ThinkPad X300
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It seems like every day there are more and more laptops on the market, and they all keep getting smaller. Ultra thin laptops are both stylish and good for your back, but choosing the right one is tricky terrain. After all, you don’t want to get that stylish low profile design at the expense of poor performance or a cracked screen when you drop it -- to say nothing of the costs. So today we are going to be taking a look at the ThinkPad X300 by Lenovo.
Weight and size of the machine
The ThinkPad X300 comes in at just under three and a half pounds by itself. That fact is probably of little use, as you will more than likely be carrying the charger in your case as well. Even so, this laptop comes in at four pounds with its charger.
As for size, we all know that in this case, it does matter. The width of this model is 12 and a half inches. Its height is .73 of an inch; for those of you who enjoy fractions, that is slightly less than ¾ this of an inch. Its depth is about 9 inches.
All in all, this size is small enough to fit into smaller spaces and bags, but big enough to fit a satisfying 13 inch screen and a full-sized keyboard into the model. Both of these are useful features if you plan on using this laptop with any frequency. The size assures that you will not fall victim to small screen eye strain or tiny key hand cramps.
Other features built into the case
The case comes with a lot of handy features that you can enjoy. The first thing that you will notice when you look at it is that it has two different ways to use your mouse. The first is the pencil eraser style mouse in the keyboard that you will find on all ThinkPad models. The second is the more broadly used track pad model.
This is good and bad, because you can have your choice between the two. The bad part is if you use the eraser head model, you will need to be careful of the placement of your wrist or you will end up inadvertently moving the mouse at the least convenient of moments. To be honest, you may even end up using the track pad by accident while you are typing. Just be aware of your hand placement.
The next item to grab your attention will undoubtedly be the fingerprint reader. It's below the think vantage button. Ostensibly it is to help keep your information safe in the event that your laptop is stolen or if somebody tries to hack it from the outside. One is obliged, however, to wonder about the quality of the finger print scanner. Anyone who is an avid viewer of Myth Busters knows that the basic model can be broken with a photocopy of the fingerprint. Granted, it would probably stop the frat brother in search of your term paper, but anyone with more sinister intentions could probably find a way around this feature.
Your USB parts are wireless on this model, which is probably more of an aesthetic decision than anything else. You will also find a GPS built into your laptop, which is handy if you happen to do a lot of traveling or if you just don't have a good sense of direction in general. The drive is a DVD burner, which is handy for giving you a wide range of options and watching movies on the go. You will also find a built-in web cam and microphone for chatting or video conferences online.
Next: Battery life, Ruggedness, Aesthetics >>
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