Is this a good deal on a Thinkpad?

Looking at the specs and comparing it to other Thinkpad models, I think the deal is not that 'hot'.
It's all based on what you need though. If all you need is to surf the web, then that should be enough. But personally, I would not want any 14" or 15" screen with 1024x768 resolution. (I use Thinkpad R50p from work, BTW).

Cheers .. Gus
 
256 RAM... you're gonna want 512.

40GB harddrive is pretty small, just will depend on what you're gonna be storing on there

and yea, 1024x768 on a 15" screen is pretty bad. Mine has that resolution and I have a 12" screen.

(biggest problem for me, is the whole Windows XP thing... I'm a mac guy... I enjoy a working OS is all :-p)

but if you're set on it, i guess it doesn't matter what I say :) so rock it out!
 
rickysals said:
(biggest problem for me, is the whole Windows XP thing... I'm a mac guy... I enjoy a working OS is all :-p)
Click to expand...
I never have problems with Windows, between reboots, the BSoD(blue screen of death), freeze ups. What are you talking about?
:biggrin:
 
rickysals said:
256 RAM... you're gonna want 512.

40GB harddrive is pretty small, just will depend on what you're gonna be storing on there

and yea, 1024x768 on a 15" screen is pretty bad. Mine has that resolution and I have a 12" screen.

(biggest problem for me, is the whole Windows XP thing... I'm a mac guy... I enjoy a working OS is all :-p)

but if you're set on it, i guess it doesn't matter what I say :) so rock it out!
Click to expand...

I run 1024 x 768 on my 19 inch monitor right now and I'm comfortable with that, so I shouldn't be too much of an issue should it? Or do you want higher resolution for smaller screens? :confused: Also, I noticed it comes with an extra 512mb of ram that the user installs, so it should be pretty speedy. I'm just looking at what you get for the price. A hair over $700 shipped gets you alot of computer for that money. I've got a desktop with an 80 gig plus an external 120 gig, so this unit will be more for just surfing around the house wirelessly and small downloads. I think I'm going to get it.
 
well in that case, i think you're good to go.

usually you want higher resolution on larger screens to take advantage of the fact that the screen is bigger.

when you have 1024x768 on a 19" or 15" screen, it's no more of an advantage of having a 12" screen with the same resolution. the apple 20" display has 1680x1050 resolution. When you have 1024x768 on a 19" display all it's doing is showing the same amount of information, with fatter pixels. (this is my biggest pet peeve when looking for a large monitor, the common consumer not implying anything about yourself, sir does not realize that resolution is what you want, not a huge screen with no ability to display anything) i'm a designer/student and this sort of thing is important to me, hence why i care so much about it. *rant over* :p

but anyways, things are going to look much smaller on your 15" as compared to your 19", because they both have the same reso. but your 15'' is ofcourse, smaller.

wireless internet rocks my socks, and my powerbook is my shadow around the house, i can take it anywhere :):) also, with more and more places with wireless internet, you can take your laptop with you and do business on the go.
 
rickysals said:
well in that case, i think you're good to go.

usually you want higher resolution on larger screens to take advantage of the fact that the screen is bigger.

when you have 1024x768 on a 19" or 15" screen, it's no more of an advantage of having a 12" screen with the same resolution. the apple 20" display has 1680x1050 resolution. When you have 1024x768 on a 19" display all it's doing is showing the same amount of information, with fatter pixels. (this is my biggest pet peeve when looking for a large monitor, the common consumer not implying anything about yourself, sir does not realize that resolution is what you want, not a huge screen with no ability to display anything) i'm a designer/student and this sort of thing is important to me, hence why i care so much about it. *rant over* :p

but anyways, things are going to look much smaller on your 15" as compared to your 19", because they both have the same reso. but your 15'' is ofcourse, smaller.

wireless internet rocks my socks, and my powerbook is my shadow around the house, i can take it anywhere :):) also, with more and more places with wireless internet, you can take your laptop with you and do business on the go.
Click to expand...

After reading up on the resolution (yes, it was one thing I wasn't paying attention to) I see what you are saying, but at this price point for a Thinkpad, it is pretty incredible. Everything else I was looking at for similar specs was around $900-1100.
 
IBM make great notebooks, but before you run off and buy anything IBM, remember they have sold out of the hardware game to a Chinese business... so long term support and parts quality is "questionable" IMHO.
 
comquat1 said:
I can't stand Dell laptops, first off they have a touchpad. I used a trackpoint on my last laptop and can't change after using it and seeing how much easier it is.
Click to expand...

Poll from newsforge. Touchpad vs. trackpoint from users online NewsForge:

TrackPoint vs. touchpad
4% 37 votes

96% polled prefer touchpad. It's a personal choice.
Link: http://www.newsforge.com/pollBooth.pl?qid=57&aid=-1

Plus, I'm not sold on the quality, Thinkpads have a reputation that's second to none.
Click to expand...

The following info is from Frost & Sullivan, a leading growth consulting and market research company.

Quote:

"Dell Recognized as Most Reliable Notebook and Desktop Manufacturer in North America
Frost & Sullivan CEO Choice Award Salutes Best Overall Quality, Price vs. Performance
Round Rock, Texas, October 27, 2005

For the second consecutive year, Frost & Sullivan has presented Dell with its CEO Choice Award for the most reliable manufacturer of notebook computers. This year, Dell also received the CEO Choice Award for the most reliable manufacturer of desktop computers in North America.

