Expresscard review

PC mag reviews a pre production model. Sorry if already posted.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1950102,00.asp

Yes, I agree - 10 seconds can be a bit short for a backlight, but it makes you read faster and act faster - and that is a skill you can use everywhere in live.
In my next Nokia I hope they take it down to 9 seconds :-)

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My T420 Review + Warranty Experience + Accessories & Upgrades

I received my T420 earlier this week and wanted to let everyone know my experiences with the machine itself as well as some accessories I purchased for it. You will see comparisons to the T400. The T400 is my SO's machine. Machine details for both are in my sig. The T420 shipped with a 500GB HDD & 4GB (4x1) RAM. This review is mainly about the T420 with the HDD installed, but with 8GB of RAM.
A little about me
As a student I mainly care about battery life, boot/ resume time, and system stability. Stability is very important to me because I take my class notes on my computer and we take exams on our computers as well. If I have computer issues during an exam, I could receive a worse grade or even fail. I fell in love with Thinkpads and the trackpoint the first time I ever used one years ago back in the era of 266MHz processors. While I have owned other laptop brands (Gateway, Acer, Compaq) it was soley because of price. I am happy to have a Thinkpad to call my own again.
For a while, I considered an x220, the x220t, and the W520. I decided I could not live with the screen resolution on the x220, the 3yr Think Pad protection + on-site was too much on the x220t ($459 vs $259 for other Think Pads), and I did not want to haul around the extra weight and size of the W520. This is my third 14" ThinkPad. I bought the machine during a sale where there was a free upgrade to 500GB HDD and 4GB of RAM. At the same time there was an extra 5% off on any T series. With those deals and the educational discount, I felt the T420 was an excellent deal.
Summary
Pros: Speed; Battery life; I do not have a screen door screen; warranty service is great; Keyboard is a joy to type on.
Cons: Louder than the T400 (T420 seems to have smaller heatsink). Mainboard, Keyboard, and Palm rest had to be replaced. Keyboard needs to be replaced again. Smelled bad when taking out of box. 14W sleeve is too big.
Review
When I unboxed the machine the fist thing I noticed was a horrible smell that I can only describe as "new computer smell" it was a mixture of ozone plus melted plastic. The 9 cell sure is a big battery. I only have a 6 cell on my T400. The 9 cell on the T420 sticks out about the same amount as the 6 cell on the T400 does. Machine feels like a good weight and very solid. Weighs 5.2lbs without the power brick (with HDD + 8GB RAM, Optical Drive, and 9 cell battery).
When I pressed the power button the first thing I noticed was that I could hear the fan. The fan on the T400 is almost inaudible. On the T420, you can hear the fan is there, but it is a quiet and soft fan noise. The T420 seems to have a smaller heat sink compared to the T400. The machine boots fast even with the HDD installed taking only about 80-90 seconds or so after applying all Windows updates. Display resolution of 1600x900 is very sharp and useful for putting documents side by side. My external monitors are 16:9 displays (2x Dell U2211h) so it is nice to have matching aspect ratios. I would prefer 16:10, but 16:9 at 1600x900 is enough pixels. Optimus works fine and allowed me to have both of the U2211h at 1920x1080 and the internal display on at the same time. I had one monitor connected through VGA and the other over display port. I do not see the screen door effect that some people have had issues with on these screens. I was very worried about the screen door, so I am glad not to have it.
I mainly use my computer to run Office, One Note, and write emails. I rarely do any gaming on my laptop. I do some image editing (GIMP, Inkscape) and both programs run fine with great speed. Machine sleeps and hibernates fine. I get great range and speed with the internal wireless card that is better than most people. Ran a graphics intensive benchmark and Optimus works great. Battery life seems amazing so far. I only used about 10% in an meeting that lasted over an hour. I was only typing during the meeting so I had the brightness turned down to 2. If I wanted to I could probably use just the battery and leave the adapter at home.
Accessories
I bought the machine with the 14W Sleeve (57Y4294). The sleeve is gigantic and does not fit right. I think it was designed to hold the machine with a 9 cell battery + the slice + the power adapter. I will check later, but I think I could probably fit the T400 and the T420 into the sleeve at the same time and it would still have extra room. I may return the sleeve and buy a different one as I was hoping for a better fit. I have no idea why they offer the 15W Sleeve during the ordering process as the 14W is huge.
Upgrades
I added an extra 4GB of Samsung RAM, an Intel 320 SSD in the 160 GB size, and an AKE USB 3.0 Expresscard 34. I planned to use the USB 3.0 express card with the 500GB drive in an external enclosure as a backup for both the T420 and T400. If I was just looking for the T420 I would simply have used the eSATA port as I feel eSATA is probably faster than USB 3.0.
The RAM works great with the factory installed Samsung RAM. The RAM was easy to install, since the cover is on the bottom of the machine. If you are upgrading both RAM slots, the other slot is under the keyboard. The HMM shows the keyboard as being held in with only one screw so it is probably easy to upgrade.
I bought the 320 because it is supposed to be as reliable as the X-25M. My Intel 320 SSD died on me within 12 hours of installing it into the machine. I experienced the 8MB bug, where the drive dies and reports as unformatted and 8MB in size, normally after an "unsafe" shutdown (as in holding down the power button/ sudden loss of power). There has been talk of this bug on the Intel Forums since June, see this post or just Google for more details about the issue many 320 owners are experiencing. My replacement 320 is here now, and I will see if I can get >12 hours of use out of it. The Intel Data Migration software did work well and it cloned the drive over and resized the partitions just fine. I was able to see speeds of up to 250MB/sec with the SSD internally. I regret purchasing the 320, and if the second dies on me I will ask for a refund and buy something else.
The AKE USB 3.0 Express Card has the NEC USB chipset. These are known to get around 180MB/sec when mounted on a motherboard and connected to a fast SSD. I saw speeds of up to 185MB/sec when connected to the Intel SSD. I am happy with the Express card. It sits flush in the Express Card slot. It does look ugly with the extra USB cable for power, but that is necessary to supply full power to a USB 3.0 device.
Warranty Service (2 Keyboards, 1 Palm Rest, 1 System Board)
When I purchased the 3yr warranty with Think Pad protection and on-site service, I never thought I would need to use it in the first week. I notice that the Trackpoint seemed a little jumpy when I first started using the machine. The first night I had the machine I was working on a project, something caused the machine to hang and it shutdown. On reboot, the machine refused to POST. My first thought was that I seated the RAM improperly, so I took that out. It did not help. I reseated the SSD, nothing. Tried the original HDD, nothing. Put the SSD back in. The keyboard had the microphone mute, speaker mute, and caps lock lights on when the machine was off. That seemed odd to me. Next day, I called up service center. It said it was in Atlanta, Georgia, but guy I spoke to had such a heavy accent I had to have him repeat everything 2-3 times. He had me run through some things and decided that the keyboard was fine, but that the system board needed to be replaced.
A friendly Tech came out and replaced the system board. System booted off of the tech's usb floppy to run a utility. Lights were still on the keyboard. Keyboard did not work. I grabbed a USB external keyboard + mouse combo from my desktop and plugged it in. USB mouse and keyboard worked fine. Tech attempted to boot into Windows. System did not recognize SSD on first two boots, third boot it worked. Odd beeping sound in Windows, put volume on mute. Laptop keyboard still did not work, and touchpad was very jumpy. Tech called to order keyboard + palm rest (touchpad) and I ran ThinkVantage Toolbox scan. Machine passed. Reactivated Windows. I then used the machine for a few hours, and then hibernated it. When I came back, it acted like the SSD was not there.
Tech arrived the next day with Keyboard + palm rest. I was very happy that the part was overnighted. New keyboard installed. Seemed like everything was working. System refused to boot off of the SSD. Put in HDD, system boots fine. I ran ThinkVantage Toolbox scan and the machine passed. A few hours after the tech left, I noticed that my J & K keys were acting odd. Turned out keyboard screw was hitting underneath them and making it hard to press down. See this thread for more. Called tech support, guy I spoke with did not have an accent and seemed like a native English speaker. Happy to have someone I could understand on the phone. Backedout the keyboard screw about halfway and now I can type normally. Tech support is concerned that the keyboard may have been damaged by the screw, so they are sending a new keyboard and a screw kit. Scew kit is backordered, so for now I just have to wait.
I have been happy with the on-site service because it is much faster than having to ship off a machine to have it repaired. I am going to look into upgrading the depot warranty on my T400 to on-site. I am chalking up the problem with the system board and keyboard to the bathtub curve and I do not see these as major issues. I wish that they would have shipped both a keyboard and a system board.
Overall I am happy with my T420 and very happy with the warranty service. I would feel confident recommending this machine with the warranty to family and friends.
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My TPs: Twist 2HU: i5-3317U Win 8 Pro, 4GB RAM 250GB Samsung 840 | T420 4177CTO: i5-2520M, HD+, Win 7 Pro x64, 8GB RAM, Optimus, 160GB Intel 320 SSD, Intel 6300 WiFi, BT 3.0 | T400 2764CTO: P8700, WXGA, Win 7 Ult x64, AMD 3470, 8GB RAM, 64GB Samsung SSD, BT, Intel 5300 WiFi | A20m 14.1" PIII 500 (retired). Monitors: 2x Dell U2211h IPS 100% sRGB calibrated w/ Spyder3.

