Last Updated: June 20, 2011 8:23 AM

First published: April 21, 2011

Lenovo ThinkPad W520

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/products/professional-grade/thinkpad/w-series/index.html

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/products/professional-grade/thinkpad/w-series/W520/index.html

HMM (share with T520) - http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-76854

Videos - LenovoVision

• first look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mk25pxQ3E8
• tour http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG13u2enh0g
• unbox http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythPaRrzRsA
• film director http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDKmRNikC3E

(see its thinner, lighter T420s sibling review also, some components are common to each other)

Configuration

4282-24U

• i7-2720QM quad-core 2.20GHz turbo boost 2.0 3.30GHz 6MB cache HT up to 1600MHz DD3
• 4GBx1 PC3-10600 1333MHz DDR3, non-parity, dual-channel capable.16GB max, four 204-pin SO-DIMM sockets
• 15.6" FHD (FRU 04W1544) anti-glare, LED backlight,
  270 nits, 16:9 aspect ratio, 500:1 contrast ratio, 95% Gamut
• NVIDIA Quadro 2000M, PCI Express x16, 2GB memory. NVIDIA Optimus technology, auto-switch between discrete and integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000 in processor)
• HD 720p camera, wider view angle, low light sensitive, fi xed focus
• 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, 2.5" 7mm or 9.5mm
• 12.7mm Ultrabay Enhanced
• Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300, 3x3
• 14.68" x 9.65" x 1.29-1.44"
• 9-cell starting at 5.75 lb, up to 10.8 hr
• Display cover: Carbon-fiber / Glass-fiber hybrid;
  Bottom: Glass-fi ber reinforced plastic without paint
• ThinkPad Roll Cage (one-piece magnesium frame)
• Mobile Intel QM67 Express Chipset
• ExpressCard/34
• 4-in-1 reader (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC)
  Two USB 3.0 (blue), one Powered USB 2.0 (yellow), one USB 2.0/eSATA combo port
• VGA DB-15, DisplayPort
• IEEE 1394 FireWire 400 (4-pin connector; 1394a-2000 standard)
• 56K V.926 modem
• Bluetooth 3.0 wireless
• Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection (Lewisville), PHY, PCIe x1
• Conexant 20672 codec
• stereo speakers, 1 watt x 2
• dual array mic - below LCD
• combo audio/mic jack
• no fingerprint, no X-Rite, Smart Card, WWAN, multitouch (no more palm-rest digitizer or dual-screen options like W701ds)

WEI

Processor: 7.5
Memory: 5.9 (with 8GB (4GBx2 bottom slot G.Skill), it goes up to 7.5. Another 4GB crucial+original Samsung to 16GB 7.6)
Graphics: 4.9 (Optimus, Intel HD3000) , 6.9 (Discreet, 2000M)
Gaming graphics: 6.8 (Optimus, Intel HD3000) , 6.9 (Discreet, 2000M)
Primary hard disk: 5.9

4GBx2

4GBx1

WinSAT

CPU LZW Compression 495.30 MB/s
CPU AES256 Encryption 228.19 MB/s
CPU Vista Compression 1311.40 MB/s
CPU SHA1 Hash 1397.21 MB/s
Uniproc CPU LZW Compression 94.79 MB/s
Uniproc CPU AES256 Encryption 59.53 MB/s
Uniproc CPU Vista Compression 251.55 MB/s
Uniproc CPU SHA1 Hash 343.79 MB/s
Memory Performance 9235.90 MB/s

Disk Sequential 64.0 Read 84.22 MB/s 6.3
Disk Random 16.0 Read 1.57 MB/s 4.0
Responsiveness: Average IO Rate 3.38 ms/IO 6.1
Responsiveness: Grouped IOs 15.52 units 5.5
Responsiveness: Long IOs 13.78 units 7.1
Responsiveness: Overall 213.83 units 6.3
Responsiveness: PenaltyFactor 0.7

Weight

USPS Post Office - Pennsylvania Model 7300

6 lb 03.40 oz
5 lb 03.05 oz w/o optical
4 lb 13.30 oz w/o optical & battery
1 lb 00.25 oz battery
0 lb 05.70 oz optical

