Help me choose T520 (HD+ vs HD, Optimus vs integrated)

I apologize for starting this seemingly redundant thread, but I've spent the last 3 days reading through all the relevant posts and haven't found a good answer yet to the following questions:
I. Screen:
1. Is the HD+ (1600x900) screen qualitatively better from the HD (1366x768) one on T520 laptops? What I mean is quality in the broad sense, not just resolution and sharpness, which are obviously better on the HD+. According to the TAbook, they have the same nit value and contrast value, but many posts in this forum claim that they are not the same. I've also read praises of the HD+ screen, but there's little info about the plain HD, except people saying that it's lo-res, hence bad. Is it as bad as the T420 HD? Since I'm trying to decide between the two and resolution is not of utmost importance to me, I'd like to know more about how the two compare in terms of color, luminosity, contrast, angle distortion etc.
2. I've found comments about the HD+ coming from two suppliers, and one having an unpleasant purple/blue tint, which cannot be eliminated. Any more info about this? Also, what about the HD screen: there seem to be 2-3 suppliers for that too; are any of them suffering from the same problems as (one of) the HD+?
3. I've managed to find surprisingly little about the correlation between higher resolution and the likelihood of dead pixels. Again, there is some anecdotal evidence of people complaining about dead pixels on the HD+ screen (and also the similar T510, not just the T520!). Is the HD screen a "safer bet" in this regard?

II. GPU and Fan:

Does the fan on the Nvidia Optimus model run just as quiet and cool as on the model with Intel integrated graphics, when Optimus switches Nvidia off (i.e. non-3D-intensive work, such as MS Office, light internet browsing etc.)? Again, there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence (complaints) about Optimus bugs, but what I'm primarily interested in is to have a machine that runs cool and quiet. My intuition tells me that the Intel integrated graphics machine is the better alternative (my wife has a T510 with integrated, which runs very quiet, even with the fan on), but maybe the Optimus auto-switch can achieve exactly the same effect. Or do the Optimus models still come with a better (copper) heatsink than the integrated ones (aluminum heatsink)? Does that make a difference when Nvidia is switched off?

III. My two possible choices:

For various reasons, I need a preconfigured (top-seller) model, not a CTO one, around $1000, and have narrowed my choices down to the following two:
T520 424049U
Newegg.com - ThinkPad T Series T520 (424049U) Notebook Intel Core i5 2520M(2.50GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 7200rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA NVS 4200M + Intel HD Graphics 3000
and
T520 42404AU
Newegg.com - ThinkPad T Series T520 (42404AU) Notebook Intel Core i5 2520M(2.50GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 7200rpm DVD±R/RW Intel HD Graphics 3000

The price difference is $120, and I know that the 9-cell battery, Optimus, and HD+ on the 49U model are well worth that difference. However, I don't need the larger battery (makes it heavier too), and am not sure about the pros and cons of Optimus and HD+ vs integrated and HD.
I currently still use my old T60 14" (4:3 aspect), with XGA (1024x768) resolution, which is about 90ppi. I'm pretty happy with that, and the HD T520 already has a higher ppi (around 100). My wife's T510 with HD resolution seems ok to me, but I wouldn't want to miss out on the potential benefits of the HD+. However, I'm a bit worried about the higher ppi (118) and the need to scale up to 125 dpi for web browsing, reading documents online etc. I'm 36 and my sight is good (no glasses, yet), but I'm kind of used to the lower resolution of my T60. I don't do any video or photo editing work, just reading (but a lot; entire books in pdf, scholarly articles etc.) and writing. But I also watch movies occasionally (this is not a top priority, however). Again, I know about the supposed benefits of the HD+ (e.g. having two pages or windows, side-by-side), but I'm worried that the fonts would be too small.

I would greatly appreciate any input or advice.

Thanks,
Steve

 

I have bad eyes and the 1600*900 is like night and day compared to my old T400's 1280*800 (as it should). Text size is perfect; I can read two-page PDF spreads in decent quality OR work on a document while reading a single-page prompt. Wish I had it during my undergraduate English courses.

