The news under the hood for the X120e is the adoption of the AMD Fusion platform with AMD Vision Pro technology. The processor in our machine was the dual-core AMD Fusion E-350 running at 1.6-GHz, coupled with 4GB of fast DDR3 RAM. (The base model comes with the single-core AMD Fusion E-240.) While this CPU is an improvement over the AMD Athlon Neo of the X100e, it’s still no barn burner. Overall, performance is fine for typical business chores, but more taxing multimedia work bogs the system down.
On the 32-bit version of PCMark Vantage, which measures overall system performance, the X120e scored 2,406. That’s much better than the outgoing X100e’s score of 1,548, but behind the likes of the Dell Vostro V130 (3,498) and Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T (4,272). Similarly, on the 64-bit version of the benchmark, the X120e scored 2,632, versus 3,793 for the Vostro V130 and 4,594 for the Acer Timeline (the older X100e did not have a 64-bit OS). On Cinebench 10, which tests all CPU cores, the X120e scored 2,012 on the 32-bit version and 2,230 on the 64-bit version. Those scores are about half the average for ultraportables.
That said, making direct comparisons to other machines in the ultraportable class is tough, because few are as inexpensive or as small as the X120e—those Dell and Acer entries, for instance, cost hundreds more than the X120e, and they also have larger, 13-inch screens. You can make a more direct comparison, such as the $ 479 HP Pavilion dm1, whose scores are just a small step behind the X120e’s, but the dm1 is a consumer machine and lacks the security and durability features that business users need.
The slower CPU also impacts the X120e’s multimedia prowess. On our Windows Media Encoder trial, where we encode a 3:15 video clip , the X120e required a lengthy 14 minutes 23 seconds. Yes, that’s faster than the X100e’s interminable 21:30, but much slower than we’ve grown used to from sub-$ 1,000 ultraportables like the Vostro V130 (which needed 7:54) and Acer Timeline (just 6:18). On our iTunes test, where we convert 11 MP3 tracks to AAC format, the X120e again trailed the competition, completing the job in 10:46 versus 7:32 for the Vostro and 3:48 for the Acer. Ultraportable averages are 8:30 and 5:59 for WME and iTunes respectively.
While all the promises of AMD’s Fusion platform fall short in our CPU tests, AMD makes up for that in the GPU, or graphics, area—at least for everyday chores. The integrated Radeon HD 6310 GPU delivers much improved 3D acceleration over the integrated Intel 4500HD chipsets found in most low-cost ultraportables. In 3DMark06, which measures graphics performance, the X120e scored 2,276 at the screen’s native 1,024×768 resolution. This is about 1,000 points higher than almost every other sub-$ 1,000 ultraportable we’ve tested lately. To put that in real-world perspective: You still won’t have the horsepower for intense 3D games, as its rate of 13.8 frames per second (fps) on Company of Heroes—with settings dialed back—illustrates. For gaming, ideally you want 30fps or better. But the X120e can easily handle Windows’ graphics demands and even low-frame-rate 3D rendering chores.
One weak spot of the X100e was its relatively short battery life, and Lenovo worked to correct that in the X120e. We ran our streaming-video test, where we watch Internet video via the Wi-Fi connection until the battery gives out. The X120e lasted 3 hours 24 minutes, versus 2 hours 53 minutes for the X100e. That result is also better than the Vostro V130’s 2 hours 11 minutes (from its built-in, and admittedly much smaller, power cell) but lower than the 4-hour average we’ve seen from ultraportables as a class and well behind the impressive 6 hours turned in by the Acer Timeline.
ConclusionIT admins will be happy to see a clutter-free desktop at first bootup, as Lenovo keeps trial-ware and preloaded apps to a minimum on the X120e. Beyond all the components of the Windows 7 Professional OS on our configuration (all flavors of Win 7 from Starter Edition though Pro are available to order), you get 60 days of Norton Internet Security, Skype for Business, and Microsoft Office 2010 Starter edition (which includes de-featured—but still very usable—versions of Word and Excel).
The real value is in the excellent ThinkVantage utilities. In this suite, you’ll find applets for rescue and recovery, managing connections, a password manager, system health and diagnostic tools, a communication utility to assist with Web conferencing, and more. We especially like Lenovo’s Access Connections utility, which makes controlling your Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and wireless broadband connections easy. Lenovo backs the X120e with a one-year parts-and-labor warranty with depot (not on-site) service, which is typical for a budget machine. Tech support is available via phone, e-mail, or online chat 24/7.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X120e isn’t for everyone. The smallish screen and so-so productivity performance will make using it as a primary PC, a frustrating experience. But as an adjunct to a desktop PC for business users and prosumers who need a better-than-a-netbook traveling companion but don’t want to spend much, the X120e is worth a look.
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