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{:title "ThinkPad x270 Review" :layout :post :tags "Electronics" }

What is the x270?

The ThinkPad x270 is a laptop released by Lenovo in 2016. It's part of Lenovo’s X series laptops. Lenovo has stated that the X-series laptops include low power processors, long battery lives, and a lightweight build.

Why did I buy it?

A lightweight and small laptop for school was what I wanted. I thought a x270 would be a suitable fit for me, so I bought mine used off of eBay for 150 dollars. The seller categorized the quality as being Grade B.

The Quality

Electronics have a quality standard system called grades that let the buyer know the condition of a used/refurbished product. Grade B means the product will be in fine condition, but they will have a few scratches and marks that may be visible. Sometimes the keyboard may have shiny keys that show the signs of previous use, but their functionality remains the same. The laptop that I received was dirty. Some keys contained dust, but it wasn't anything alarming, since that can get cleaned with compressed air and a towel.laptopThe lid had multiple scratches and noticeable marks, but it didn't affect the functionality of the laptop. The seller did not include the AC adapter with the laptop either, so I also bought another charger for it. I spent around 180 dollars on the x270. I bought a new external battery because the one that came with it had signs of degradation.

The Specs


So what does this mean for the non-tech savvy people? It means it's a good laptop for doing things in the browser, like schoolwork, document editing, watching videos, and other things of that nature. When opening applications, the laptop was responsive and overall it runs smooth, even during heavy loads. The dual battery configuration can extend the lifespan of the laptop by a good 3-5 hours if you choose to add one, but if not, it should last around 8-12 hours. The integrated graphics combined with the duo core CPU means it won't be the best for things like games or for 3D rendering and of that nature. I think this is reasonable for how it's marketed. An ultraportable lightweight laptop for work.

Ports


The USB Type C port allows you to charge the laptop with a standard USB Type C cable. So, if you ever lose the AC adapter, you can live off a USB Type C charger. There are a lot of useful ports on the laptop.

Messing Around

The first thing I did when I received the laptop was open up the cover and check for potential upgrades/issues. overviewI noticed that there was an open slot for a 2.5-inch SSD slot, so that maybe a potential upgrade in the future. You can replace the ram stick since it’s not soldered. There is only one slot for the ram, so you can't run in a dual channel. The laptop that I received came with an NVMe drive instead of a SATA SSD drive, which was a pleasant surprise. NVMe SSDs consume less power, while providing faster write speeds over SATA SSDs, making them a better option. nvmeWhen I received the laptop, the dual battery configuration didn't work. The operating system detected only my internal battery. I installed all the proper firmware and drivers for the laptop, so I assumed it had something to do with the hardware. On the laptop, there's a connector for the internal battery.connector
I figured that if I pulled the connector, the power-cycle will cause the laptop to detect the battery. So I pulled it out and waited a few minutes. unconnectedOnce I inserted it again and connected the battery, it was now detected by my operating system.

Conclusions

For the price point, there aren't many negatives that I can think of for the laptop. The only negatives I can think of would be things like the sound output. It isn't loud enough and the fans can drown it out. The screen is also very dull and the color display is less than average. However, it comes with enough opportunities to upgrade, and it provides very solid performance. It's not the smallest, nor the lightest laptop, but I think the overwhelming amount of ports and the sturdy design, along with the performance resolves those cons.