Demo X230 in San Francisco / East Bay?

I just moved here in the East Bay Area from San Diego and was looking to get my first Thinkpad. I'm debating between the T430 or the X230 but I'm leaning towards the X230 and just use an external monitor whenever I'm on my desk. The IPS screen together with it's portability are pluses.

So I'm wondering, is there a store where I can see an X230 in the flesh? I'm still kind of hesitant ordering an $800+ machine without seeing it's dimensions/weight/feel. I know it's going to be quality and nice, as mentioned here and on reviews, but I still would want to be able to handle one first.

Thanks for reading!

 

The mainline Thinkpads typically aren't sold in brick-and-mortar stores, except in university bookstores and occasionally elsewhere. Your best bet would be to check with some universities nearby and see whether they have Thinkpads on display. UC Berkeley's Cal Store might have them on display, and possibly UCSF and others as well.

 

Thanks MidnightSun, I'll give those places a call and see if they have any on display.

 

This.

If you're willing to go further south/west, I know that the Stanford store will have them on display eventually; I just don't know when they'll get their display units.

 

Yep. They should have the display units by now; I know the UCLA Bookstore got the last-generation laptops very soon after release.