IBM ThinkPad i1200/i1300 Series & ThinkPad 130
The ThinkPad i1200/i1300 Series were lower-end consumer multimedia laptops released in 2000. They were manufactured for IBM by Acer. The ThinkPad 130 was a Japanese-exclusive model that shared the same case and features.
Specifications
Note: These models were not included in IBM's PSREF, so I am missing information on many configuration specifics. Information across online sources conflicts, and I may have to apply corrections in the future to existing information.
Overview
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | Circa 2000 |
| Discontinuation Date | Unknown |
| CPU Options | - Intel Mobile Celeron @500, 550, 600, or 700MHz - Intel Mobile Pentium III @650, 700, or 750MHz |
| RAM (Standard) | 32 or 64MB soldered |
| RAM (Maximum) | 160 or 192MB |
| RAM Type | PC100 SDRAM, 1 slot |
| HDD Standard Size | 5, 6, 10, or 20GB |
| HDD Type | IDE, 2.5" |
| Uses Proprietary HDD Adapter? | Yes |
| Display Options | - 12.1" HPA/Passive Matrix @800x600 - 13.0" HPA/Passive Matrix @800x600 - 12.1" TFT/Active Matrix @800x600 - 13.3" TFT/Active Matrix @800x600 - 13.3" TFT/Active Matrix @1024x768 |
| GPU Options | - SMI LynxEM+ (2MB VRAM) - SMI LynxEM4+ (4MB VRAM) - Trident CyberBlade Aladdin i1 |
| Sound | Crystal CS4299 |
| Battery | NiMH or Lithium Ion |
| CMOS Battery | Unknown |
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack |
| PC Cards | 1x PCMCIA/CardBus slot, ZoomVideo supported |
| Media Drives | Fixed CD-ROM, CD-RW, or DVD-ROM |
| Networking | - Modem - optional Ethernet, optional WiFi (i1300 and 130 only) |
| I/O (Other) | - 1x PS/2 - 1x Parallel - 1x VGA Out - 1x Headphone Out - 1x Mic In - 2x USB 1.x - Some have FireWire |
| BIOS | NOT the traditional IBM BIOS. Likely an IBM-badged Acer BIOS. |
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint |
Model-Specific
This is the place where I am really missing a lot of info. For instance, where are the Pentium III models? Where do these model numbers even come from? Where are the DVD models? Info comes from ThinkWiki.org. This page will be updated further when more is available.
| Spec | ThinkPad i1210 | ThinkPad i1230 | ThinkPad i1250 | ThinkPad i1260 | ThinkPad i1330 | ThinkPad i1370 | ThinkPad 130 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Circa 2000 | ||||||
| Discontinuation Date | Unknown | ||||||
| CPU Options | Intel Mobile Celeron @500MHz | Intel Mobile Celeron @550MHz | Intel Mobile Celeron @500MHz | Intel Mobile Celeron @550MHz | Intel Mobile Celeron @500, 550, 600, or 700MHz | ||
| RAM (Standard) | 32MB soldered | 64MB soldered | 32 or 64MB soldered | ||||
| RAM (Maximum) | 160MB | 192MB | 160 or 192MB | ||||
| RAM Type | PC100 SDRAM, 1 slot | ||||||
| HDD Standard Size | 6GB | 12GB | 6 or 12GB | ||||
| HDD Type | IDE 2.5" | ||||||
| Uses Proprietary HDD Adapter? | Yes | ||||||
| Display Options | 12.1" HPA/Passive Matrix | 13.0" HPA/Passive Matrix | 12.1" TFT/Active Matrix | 13.3" TFT/Active Matrix | 12.1" TFT/Active Matrix | 13.3" TFT/Active Matrix | 12.1 or 13.3" TFT/Active Matrix |
| Display Resolution | 800x600 | 1024x768 | 800x600 | 1024x768 | 800x600 (12.1") or 1024x768 (13.3") | ||
| GPU | SMI LynxEM+ | SMI LynxEM4+ | SMI LynxEM+ or LynxEM4+ | ||||
| VRAM | 2MB | 4MB | 2 or 4MB | ||||
| Sound | Crystal CS4299 | ||||||
| Battery | Unknown | ||||||
| CMOS Battery | |||||||
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack | ||||||
| PC Cards | 1x PCMCIA/CardBus w/ ZoomVideo Support | ||||||
| Media Drives | Fixed CD-ROM | ||||||
| Networking | Modem | Modem, Ethernet | |||||
| I/O (Other) | - 1x PS/2 - 1x Parallel - 1x VGA Out - 1x Headphone Out - 1x Mic In - 2x USB 1.x |
||||||
| BIOS | NOT the traditional IBM BIOS. Likely an IBM-badged Acer BIOS. | ||||||
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint | ||||||
Resources
 Service Manual |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
Brittle Plastic & Hinge Failure
The most common fault with these laptops is problems with the display hinges. There are at least three different problems with the hinges on these laptops:
- Plastic around the hinges on both the display and base is prone to stress cracking, eventually causing hinge failure.
- The hinge covers are held on with very weak clips and are extremely prone to breaking off and then going missing.
- The metal hinge itself on the left side is prone to snapping due to poor design.
In addition to hinge problems, these do not have a reputation for reliability. I hear complaints about display and motherboard failures all the time.
Gallery
IBM ThinkPad i1260
This my own machine. It's a rare example of one of these that hasn't lost its hinge covers (although the left one is held on with tape now), and the hinges are intact.
Click on an image to view the full-size version.
IBM ThinkPad 130
This was a Japan-exclusive model that was essentially the same as the i1200/i1300, just with a different name slapped on it. These images come from solidpro - thank you! This one's also a rare case that's not missing those hinges covers.
Gray Japanese i1200 & Passive Matrix Model
Here's two more from solidpro. One is an i1200 Series in a gray case. These gray models were exclusive to Japan and apparantly are even more brittle than the black ones are. The other laptop here is a standard one, not sure the exact model. This one has the incredibly common passive matrix display in it.
Click on an image below (except the first one) to view the full-size version of it.
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 11/15/2024
Update Reason: pages consolidated
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