I don't know if I got one out of a bad batch but my T520 with Optimus had power state failures out of the box and the nVidia controls rarely work. Personally, I wouldn't bother with it if you're not doing anything graphics intensive. I will say it does handle most games pretty well - Need for Speed Hot Pursuit runs without lag 99% of the time. Haven't tried Crysis yet.

I still get 6-9 hrs battery out of the 9-cell on power save mode on "basic" usage. This usually nets me one week of no charging, but your mileage may vary.

 

Thanks, Graytotoro. The problem is that the HD+ model comes with Nvidia (and I don't want to go the CTO route). Did you end up having it repaired/replaced? Power state failures are another reason I'm wary of the Nvidia model, but the one with integrated comes with the HD screen.

I'd like to see a comparison of the T520 HD vs HD+ (as opposed to having the latter compared to an inferior T4xx screen).

 

If you can wait just a few months, I would suggest waiting for ivy bridge to roll out. Plus, Newegg is pretty over-priced on those thinkpads. If it's possible for you, I'd go through Lenovo.

 

If you're comfortable with HD you should consider it. Until you get better screen technology like IPS or PVA LCDs, which offer high contrast in conjunction with wide viewing angles, the difference in TN panels mostly isn't that significant.

Here's a thought for you, you can buy one of the IPS screens for the T60 and swap it in yourself. You shouldn't need more than a T60 performance wise to read PDFs. It's not that hard, will offer a much better LCD than the HD+ and will cost a lot less than a new notebook. It's a straight swap on the T60, meaning you won't have to swap any other parts to get to work. The only thing is the LG SXGA+, which was the primary screen used in the T60, is getting somewhat harder to find. The Hydis UXGA is easier to get, but more expensive. Plus, 1050 vertical resolution is much better for PDFs. I have this screen in my R60e. It's quite excellent and the R60e is still very good for a general usage notebook.

 

@talin: Do you think they are overpriced? There are not that many Topseller models with BOTH HD+ and integrated graphics, and the two models I've found are the cheapest on Newegg, it seems. I've tried configuring sth. similar on Lenovo, and it was more expensive even with coupons, since they add sales tax (which Newegg doesn't for my state). Also, I travel a lot internationally, and I'm still not 100% convinced that IWS now applies to CTO models too. And there might be a shipping delay too from Lenovo, whereas Newegg has those two machines in stock. I don't want to wait for Ivy Bridge, btw.

@ZaZ: Hm, you have a point there, and this is exactly why I asked if people could compare the two. I simply wonder if the HD+ is better than the HD (not comparing apples and oranges, that is, T420 with T520!) in terms of color reproduction, viewing angle, contrast, luminosity. As I said, the tabook gives the same values for both, but some comments claim that the HD+ is significantly better in all these aspects (and not just in resolution and sharpness), so I wonder how accurate that is. My wife's HD T510 is a little bit sharper than my CCFL, 14.1 XGA T60 (100ppi vs. 90 ppi), though I can see it's not that great for multimedia usage (which I don't need).

I just had my T60 screen replaced a few months ago (backlight died in the original one), and since I had my warranty extended to 5 years, I still got that for free. I would not mind buying a T60p screen when this one dies, but what I'm mostly worried about is the rest of this machine: after all, it's 6 years old, been using it for 8-9 hours every day for work, and it's out of warranty, so if the motherboard fails, it could cost me a lot. I'm thinking of keeping it as a backup machine for my T520.

Any more input on the Nvidia optimus vs. integrated (in terms of reliability, potential heatsink differences, fan noise)?

 

HD+ is significantly better. Go with this option. Review Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

 

I've already read that review, but the problem is that it's not comparative. It only talks about the HD+. I wish someone did a side-by-side comparison. And I'm still puzzled why the Tabook gives the same nit, gamut, and contrast values to both the HD and the HD+?