Hi nibs,
Nice review. Thanks.
That screw deal is very strange. I wonder if the tech mixed up two screw sizes? Maybe there's a short one somewhere just barely hanging on. Do the screw holes on your machine have a size # next to them. Just curious.
@ seasidegator, your link doesn't work as is. The "." at the end of the sentence got included in the link.
Z.
The large print: please read the Community Participation Rules before posting. Include as much information as possible: model, machine type, operating system, and a descriptive subject line. Do not include personal information: serial number, telephone number, email address, etc. The fine print: I do not work for, nor do I speak for Lenovo. Unsolicited private messages will be ignored. ... GeezBlog
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Another W530 Review

Lenovo Thinkpad W530 Review
by Djembe
One of the longest and most enduring brands in computers is Thinkpad. Originally developed by IBM in the USA, Thinkpad notebook computers are now manufactured by the Chinese company Lenovo. The W series debuted in 2009 as the highest-end Thinkpads offered. They came with the same patented Thinkpad technologies, such as an internal rollcage and shock-mounted hard drives. However, they also offered competitive workstation-class graphics cards with drivers optimized for professional graphics work.
The W530 is the latest in that line, and it looks almost identical to its predecessor, the W520, with three differences. Two of these differences are ports: thefull-size DisplayPort of the W520 was replaced with a mini DisplayPort in the W530 and eSATA was eliminated. The third change is the most noticeable and it has caused some consternation among Thinkpad traditionalists: the traditional Thinkpad keyboard has been replaced by a chiclet-style keyboard with one fewer row. Does the new keyboard live up to its predecessor? And is the notebook as a whole a worthwhile addition to the Thinkpad lineup? Read on to find out.
Specs
My W530 came with the following specifications:
Intel Core i7-3720QM processor
Nvidia K2000M graphics
15.6” 1920x1080 screen
500GB 7200RPM hard drive
4GB memory
Bluetooth 4.0
Intel Ultimate 6300 wireless card
DVD burner
9-cell battery
Since Lenovo (like virtually every other configurable computer company) vastly overcharges for memory upgrades, I upgraded the memory and storage myself. Lenovo provides an excellent installation guide for how to do this, which includes instructions for how to replace even the most difficult of items. Upgrading to a system-maximum 32GB RAM and a 256GB Samsung 830 series SSD was a simple operation.
Design and Build Quality
Lenovo advertises that Thinkpads are designed to withstand use by the military. While they are not marketed as rugged notebooks, Thinkpads are expected to be well-built, high quality systems. In general, the W530 does not disappoint in this. The chassis is very rigid and does a very good job of protecting the internal components. I was only able to make the screen image distort when pushing very hard on the back of the lid, and even then, I could only make the image distort when I pressed close to the upper corners. The hinges are solid and easily hold the notebook lid open at any angle. Vigorous shaking will cause the screen angle to shift, but it never appears to be the slightest bit wobbly or unsteady. There is minimal flex anywhere in the chassis. The W530 is a very well built machine. The only potential detraction from perfection is that there does seem to be a small amount of wiggle room around the 9-cell battery (which protrudes approximately an inch out the back of the system), but I had no difficulty at all in holding the system up only by the battery and rocking it back and forth. No disconnections occurred and nothing gave any hint of coming apart or breaking. As a result, I can confidently say that the small amount of wiggle around the battery does nothing to mar the stellar build quality of the W530.
As to design, Thinkpads have looked basically the same for the last 10 years or longer, so you know what to expect. At 1.4 inches think, the system is almost twice as thick as many Ultrabooks, but still thinner than some gaming systems with similar performance. You won’t find aluminum highlights or lighted logos on the W530, but the matte black W530 has an understated look that is appropriate in most environments.
Screen
The screen on a notebook is an important aspect, since it’s what you’ll be looking at for the majority of the time you’re using the system (except when you’ve got it attached to an external display). Lenovo offers three screen options for the W530, and I chose the high-resolution 1920x1080 matte display option. The higher-end screen also has increased brightness over Lenovo’s other screen options, up to 270 nits. The screen is model number B156HW01 v4 from AU Optronics, which was also used in the last two generations of W-series Thinkpads: the W510 and W520. So why did they use the same screen? As the saying goes, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. The screen is bright enough that I only use it on full brightness if I’m using it outside. For the record, it is sunlight-readable at maximum brightness, although it has a tendency to look a little washed out in bright sunlight. In all other circumstances, the screen looks very good. It also has good viewing angles, maintaining color integrity (no color inversion) even at extreme horizontal angles. Vertical angles are not as forgiving, but the screen definitely has a much larger “sweet spot” than most, it is evenly lit (less than 10% difference between brightest spot and dimmest spot, according to Notebook Check), and its 95% Adobe RGB color gamut means colors are rich and vibrant.
Keyboard, Touchpad, and Trackpoint
The keyboard is new for this year’s Thinkpads, and even though it loses a row of function keys, it retains the comfort and ease of typing found on previous Thinkpad keyboards. The keys have adequate travel and typing is an effortless experience. I find myself making significantly less typing mistakes due to accidental keypresses or overlaps while using the W530 than with most other computers that I’ve used. And it comes with an additional bonus: the new keyboard, unlike the previous one, is backlit. The backlighting is customizable in three steps: low backlight, high backlight, and Thinklight, a small light built into the lid that shines down on the keyboard area. Personally, I find the Thinklight somewhat distracting, since it highlights my hands much more effectively than it highlights the keys underneath them. However, the keyboard backlighting is done very well and allows for easy key identification in any lighting conditions.
The touchpad is textured, and easily accommodates multitouch gestures. However, I prefer smooth touchpads and the one on the W530 does not seem as responsive as some of the Asus touchpads I’ve used. For most gaming or other situations where precise control is needed, I would elect for an external mouse. However, in its favor, the W530 has dedicated touchpad buttons – two sets, no less! Another of my personal preferences is that I abhore clickpads. As an example, I find using Macbook Pros to be annoying due to the fact that you need to press down on the whole clickpad in order to register an action. The twin sets of left and right click buttons on the W530 are easy to press and responsive.
Additionally, since this is a Thinkpad, it contains a little round nub between the G and H keys that allows for alternate cursor control. It’s called a trackpoint, and is one of the IBM-patented features that is found in a number of business notebooks today. I very rarely use this while websurfing or working with productivity applications, but I found it to be significantly more useful than the touchpad while playing Portal 2 and I ended up using the trackpoint throughout the game.
Connections
The W530 has a full selection of ports. On the right side of the notebook, you can find the DVD tray, Ethernet, the combined headphone/microphone port, a card reader, and an ExpressCard slot. The left side holds 3 USB ports, two of which are the latest USB 3.0 spec. Also on the left side are VGA, mini DisplayPort, IEEE 1394 (Firewire), a hardware wireless switch, and the exhaust vent. The vent makes a very effective hand warmer, if you are doing anything resource-intensive. On the back, in addition to the battery, there is the power plug and a yellow USB 2.0 port that can remain powered even when the system is turned off in order to easily charge cell phones, tablets, or other USB-powered peripherals.
Performance
Three years ago, the first time I tested a system with a quad-core processor, I was disappointed because there was no noticeable performance increase. Intel has done some improvements with their quads since then and the i7-3720 performs admirably. Its default clock speed is 2.6 Ghz, however it happily will use Turbo Boost to overclock up to 3.6 Ghz as the cooling allows. Under maximum load with all cores via Prime 95, the CPU still maintains an overclock to 3 Ghz. I must mention, though, that this is all when the system is plugged in. In order to preserve battery life, Lenovo has limited the CPU to slightly under half its default clock speed while on battery power. This means that even with a high CPU load, the processor will not go faster than 1.2 Ghz while on battery. To benchmark the processor, I used Geekbench, an OS-agnostic CPU performance benchmark tool. The i7-3720QM scored 10870 plugged in and only 4100 when unplugged, so the difference in CPU capacity is clear. But even with this difference, I have found that this limitation actually has comparatively little effect on my usage while on battery. Games, for instance, run perfectly well on battery power. For those who need more processing power unplugged, you can remove this limitation with a program called Throttle Stop. Of course, it goes without saying that running heavy CPU-intensive programs will drastically reduce the battery life.
