The Holy Grail
Written: Jan 09 '04 (Updated Jan 09 '04)
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Pros: Small, light, comfortable, exquisitely made
Cons: Expensive
The Bottom Line: The very best ultraportable of its day, is still a standout 3-years-later.
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| lawman67's Full Review: Lenovo ThinkPad X21 (266264U) PC Notebook |
I've been writing about laptops here on epinions for more than 3 years, and have gone through several phases of what I like and dislike in a laptop computer. I started with large 9lb desktop replacement type laptops, then went to the opposite extreme with a 3lb ultraportable. Eventually I settled in to a happy medium with a so-called "thin and light", which is a 4-5lb machine with a large screen and an under 1.5" profile. The T-series IBM was probably my favorite of this type, with the older 600 series a close second.
I also used to favor Toshibas, but have essentially defected to IBM. Now I've sold my thin and light and gone back to an ultraportable, but this ultraportable is unlike any that I've had before. I will compare it to the T-series which is the more mainstream companion model, and to the 570 and 240 series, both of which were replaced when the original X20 came out.
First off, the X21 is a member of the X-series, which remained essentially the same for three years, and had a significant revision in the X30 of last year. The X20 through X24 can share batteries and other accessories, and vary mostly in processor, bus speed and the availability of built-in wireless. The X21 reviewed here is the high-end model, with a 700MHz Pentium III mobile processor, 128MB ram (mine is maxed at 384), 20 GB hard drive (mine is upgraded to a 40GB drive), 12.1" TFT screen at 1024X768 resolution and equipped with a 3Com ethernet/modem combo card. The low-end X21 had a 600MHz PIII, 64 MB ram and a 10GB drive, with a modem-only card in its single mini-PCI slot and the resolution of its 12.1" TFT restricted to 800X600.
All X20-X24 laptops weigh 3lbs, have no built-in optical or floppy drive, and are roughly the size of a sheet of paper and under an inch thick. In comparison, the T-series are the size of a conventional laptop, weigh a bit over 5lbs, have a larger keyboard, larger TFT display, and larger battery, but what really seperates them philosophically is the inclusion of a bay that accepts an optical drive, floppy or second battery. The X series can have such a bay added if you buy the X2 ultrabase (doesn't accept a battery on the X-series) which clips underneath the laptop. In terms of older models, the Thinkpad 570 and 240 were both replaced by the X-series, while the 600 series were replaced by the T-series. The 570 was only 1 inch thick and weighed 4lbs, despite having a large 13.3" TFT and a full-sized keyboard. Like the X-series, it required a base station to add a drive bay. The 240 was even smaller than the X-series, but only had a 10.4" display at 800X600, which limited its utility.
I have owned the T20 and T23, and using the X21 is actually almost the same as those two larger machines. My last computer was the Thinkpad 570 with the ultrabase, and that too was much like the X21. The 570's base was a bit more versatile than that of the X21 in that the floppy drive was replaceable with a second system battery, however since the 570 only ran about 1.5 hours on its system battery (compared to 3.5 hours for the X21), its not that important a distinction.
Now, the X21 itself. First, any computer with even a 300MHZ processor is more than adequate for normal productivity tasks, including Windows XP and Office 2003. OPbviously the 700MHz X21 has no trouble doing everything I ask of it. What I like most is the dual nature of the X21, which is much like the 570 only better realized. With the 570 in its base, it was a full-size desktop replacement. The X21 in its base is not as large, and at roughly 5.5lbs is only a smidge heavier than the larger T-series, though almost an inch thicker. With the base attached it is a full-featured 3-spindle laptop with both floppy and optical drives built in (I have a CDRW/DVD combo drive installed). The ultrabase also adds the few ports that are missing from the computer itself, which are the older legacy parralel, serial and PS2 mouse ports. The laptop itself has two USB ports, a PC card slot and a Compact Flash slot which is useful for reading digital camera images.
5.5 lbs and a small footprint makes for a handy unit, but remove the X21 from its base and the real promise of ultraportability is fulfilled. At just under 3lbs and under an inch thick, this machine is just as much a pleasure to carry as the old Toshiba Porteges I used to use, and not enough larger than the Thinkpad 240 to be an issue. Unlike all of those other machines, however, except for the lack of on-board drives, the X21 asks very little in terms of ergonomic sacrifice. The keyboard is very close to full size and not at all annoying to type on. The buttons for the trackpoint mouse are large and even the palmrest is generous. While the screen is much smaller than on a full-size laptop, 12" at 1024X768 is a good compromise, and is still large enough to enjoy watching a movie or to get real work done.
Build quality is another X21 strong suit. Previously, I considered the Thinkpad 600 series as the most solidly built of all IBM (or any brand) laptops. The X21 is even better. The chasis is totally rigid and the entire laptop is finished in an expensive-looking black rubberized finish. The computer is simply stunning. It isn't flashy like an Apple iBook, but it is so classy that people will look when you pull one of these out and get to work.
Another thing I really like about the X21 is the sound, or more accurately the lack thereof. This is by far the quietest laptop I have ever owned. The fan rarely comes on (this is the special low-voltage version of the PIII and it runs cooler) and when it does, it is very well insulated and quiet.
Finally the screen itself, while small, is simply gorgeous, with bright color and vivid contrast. It is smaller than the 14 inch panels on my last T23 and T20, but every bit as pleasing to look at.
Is it right for you? Well, if your idea of a laptop is something to use at home and take up less space than a desktop, then stick with a more traditional model. If, however, you actually do carry your laptop around with you and want something powerful enough to get your work done and comfortable enough to actually use, while small and light enough that you will take it with you, the X21 and its sisters is simply the holy grail of portable computing.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 700
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 601-700
Screen Size: 12 inches
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 31-40
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Epinions.com ID:
lawman67
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 in Computer Hardware |
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Member: Andrew F
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 207
Trusted by: 63 members
About Me:
Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl but she doesn't have a lot to say.
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