Memory

original one - Samsung 4GB 2Rx8 PC3-10600S-09-11-F3, M471B5273DH0-CH9, Made in China
Slot 0 under keyboard

got from crucial.com
4GB, 204-pin SODIMM Upgrade for a Lenovo ThinkPad W520 System
4GB 2Rx8 Pc3-10600S-9-10-FP
CT1934343
Part Number: CT51264BC1339,16FH
MT16JTF51264HZ-1G4H1 1115 DPAAT1W009
Made in China

DOA, machine won't even boot if installed (replace original Samsung or as secondary in slot 2, top or bottom DIMM), RMA replacement OK (takes a very long time, didn't send email after replacement shipped after "RMA lab" received bad one. can't they just cross ship me new ones for DOA?)

G.Skills 4GBx2 F3-10666CL9D-8GBSQ
( 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) unbuffered Non-ECC 1.5V 6 layers PCB CAS_Latency 9-9-9-24)
works.

http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=144

Chipset

CPU-Z etc. may not report correct stepping

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/W-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/B2-stepping-QM67-chips-incorrectly-reported-by-CPUz-or-deviceid/ta-p/423317

Keyboard

46N2176, FRU 45N2211 ( (NMB? not ALPS or Chicony)

AC Adapter

the 170W is huge

vs. 90W and 65W

the plug has notches in the connector, not circular, you cannot plug it into smaller machines

Battery

9-cell 55++, 42T4801, Panasonic Li-Ion 20 (whatever that means)

93.96 Wh, 10.80V

it sticks out in the back

57Y4545 ThinkPad Battery 27++ 9-cell slice

won't charge the 2nd battery if latch not engage http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-74450.html

ThinkPad External Battery Charger 40Y7625(65/90W) can charge it? don't need 170W? http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-61244.html

Power source optimized, dim the screen, wireless off, don't touch anything, power manager said you can actually get to 21+ hours like the spec. said :)

NVIDIA Optimus

it is not like the one on Sony there is a physical three way switch - auto, performance, stagmina.

have to change in BIOS. Default automatic use Intel, nvidia on demand. You can right click and change each program's default GPU

it misread Ps CS5, Pr CS5 as CS4 even managed updates is on

VMD is default to integrated, but CUDA version still use 2000M

turn on tray icons shows which programs are using the GPU (used to have to use not for end user nvidia test tool?)

PhysX tells me to unplug the HD3000 and plug into the 2000M, very funny. It also shows the desktop card image instead.

Kevin Combs said Lenovo said you can't do quad display on dock because it has some other kind of optimus, not the hybrid optimus like T410/410s/510 and T420/T420s/T520.  I assume it is what Yamato thinking was talking about http://www.lenovoblogs.com/yamato/?p=1341&language=en

"... [UPDATE for 4/20/2011] I have confirmed with Lenovo that although the W520 has Optimus, it does not have Hybrid Optimus and thus cannot support four external displays like my T410s (see that test).  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there you have it.  On the bright side, I will test the T420s before too long and see if it really works.

See http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-76617 for the official support document on the Hybrid Optimus technology and supported configurations.
..."

all three monitors plugged into dock are to the 2000M (only 2 can be active), instead of one to the Intel 3000, so no quad display configuration.

Driver OOB - 266.96

PhysX

nvidia user experience driver crash try to enable displayport Dell 2408WPF. cannot save settings in windows resolution either (happened to another monitor once also, forgot which one). {only of OS Detection for Optimus is enabled? disable by default for a reason?}

BIOS

Graphics Device

OS Detection

EDID

export EDID under topology crashes NVIDIA control panel 3.5.752.0

Intel HD3000

64MB dedicated video memory

Audio

has NVIDIA HD Audio 1.2.19.0, shows in device manager in discreet

audio does not pass through DP-HDMI adapter http://www.cablediscounters.com/product/110807_Display-Port-to-HDMI-Converter

shows correct DisplayPort connection and 1080p in PhysX and HDCP

device not show up in audio control panel, because think it is DVI? (same problem with T410, used to work in T410 original driver 8.16.11.8898?, after driver update to 8.17.12.5738 (257.38), nvidia HD audio no longer listed. see hundreds of posts in forum complained about it. supposed only work with lenovo or nividia adapters now)

