Thinkpad X200 Tablet Review

Lenovo’s Thinkpad line is known for its high-quality and understated design – perfect for business applications. The X200 is their lightweight tablet featuring a 12.1″ screen.

Design

The X200 is clearly a Thinkpad, inheriting the matte black style that lingers from its IBM days. Although not stunning in any way, it is a very professional look. The unit features the Thinkpad line’s usual sturdy build quality, which is a bonus on a convertible tablet. The single, small hinge convertibles use sometimes feels questionable, but this unit inspires confidence.

One quirk of this computer is the presence of only an eraser- sized pointing device, rather than the trackpad most laptops are equipped with. Located in the middle of the keyboard, this pointing method draws mixed reviews. It is closer to your fingers while typing, but unlike what most laptop users are accustomed to. Whether or not you appreciate this method, the X200’s ability to be run with a pointing device on the screen negates some of the potential drawbacks.

Usage

Using the Thinkpad X200 is a pleasant experience. The keyboard, like most Thinkpad units, is exceptional. The screen, at 12.1 inches and 1280 x 800 resolution, is fine, and is bright enough to be read outdoors. It is not a touchscreen, in that your fingers cannot operate the tablet, but the screen is compatible with a digital pen. This allows you to write or operate the tablet with a special, included pointing device.

Like most convertible 12.1″ tablets, the X200 has a little bit of weight, but it is not excessive for reasonable periods of use. If you will be carrying it the entire day, consider something lighter (Apple’s iPad would be the extreme), but for normal usage the weight should not be a problem.

Performance & Battery Life

The Thinkpad X200 has been available for some time, and equipped with various processors over that period. It utilizes different versions of Intel’s Core 2 Duo, which is not blazingly fast, but provides for solid performance, especially considering the compact dimensions of this machine.

It is possible to purchase the X200 with either a 4 or 8 cell battery. Lenovo advertises up to 10 hours on the larger battery, with the 4 cell running around half this amount. In tests, it appears the Lenovo may be a good 20% optimistic regarding lifetimes, but either number is a reasonable battery life for a modern laptop. Your usage scenario will dictate whether the larger or smaller capacity works best.

Conclusion

Lenovo’s X200 Thinkpad is an excellent 12.1″ convertible tablet. It provides reasonable performance, substantial battery life, pen-input capability, and does it all with the usual Thinkpad build quality and style. This is a machine firmly targeted at the business market, and an excellent choice for the salespeople and other professionals who consider a tablet computer a required piece for their day to day job.

To see X200 pricing – visit Amazon now.