ThinkPad i Series

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ThinkPad i Series
IBM ThinkPad i Series.png
DeveloperIBM
ManufacturerIBM and Acer
Product familyThinkPad
Website ThinkPad i Series at the Wayback Machine (archived 2001-07-14)

The ThinkPad i Series is a group of IBM ThinkPad laptop computers that were manufactered from 1998 to 2002. These machines were an effort to address the desire for a personal entertainment device and small business users. [1] They were designed and priced to be both for productivity and play. [2] IBM desired to gain ground in the consumer market and created the i Series as an answer to their competitors. [3]

Contents

While designed by IBM, several models of the i Series were manufactured by Acer on an OEM basis. [4]

Several alternate names were considered for this series including "X Pad", "X Series", "TrekPad", and "Aptiva Note Personal Series." [5] i Series was chosen with the "i" standing for individuals. [6]

Characteristics

David Hill who was the head of design for IBM Personal Systems Group led the design of the i Series. The design was informed by six research studies of the consumer mobile market. [7]

The i Series team collaborated with Altec Lansing to design the speaker system to fit into the thinner chassis. [5] The initial design was loosely based on the ThinkPad 600 with consumer features such as speakers mounted next to the display and front mounted optical drive controls. [3]

The red, green, blue and yellow ShortCut Keys were an effort to make the traditional corporate design feel more personal. [2] [5]

The i Series introduced several items to the ThinkPad lineup including the ThinkLight. [1] Several models featured CD/DVD playback capability and a 14.1" screen. [8] The i Series was the first ThinkPads to feature wireless communications technology and the first notebook computer with an integrated antenna with a 802.11b WiFi radio. [9] [10]

Reception

The ThinkPad i Series was generally well received. Reviewers would often note that the performance was not as good as more top of the line systems. [11] The lightweight nature of the i Series was favoured by reviewers including photographers. [12] Customers also appreciated how thin the device was built. [13] One of the common complaints was the lack of port replicator support. [14]

In 2004, IBM instigated a voluntary recall on 553,000 AC adapters, primarily bundled with i Series machines. These faulty units are labelled with the part number 02K6549. These are known to cause damage to internal componets. [15]

Models

The ThinkPad i Series S30 with Mirage Black lid. ThinkPads30 type2639-R3J.jpg
The ThinkPad i Series S30 with Mirage Black lid.

The i Series S30 (later rebranded to the S30) and S31 were unique ThinkPads that featured an optional piano black acryllic painted lid that IBM called "Mirage Black." The S30 was a successor to the i 1124 hence why it was originally included as part of the i Series. [16] The S31 was sold in the Asia Pacific market with the S30 exclusive to Japan. Production ran from June 2001 to March 2002.

For a complete list of models, see the list below. Models in brackets were rebranded low-cost versions of other models. Several models were available only in specific regions.

ThinkPad i Series models
ModelCPURAMDisplayDiskSale periodNotes/ref(s).
i 1124

(240Z)

 Celeron 500MHz or Pentium III 500MHz64MB10.4" TFT XGA20GBJune 1999 to February 2001
i 1157 (570E) Celeron 500 MHz64 / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA

13.3" TFT XGA

6/12GBJune 1999 to February 2001
i 1200iSeries 1200-x1U

Celeron 550 or 600MHz with 100MHz bus

32/64MB

192MB Max

12.1" HPA SVGA

12.1" TFT SVGA

13.3" TFT XGA

5/10GBSeptember 2000 to November 2001
iSeries 1200-x2U

Celeron 600MHz with 100MHz Frontside Bus or Pentium III 700MHz with 100MHz Frontside Bus

64/192MB12.1" TFT SVGA

13.3" TFT XGA

10/20GB
iSeries 1200-x3U

Celeron 700MHz with 100MHz Front Side Bus

64/192MB13.3" TFT XGA10GB
i 1210 Celeron 500 or 550MHz with 100MHz bus32MB12.1" HPA SVGA6.0GBSeptember 2000 to November 2001
i 1230 Celeron 500 or 550MHz with 100MHz bus64MB13.0" HPA SVGA6.0GBSeptember 2000 to November 2001
i 1250 Celeron 500 or 550MHz with 100MHz bus64MB12.1" TFT SVGA6.0GBSeptember 2000 to November 2001
i 1260 Celeron 500 or 550MHz with 100MHz bus64MB13.3" TFT XGA6.0GBSeptember 2000 to November 2001
i 1300 (130)1300-x1U

Celeron 550 or 600MHz with 100MHz bus or Pentium III 650MHz with 100MHz bus

64MB standard / 192MB maximum12.1" HPA SVGA

12.1" TFT SVGA 13.1" TFT XGA

5/10/20GBJuly 2000 to November 2001
i 1330 Celeron 500 or 550MHz with 100MHz bus64MB standard /

192MB maximum

12.1" TFT SVGA6.0GBJuly 2000 to November 2001
i 1370 Celeron 500 or 550MHz with 100MHz bus64MB standard /

192MB maximum

13.3" TFT XGA12.0GBJuly 2000 to November 2001
i 1410 Pentium MMX 266MHz / 66MHz system bus32MB / 256MB12.1 " TFT SVGA3.2GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1411 Pentium MMX 300MHz / 66MHz system bus32MB / 256MB12.1" TFT SVGA4.3GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1412 Celeron 366MHz or Mobile Pentium II 366MHz / 66MHz system bus32MB / 256MB12.1" TFT SVGA4.8GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1420 Celeron 433 or 466MHz / 66MHz system bus32MB / 256MB13.0" HPA SVGA4.8GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1421 Celeron 466MHz / 66MHz system bus32MB / 256MB13.0" HPA SVGA6.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1422 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus32MB / 256MB12.1" TFT SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