The W530 comes with an Nvidia Quadro K2000M and uses Nvidia’s Optimus graphics switching to go between the dedicated graphics and the integrated Intel 4000 graphics, according to program need. In my experience, Optimus seems to switch graphics adapters in a logical manner according to program need, but in the case that it chooses the wrong graphics adapter for the program you need, you can set up program-specific preferences to use either integrated or dedicated graphics as desired. The K2000M is based on Nvidia’s Kepler architecture and 28nm process technology. As a professional GPU, it is aimed more at content creation than content consumption. Still, the K2000M is a capable midrange graphics card, able to play all the latest games at medium-high settings. The K2000M has comparable performance to the Fermi-based 560M and is a little bit less powerful than the Kepler-based 650M. Portal 2 can be played at fluid framerates at native resolution and maximum settings. Starcraft 2 is playable on native resolution at maximum settings, but some more demanding sections are not fluid (30+ FPS), so I lowered to high settings and everything runs smoothly. Civilization 5 runs smoothly at medium-high settings, and Dragon Age: Origins works well at near maximum settings, all on native resolution. The system scores right around 2000 points in 3DMark 11, varying from 1970 to 2053.
The Samsung 830 SSD contributes a lot toward making the system feel fast. The system boots in approximately 32 seconds from pressing the power button to everything loaded in the Windows desktop and shuts down in 14 seconds. On battery power, these numbers rise slightly with 45 seconds to start and 17 seconds to shut down. The SSD also allows for higher scores in PCMark 7. And speaking of PCMark 7, I experienced a curious thing when running the benchmark multiple times on two different W530 units. The first W530 provided a very respectable top score of 4910 in the benchmark, which is roughly the same as scores by the new Retina Macbook Pro. However, the second W530 on which I ran the benchmark netted a score of 6765, which is, as of the date of this review, the highest score among systems with the Intel Core i7 3720QM processor.
Audio
The W530 comes with Dolby Home Theater v4, which allows music and video to sound quite good. There are three presets as well as a graphic equalizer that comes with the software. While bass is lacking compared to any dedicated speakers, this is a common situation in notebooks and bass in the W530 is better than most. Overall, the W530 has very acceptable audio at reasonable volume.
Heat and Noise
The fan on the W530 is always on by default, and its 2700RPM minimum rotation speed is loud enough to be noticeable in a quiet room. Under maximum load, the fan can ramp up to 4200RPM, which makes it louder but never really unpleasant. Still, in order to reduce the fan noise when the system did not need it, I installed Thinkpad Fan Control, which allowed me to set my own temperature points and fan speed levels. As a result, the notebook is completely quiet as long as the processor is under 55 degrees Celsius. Further, the fan is very effective and able to quickly cool the processor and video card without significantly heating up the rest of the chassis. Under maximum load (Prime 95 + Furmark), the keyboard only felt slightly warm, and the only really hot area on the notebook was immediately above the exhaust vent. Under normal use, the notebook remains cool and as comfortable to use on my lap as it is on a table.
Battery Life
My W530 came with a 9-cell battery rated for 94 Watt-hours. While playing games such as Starcraft 2, the battery lasts approximately 2 hours. Playing DVDs at full brightness with the K2000M resulted in approximately 4 hours of battery life. Web surfing at half brightness results in 7-8 hours battery life, depending on surfing habits. And very light web surfing, note taking, and word processing at half brightness results in 9 hours of battery life. That number can be extended all the way up to 11 hours at minimum brightness. Basically, the W530 can last an entire business day unplugged as long as it was not needed for anything very resource-intensive.
Customer Service, Support, Repair and Replacement
Typically, a review would not include a section on support. However, something happened to my initial W530 unit and I can provide a perspective on Lenovo’s support experience. The problem that developed was a failure of the Intel 4000 integrated graphics. All other systems and components, including the quad-core processing cores on the i7-3720QM, worked fine. However, running only on the Nvidia graphics caused the battery life to be affected (6 hours maximum, compared to 11 hours maximum running on Intel graphics), and so I called Lenovo. The service tech to whom I spoke remoted into my computer and looked at the recent Windows updates I had downloaded. He suggested that I restore to an earlier point prior to the Windows updates, and if that did not work, to call back and Lenovo would fix it. Needless to say, it did not work and I called back. The service rep sent a box for the computer to be sent to the EasyServ repair depot.
I sent the box out the following day with my computer, and did not see my system again for over a month. The online status listings for my system changed from “being repaired” to “waiting for customer information” at least 4 times during that period. Since I was frequently checking the status in hope that my computer would be repaired and sent back to me quickly, I called Lenovo whenever I saw that the status was “waiting for customer information.” As a result, I was able to follow along with the story of how my computer’s repair was progressing. It went something like this: First, the techs re-imaged my hard drive (I sent the machine back with all the original parts, keeping my upgrades until I got it back). That did not fix the issue (which I could have told them, since I tried using different drives myself before calling Lenovo) and led to the first “hold for customer information.” At no point during any of these holds did they actually need any information from me, but it seems to be the universal code they chose to use for “waiting for [whatever].” First, they were waiting to escalate it to a higher level tech. Then, I was told I needed a new motherboard and they were waiting on the new board. Then, I was told that the new motherboard did not work and they were referring the system to a design team. Then, the design team discovered that they shipped and installed the wrong new motherboard and it needed a different one. Then, I was told that the different new motherboard was backordered and it would take longer to arrive.
During the first four weeks that they had my system, I called Lenovo maybe six or seven times, and they did not call me once. The situation was rather frustrating. However, after approximately four weeks, one of the service reps gave me the phone number of a specific employee, who informed me that since my repair had taken so long, Lenovo was going to replace my computer. He said a member of Lenovo’s Executive Replacement Team would call me to set up the replacement. A week later, I was able to talk to the Executive Replacement Team member, who confirmed the specifications of my unit and said the replacement computer would arrive in 2-3 weeks. Two days later, I got my original computer back from the depot. Thankfully, I was then able to use the original system until the new one arrived. Now, I am typing this review on the new system and everything works well.
Lenovo’s customer service staff were unexceptionally friendly and helpful. I spoke to a number of them, and each and every one was courteous and willing to help. Lenovo’s replacement staff were also easy to talk to, responsive, and effective. The EZServ repair techs, however, appear to leave something to be desired. I bought a 3 year warranty , including Thinkpad Protection and on-site service. If anything goes wrong again with my Thinkpad, I am going to insist on the on-site service option.
Value & Recommendation
The Lenovo Thinkpad W530 is a well-built notebook with very good performance, thermal design, and battery life. Very few computers manage all of these together, and the down side of the W530 is price: it is more expensive than other systems with similar performance. Still, I believe the extra price is justified by what the computer delivers: a solid system with no compromises.
You should buy one too if:
You want a system that will last a number of years
You need a combination of excellent performance and excellent battery life
Consider something else if:
You’re on a strict budget and want the most performance for the money
You want a computer with a style that will turn heads
Thinkpad W530, i7-3720QM, 1920x1080 screen, 32GB RAM, dual SSDs (Samsung 830, Crucial M4 mSATA), Quadro K2000M, 9-cell battery, DVD burner, backlit keyboard, Bluetooth, Intel 6300 wireless card