The SIIG one works in discreet or optimus. (also work on T410 with graphics driver 267.21,audio driver 1.2.22), it shows as connected to HDMI (bad thing is the first time, Windows controls think it is disabled, if you do extended, it switch main display)

from lenovo
0A33058
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/cables-connectors/p-0a33058.shtml
web price $24.99


DP 1.1, HDMI 1.3a (not 1.4)
CB-DP0062-S1? $29.99 MSRP
http://www.siig.com/av-products/cables-and-adapters/displayport-to/hdmi/displayport-to-hdmi-adapter.html

Monitor

LEN40B2

B156HW01 V4 ( AU Optronics FRU 42T0765?)

TPLCD95.ICM using XP Color Control Panel Applet vs NTSC, sRGB IEC61966 2.1, Adobe RGB 1998, T420s HD+ i1 v3

Hard drive

43N3423

HTS725050A9A364 - Hitachi 7K500, 3Gb/s, 9.5mm, 16MB cache, 7200 rpm, 4.2 ms Average Latency, 1245 Mbits/sec, max Media transfer rate
12 ms typical average read seek time, 20 ms typical Full Stroke read seek time, 1 ms typical Track to track seek time
600,000 Load/Unload Cycles
2.5 Bels Idle acoustics, 2.8 Bels typical seek
5.5 W peak, max Start-up, 1.8 W average read/write, 0.69 W average low power idle, 0.2 W average standby, 2.0 W average seek dissipation, 1.0 W average active idle dissipation, 1.7 W performance idle, 0.1 W sleep
115/95 g max weight
operating Shock (half-sine wave) 400 G/2ms. 225 G/1ms, non-operating 1000G/1 ms

http://www.hitachigst.com/internal-drives/mobile/travelstar/travelstar-7k500

no RAID - cannot enable afterwards? different chipset firmware?

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/W-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/No-RAID-option-in-Thinkpad-W520-BIOS/m-p/429211/message-uid/429211#U429211

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=95690&start=30

SSD

ultrabay supports SATA III 6Gbps (haven't tested internal yet)

http://www.lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/2011/04/sata-3-0-600mbs-on-thinkpad-notebooks/

Crucial http://www.crucial.com/ m4 (c400) 256GB SSD, Seq 379.8 MB/s CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 x64

Optical

HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GT33N

Microphone

Microphone array is on bottom of screen like T410. T420s has it move above LCD.

VGA

on left of case, combo audio jack on right, like the T410, it is bad for presentation. T420s has VGA on back, combo audio on left, still not perfect, at least closer.

Ethernet

moved to right side, T410 has it on left. T420s has it in the back.

eSATA

moved to left side, T410 has it on right. Now USB combo like T510, hopeful will work with Lenovo eSATA secure drive. T410 is eSATA only, cannot power up that drive.

Windows Update

Visual C++ 2005 redistributable SP1 patch has errors OOB

Programs

Out of the Box (OOB)

Lenovo TVT

System Update

failed to start twice.

won't stick to start menu if do a search launch

cannot download KB2397190 (common to other models)

wiped out install history after autolock 1.0->1.01 update? a failed copy in background?

it also starts a UNCServer process that does not go away after quit

Device Manager

Driver matrix

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-77167

OS installation guide

Legacy BIOS - Windows 7 http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-77353

it said UEFI instruction will be posted later

Startup

there is a lag after the safe eject icon disappear, powering down optical?

Dock

ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3 (170W workstation) 433830U.

Only laptop+2 montors, no laptop+3 monitors quad display like T410/420/520 hybrid optimus.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-76767

DVI-D Single-Link 1920 x 1200 only

DisplayPort 2560 x 1600 (but not if using cable/adapter, 1920 x 1200 only)

Applications

Premiere CS5

discreet or optimus, mercury engine not enable. the renderer option is dimmed, cannot select GPU Acceleration.

even http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/tech-specs.html said 2000M is supported. 4000 works fine.

