RENEWED Lenovo Thinkpad (Refurbished) x230 core i5,8GB Ram,500GB HDD Mini Laptop -Black

The ThinkPad X230 went through a partial face lift since the last generation 12-inch offering from Lenovo. The biggest or most notable change is the shift from a 12.1-inch display to a newer 12.5-inch design. Other tweaks include removing the screen latch in favor of stronger screen hinges, but for the most part Lenovo has done a good job of keeping the X230 looking a lot like the models before it. The notebook has the same black rubbery paint covering the boxy shell of a body, with large stainless steel hinges exposed on both sides. The only thing displayed on the screen cover is the ThinkPad brand logo and the Lenovo name, keeping the rest matte black.The bottom of the notebook hasn’t changed much from the X201 before it, with only minor differences relating to the size and shape of access panels or the location of screw holes. The speakers are still located directly under the front edge of the palmrest though, since the notebook takes full advantage of the width of the top side for the large keyboard and touchpad. Buyers looking to expand the capabilities of the X220 should note the docking station mounting points, which adds additional ports and an optical drive among other features.

Display

Lenovo currently offers two display options for the ThinkPad X230, both offering the same 1366×768 resolution. The main difference between these two options comes down to the panel technology used, with the 12.5-inch Premium HD LCD being IPS. IPS (short for In Plane Switching) displays offer better color rendering and much better viewing angles. For a notebook user where the screen might move around, having a broad range of visibility is important.Our X230 review unit came equipped with the 12.5-inch Premium HD display which is just stunning. The colors are incredibly vibrant, the viewing angles are near infinite, and the overall brightness of the display makes it easily visible in bright viewing conditions. The screen had no trouble being viewed at any angle that the LCD was still visible and not blocked by the screen bezel. The only complaint or suggestion we have is finding this panel in a slightly higher resolution, but at the 12.5-inch size increased pixel density might be difficult for some users to fully take advantage of.

User Interfaces

If you are a newcomer to the Lenovo business-series, the main attraction for most diehard ThinkPad fans is the keyboard. Seeing few changes over the years, the ThinkPad keyboard offers a superb typing surface, with very little flex under strong pressure.Each key has a soft matte finish, which gives a small amount of traction and reduces fingerprints compared to more glossy designs. The lettering is easy to read in most lighting conditions, with a keyboard light being standard to assist in poor visibility conditions. The only additional feature we can ask for is a fully backlit keyboard.