I used 1600Mhz Corsair Vengeance RAM. You can either get it in matched sets or in single modules.
The default system RAM is made by Samsung and also runs at 1600Mhz.
Thinkpad W530, i7-3720QM, 1920x1080 screen, 32GB RAM, dual SSDs (Samsung 830, Crucial M4 mSATA), Quadro K2000M, 9-cell battery, DVD burner, backlit keyboard, Bluetooth, Intel 6300 wireless card

ThinkPad W530 Review

Just wanted to give a heads up about a review of the W530 that's written by a user who owns the W520, so it's heavy on comparisons which is kind of helpful if you're familiar with that machine. I'll quote the whole review below sans all the images to prevent bandwidth warnings! Also truncated and removed some sections to get under the 20,000 character count limit Full review with images is here: http://www.laptopreviews.com/lenovo-thinkpad-w530-review-2012-07
Just like last calendar year, Lenovo is ahead of Dell and HP in releasing a workstation equipped with the latest and greatest Intel Core processors and nVidia Kepler professional graphics. Starting at $1,299 on Lenovo.com (which is the same starting price as the W520 when it was introduced), the Lenovo Thinkpad W530 can be configured with processors ranging from the Intel Core i5-3320M to i7-3610QM to the top-end i7-3290XM, supports up to 32GB RAM and 270 nit 95% color gamut FHD display for demanding business customers. The W530 is like the W520 in many ways as a professional workstation laptop.
The Thinkpad W530 under review comes with the following specs:
Processor: Intel Core i7-3520M (2.9GHz, TurboBoost to 3.6GHz, 4MB L3 cache)
Graphics: nVidia Quadro K1000M
Memory: 8GB RAM DDR3-1600MHz
Display: 15.6” 1600 x 900 resolution, matte finish
OS: Windows 7 Professional
Storage: 500GB 7200RPM
Battery: 6-cell Li-Ion, 57Whr
Wireless: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205
Ports: Gigabit Ethernet, VGA, mini-DisplayPort, powered USB 2.0, USB 2.0, USB 3.0 (x2), combination headphone/microphone jack, ExpressCard slot (34mm), SDHC reader, 1394
Weight: 5.95lbs (2.7kg)
Keyboard
Let’s just start off with the most obvious change. The new keyboard is the most radical change in the ThinkPad line since…forever, really. Up until now, the ThinkPad series has had the same keyboard style since introduction, with minor changes here and there. Replacing the traditional 7-row ThinkPad keyboard is the island-style 6-row keyboard, found on the whole range of ThinkPad's, from the 12” X230 all the way up to this 15.6” workstation. Even with the changes, the surface of each key has stayed the same during the transition (1.5cm by 1.5cm for the alphanumeric keys) as well as the spacing between each key (roughly 0.4cm). Other keys, such as Caps Lock, Enter, Shift, Backspace, etc., have stayed the same size as well, though the Caps Lock key no longer has an indicator light. Notable differences include shape changes in the Esc key, Delete key, moving the power button from top-center to top-right, and the lack of a dedicated Menu key. However, the most important changes in key layout are as follows:
The layout of the “special keys” (Delete, Home, End, PgUp and PgDn) has been dramatically rearranged on the new keyboard
The dedicated Forward/Back buttons are now gone. These buttons used to be located to the right/left of the Up Arrow key and are now replaced with the PgUp/PgDn keys
The Print Screen button is now located where the Menu button should be.
The Scroll Lock and Pause buttons have disappeared, though they have been relegated to near-oblivion in today’s world
And just for change’s sake (as far as I know), Lenovo decided to paint the Enter key black instead of the traditional ThinkPad blue and the Windows key is bigger on the W530 than the W520 (1.5cm squared vs. 1cm squared).
To those coming from an older ThinkPad, the newer keyboards are either something to love or something to hate. The older keyboard in previous generations were renowned for their quality and keyboard feel (certainly, they were one of the best laptop keyboard on the market) and is so popular that it has an almost religious following among ThinkPad users. On the flip side, the newer keyboard has a lot to prove to the ThinkPad community. While the common-used alphanumeric keys have the same area and spacing as the old keyboard and the typing quality on it is above average (compared to other island-style keyboards), Lenovo’s choice to move and kill off some special function keys fly in the face of what most ThinkPad users would want. I love using the Forward/Back buttons while browsing the internet and using Windows Explorer, for example, but with the current and likely future ThinkPad's killing those buttons off, I will miss being able to navigate with just my right pinkie. The choice to move the Print Screen button to the bottom of the keyboard just baffles me, period. It would have been nice if Lenovo had kept the 7-row layout while designing the new keyboard and if the keys had stayed in pretty much the same positions during the change (for example, “special keys” staying in the top-right, bringing back the Forward/Back buttons), I wouldn’t make too much fuss over the new style even though I personally prefer traditional keyboards. At least the Fn button stays in the bottom-left corner, an odd quirk that’s been featured on ThinkPad's for as long as I can remember.
Build and Design
Just like the W520 before it, the newer W530 is a tough machine, built well and meant to last. The outside casing of the laptop is made using ABS plastic, while the inside contains an internal rollcage to protect internal electronics in case of a drop or other accident. It also makes the laptop all but impossible to flex (there’s maybe a millimeter or two of flex when twisting the display). There is a keyboard draining system that will protect the laptop in the event of a small liquid spill onto the keyboard as well. Sturdy, metal hinges attach the display to the body of the W530, and they are firm enough to hold any angle they are set up despite any typical vibrations or other movements, and if the W520 is any indicator, they will stay firm for years to come.
As I’ve mentioned in my Thinkpad W520 review, Lenovo’s business laptops are certainly capable of withstanding a few drops onto the floor. Even with repeated drops, having the power brick fall onto the palm rest from several feet above, and traveling with the notebook unprotected in a backpack for just over a year, I’m sure that the W530 will be able to survive prolonged abuse for years to come.
One thing to note about the W530 (and workstation laptops in general) is the power brick. The version with the K1000M GPU comes with the 135W power adaptor and it’s just slightly smaller and lighter than an actual brick of the clay variety, coming in at 6in by 2.5in by 1.4in and 1.83lbs. Those considering buying a W530 with the K2000M will receive the 170W power adaptor (like my W520), which measures 6.5in by 3in by 1.4in and actually weighs less (1.7lbs) oddly enough.
Display
While the review unit came with a 900p, 220 nit HD+ display, the W530 is also available with a 768p 220 nit display (which I recommend against; 768p needs to stay in netbooks and bargain-bin laptops, not workstations) and a 1080p, 95% color gamut, 270 nit FHD display. Depending on the configuration options, either the 768p is the default and the 900p is a $50 upgrade, or the 900p is the default; the 1080p display is a $250 option, though after owning a W520 with said display, I highly recommend it if it’s in the budget. Both the W520 and W530 use the same model displays.
With the 1080p display to the left and 900p display to the right, the 50 nit difference shows. Compared to the HD+ display, the FHD appears to be noticeably brighter (though in photos, it shows as being more white-washed, though this is due to the camera and not the displays). Colors on the 95% gamut FHD are also more saturated than the HD+ display, though the HD+ display still has colors that pop out well. Black reproduction on either display is good, with both being very dark. Being TN panels, viewing angles on either is just average, though better than on glossy display found in most consumer laptops. Tilt either screen back far enough (they go just past 180 degrees) and colors turn into shades of black or extremely darker versions.
Sound
This is where the W530 makes the W520 look shameful. Owners of the W520 workstation laptop would either have to use an external speaker set, headphones, or have to perform modifications in order to have a laptop that sounds half-way decent. The W520 speakers were low volume (even when at 100%), had no depth, and would sound tinny when playing near 100% and/or playing high-pitch noises.
