Lenovo ThinkPad X250 Laptop Has a Swappable Battery While It Keeps Running

by Pete Daniel on 28 January 2015 · 5276 views

The ThinkPad brand which Lenovo bought from IBM still stands for quality and durability at a time when laptops are getting ever thinner and buyers might wonder about their strength under pressure. Currently in a number one position for laptops with the Lenovo brand, the company still maintains the respectability of their ThinkPad brand.

The new Lenovo Thinkpad X250 (see PDF for full specification) is due out shortly with the latest Intel Core i7 Broadwell-U mobile processors for faster speeds and a few nice extras. One of those extras is the ability to swap the battery out for a replacement while the laptop is unplugged from the power socket, yet it can keep running when the swapping process is going on. In a land of ultrabooks with soldered in parts and non-removable batteries this facility is highly unusual.

The X250 will come with Microsoft Windows 8.1 operating system.

Battery Life Attracts Business Buyers

For road warriors and busy executives who need a strong laptop that won't die on them just when they need it, the included 72Wh 6-cell battery combined with a 3-cell 23.2Wh battery that is non-removable ensure that this laptop can keep running and running via its Power Bridge technology.

As alluded to above, if the owner really needs to keep going on battery power alone then they can purchase a spare battery and swap out the 72Wh removable 6-cell battery for another one. While they do so the smaller internal 3-cell battery will keep the laptop operational. That's one trick that no Macbook Pro, Macbook Air or pretty much any other Windows laptop can achieve.

Lenovo suggest the battery life could reach 20 hours, but real world use just like with smart phones is likely to be probably half of that. Either way, impressive is the word that comes to mind.

Displays

The display on the latest ThinkPad won't blow your socks off. A slim 12-inch display for the ultimate in portability rather than size.

There is a choice of either their 1366 x 768 resolution Premium IPS screen or a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution Premium IPS screen. The 1080p will be the one to opt for if you value more screen real estate.

Processor

The Intel Core i7 5 series processor is used which uses less power for improved battery life.

Connectivity

Gigabit Ethernet is supported. Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless access to peripherals and mobile devices.

The other big selling point for several ThinkPad models is the inclusion of a 3G or 4G LTE radio. There is an option for either WWAN 3G or 4G LTE connectivity with the X250.

A Smartcard reader is optional for added business security during login. There is a 4-in-1 SD card reader, VGA port, and two USB 3.0 ports.

Memory

There is only the one SO-DIMM slot which comes with an 8 GB memory stick. This is a shame considering the processor is capable of supporting 16 GB, however with the 12-inch design it is difficult to imagine Lenovo finding room for two SO-DIMM slots with this model.

Storage

There is the choice of either a 512 GB SSD or 1 TB platter hard disk drive. Selecting the SSD option will benefit battery life.

Sound and Camera

There is a useful 720p webcam which is a better resolution than many webcams included in business laptops. The integrated Dolby® Advanced Audio stereo speakers are also nice to have.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Touchpad has reverted back to the one used on the previous design. This includes dedicated left and right buttons again at the top unlike the ThinkPad X240 model which didn't keep to this standard.

The keyboard has also been enhanced and is backlit.