For permanent storage there’s a speedy 7,200rpm, 320GB hard drive, again with various other options being available, including SSDs up to 160GB. These are backed by 4GB of DDR3 RAM, though this is of course expandable to 8GB. (centre)Intel’s new 3000-series integrated graphics even manage to beat the discrete AMD Mobility Radeon HD4550 card found on the tm2, an impressive indication of how far they have progressed. Intel’s new graphics also offer dedicated hardware video processing acceleration, though this requires compatible software. In fact, you might now even risk the odd game or two, provided you’re happy dropping the detail and resolution down a lot on even remotely demanding titles. Thankfully, the new HD 3000-series graphics, which are integrated into the CPU, are significantly superior to earlier Intel solutions. The X220T doesn’t offer dedicated graphics so you’re stuck with Intel’s integrated effort. If you don’t need as much power you can downgrade to a Core i3-2310M, or conversely up to a quad-core Core i7-2620M for heavy duties like HD video encoding. Powerful yet efficient, this CPU will handle anything but the most intensively multi-threaded applications with consummate ease. Our test sample might not sport the mighty quad-core Core i7 2630QM of that beast, but its dual-core Core i5-2520M runs at a speedy 2.5GHz as standard and can Turbo clock up to 3.2GHz (on a single core, 3GHz on two), with Hyperthreading allowing up to four virtual cores, all within a 25W thermal envelope. Specifications are pretty darn good, with the highlight being Intel’s brand-new mobile Sandy Bridge architecture, which we’ve already encountered on the MSI GT680. The only exception is the extra button strip above the keyboard, but that could be due to the pre-production nature of our sample. We’re glad to say that the X220T is no exception: plastics are as solid as they come, there’s not even a hint of unwanted flex or creak, and the rotating screen hinge is strong and sure. ThinkPad build quality is legendary, and for good reason. Two soft but sturdy protrusions that slot into matching slots in the bezel ensure the screen will never rotate accidentally, while a protruding lip at the screen’s top makes it easier to open.
The inside is entirely finished in lightly textured matt black plastic, except for an inner bezel around the screen which is soft-touch like the lid, making it more comfortable for tablet use. It sports the ThinkPad trademark soft-touch finish on its lid, which lends it a premium feel that’s both ergonomic and very rugged. Though its protruding battery (at least if you go for the larger eight-cell option) does add an unsightly bulge, it’s also moulded to be a comfortable handgrip for holding the X220T in tablet mode. If you think the traditional ThinkPad angular black lines look good, this latest model isn’t likely to change your mind, but it may be a little too industrial for some people’s tastes.
Lenovo has fixed our issues with the original X200t to make for easily one of the best convertible tablet laptops available – in fact, it wouldn’t be far wrong to say it’s one of the best laptops in general.ĭesign-wise, the first word that may spring to mind is utilitarian. With the X220T, all these shortcomings are not applicable. The HP TouchSmart tm2 also suffers from dated graphics and processing power, and though it has a Wacom digitizer built-in, its screen’s dreadful viewing angles let it down badly. We’ve looked at quite a few of the available entries: the Packard Bell Butterfly Touch and Acer Aspire 1825P TZ are both decent choices if you’re on a budget and must have a tablet, but their Core 2-based CPUs felt slow even last year and they don’t offer pen input. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of choice in the convertible laptop field.
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With a glorious 12.5in capacitive IPS screen (the same panel type found in professional monitors like the HP DreamColor LP2480zx and, for that matter, the iPad) and Wacom digitizer, rugged exterior, all-day battery life and Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors inside, Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X220 Tablet may well be the one to rule them all.
However, for those who are serious about work as well as play, and who want something that can be a ‘proper’ computer when necessary, the rarer convertible tablet laptop is still the way to go, offering a swivel screen which can fold down across the keyboard to morph into a slate. Thanks largely to the original Apple iPad, the tablet market is seeing innumerable entrants, a few of which we covered in our recent iPad2 VS the world article. To bring you this world-exclusive review we’re using a pre-production sample, but it should reflect the quality of the final product.Īs you may have noticed, there has been a surge in the popularity of tablets recently.