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ThinkPad X61 vs X201 vs X230: An X-series Showdown

This article is a transcript of a video that you can watch by clicking the thumbnail below. Hence, certain statements may not make sense in this text form, and watching the video instead is recommended.

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Intro

In the last video, I mentioned that I would have a dedicated comparison between my most favorite X-series ThinkPads. So here it is a showdown between the X61, X201, and the X230. This one may be biased, but it doesn't matter, as I love them all just the same.

The Contenders

The three computers we have for comparison today are the refined versions of their original designs. Meaning…

  1. the X61 was a better X60,
  2. the X201 was a better X200, and
  3. the X230 was indeed a better X220

The Oldest and the Slowest

Let us start with the oldest of the group, which naturally also happens to be the slowest. Actually, If I were to put my X61s against the other two, instead of this X61, it would be even slower, and that is in fact my slowest ThinkPad ever. However, as the other two aren't "s" variants, I decided to keep the comparison fair and use this X61 instead.

So about the X61, this machine stands out with its almost-square form factor, super-thin bezels, and keyboard keys that couldn't have been more edge-to-edge than they were back in the day. Hadn't it been the slower components, I'd say this 17-year-old design has aged unimaginably well when placed next to many modern notebooks. I mean I know it isn't going to be even remotely as thin and light as some ridiculously slender machines from today's time, but this design arguably looks more beautiful than any other notebook I've ever come across from any brand, model, or year. As it goes without saying this is purely subjective, as in all practicality, I haven't had an experience of all notebook designs that were ever produced.

The Most Modern and the Most Capable

The X230 doesn't need an introduction, as it is the successor of one of the most sorted-after ThinkPads, and only improves over its predecessor in every single way. Sure, there's the criticized keyboard change, but most people downgrade it back to run an X220 keyboard and palmrest, making it the best of both worlds and a much more capable X220 with several refinements including a better screen and standard USB 3.0 ports just to mention a few.

Apart from being the most modern out of the three notebooks or rather subnotebooks we'll compare today, it is also the cleanest of the group. Some of it comes from the chicklet keyboard, which in my unpopular opinion isn't all that bad either, neither in terms of the keys nor the look, unless you care about the layout too, in which case you won't be wrong either.

Regardless, if you could look past a few aging characteristics of this machine, I can say that I haven't used a better all-rounder ThinkPad that is over 12 years old and can still be used for light to moderate tasks today. I could go on about this machine, but this video isn't about the X230, so I'd better move on to the next one.

Right Between the Two

The X201 is a true hidden gem between the other two generations. I'd like to consider it closer to the X230 than the X61, but several elements push me to think otherwise.

  1. I found this model to be lighter than its successor, the X220, even with a slightly bigger chassis, and yet it feels better built, which doesn't make sense.
  2. There are certain design elements that I find more stylish than the other two.
  3. The latch is amazing, better than the X61, while the X230 doesn't even have one.
  4. The screen appears much brighter, and the pair of stereo speakers are pretty loud for a machine from that time, and to me, they sound even louder than my X230.
  5. This keyboard stole the title of the best ThinkPad keyboard I ever used, dethroning the X220.

Comparison

So it's time for some head-to-head comparison.

  1. Dimensions: Out of the three, the X201 is the largest, and the X61 is the smallest, with the X230 in between the two. This comparison can be looked at in a few different ways considering the fact that all of these have different screen aspect ratios, which is something that often ends up being the biggest influence on a notebook's physical design. The X61 clearly stands out here and doesn't even feel like a part of this family.
  2. Design: The design clearly kept getting more and more refined as we moved forward in time such that the X230 is objectively the cleanest, while the other two have their own unique design elements that though may not be as clean, they do show several interesting design choices.
  3. Internals: The CPU has gone from an Intel Core 2 Duo on the X61 to an Intel Core i-series Gen 1 on the X201, moving up to an Intel Core i-series Gen 3 on the X230. This means that the range of processing power is super-wide when we look at the three from old to new or vice-versa. The X61 only supports DDR2 RAM, and while the other two do support DDR3, the X230 is the only model that supports up to 16GBs of memory, at least without getting in trouble.
  4. Screen: The screen resolution kept on increasing as we went from old to new, while also becoming wider with each generation jump. Starting from a 4:3 in the X61 to a 16:10 in the X201, to finally 16:9 in the X230, and none of the screens were FHD unless you go through some crazy aftermarket mods, which many enthusiasts have done, and subjectively takes away the personality of the machine.
  5. Connectivity & Ports: The X230 doesn't have most modern ports, as apart from the three USB-A ports, the only usable ones are the SD card reader and the mini-Display Port unless you count the VGA, and the ethernet port. It doesn't get any better moving back on the time scale with the X201 or the X61, as they have even older connectivity options. One interesting thing with these three designs is that the charging connector, even being the same standard Lenovo barrel connector from that era, kept changing its location across the three generations. I prefer the ones on the X61 and the X201 as you do not have to blindly aim at the port from behind the unit, especially when the lid is open.
  6. Vow Factor: Each of the machines has its own appeal and audience, not to mention many enthusiasts who own all three of them and like each one of them for their unique design characteristics.
  7. Practicality: We've already talked about how practicality has only improved over the years, so the X230 is objectively the best in the group. The Core 2 Duo on the X61 is pretty weak, but the first-generation Intel Core-i series CPU on the X201, even though is better, isn't all that usable for today's regular tasks either. Before you ask me in the comments, I'd like to clarify that by "weak", I do not mean the machine is useless. In fact, I wrote the script for this video on no other machine than the X201, using Notion running inside a Chromium tab while running on sway compositor on Void Linux. So that means that you may have to choose your tools wisely in order to be able to use this machine better.
  8. Value & Supply: According to my experience and understanding, the X230 is the most available, and holds the most value as well. The two older models, especially the X61 may appreciate in value, especially for mint examples, but I'm not an expert.
  9. BIOS/UEFI: Out of the three machines, only the X230 supports UEFI, while the other two only support legacy BIOS mode. The steps for installing an operating system, especially the more manual ones such as Arch or in my case, Void can differ greatly.
  10. Bonus: The cover latching mechanism has also changed across the three designs. The one on the X61 is placed on the lid, the one on the X201 is on the base, and the X230 doesn't even have one. Having said that, the hinge on the X230 feels the most sturdy and the stiffest and does justify not having a display latch altogether.

This is Confusing!

When comparing machines like these, choosing one out of the group is difficult. This is because as I mentioned a few times, each of them has its own unique design characteristics that make it stand out from the other two. I would even extend it to say that, even picking two from the three would be difficult, as it would be hard to cross one out because practically, they're all masterpieces. I hope I do not have to make that choice anytime soon, or should I say, ever!

Conclusion

Every time you pick up one out of these three or rather six designs, the machine you're holding doesn't fall short in making you believe that you're indeed looking at "that peak X-series ThinkPad". Many believe that the X220 or X230 was the peak, which is mosly in terms of carrying the best things we like about older ThinkPads while still being usable after over a decade. The X60 and X61 remind us of a design language that will least likely ever return with those narrow bezels and small form factor that can often be considered way too modern even by today's standards after almost two decades. Finally, looking at the X200 and X201, you'd think that the peak was right there, with a perfect balance between the other two designs merged into a stylish and lightweight chassis to create a product that feels better built than either. May be they're all peak design, and may be none of those are. This also depends on what your definition of peak design is, or what you expect from a machine, more so from a ThinkPad.

Outro

That's all I have for this video and thanks for watching it to the end. May the maker watch over you. See you in the next video! And yes, "Free Palestine!".