In contrast, the W530 actually sounds amazing. In my review of the Thinkpad W520, I contrasted the W520 to a Dell XPS 15 with JBL speakers, concluding that the only way to get good sound from a W520 was to use a different sound solution from the internal speakers. However, I feel that the W530 can compete with media center laptops in terms of audio performance, a major plus over the previous generation Lenovo workstation. This is in thanks to different audio drivers (the W520 uses the Conexant 20672 SmartAudio HD drivers, and the W530 uses Realtek High Definition Audio) and Lenovo’s inclusion of Dolby Home Theater v4 software, which I went into detail about in the Ideapad U310 review. In a nutshell, this software includes a few factory-shipped sound profiles and settings appropriate for different usage scenarios, which allow a user to enhance voice quality (in the Movie profile) or to enjoy rich sound when listening to music (in the Music profile and various settings). While the W520 was tinny and lacked bass, the W530 can reproduce sounds from any pitch found in music and gives great bass for a laptop lacking a subwoofer.
Software
Unlike the previous W520, Lenovo’s ThinkPad W530 comes with a bit of bloatware out of the box. Of course, there is the typical trial AV software, Intel WiDi, and Microsoft Office Starter 2010, though this is to be expected in pretty much any laptop bought today. Also included is a trial of Nitro Pro 7, a PDF editing suite, and Corel DVD MovieFactory (Lenovo Edition). Lenovo also includes a cloud storage solution called “Lenovo Cloud Storage by SugarSync”. Skype is also included on the W530 and with the integrated camera, the video coming from the W530 user looks clear and colorful.
Lenovo also includes some excellent software as well. My personal favorite is the Lenovo Power Manager 6, which is like the default Windows power manager on steroids. A user can change system settings (CPU deep sleep, display brightness, ODD power, etc.), idle timers (when to stop the HDD, dimmed display brightness, standby and hibernation), advanced settings (allow/disallow hybrid sleep and wake timers, power management for PCIe, USB, CPU, and system cooling), events and alarms. By default, it comes with six power profiles (Power Source Optimized, Max. Performance, Max. Battery Life, Video Playback, Energy Saver (which actually drains more power than Max. Battery Life, oddly), and Timers off (for when a user wants to use the W530 in a presentation).
The best I can describe Lenovo SimpleTap as being is a Metro-like interface on top of Windows 7; either launching it from the Start menu or the blue ThinkVantage button on the keyboard will activate it, resulting in the traditional Windows desktop being replaced with a Metro-style tile system and a toolbar on the top-right corner. The user can always exit out of this interface by either pressing the Escape key or clicking on the SimpleTap background. The included Thinkpad-branded fingerprint software is also excellent, allowing for a simpler and more secure way to log into Windows; I use it exclusively on my personal W520, though there is a setting to allow a user to log in with a password en lieu of a fingerprint. Last but not least is the ThinkVantage Tools suite, which includes the above ThinkPad applications, plus: Password Vault, Update and Drivers, Airbag Protection (an active protection system for the HDD), Factory Recovery Disks, Messages from Lenovo, Enhanced Backup and Restore, Internet Connections System Health and Diagnostics, and Web Conferencing.
In the case of a fresh Windows install, a user can always download the Thinkpad-branded software from Lenovo’s website. If anything, I recommend keeping the Power Manager software.
Battery Life
Not using Power Manager’s Battery Stretch, the Lenovo Thinkpad W530 was able to last six hours and 46 minutes while having the display brightness set to 5 out of 15 and only using the Intel GPU (Optimus disabled). The 6-cell battery was also able to last five hours and 25 minutes under those same conditions, but also included a 45 minute YouTube video. Using the same settings, but running solely on the K1000M, the W520 manages a battery life of three hours and 52 minutes.
Out of curiosity, I tried installing my W520’s 9-cell battery into the W530, and while it fitted correctly, there were some issues. If a user tries booting with the older battery, the W530 will stop booting and display the following message:
The battery installed is not supported by this system and will not charge. Please replace the battery with the correct Lenovo battery for this system. Press the ESC key to continue.
What that means is that even if the W530 is plugged into its charger, the laptop will still not recharge the battery. This is because the older batteries lack an authentication chip inside of them (found in OEM batteries in the -30 series of Thinkpads). A user can still use an older battery with the system, but will have to find some other means to charge up other than the W530.
User Upgradability
If you know how to use a screwdriver, you can upgrade the W530 yourself with aftermarket parts. Lenovo, in a way, even encourages this by publishing their service manuals online. To access RAM slots 3 and 4 and to access the hard drive bay, all that’s needed is to remove the only two doors on the underside of the laptop, three screws total. This ThinkPad ships with a Hitachi Z7K500 500GB 7200RPM hard drive and no RAM in the last two slots (out of a total of four slots, allowing 32GB of RAM maximum).
To gain access to the rest of the components, there are two additional screws located on the bottom that must be undone. One is located right next to the RAM module door (towards the front edge of the laptop) and the other is located within the RAM module area itself. When these are gone, all one needs to do to remove the keyboard is to slide it towards the display, lift from the bottom edge near the trackpad, and carefully move towards the trackpad. First thing I noticed was that the size, shape, and connector is the same for both the W530’s keyboard and W520’s keyboard, so it might be possible to put an traditional ThinkPad keyboard into this Ivy Bridge system. However, there are additional keys on the W520’s keyboard that are not found on the W530 (Screen Lock, Forward/Back keys, etc.) and the BIOS probably would not know how to handle those extra keys. Anyway, Lenovo ships out this particular system with two sticks of generic Samsung memory (4GB each), an Intel 6205 WiFi card, and a slot for either a WWAN card or mSATA SSD (only one can be installed at a time). If an end user must have both, they could install the mSATA SSD and use an ExpressCard 3G cellular data card externally.
Conclusion
Like its predecessor, the W530 is a functional workstation laptop that’s first out of the gate with an array of Ivy Bridge processors to choose from. It can pack up to an Extreme Edition i7-3920XM, nVidia Quadro K2000 GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1080p display, and up to three system drives -- mSATA SSD, primary HDD bay, and another drive if you replace the optical bay with an Ultrabay HDD caddy. While not equipped with the more expensive options, our review unit is certainly a great workstation that will serve a professional well in any CUDA-based work (CAD, video or photo editing, graphics design, etc.). The most noticeable change between the W520 and W530 is the keyboard, and for a lot of potential buyers it will be a love it or hate it situation. For those buying into the ThinkPad line for the first time, it may not bother you too much. Those who are long-time ThinkPad users (such as myself) will probably be disappointed in the direction Lenovo has gone with the new design, but ignoring the odd arrangement of non-alphanumeric keys the new ThinkPad keyboard is actually a joy to type on. The curved keys fit well around the fingers, just like the old keyboard, and since the spacing between keys are the same it shouldn’t feel too different for those upgrading to a newer ThinkPad.
If history is any indicator, the ThinkPad W530 should not only be the first Ivy Bridge mobile workstation, but will also be the lightest of the bunch as well (the W520 was 5.95lbs, Dell’s Precision M4600 was around 6lbs, and HP’s Elitebook 8650w started at 6.5lbs). My only objective complaint about the W530 (ignoring the keyboard) is that Lenovo did not introduce an option for users to purchase one with a FirePro professional GPU (Quadro’s competition), found in workstations offered by Dell and HP. For those that do not need CUDA, it would have been a great, cost-effective solution while still staying with the legendary ThinkPad line.
Pros
Business-quality durability
Multiple storage drive options
Over 6.5 hours of battery life
IBM warranty support
Vastly improved sound quality (compared to the W520)
Cons
No Forward/Back keys, other missing keys
Cannot use previous-generation Lenovo OEM batteries