MediaCoder

http://www.mediacoderhq.com/

2011 R3 build 5135 x64, Intel Media SDK error 014. (the UI has problem, cannot see the text on the checkbox "Hardware Acceleration ...", you have to do a custom install to add Intel Media SDK

it still doesn't work right, it is slower than not using it in discreet mode, need to turn on Optimus

CPU 438 seconds; CUDA 177 seconds; Intel Accelerated Encoder 8.15.10.2321 621 seconds in discreet, 280 seconds with Optimus

Firefox

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/fx/

4.0, about:startup 0.1.5, avg. of 5 runs

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/about-startup/

no addons
under discreet
 15.60ms main function
390.80ms sessionRestored
369.40ms firstPaint
under optimus
 15.60ms main function
877.60ms sessionRestored
843.40ms firstPaint

firebug 1.70
under discreet
 16.00ms
613.00ms
590.80ms
under optimus
 31.20ms
1171.20ms
1140.20ms

adblockplus 1.3.6
under discreet
 15.40ms
593.80ms
562.40ms
under optimus
 15.60ms
996.40ms
968.00ms

downloadhelper 4.8.6
under discreet
 15.80ms
494.00ms
472.00ms
under optimus
 15.60ms
961.80ms
937.00ms

under discreet - about:support

WebGL Renderer - Google Inc. -- ANGLE -- OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 0.0.0.541)
Direct2D enabled - true
DirectWritre enabled - true 6.17601.17563
GPU Accelerated Windows - 1/1 Direct3D 10

under Optimus - about:support

WebGL unavailable
Direct2D enabled - true
DirectWritre enabled - true 6.17601.17563

TrueCrypt

http://www.truecrypt.org/

7.0a

100MB

AES - 2.8GB/s encryption, 2.9GB/s decryption
AES - 1.4GB/s encryption, 1.3GB/s decryption (T420s)

VMD

1f4h.pdb from chimera's benchmark,    33805 atoms, 33933 bonds, 4937 residuals, 856 fragments, 4 protein 
   
VDW rendering 
T420s -  0.65 fps 
T410  -  5.96 fps 
W500  - 15.53 fps
W520  - 15.53 fps (discreet mode) 
   
CPK rendering    
T420s -  0.68 fps 
T410  -  4.69 fps 
W500  -  8.22 fps 
W520  - 12.13 fps (discreet mode) 

Chimera

http://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/chimera/docs/ContributedSoftware/benchmark/benchmark.html

Molecule 1f4h pdb (33805 atoms, 4937 residues) fps 
  Wire    Stick    BStick    Ribbon    Sphere 
   
W520 v.1.52 (64-bit, 4GB or 8GB, Discreet or Optimus)
 196.1    crash    32.9      39.9     crash [some times indicated is pythonw.exe]
          (~20)                       (~20) not in benchmark          
W520 v.1.53rc (32-bit)
 195.1    crash    24.34     39.2     crash   
W500 v1.53rc
 234.5	     9.6	 7.9	  28.7   	13.8
T420s v.1.53rc 
  26.1      2.9     2.3      22.8       2.0 
T410 v.1.41 
 122.7     12.2    12.3      33.1      14.7 

*nix

report about ubuntu 11.04 (natty narwhal) external VGA, DisplayPort problem

http://fossplanet.com/f10/%5Bbug-773720%5D-%5Bnew%5D-%5Blenovo-w520%5D-external-vga-displayport-doesnot-seem-work-145867/

ACHI issue with discreet

http://fossplanet.com/f10/%5Bbug-776999%5D-%5Bnew%5D-lenovo-w520-laptop-freezes-acpi-related-actions-154301/index2.html

problem with Fedora 15 beta and UEFI

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=699313

Reviews

http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithcombs/archive/2011/03/28/lenovo-thinkpad-w520-mini-review.aspx

http://www.storagereview.com/lenovo_thinkpad_w520_review_first_thoughts

http://www.storagereview.com/lenovo_thinkpad_w520_review

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=6106&review=lenovo+thinkpad+w520

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-ThinkPad-W520-Notebook.53220.0.html

http://www.crn.com/reviews/client-devices/229402264/review-the-lenovo-thinkpad-w520.htm

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/reviews/thin-and-light-laptops/2011/05/27/lenovo-thinkpad-w520-40092922/

http://techflaz.com/lenovo-thinkpad-w520-review/

memory upgrade - Kingston HyperX Memory Review

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=6109&review=kingston+hyperx+plug+and+play+high+performance+memory

unboxing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpGgUiws0Wg