Also, out of the two models I'm looking at, the HD+ comes with Optimus, and I'm wary of noisier fans or issues such as the Nvidia-related crashes mentioned above (and in countless other forums). I wish there were a HD+ and integrated graphics topseller model for my price range ($1,000, give or take $50).

 

This is possible. I believe the Barnes&Nobles T520 with 1080p screen with integrated graphics came down to $830 last time I checked. The HD+ screen should be about 100 cheaper so around $730.

EDIT:
MAD 1-day SALE on T520! Link

Total cost: $675.64
ThinkPad T520 - 1 Yr Depot Topseller Warranty
Processor: Intel Core i3-2350M Processor (3M Cache, 2.30GHz)
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
Operating system language: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 - English
Display type: 15.6" HD+ ( 1600 x 900) LED Backlight AntiGlare display, with Wireless WAN Antenna
System graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor graphics with dynamic frequency
Total memory: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
Keyboard: Keyboard - US English
Camera: 720p HD Camera with Microphone
Hard drive: 320GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device: DVD Recordable
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot, 4-in-1 Card Reader with place-holder cover
Battery: 6 Cell 2.6Ah Li-Ion Battery
Power cord: 65W AC Adapter - North America, Latin America (2pin)
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel WiFi Link 1000
Integrated mobile broadband: Mobile Broadband ready (no mobile broadband module)
Language pack: Publication - US English
...and customize further to fit your needs. I would add the a/g/n wireless and maybe upgrade to Core i5.

I personally wouldn't go with a 1080p screen on a 15'', the DPI is too high for my tastes (I tried on a Sony Vaio SE, which I've returned). HD+ or 1680x1050 is the ideal resolution for me at 15 inches. Also, the Nvidia graphics in the T520 is weak. I wouldn't bother unless you're going to use a dock and have a 3-4 monitor requirement.

 

Argh, I've just missed this sale. Thanks, nonetheless for the tip. I have never heard of this B&N Lenovo thing, though I still reckon it's basically a CTO order (unfortunately, the link is dead, so I haven't been able to check it). As I will be traveling soon, I'm a bit wary of a CTO order because of shipping speed (and possible delays), which is why I've been looking at Topseller models that resellers actually have in stock.

Still $675 seems a pretty good price. But I would have to upgrade warranty to 3-yr (another $100, I suppose), Windows to Pro, and also add the sales tax, so I could easily end up at just under $900. That's still a good price, so my main concern is shipping speed.

Also, do CTO models suffer from quality control issues at all? I've only ever had Topseller (preconfigured) Thinkpads.

 

No, they're indistinguishable except for the serial number.

 

Thanks. Still concerned a bit about shipping time, though. Est. shipping is 4/20, which means that I would only get it delivered around 4/27, I guess, which might be too late for me

 

I'm thinking more like 5/1 at the earliest. It's got to fly over from China and clear customs.

 

I haven't heard of any QC issues with CTO models, they are virtually identical. If you're not satisfied, you can always return it just like a Topseller version. I believe that there was a 30% off for a warranty extension, so it might have been less than $100. But yes, if you're in a rush it wouldn't work, probably will take about a month to arrive.

 

Thanks to both of you. I was on the verge of pulling the trigger (with tax and 3yr warranty it came to $840 for HD+, i3 CPU, 320Gb HDD), but shipping delays are a major problem for me. There seem to be just too many complaints about shipping delays (including customs).

I'm back at my original plan now with the two topsellers, which are in stock, so I could probably get them in 3-4 days, and there's also a 30-day return-for-replacement policy. I'm inclined to go with the cheaper HD screen model (integrated graphics), though the HD+ temptation is still nagging

 

My T500 and X120e each took exactly 2 weeks from order placement online to arrival on my doorstep. 1 week for build, and 1 week for shipping.

