Refurb.io (and Lenovo X220 tablet) Review

I have used a X201 Thinkpad for work over the last several months, and I really enjoyed it. The old-style workforce Thinkpads with i5s and i7s are very nice machines, and back when they were new, they were very pricey. They are absolutely loaded with features and still perform great with a good SSD, so I was really surprised when I found refurb.io selling the X220 i7 Tablet-Edition for only 299$.

I was very skeptical, considering the licensed copy of Windows 7 Professional alone is well worth a third of the price, but I’m currently very happy with what I’ve received. The X220 Tablet I received seems to be very new. The SSD in it showed hardly any hours logged, and it was aesthetically very clean and free of any damage. Windows 7 64-bit is pre-installed, and it works great.

The one issue I’ve come across so far is that USB 3.0 devices will not work at all–not even at a slower speed. “Unrecognized Device” is shown, and the USB 3.0 drivers supplied by Lenovo appears to do nothing. To fix this issue, simply use a USB 2.0 hub… Problem solved.


 

Machine Specs:

Lenovo Thinkpad X220 Tablet (on Refurb.io)

-i7-2640 Processor (2.8Ghz, 4 cores), with Integrated HD3000

-8GB DDR3 RAM

-160GB SSD (Mine came with an older Intel model; great nonetheless)

-720p Webcam, Tablet-Style Screen and Pen, Fingerprint Scanner


 

This PC is a fantastic workhorse, and would be an awesome laptop for anyone doing work while traveling–even if that work involves basic 3D-rendering or heavy processing. The tablet-functionality makes it a great choice for engineers, designers, and artists. Although the screen is not massive, the resolution still looks great and simple games run perfectly. For example, I am able to run League of Legends at full resolution with all medium-high settings, without ever dropping below 60fps.

So far I have no complaints about this laptop or Refurb.io. The device was shipped to me on-time and it was packaged well. The laptop itself looked very new and was completely clean. I have not yet run into any issues at all with this device, but at this price I almost expected there to be a gimmick… I’m hoping that Refurb.io continues to sell great refurbished machines at good prices, and I will give them plenty of business!

I am planning on swapping out the 8GB RAM with 16GB, and down the road I may add in a Samsung 850 PRO SSD, so that I can really speed it up. But currently it boots up in twenty seconds and I get a 6.5 in the Windows Experience Index. Awesome for a laptop, especially one at this price and age!