Frost & Sullivan's latest poll of company CEOs and presidents ranked Dell notebooks as most reliable by a margin of almost two to one, while Dell desktops received, in the same measurement category, more than three times as many votes as the nearest competitor.

Dell notebooks and desktops placed No. 1 in several measurement categories, including overall quality and price vs. performance. Dell also took the top spot in notebook customer service, receiving four times the number of votes as the nearest competitor.

"These results indicate the preference of the leaders of the professional world using, as well as recommending, Dell notebook and desktop computers," said Katerina Konstantinou, research executive, Frost & Sullivan. "The 2005 CEO Choice Awards recognize the company's commitment to quality, reliability, performance and customer service at a reasonable price."

Frost & Sullivan, a leading growth consulting and market research company, conducted its most recent CEO Choice Mobile Computing and Personal Computing Surveys in early 2005. The surveys assess preferences, views and opinions on a range of performance characteristics in mobile and personal computing."


Dell 700M

- 4.1 lbs and 1.5" thick,
-Extended Battery:
Bullet 8 cell (65Whr) Smart Lithium Ion battery
Bullet Approximate operating time: Up to 5.5 hours
-The 700m boasts a 12.1" wide-screen with 1280 x 800 resolution. It's a perfect screen for mobile computing and offers terrific clear
display for DVDs and photos. * Best screen I've seen so far. Way better than the Vaio.
-firewire port
-2 usb 2.0 ports
-ethernet port
-tv out
-`DVD +-RW optical drive
*too many more features.

Full review from AnandTech. *Reconized as the premier critics of tech gear

http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2296

I have carried my 700M for over a year now. I travel 3 days out of every week. Go through security at airports 3-5 times week, (lots of handling and an occasional mishandle.) No problem so far. It has not had one hiccup at all.

Right now Dell has a Xmas special on the 700M with DVD burner for $999

Inspiron 700m

From $1,349
Now from
$999

2718.jpg
 
Last edited:
"The Chinese" make pretty much everything nowadays. They've been making the ThinkPad for years for IBM. They also make iPods for Apple. They also make cheap plastic trinkets found in happy meals that fall apart after 2 days.

"The Chinese" will make a product to your EXACT specifications, including quality and fit & finish. If you WANT a shitty product, they will make it for you. If you want world class, they will also make it for you. It all depends on how much money you're willing to pay and how your marketing department has worked the warrantee numbers for you. Manufacturing in Asia is a HUGE STATE OF THE ART INDUSTRY, not rinky dink 3rd world shit.

Comments like this are not grounded in reality and are simply the tail-end of decades of racism in the US. They used to say the EXACT same shit about the Japanese, and look where they are now. It's just ignorant bullshit.

That being said, I have a thinkpad T41 (Lenovo [The Chinese] manufactured, IBM branded) and it's great, I use it 8+ hours a day for work. It has both a trackpad and a a nipple. But... If I had to buy a new one today, I'd get one of the widescreen X models and give it a shot. I believe they have entry levels ones starting at around 800 bucks. Can't beat the magnesium case and black color :)

Don't let ignorant comments like this one dissuade you from buying a ThinkPad. They're good computers, and will be for the foreseeable future. IBM and Lenovo have a huge relationship, and they're fully vested in each other. The thinkpad brand is not going to be sunk by "The Chinese".

NeoNSX said:
IBM make great notebooks, but before you run off and buy anything IBM, remember they have sold out of the hardware game to a Chinese business... so long term support and parts quality is "questionable" IMHO.
Click to expand...
 
I have to agree with Mike's comments about the manufacturing abilities of China/Asia. In the semiconductor industry (my industry), many/most new processes and precursors are developed in the US, but they are often first used in Asia. Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China... they are all destined to be the manufacturing peers, and possibly superiors, of US and Europe. Associating quality levels based on geography is no longer applicable.
 
Mike,
I believe the widescreen models are the Z models. I really envy your T41 there .. :-) .. I loved that line .. a perfect combination of power and size. I used to have a T21 years ago and loved it! Now the guys at work uses R50p-s that are a tad bigger than the T models.

As for Lenovo, I think IBM still does the design for the Thinkpads for a while, so it's not like they've completely switched over to Lenovo.

BTW, .. an analogy of Asian manufacturing .. remember where Honda & toyota were years ago .. and look at the NSX now .. :biggrin:

Cheers .. Gus
 
Not to take my own thread off topic a bit, but I have to say it's crazy how much the Chinese make and how much potential that gives certain Americans who import their items. As some of you know, I'm in the janitorial supply business, while it's not the gravy train, I make enough to support me and my car. Well, getting to the point, I am thankful for the chinese manufacturing capabilites. I have a line of cleaning machines that I carry that hands down, puts more money in my pocket every month because it's manufactured overseas. Most every other machine line in our industry is either American made or comes out of Europe. While Europe is a bit more competitve, it doesn't hold a candle to the Chinese.

What makes me even sicker yet is how much the importer of this line is making. I was calling one of the owners on the table today trying to get out how much money they made, and all I could get was, "we're having alot of fun building this business." :rolleyes: Because I am located close to their warehouse, i get access to all of their demo machines or refurbs and the pricing I get for a demo machine allows me waaaaay more margin than I make on a used machine b/c they discount it so much, it's really disgusting, but I'll take that money everyday of the week. :biggrin: What's even more crazy is that at their demo/refurb pricing they are still covering their costs and making a bit of money yet. :eek:

Every day of the week I keep trying to think of what product I can fill a container with over there to start a business like that. It's really like a license to print money with the right product mix.
 

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