It arrived. Finally.
ThinkPad X201.
A close-up of the keyboard, shot by me.
Back in the X24 days, Club IBM distributed keyboard photos and I used one as wallpaper — I might do the same with this one, with a little editing. The red TrackPoint is the signature feature. Same as my IBM machine seven years ago.
Here are my impressions after about a day of use. Quite biased, so bear with me.
· Build quality: solid.
No flex in the chassis. Hinges feel exceptionally well-made.
· Keyboard: outstanding.
Full-pitch keys, increasingly rare on mobile notebooks.
You can type with the same feel as a desktop keyboard.
The key resistance and rebound are firm and satisfying — no mushiness.
Genuinely enjoyable to type on.
· 4 GB RAM but 32-bit OS only sees ~3 GB.
I figured I’d eventually want more memory so I loaded it up from the start.
But 32-bit Windows 7 only recognizes about 3 GB — that 1 GB feels wasted.
· The AC adapter is large.
For a mobile PC built to be carried around, the adapter size could use more thought. The cable winding too.
Other manufacturers manage smaller adapters, so it’s clearly achievable.
· Power management: versatile.
Compared to the X24, though that comparison might be unfair given the age gap.
Backlight dimming after a period of inactivity is a nice touch.
CPU speed and wireless strength can be controlled in fine detail — practically useful.
· Windows 7: takes getting used to.
First time touching Windows 7. It took a little while to find my footing.
The taskbar combines the quick launch and window list into one — I didn’t notice at first. Is this borrowed from Mac? Or am I the only one who thought that?
Web fonts in IE look noticeably sharper, which gives pages a more polished feel.