I think no one "normally" working will use touch specific elements of Win8! Metro is one part of Win8, but i think normal desktop mode will be preferred by 99 % of the users.
With the new upcoming Microsoft Surface, touch might work well, but i just don't see myself touching my laptop's screen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------W520 4276CTO i7-2860QM Quadro2000M 1920x1080 16GB RAM - 160 GB Intel 320 SSD

USB 3.0 expressCard for Lenovo G555

Hello,
is it possible to connect a usb 3.0 ExpressCard to my Lenovo G555?
thank you!

hi giordan31,
Welcome to the Forums.
Yes it's possible to connect a USB 3.0 ExpressCard adapter if you have the G555 with expresscard slot. You may also want to check this review as it list PRO's and CON's of using this type of adapter.
Best regards,
neokenchi
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Expresscard/34 Esta Adapters Crash OS X -- long-standing issue.

Hi everyone,
I have a MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2008) that has exhibited this issue from the onset of using an Expresscard/34 esata adapter: Upon inserting the Esata adapter, I will get a Kernel Panic (the one whree I get multiple languages saying I must hold down the power button to shut down).
I thought this was a driver issue, but this has been present from 1.5 Leopard all the way to the current 10.6.4, and has always been present. I have tried different brands / makes of expresscard/34 adapters, 1-port, 2-port, different chipsets -- but the problem always persists. And, of course, I have tried disk repair, etc to make sure the mac is running correctly.
The problem overall, however, is not fully consistent: upon plugging in the esata adapter, a number of times it will boot up the drives just fine, whereas others it will crash immediately. If the drives boot up successfully, it will never crash afterwards; it seems to be an initialization / startup issue with esata adapter cards (again, this isn't limited to one chipset, or brand, or model). Likewise, I have used different esata hubs, with different chipsets...and this doesn't seem to be the root of the problem, either; at this point the issue may indeed point to the Mac itself.
At this point, I'm not sure what to try. I've gone through years worth of OS X updates, patiently sent crash reports upon all the crashes, with descriptions -- but with no solution ever offered or integrated. My AppleCare warranty expires March 17, 2011...so if I need to do some returning, etc -- I feel like it should be done pretty soon. This Macbook Pro in particular has had the logic board and monitor already re-conditioned due to manufacturer defects (faulty NVIDIA chip, and the monitor issue). Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!
John

Hi John
I was just reading on this; I would like to propose some info, info you might already have read:
http://macperformanceguide.com/Reviews-eSATA-MBPCore_i7-Conclusions.html
+For example, inserting the card incorrectly still can cause a kernel panic (crash)+
Recommended by this person:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/EXP34SATA2F1/?utm_sourc e=diglloyd-mpg
Wish you the best

2 different expresscard/34s with 2 firewire 800 ports are not fully recognized on new macbook pro 17" under lion

We have 2 expresscard/34s, a Belkin ec1394b2 and a Startech "FireWire 800 ExpressCard". Both are "reported" to suppport OS X but neither does more than show "PCI FireWire 800 ExpressCard" in the available interfaces list in Network Preferences with a status of "Not Connected". In the System Information report under "FireWire Device tree" it shows the built-in FW 800 port as "FireWire Bus" with a drop down arrow which expands to the proper hard/software dtails and then "FireWire Bus" with no dropdown arrow, no more info.
Now that I have them I see no reference to mac or OS X but I've seen a number of reviews of these cards from OS X users who claim to be using them happily. It's a long weekend so everyones tech support is gone gone gone. Any suggestions?

