Lenovo Tablet ThinkPad X200 Review
The netbook market and the home laptop market are saturated, but the tablet PC market is yet to be overloaded. There are only a handful of tablet PCs that are worth buying. The Lenovo ThinkPad X200 would be in the top 10 picks on any list. Here is a review discussing the Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet.
The standard Thinkpad X200 comes with a Intel Core 2 Duo SL 9600 processor running at 2.13GHz with 1066MHz FSB and 6MB cache memory. It sports 4GB DDR3 memory module provided by two modules of 2GB each. This system delivers top notch performance with this configuration and can challenge any of the top performing mainstream laptops. The X4500M integrated graphics combined with the processor to easily play 1080p movies and can also play some older games with decent fps. The 160GB HDD is also fast at 7200 rpm and overall, the device performs like a champion.
Design
It is clear right out of the box, that the device was made keeping pure utility in mind. Its all about business and nothing else. You can have any color you want as long as it is black. The lid, the button, and every other thing is made of black plastic. Lenovo ThinkPad series, has always been, and continues to emphasize form over function. This is clearly reflected in the build quality of the device. The chassis is made of strong magnesium alloy metal and the plastics that are used to build the panels are also of very high quality. The laptop body does not show any flex under pressure. The hinge is one of the most important things to look for in a convertible tablet and this one gives gave a look at it. The single pivot feels very strong and has 360 movement as you would expect. It a locking feel in every of the three positions you may put it into. Try to tilt it forward or back and you will see that it feels as strong as a standard laptop.
Touchscreen Display
The device has a 12 inch 1280 X 800 WXGA resolution touchscreen display panel with multitouch and Wacom tablet capability. The LED backlit panel showed several very good viewing angles and brightness, however the touchscreen layer sucked some brightness out of it. The wacom support is always welcome on a tablet PC and after calibration it works very accurately. Like the Asus Eee PC T91, it also supports two finger multitouch and was also very good. Not too much pressure was needed to record the touch.
Keyboard and TouchPad
The keyboard feels really good while typing and is most durable as we would expect from ThinkPad's lineup of keyboards. The full sized keyboard is springy and gives good tactile feedback. There wasn't any space left for a decent sized touchpad, so Lenovo omitted it and decided to go with only a pointing stick. If you have never used pointing sticks, it will take time for you to adjust with the device. It shouldn't be a problem for you though.
Audio
The less said about the speaker, the better it will be. The speakers are okay if you use them for video conferencing or VOIP calls. You shouldn't expect much if you try to listen to good quality music, it has a very tinny sound. A good pair of headphones are recommended for audiophiles as is usual.
The port selection is very good and covers just about any medium. There are 3 USB Ports, a VGA Out, Ethernet, Headphone and microphone jacks. There is also an Express Card 54 Slot as well as a 5 in 1 SD Card Reader. The only things missing are the FireWire and eSATA Ports but they aren’t absolute essentials and the usage of those ports can be managed by the USB Ports.
Battery Life
Battery Life is probably the most important factor when you are looking for a notebook meant for business usage. The system comes with options for a four cell and eight cell battery option. The eight cell battery sticks out from the back and looks quite odd but you need it to fuel your system for longer time. It provided about six hours of runtime with low usage and screen brightness lowered and power saving mode on. With heavy usage expect the system to run at least 4 hours which is not bad at all for a touchscreen device.
Pros
* Strong Build Quality
* Nice bright display with decent viewing angle for touchscreen * Excellent Performance
* Nice comfy keyboard
* Good Battery Life
Cons
* No touchpad
* Weak and tinny audio
* Multitouch support restricted to only two finger actions.
Conclusion
The Lenovo ThinkPad X200 is a really capable device good performance, nice display and battery life. If you are in the market in search of a good touchscreen tablet, you find it harde to beat the X200. It doesn’t have any serious cons that could be a turnoff. If you can afford the price, it will surely be one of those possessions that you will be proud of.