipse on an Atom.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Well, the problem is here that you want stuff from the future

[perplex]

I think we're about to hit the anniversary for the X301, so I think there might be a refresh by Q1 2010.

However, I'm so happy with my X300. The only thing I don't like is the screen, but I don't see that improving with an X302 considering Lenovo's current screen preferencing.

[amardeep]

SU9600 (1.6Ghz) models finally appearing on lenovo.com (UK, and Elite US model), perhaps all SU9400's have been sold.

[jl123]

Well I've just been on one of Lenovo's facebook pages and found this written by someone from the company in response (from yesterday) to the X302 question:

"Official Lenovo Fan Site
I could tell you but then I would have to kill you. ; )
Just kidding, I wish we could comment about the future of the X Series here, but we can't right now.
ons kl. 14:07 · Anmäl"

So I would take the answer to mean that yes indeed but "can't (tell u) right now"

Looks good for the future of this series. JL

[ssd_thinkpad]

There may be a bigger market for 13 inch models. However lenovo targets the 12 inch models (x200, x200s, x200t) and 14 inch models (t400, t400s) very good where the 13 inch model market is done by only one model (x301 with no docking solution).

I more think of the x300 series as a "design study" that was made public when apple started with their macbook air. The T400s - and upcoming T500s series use the x300 series technology as much as I remember from reading on lenovoblogs.com.