6.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1441 Celeron 466MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.0" TFT SVGA6.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1442 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

6.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1450 Pentium MMX 266MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB13.3" TFT XGA4.3GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1451 Pentium MMX 300MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB13.3" TFT XGA4.3GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1452 Celeron 366MHz or Mobile Pentium II 366MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

4.8GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1460 Celeron 433 or 466MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB13.0" HPA SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

4.8GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1472 Celeron 366MHz or Mobile Pentium II 366MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA6.4GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1480 Celeron 433 or 466MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA6.4GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1482 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

13.0" HPA SVGA

15.0" TFT XGA

12.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1483 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA

13.0" HPA SVGA

15.0" TFT XGA

12.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1492 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA

13.0" HPA SVGA

15.0" TFT XGA

12.0GBNovember 1998 to October 2000
i 1512 Celeron 366MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA4.8GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1540 Celeron 433 or 466MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA4.8GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1541 Celeron 433 or 466MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA6.0GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1542 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA12.0GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1552 Celeron 366MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA4.8GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1560 Celeron 433 or 466MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA6.4GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1562 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB14.1" TFT XGA12.0GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1592 Celeron 500MHz or Mobile Pentium III 500MHz / 100MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB15.0" TFT XGA12.0GBJuly 1999 to April 2002
i 1620 (X20) Celeron 500 MHz or Pentium III 600 MHz64MB / 256 MB12.1" TFT SVGA20.0GBMay 2001
i 1720 (390) Pentium II 266MHz / 66MHz system bus64MB / 256 MB13.3" TFT XGA4.3GBJanuary 1999 to April 2002
i 1721 (390) Pentium II 300MHz64MB / 256MB14.1" TFT XGA5.4GBJanuary 1999 to April 2002
i 1780Celeron 400 MHz or Pentium II 400 MHz or Pentium III 450 or 500 MHz64MB / 256MB12.1" TFT SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

15.0" TFT XGA

4.8/6.4/12GBJanuary 1999 to April 2002
i 1781 Celeron 400 MHz, Pentium II 400 MHz or Pentium III 450 or 500 MHz64MB / 256MB12.1" TFT SVGA

14.1" TFT XGA

15.0" TFT XGA

4.8/6.4/12GBJanuary 1999 to April 2002
i 1800 (A21e) (based on A21m) Celeron 600 Mhz or 700Mhz64MB / 256MB14.1" TFT XGA10/20GBOctober 2000 to July 2001 [17] [18] [19]
i 1800 (A22e) Celeron 750MHz or Pentium III Mobile 750Mhz64MB / 256MB14.1" TFT XGA10/20/30GBJune 2001 to April 2002 [20] [21] [22] [19]

References

  1. 1 2 Becker, David (March 16, 2000). "Short Take: IBM launches new ThinkPads". CNET. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  2. 1 2 "IBM ThinkPad i Series". IBM. Archived from the original on May 8, 1999. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "IBM preps $1,499 ThinkPad". CNET. October 13, 1998. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  4. ↑ Crothers, Brooke (June 7, 1999). "Acer, IBM sign $8 billion pact". CNET. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  5. 1 2 3 Dell, Deborah (2000). ThinkPad, a different shade of blue. Indianapolis: Sams. pp. 425, 426. ISBN   978-0672317569.
  6. ↑ "Dataquest". DQ. Cyber Media. 1999. p. 46.
  7. ↑ "Electronic Business". Cahners Publishing Company. Vol. 25. 1999. p. 76.
  8. ↑ "New ThinkPad i Series Notebook PCs Double as Mobile Entertainment Centers". www-03.ibm.com. 1999-06-08. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  9. ↑ Hamm, Steve (2008). The race for perfect: inside the quest to design the ultimate portable computer. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 97. ISBN   978-0-07-160611-0.
  10. ↑ Gratton, Sarah-Jayne; Gratton, Dean A. (2004). Marketing Wireless Products. Routledge. pp. 104–105. ISBN   9781136379246.
  11. ↑ Morris, John (November 2, 1999). "Celeron Speeds Up". PC Mag. p. 64.
  12. ↑ Nodecker, Natalie (November 2000). "Glamour Tech". American Photo. p. 30.
  13. ↑ Kinnon, Joy Bennett (December 1998). "Toys for Adults". Ebony. p. 138.
  14. ↑ "IBM ThinkPad Line". PCMAG. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  15. ↑ "Recall Alert". Maximum PC. November 2004. p. 27.
  16. ↑ "IBM ThinkPad s30/s31 - MacDat". www.macdat.net. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  17. ↑ "ThinkPad i 1800 2628-IAJ 2628-IAJ". INVERSENET. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "ThinkPad i 1800 2632-I1J 2632-I1J". INVERSENET. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  19. 1 2 "Personal Systems Reference IBM ThinkPad Notebooks A, T, X, and G Series 2000 to 2005 - withdrawn" (PDF). Lenovo Product Specifications Reference. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "ThinkPad i 1800 2655-P3J 2655-P3J". INVERSENET. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "ThinkPad i 1800 2655-PAJ 2655-PAJ". INVERSENET. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "IBM Mobile Systems ThinkPad Computer Hardware Maintenance Manual" (PDF). thinkpads.com. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
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