A) It seems your problem is an hardware failure. It happens and I don't think the way you use Firewire devices is the cause of that problem. It's just bad luck. That said, it's probably a good thing to use the power supply of your hard drive instead of bus-power.
B) If you want a new computer and you don't need something portable, I think the iMac is an excellent choice for the price. Over a Macbook Pro, you'll gain a bigger screen, FW400 port, etc, and you'll pay less than if you buy a laptop.
C) If you still want to go with a laptop, you can hook the Duet to your hard drive but I don't think the bus will be able to power both devices. Therefore, you'll absolutely need to use your hard drive's power supply.

Low read/write speed of ExpressCard/34

Hello!
I'm using WD My Book Studio Edition II 4Tb (http://support.wdc.com/product/kb.asp?groupid=114&lang=ru) with JMicron JMB360 ExpressCard/34 controller (http://www.jmicron.com/Product_JMB360.htm) on my MacBook Pro 17" now and seems it works slower than it should.
Speed of reading or writing operations is about 900MBit/sec - 1Gbit/sec now (i can write a file of 2.29 Gb on my disk in 25-27 sec and read it in 30-32 sec). Drive Manager doesnt work with eSata connections, so i cant measure speed good enouph, sorry.
Is there a way to increase data transfer speed?
Is the speed, i have now, normal?
Thank you and sorry for my... simple english.
Best, Denis

http://macperformanceguide.com/Reviews-SonnetSATAPro.html
I believe the info contained in this review sheds some light on the slow speeds. Clipped from the article is this:
The MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.6 kills write performance on ExpressCard SATA adapters using the Silicon Image SiI-3132 chipset, but , and it’s unclear what vendors can do about it, except that using SoftRAID seems to help (more than 2X!). Such cards include those from FirmTek, CalDigit, Sonnet (non-pro version), LaCie, etc). The Sonnet SATA Pro is not affected.
Thanks to Michael Bean of AMUG for bringing this explanation to my attention. He has tested several Silicon Image SI-3132-based cards from other vendors and found the slowdown to be uniform among them—in short it’s an Apple-induced headache for every vendor using that chipset. It’s a very good reason to consider the Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro preferentially, even given its higher cost.
I hope this helps.

W530 Firewire and ExpressCard slot

So I've not seen a consistent spec showing whether the W530 comes with a Firewire port and/or an ExpressCard port. I would like to have both ports but I've seen spec sheets and reviews that state just one or the other port but not both or they simply forgot to mention it. So which is it or are there various configurations of ports with the W530 depending on when it was built?

Very strange. I can't find the mention of a FireWire port on a machine in the wild.
This is from the (English) User Guide
[edit] Here's one where the reseller lists a 1394 port. I'm not recommending this vendor - it was just a Google hit on the machine type + 1394. For all I know, they all have FireWire.
Lenovo ThinkPad W530 2438-2MU 15.6" Notebook Computer
Z.
The large print: please read the Community Participation Rules before posting. Include as much information as possible: model, machine type, operating system, and a descriptive subject line. Do not include personal information: serial number, telephone number, email address, etc. The fine print: I do not work for, nor do I speak for Lenovo. Unsolicited private messages will be ignored. ... GeezBlog
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Lion 10.7 - Proper driver for Dynex eSATA Expresscard adapter?

I just upgraded to OS X Lion today, and I'm having trouble talking to my external drive with my eSATA expresscard adapter. (see link below)
http://reviews.bestbuy.com/3545/8682393/dynex-2-port-esata-ii-expresscard-adapte r-reviews/reviews.htm
The adapter is detected as a "Mass Storage Controller," but I can't get any connectivity with my external drive. Has anyone had success with this/any expresscard adapter? Back to good ol' USB 2.0 for the time being I guess...
Thanks in advance!

I can confirm that this driver (SLI 3132 ver. 1.2.5.0) is working for my Dynex 2 port e-SATA II ExpressCard Adapter.
(Link to Mac specific driver page)
I haven't done any super heavy lifting with it yet, but so far so good.
Will report back if I see any issues over the next couple days of use.

Expresscard FW800

I'm trying to find an expresscard FW800 or esata adapter and I don't seem to be able to find any on the web anywhere.
My new MacBook Pro will be arriving soon and I need one of these cards to handle video editing (HDV/HD etc).
Can anyone help? Or point me in the right direction? I live in the UK.

Here is a list of the cards I have found:
Firewire 800:
http://www.cooldrives.com/iefi800exsis.html
eSATA:
http://firmtek.stores.yahoo.net/seritek2sm2e.html
here's a review/benchmark of the eSATA card:
http://www.barefeats.com/hard71.html
check out both and read reviews in the forums because I recall seeing some issues with both.

Expresscard Slot - L540 Do the L540 notebooks that are currently shipping have an Expresscard Slot

I need a notebook with an ExpressCard slot. From the web page the following is listed.Ports1 USB 3.0 powered, 3 USB 2.0, VGA, mini DisplayPort, RJ45, 4-in-1 card reader, audio/headphone combo jack, ExpressCard and/or SmartCard slots I am not sure what the and/or means and I cannot find a place to select either or in the configuration section. I sent a message but did not receive a response. Thank you!

I just found here that it does have an express card slot: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-ThinkPad-L540-20AV002YGE-Notebook.113894.0.html

Soundblaster X-Fi expresscard crashing computer (PC

So... My PC has been locking up and "freezing" lately. It's the type of freezing where you can't do anything but hold down the power button and reboot it! Very annoying... After doing some troubleshooting I think I narrowed the issue down to my new soundcard and the drivers! It only happens when the soundcard (Creative Soundblaster X-fi Expresscard) is hooked in. It didn't happen until after I started using the soundcard either! Almost all signs point to the card as the culprit. I did some research and read that the drivers for a lot of these soundblaster cards are very unstable...
It usually happens when a) playing a game, b) playing music/movies, c) editing music, or d) surfing the net (very rare though). If I unhook my soundcard, I can go for days without a lock up. I'm beginning to think that the drivers for this card are screwing with my computer when they are acti've. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I went with the Creative because it was cheap, and seemed to have good reviews from what I read. However, I'm thinking I may have to go with something else to enjoy my media with, since I really believe that this card doesn't go so well with my system. So... could my sound card be the cause of these lock ups?! If so, is there anyway to prevent/fix it (other than getting rid of it and getting something else)?! I have been happy with it's performance so far... I'd like to keep using it, but if it's going to keep causing me to friggin restart my computer all the time than I can't!

: I had the same problem with a different product.... a ipod with rockbox? (open source os) installed onto it.
The issue is that your pc sees the usb device as bootable? no idea why.
But my solution was to go into bios and move usb booting below HD therefore elminating the problem.
You may either keep on removing the x-fi to boot or change your bios as i did (cant hurt to try it)
Cheers.

