Lenovo X1, X220 or other small laptops

[Socrates_Johnston]

Hey all.

I'm in the market for a new laptop. My Lenovo t61 is still going strong, but has found its place on my desk at work.

I am looking for a smaller, more portable laptop that would be perfect for light home use (playing music, watching the odd movie), along with heavy word processing, emailing, etc...

I will eventually be bringing this laptop with me when I go off to law school next fall, so a durable but portable work-machine is what i really need.

I've fallen in love with Lenovo laptops because of their rock solid construction, but of course I would be willing to jump ship to another brand if a better option presented itself.

The x220 and the x1 from Lenovo caught my eye. I will probably wait a while longer for Lenovo to release a newer iteration of the X1 before pulling the trigger, so at the moment I am just trying to figure out what my options are.

I don't want a macbook air.

Thoughts?

[THS]

Check redflagdeals for coupons. Some people are getting x220 with upgrades under $800

[jcmaz]

You might be interested in these coupons: Lenovo Coupons - Lenovo Laptop Discount Coupon Codes

[chubaka]

my vote goes to X1 if you can get a good deal on it..luv the ol school layout (ports at the back)

[Socrates_Johnston]

Originally Posted by chubaka

my vote goes to X1 if you can get a good deal on it..luv the ol school layout (ports at the back)

you're comment got me thinking...

the X1 has an hdmi port and integrated intel graphics.... would that be enough to run a monitor smoothly? obviously I won't be doing any serious gaming, but the ability to connect to a larger monitor (1080p?) for productivity purposes is a must.

[jcmaz]

RedFlagDeals Exclusive @ Lenovo: 25% Off ThinkPad X220 and X220 Tablet, 15% Off ThinkPad X1 - Posted Jul. 14, 2011 - RedFlagDeals.com

you might be interested in these deals Socrates!

[Socrates_Johnston]

Originally Posted by jcmaz

RedFlagDeals Exclusive @ Lenovo: 25% Off ThinkPad X220 and X220 Tablet, 15% Off ThinkPad X1 - Posted Jul. 14, 2011 - RedFlagDeals.com

you might be interested in these deals Socrates!

nice!

now the question becomes: x220 or x1?

i3 or i5?

I'm leaning towards the X1 with an i3 processor because I hear the turboboost technology found in the i5 & i7 make the laptop scorching hot... are there any other options I should consider?

(sticking with base HD and ram options, I can always upgrade later on my own)

[THS]

EVEN CHEAPER HERE. I'd go with X220

http://shoplenovo.i2.com/SEUILibrary...asscode=FNDEPP

Check right side of that page for coupon. (currently CAE07192011 )

-Go i5 (much faster especially with turbo boost)

-PICK THE PREMIUM HD SCREEN UPGRADE for $42.50 !!!!!!! (super important)
The premium HD is their way of saying IPS Display.
IPS = MUCH better colors / viewing angles than standard TN displays.

-DOWNGRADE Windows 7 Professional to Home Premium and SAVE $42.50

-Keep 2GB 1DIMM memory and buy 4GB / 8GB seperatly (MUCH CHEAPER)

With Core i5 / IPS display upgrade I get:
Estimated total: $685.65 (plus tax, free shipping)

[jcmaz]

DAMN IT, I could have gotten another 5% off my Thinkpad Edge.

EDIT: Scratch that. "Offer is not combinable with any other off :("

[chubaka]

nice link.. with ips that x220 is great ...OP buy this instead!!

i3 setup is about $645 (might save abit of battery life if you dont need that much power) aas for hd content, hd 3000 is enough even for moderate gaming, no problem handling 1080p movies.