 

I wouldn't get the HD+, and i DEFINATLY wouldn't get the cheapo HD screen, the resolution on the HD screen is total crap, you can barely fit all the info from 1 site on it

FHD is the way to go without a doubt, $150 well spent

 

Definately agree on the FHD screen. While it's a different laptop, the FHD screen (which has the same model # as the FHD on the lenovo) on my XPS15 is amazing and I found that I use my XPS (with an i3) alot more than the T520 with a i7 mainly because of the screen. I'm planning on doing a screen swap as soon as im done with school.

Also, why are thinkpads so expensive? My friend just got this:
Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Z570 (1024DMU) Notebook Intel Core i5 2450M(2.50GHz) 15.6" 6GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M

Also, I'm using the thinkpad with the optimus + 4200m and its relatively quiet.

 

Well, I don't know, for every customer satisfied with shipping speed there's another one complaining about delays (both because of shipping and customs). Lenovo's forum is full of them, and they don't seem to have been very special configurations either.

This is why FHD is out of the question for me, as you cannot possibly find a preconfigured retail model (in stock at a reputable reseller) with FHD screen that would cost only $150 more than a HD model. If I could, I might try it, though I would probably still find the res too high for my needs.
Retail models (like the two alternatives I originally had) have a price difference of $140-150 between the HD+ and HD equipped ones (NOT between FHD and HD), even though a CTO model only has the HD+ upgrade for an extra +50. Again, I would probably not mind paying the extra $140 even for the HD+ model if it came with integrated graphics and a 6-cell battery, but the only model I've found at such a reasonable price difference (see my thread-starting OP) comes with Optimus and a 9-cell. I know that both represent extra value, but I don't need the 9-cell (will use it as desktop-replacement mainly); more importantly, I'm really wary of the Optimus as there are way too many complaints around about Nvidia causing all sorts of problems (and I definitely don't need the extra graphics power as a tradeoff).

 

i got the laptop in my signature (minus the ssd and the ram) direct from lenovo.com for about $1100

it shipped in a week, arrived 3 days after it shipped.

 

I'm sure there is a lot of positive experience, but I'm really wary of ordering from Lenovo because of threads like these:
Question regarding over ONE MONTH delivery time? - Lenovo Community

Order related customer service concerns - Page 38 - Lenovo Community

 

i read all the horror stories as i waited for my computer to arrive and got as worried as you are.

but, it arrived in a reasonable amount of time. I have friends who ordered direct from lenovo w/ no issues.

 

As with everything, there's always a distribution of results. Some people get lucky and have extraordinarily fast build/ship times, some people are extremely unlucky and have their orders delayed for one reason or another. But the bulk receive their laptops on a timely manner.

 

i'd also like to note that the cost benefit of ordering direct from lenovo is enormous

configure a laptop on their site, and them compare it to a retailer like best buy or newegg, Lenovo's prices right off the bat are hundreds of dollars cheaper

on top of that, it is very easy to get an additional discount if u just ask the phone/online chat rep.

 

Well, there is a cost benefit, but I wouldn't say it's always "hundreds of dollars". For the particular configurations I had in mind, the difference (including the sales tax charged by Lenovo and the warranty upgrade to 3 yrs) is only about 90-100 dollars, which is still good. But for 90-100 dollars more I can get the same config. shipped in 2-3 days and a 30-day return-for-replacement policy.

 

the difference was a lot bigger for my configuration

about $700-800

 

go to eBay and you would buy cheaper. You can extend the warranty at any time 8=)
The Nvidia card is a good option. It impossible watch move 1080i without it 8=(
I installed in my T520 SSD 120GB (now it cost less then $100) and HDD 1TB (instead of DVD).
I do not see any reason to buy directly from lenovo.com
You can buy cheaper from eBay, you will lost $ if decide return it back to Lenovo 8=(
If you buy from eBay you will lost only $15-20 for shipping back.
Ask seller to pay directly to his PayPal account and you will save additional $20-40, and will be still under PayPal protection 8=)

 

How about that?!

 

Well, that's one way to drum up business for your store.