New 2014 X1 Carbon Touch - 1 Week Review

I've had the New 2014 Carbon X1 for about a week now, so I thought I'd post a review about my experiences thus far.
The version I received was the high end model, i7 4th gen, 8gb ram, IPS 2560x1440 touch display. This is the first Lenovo device I have purchased, and I did so at the recommendation of my brother who has owned a T series for the last 3 years. I am a film student, so my intention is to do some light video editing (not rendering) and lightroom/ photoshop work on this device (in addition to daily use of OneNote). I was looking for a powerful ultrabook with good build quality, battery life, and cooling when I purchased this laptop.
Hardware:
The hardware on this device has highly conservative look, which I appreciate. The laptop doesn't draw attention, but is pleasing to the eye when viewed up close. I like the fact that there are not as many creases or lines that run through the body of the device (when compared to other devices), which results in a more free flowing but unified appearance.
The matte plastic on the top of the lid has a slightly rubberized texture, making the device easy to grip. My hands get hot and moist consistently, so the lid does occasionally pick up some faint moisture streaks if I carry it without a case. The slightly rubberized texture is pleasant to the touch and is easy to wipe down with a damp cloth. The inside of the device has a similar plastic around the keys and palm rests, but does not attain as much of a rubber (soft) feel as the lid. The texture on the palm rests is good, and stays cool under extended typing conditions.
At first I was having issues with the keyboard whereby I would press the spacebar too early in a word. This is due to not pressing the letter keys down firmly enough. After adjusting my finger pressure while typing, I have been able to avoid this problem for the most part. The pressure I am applying to the keys is just a hair more than I am used to, but it is something that doesn't cause a major inconvenience. The backlight on the keyboard is excellent, not too bright or too dim at any one moment.
The fingerprint reader took several tries to set up, mostly because there is a discrepancy between the lenovo fingerprint software and the integrated Windows 8 security fingerprint setting. By installing my index finger for login on both programs, I was able to successfully unlock the computer from sleep with a swipe of my finger. I am really impressed by the integration of a light on the sensor. When my print isn't accepted the first time, an amber color light flashes on site. Its easier to just look at the light than have to switch my glance back to the monitor after every swipe (like my previous HP laptop). Upon a successful swipe, a lime color light flashes on the reader.
The screen on the device meets my expectations in every way. The display is IPS which is required for accurate photo editing, and it is LED which makes it very power efficient. Viewing angles are fine, but they could be a little better. Brightness is excellent, but the initial settings have Auto Brightness enabled. On this setting, pumping the brightness up to "100%" really means 100% of what the Auto Brightness function deems appropriate for the current ambient light. To have full manual control, Auto Brightness must be disabled. This results in a much brighter screen with beautiful whites, deep blacks, etc. This is a 300nit display so brightness is very well addressed. As a side note, the laptop was shipped with what appears to be an installed screen protector. There are several holes around the microphones and camera, and a tiny seam along the edge of the screen. The protector is virtually unnoticeable, so I'm leaving it on for the time being. It is much cleaner than any other factory installed laptop screen protector (or film) than I've ever seen (no bubbles, peel-off tabs, or misalignment).
Cooling on the device is good, but it did not exceed my expectations. On power saver mode, the bottom of the laptop is cool to the touch except the back right corner. To the touch the corner feels as warm as something that's been in the sun for 5 minutes or so which is excellent. I have a temp gun so I'll have to check specifics later. On high performance mode, heat significantly increases. Most of the bottom of the laptop heats up even if no intensive tasks are being run. If the laptop is on my lap, I prefer it to be in power saver mode for this reason.
Battery life is good for such a small laptop. I have 8 hours of back to back classes and I type notes basically the whole time. With this laptop, it is entirely possible to go that full period without a charger. So far I have done this twice. The settings I use are Wifi off, low brightness, and I enable high contrast mode in accessibility center so the glaring white of OneNote doesn't blind me during the film screenings.
Webcam looks great for google hangouts, and the microphones are the most sensitive I've ever used. They can pick up the voice of someone to the side and across the room with great clarity.
Overall the weight and feel of the laptop is very pleasing. Such a light weight for its size, and it feels solid to the touch and doesn't flex the slightest when handled different ways (carbon fiber ++). When compared to a macbook air, it is nearly identical in size and weight. However, I find typing on the lenovo is much more pleasant because the front edge of the palm rest isn't sharp enough to dig into my hands.
Software
The Lenovo Solution software (pinned to taskbar upon installation) is easy to use and responsive (unlike similar HP suites). I am actually going to rely on this software for updates instead of disabling it.
For the first few days of use, there was a touch keyboard toolbar button pinned to my start bar that would appear again even after disabling it. I researched the problem and it was permanently removed from the taskbar by uninstalling the touchpad driver and reinstalling it. Odd.
The adaptive row of keys is a good idea, but it is not as responsive as I'd like. When using the visual gestures or dragon voice control, there is significant lag between pressing the adaptive key and the program actually running. Each time, a lenovo window appears and it takes several mouse clicks to get to a functioning state for each button. One thing I am VERY disappointed about is the lack of any play/pause/stop/next/previous buttons for the adaptive row to use with a media player. These buttons are necessary, and not having them is unacceptable in my opinion.
Touch responsiveness is liquid smooth in both power saver and high performance modes. Zooming in on bing maps, drawing with all ten fingers, swiping through metro - all a delightfully lag-free experience.
Windows 8 - ahhhhhh. This is my first device to run windows 8, and it's alright. It'll take some getting used to, but from my experience so far it is responsive and useful in its design. I really want to be able to pin a firefox link to my start screen, but it seems like all I can do is pin the firefox app instead.
As mentioned in a previous post, there are several issues with programs that aren't adapted to the ultra high res display. That discussion can be found here.
The sleeve I purchased for this machine was the "V7 Ultra Protective Sleeve for 13.3-Inch Ultrabook and Notebook". The fit is great (the slightest bit loose on the ends) and the quality is above par for such a low price. I spilled a significant amount of apple juice on the case just yesterday (shakes head) and it protected the notebook well.
Overall Experience:
I'm pleased with my purchase. High price point? YES. For that amount I think the RAM should be at least 16gb and the SSD could be 500gb. Overall it is a pleasure to use and look at. Honestly so many things are right about this machine, it just allows me to focus on my work and stop worrying about my battery level or my trackpad glitching or the CPU overheating or lag or other petty issues that other notebooks make you deal with. That's what I like - its a smooth connection between me and getting things done while away from my desktop.
I haven't edited video on it yet, so that will come in a few weeks. I'm planning on buying an external drive to hold the files while I edit, then just plug it into my desktop when I get home ready to render.
Eli Bottom
elibottom.com
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ColonelONeill wrote:
How's the new clickpad?
Does the keyboard flex under reasonable pressure?
Is the adaptive bar actually a pixel-based LCD or just a series of predefined patterns like the really old LCD displays?
The "new" clickpad is very slick. The texture is good but just a little too rubbery for my taste. In comparison with my brother's old T series, I prefer the X1.
Under reasonable pressure, absolutely not. The amount of force it takes for me to flex it is something I'd never do under normal use. It feels very solid in my opinion.
Upon a close inspection, the adaptive touch bar appears to be the old LCD type. I really want those media keys.

FBL5N Review Open and Cleared Invoices per Customer

WHen one of our users goes into FBL5N to review open and cleared invoices he adds the WBS and the Profit Center. When the report runs it is blank. I looked at the invoice itself and the WBS and Profit center is on the invoice but I don't know why it doesn't show up on the report. Can anyone tell me why this happens? Do I need to make any kind of adjustment before running the report?
Thanks

I looked at the VF03 and there is a WBS and Profit Center on the Invoice. If this report shows Open and Cleared invoices then it should bring what is on the invoice in the report but doesn't.
I had someone email me this response"
Hi linda,
For your info, The reason why profit center and WBS element blank in report FBL5N is, this report purposely used to display subledger account.When me made a posting, balance sheet account is not require
cost object.Only PNL account require cost object.
Regards,
Abdul
I would like to know what other report in SAP shows open and cleared invoices with the Profit Center and WBS?

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