Lenovo/IBM ThinkPad X41Tablet

REVIEW DATE: 06.06.05

By Cisco Cheng Rumors were running rampant when it came to guessing which vendor would be next to dip its toes in the rather tepid waters of the tablet market. Some said Apple, others Dell. It turns out that Lenovo/IBM beat them to it. The new ThinkPad X41 Tablet ($1,899 direct) is the lightest convertible on the market, and is perfectly positioned to help bring tablets into the mainstream. For these reasons and more, its our new Editors Choice, hands down, for convertible tablets. The beauty of the X41 Tablet is that it continues IBMs longtime and well-earned reputation for quality craftsmanship and engineering. The X41 Tablet looks and feels just like the ThinkPad X series of ultraportable, formidable systems and repeated Editors Choice winners, and its price is comparable too. The only difference here is that the screen swivels. The X41 Tablets 12-inch screen is anchored by a quad-metal alloy hinge, solid enough to handle frequent rotations of the screen. The front side and base of the unit are fortified with magnesium alloy, providing a durable exterior. The unit weighs just 3.5 pounds (system), in part because it doesnt have a built-in optical drive. Its lighter than both the HP Compaq tc4200 (our former Editors Choice for convertibles) and the Toshiba Portg M205-S809, both of which tip the scales at 4.6 pounds (system). The tablets screen has a perfect paper-like feel for writing, and the pen is comfortable to grip, like the pen on the Compaq tc4200. If you prefer typing, the tablet converts to a notebook, exposing IBMs patented full-size keyboard and TrackPoint. And the ThinkPad typing experience is still unmatched. The X41 comes with Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. Tapping and dragging with Windows Journal was nice, with almost no resistance between the screen and the movement of the pen. Microsofts OneNote 2003 note-taking program is available as an option. The X41 Tablet also comes with Zinio Reader and 90-day trial versions of Franklin Covey PlanPlus for Windows and Alias Sketchbook Pro. You also get Experience Pack for Tablet PC, which includes InkArt, Ink Crossword, Ink Desktop, and the Snipping Tool. A fingerprint reader is located on the side of the X41 Tablets screen. The reader swipes bidirectionally, so it doesnt matter if youre in portrait or landscape mode. The fingerprint reader combines with IBMs password manager and the ThinkVantage Security Subsystem 2.0 to provide an extra layer of security. The blue Access IBM button is available, as it is on all IBM ThinkPads, and accesses multiple utilities that can configure your wireless connections, set up your passwords, and back up and recover your drives. Below the fingerprint reader are a pageup/pagedown rocker, Enter, Escape, customizable Quick Launch, and Viewing Orientation buttons. The X41 Tablet is loaded with the same new Centrino components as the ThinkPad X41 notebook, including the Pentium M 758 (1.5 GHz), 512 DDRRAM, the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 GM chipset, and Intel Pro Wireless 2915BG. Our unit came with a 40GB hard drive, which is configurable up to 60GB. The unit also comes standard with a four-cell battery, which lasts approximately 2.6 hours. An eight-cell battery, which lasts approximately 6 hours, is available for $159 extra. The X41 Tablet does not come with a built-in optical drive, but an external DVDRW is available for $429. You also have the option of purchasing the X4 dock ($219), which includes a built-in CDRW optical drive; it will, however, most likely leave the Tablet deskbound because of its size. Unfortunately, we were unable to run our performance tests because our current benchmark tests do not support Windows XP Tablet Edition. If youve hesitated to buy a tablet, Lenovo/IBM is making that decision much easier for you. The ThinkPad X41 Tablet, the companys first attempt, is as great as its Xseries ultraportable counterpart, with the added benefits of the Tablet form factor. Its the markets lightest convertible, and we love it. For a list of all the specs of the tablets mentioned here, check out our comparative table.

COMPANY: Lenovo/IBM http://www.ibm.com SPEC DATA: Type: Business, Ultraportable Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Processor Name: Intel Pentium M 758 Processor Speed: 1.5 GHz RAM: 512 MB Hard Drive Capacity: 40 GB Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 GM Primary Optical Drive: External Wireless: 802.11a/g Screen Size: 12.1 inches System Weight: 3.2 lbs BOTTOM LINE: IBMs first tablet is first-rate and will surely bring some buzz to the tablet community. Its the lightest convertible around, and the screen has a perfect paper-like feel for writing. PROS: Lightest convertible tablet. Great pen-onpaper feel. Bidirectional fingerprint reader. ThinkVantage security system. CONS: No built-in optical drive. 1024x768 maximum resolution. PRICE: $1,880.00 - $2,522.00 EDITOR RATING
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X41 Tablet Setup Poster P/N 39T9256

11/15/2005

Process Black (This plate must be printed in PMS Process Black C) Process Magenta (This plate must be printed in PMS 032cvc) Font : IBM Fonts and Helvetica Neue Family Material : 100 gsm gloss art paper (Use 100% recycled paper in only Japan.) Blue line shows die-cut. DO NOT PRINT. Please change the barcode No. Please change printing country name if the poster is printed in other than China.
Size : 11x13 inches Color : 2 color job =

Access IBM

USB USB UltraConnect (TM) Wireless Antenna
ThinkPad(R) (4 cell) (8 cell)

TrackPoint(R)

EasyEject

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Presentation Director Tablet Shortcut Menu Tablet Shortcut Menu

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P/N: 39T9256
Process Black (This plate must be printed in PMS Process Black C) Process Magenta (This plate must be printed in PMS 032cvc) Font : IBM Fonts and Helvetica Neue Family Material : 100 gsm gloss art paper (Use 100% recycled paper in only Japan.) Blue line shows die-cut. DO NOT PRINT. Please change the barcode No. Please change printing country name if poster is printed in other than China.

ThinkPad X4

ThinkPad X41 Tablet Access IBM Help Center X4

ThinkVantage Access IBM

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7 SO-DIMM SO-DIMM AC ThinkPad Help Center SO-DIMM SO-DIMM ThinkPad Help Center LAN LAN "Access Connections"

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Productivity Center Help Center

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Printed in China
BIOS Installed memory 256 MB Installed memory
BIOS Setup Utility 512 MB SO-DIMM 768 MB
Copyright Lenovo 2005 Portions Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2005. All rights reserved.
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