I have purchased a tablet pc every year for the past 4 years (PDAs before that). I have bought 2 generations of fujitsu because they are pretty durable, simple, and have power-on security. I have also been maintaining a desktop for 3d applications. I found out about pci express expansion and the potential to consolidate the two year ago, but only recently saw people getting results. One of the people in the aforementioned thread tried this setup and (fortunately) found a solution in downgrading the BIOS, and that kept me from returning my X220T.
There are superior products at competitive price points right now: Fujitsu T901 + Quadro NVS 4200, Dell Precision M6600/6500 + touchscreen. I was on the verge of purchasing my 3rd fujitsu, only waiting on the Quadro option, when I found the eGPU thread. Excellent support, with a easily recoverable tool set and procedures in case it didn't work. I researched the X220T and, after some ridiculous price fluctuations ($1.8k for the base model, $2.3k for my config at one point!!!!!), I finally purchased a X220T on the hope that I could replicate that eGPU success and finally merge the only reason I have a desktop, with my laptop.
After receiving my X220T, I was immediately disappointed with several red flags. I won't get into those since that's not the focus of this thread, but it was Thinkpad software tools that kept me from returning it in the first week. Getting this working has redeemed the device for me, but it required a BIOS downgrade which now introduces problems (I have yet to experience fortunately). I realize that this change may been made to fix a bug, but just as you have other BIOS options that could potential break the system, TOLUD selection can be one of them. A simple toggle 3GB/3.5GB, no support, completely experimental.
Responding to the community is extremely important. To see a manufacturer foster its power users would (and has before) commit me to purchase Lenovo products for the next 4 years and recommend it to others.
