ThinkPad X300 – The Art of Thin!

Welcome back!

What we not going to do here is start to compare the new Lenovo ThinkPad X300 with that ‘other’ ultra slim contender. That’s all been done to death and we have already had our own Macbook Air dig on this site.

So really, lets NOT blow any more hot air, OK? Down to business. The ThinkPad X300 is a design masterpiece. It just feels good to use, its well balanced and light to hold when carried and the keyboard is superb with the trademark ThinkPad TrackPoint and UltraNav touchpad.

It has an Integrated camera, digital microphone, good stereo speakers, and a security cable slot. The SSD and or Hard Drive of your choice is Shock-Mounted to protect your data.

So lets cut to the quick.

At first glance, with the lid closed, the ThinkPad X300 looks a bit like a miniature ThinkPad T20.

When the ThinkPad T20 was launched in May 200 it was available with a 13.3″ TFT display with 1024×768 resolution. That’s about where the comparison ends. The T20 was 1.5″ thick whereas the ThinlPad X300 is a sliver at .72″ at the front to .92″ at the rear.

With the 6-cell Li-Ion plus 3-cell Li-Polymer Option Bay you will get up to 10 hr of battery life. That will make a huge difference to your work capabilities on the move and on a long haul flight

This little wonder is incredibly strong with its rigid carbon-fiber/glass-fiber
ThinkPad “roll cage” technology. Nothing else compares for strength and rigidity in the ultra portable class of laptop.

It’s a Green Machine

The X300 is the most energy-efficient laptop in the Lenovo range. The ThinkPadX300 is the first Lenovo notebook rated EPEAT Gold for low energy use and minimal impact on the environment. It also meets the European Union’s Reduction of Hazardous Substances standards. It is also Energy Star 4.0 qualified. This should keep the environmentalists amongst us happier and our computing, and its certainly a great move forward.

ThinkPad X300 Quick TechSpec

Display resolution is 1440×900 from the 13.3″WXGA+ LED back lit screen. The
internal Storage is either via a 64 GB Solid State Drive, which gives super fast start times, or your choice of two hard drive.

Whilst the SSD drive at 64 GB may not seem like a lot and certainly wont fit all your photos and multimedia files, the X300 is meant to be a ‘traveling companion’, not your main desktop replacement. Having said that you do get a built in Ultrathin DVD Burner to store all your photos and media files if you are on a long trip.

You have the option of up to 4 GB PC2-5300/667 MHz Memory, but only 3 gig is addressable with a 32 bit operating system which of course most people will opt for.

Video graphics are taken care of by Intel’s Graphics Media Accelerator X3100.

There are plenty of connectivity options from Gigabit Ethernet, integrated WWAN, (GPS available with Verizon WWAN), Bluetooth, and the system is designed to support Intel® WiMax when it becomes available later in 2008.

ThinkPad X300 – Conclusion

Our advice, if your looking for the best ultraslim, ultraportable on the market, but a Thinkpad X300. OK, it’s pricey, but hey, you get what you pay for. It is so well engineered and built, it is difficult to conceive how Lenovo have done this even at this price. The X300 just exudes quality. Its no wonder that Lenovo can’t keep up with production. If you are looking to be right at the cutting edge and need the best superslim Laptop that money can buy, then get your wallet out and head over to www.theartofthin.com