If there's anything you should be wary of with the X220, it's the number of "value-added" applications and unnecessary background processes. The Windows 7 Professional operating system has just about every software feature you need for a laptop, yet a quick glance at the Windows task manager revealed nearly 90 processes running and nearly 30 percent memory usage--without one user application running. One or two of the background apps are worthwhile, such as the one that shuts down the hard drive in case of a fall or the Bluetooth manager, but additional battery meters ad Wi-Fi handlers are generally useless. A trial version of Norton Internet Security, as well as Microsoft Office 2010 Starter are bundled.

ThinkPad users won't find anything mind-blowingly different about this latest addition to the X2xx series, but the improvements are noticeable and all enhance the usability of the unit. If you're not looking for a laptop that is super-sexy or trying to get away on the cheap, the X220 is the best thing going in an ultraportable.