Got my X200s from Provantage...

Got the 74663HU version (XP preloaded).

Some first impressions (many in comparison to the 10" MSI WIND I had in the couple last weeks):

Positives:
- Screen is very bright (also very sharp and readable).
- Keyboard is superb, so comfortable (never had a thinkpad before). The MSI WIND I have now feels like a useless toy for serious work.
- After I charged the battery to 100%, it showed 7 hours and 30 minutes left with Wifi on. Not sure how truth is there for such claim though, but it's still a good sign at least.
- The 6 cell battery indeed sticks at the bottom, so the keyboard is tilted downward, but as I suspected it makes typing more comfortable, and typing letters on the left side of the keyboard doesn't make the laptop lose grip (since the back left foot of the x200s is on air).
- Intel 5100 wifi seems to work well. When I compare it to the MSI WIND I can see much more access points in my building, but maybe this says more about the WIND...
- Next to the 10" MSI WIND, the 12.1" of the X200s seems HUGE. It's so easier to work on...

Negatives:
- The 6cell battery sits somewhat loose. This is a bit annoying, and I've heard about this problem from other people (not sure maybe with the X200). I hope there is some DIY fix for that.
- The contrast of the screen is not so great, the MSI WIND has better contrast. The X200s is rated as 300:1 which is better than the X200 with 250:1, but still in absolute terms I wish the contrast was a bit better (though in real life work, office/internet this is not a problem).

Regarding the total weight of the laptop, I wish I could measure it. It suppose to be similar in weight to the MSI WIND, but for some reason it feels heavier. I have a scale for small weights, but it's only good up to 500 grams. I weighted the 6 cell battery alone with it, and it measured 321 grams.

The only way I could weigh the X200s is if I will go on the human scale with it, but there are two problems, first it won't be extremely accurate, and second due to a crash I have on some girl I lost much weight in the last 3 days, I fear to go on the scale and face the number...

 

there is a way to lock the battery by a switch on the bottom of the laptop, its the same switch u use to release the battery. just the opposite direction.

 

I put it on Youtube for you to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U9mTk4d3S0

 

Thanks for the first impressions!

What time do you get on the 6 cell battery? Is it near the 8 hours Lenovo claims?
Also, how's the backlight? Is it bright enough to work in heavy sunlight (at 100%)?
And last: do you have some keyboard flex? Means the whole keyboard bends a bit down if you push hard on the left or right side.

 

I haven't had time to check that in real life scenario... all I know is it reports 7:30 when at 100% (with wifi ON and screen brightness minus 2 clicks from maximum)

Today it's partially cloudy here, and when I go near the big window in my home things are still very readable at maximum brightness. Not sure about heavy sunlight though...

I tried pushing relatively hard (much harder than I will ever push in real life working) and if there is some flex it's very minimal. In comparison, the flex with the MSI WIND is much more pronounced, even if I push with a weaker force. As I said before I think the keyboard is superb.

The only thing that really annoys me now with the X200s is the loose battery. There is no way I'm going to live with that, I'm thinking of what's the best way to improvise a solution.

 

Sound's good, that's what I'd expect.

Hm, ok, probably not the best time in the year to check this.

Sound's better than I expected, especially because there is not much room for flexing at those mini notebooks.
I admit, I'm spoiled by a ThinkPad X24 keyboard, so my expectations are quite high.

Yeah, that's definitely nothing a ThinkPad user can accept. Hopefully not every device has this problem. I'd try to fix it with a little bit foam rubber on the sides of the battery, that should keep it fix.

 

This has been a "problem" with the previous 2 x-series notebooks I've owned (X60s and X61s). The persistence of the problem makes me think that there may be a design reason for the small bit of play. It isn't like Lenovo is unaware that there is 1-2mm of play in the battery after several years, one design revision and one design overhaul. I can't think of what exactly a reason for a bit of play in the battery is though!

Anyway, it is easily solved. I simply taped a business card to the side of the battery. No more wiggle.

 

Thanks Thomas and Jackboot.

 

It is probably just an issue with manufacturing tolerances. The battery bay and the batteries themselves each have a set tolerance range, and depending on where each one falls in this range the battery could either be very tight or moderately loose. On my T40 I had 3 batteries. All fit pretty snug and didn't wobble, but two of them (both of my replacements) were extremely difficult to remove because they were overly tight. Lenovo may have shifted the tolerances so that even the biggest batteries in the smallest bays are not too difficult to remove. However, this would create some slack space and/or wiggle if you have a bay at the high side of the tolerances and a battery at the low side of the tolerances.

 

That sounds logical to me!

 

Does anyone know if the 4 cell wiggles too or just the 6 and above?

 

Probably, although it will be less of a problem because the 4 cell is lighter and doesn't protrude from the laptop (the 6 cell is taller, and the 9 cell is longer AND taller).

 

Hello Noam23. Could you help me to send/upload OEMINFO.INI and OEMLOGO.BMP on your preloaded XP to me ?

Thanks.

 

Hey noam23, have you done a warranty lookup? I would love to know, as I am wanting to pull the trigger.

Warranty lookup:
-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=LOOK-WARNTY