Lenovo T420 and Lenovo L420?

Hi,

Thanks in advances for your help. I was not a thinkpad's user before, but I am very impressed by recent news that a T420 with a 9-cell battery can last 15 hours. However, right now, it seems that I am a bit out of budget to purchase a T420 with the specs that I want. And I found that L420 is about $150 cheaper. (The specs and prices are given below.)

My questions are:
1) In what aspects is L420 inferior compared to T420, that is worthy of $150? Is it the build-quality? (I heard that the build-quality of L420 is also very good.) Or is it the extra business-type of security and service? (which I don't really need) Or is it just the "name" of the T-series? Anyone can help to spell out exactly what are the differences of L420 and T420?

2) Battery life -- I saw that for 9-cell batteries, L420 lasts 11 hours but T420 last 15 hours. Anyone know why? (everything else are the same, I suppose.)

3) Build-quality -- I am also impressed that T420 is water-proof and can withstand extreme heat and weather. Is it also true for L420?

4) For L420, I can buy online the preset models from Cost-Central or Provantage. Anyone has bad experiences with them?

Thanks!!

Yee Kan


T420 -- price from Lenovo website $1189
L420 -- price from Cost-Central website $1057

Specs:
Processor: Intel Core i5-2520M Processor (2.50GHz, 3MB L3, 1333MHz) with Intel HD Graphics 3000
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64
Operating system language: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 US English
Display type: 14.0" HD (1366 x 768) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Total memory: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
Keyboard: Keyboard US English
Pointing device: Fingerprint Reader
Camera: 720p HD Camera
Hard drive: 320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device: DVD Recordable
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
PCI adapter: IEEE 1394a port
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2x2 AGN)
Integrated mobile broadband: Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable

 

I found this online. Any comments on the build-quality? How good the build-quality is L420 compared other computers out there? I don't expect to put my laptop into an oven, but I might drop it once in a while. I will fly quite a few times a year. Should I stick to T420 and reduce the specs, or buy L420 instead?

 

Are the specs you posted those of L420?
Basically, for such little price difference I would like to see T420 specs.
Unless T420 is severly limited in its spec for that price there is no logical reason to buy L420 instead of T420. 150$ seems like very small difference, given that they both are above 1000$.

 

Did you add the taxes to your order? I don't think CDW have taxes for their order.

 

Get the 1600x900 display on the T420. The resolution affects everything you do, and higher resolutions allow you to fit more on the screen. It's the most important upgrade. Since it's only $50 there's little reason not to go for it.

If you can't afford both the RAM upgrade and the screen upgrade, then upgrade the screen and spend $54 on newegg.com (rather than $80 to upgrade from 2GB to 4GB on Lenovo.com) to buy a 4GB RAM upgrade kit.
It should be very easy to open up a panel on the bottom and swap out the RAM modules.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...H&Description=1333mhz+4gb+laptop+ddr3&x=0&y=0

I recommend the T420 over the L420 as well. (partially because it has the 1600x900 option, partially because the build quality is generally better on the T Series)

 

T series ... gets my vote

 

while the L series are pretty good, it is not a machine that is priced to sell in the US market, since the price differential between a similarly equipped mid spec L and T series are too narrow. Just like the price difference between the R and T series was too close, which eroded the benefits of having two separate model range.

Lenovo probably wanted the US consumers to focus on the T, X, Edge series of some description. L series in the current updated style may appeal to the value conscious consumers in oversea markets, where the price differences are higher.

My recommendation for you, is to get the T420 if the price difference is less than 150 USD. You will recoup the difference in purchase price after only few years of use.

 

The L series is thicker, less sleek, and lacks some of the strengthening features that the T420 has (such as the magnesium endoskeleton.) It also suffers from a number of BIOS quirks that the X, T, and W series do not. (This is due to it using the IdeaPad BIOS, which betrays what it really is: an IdeaPad with a ThinkPad logo.)

Get the T420. (And I'd agree with the above posters: upgrade to the HD+ screen.)

 

The L series uses the regular Thinkpad BIOS(UEFI). The L series also are missing the Thinklight feature that is on the classic Thinkpad.

 

The L series should be made by the low end contract manufacturer (There are rumors on foreign forum that claims L series are made by the same manufacturer as Edge) distinct from the T and X series, anyway the only benefit of L series is the price. When price differential is so small in US market, then there is no real benefit of getting the L series over the T series.

 

is L series marketed to replace R series by any chance ?

 

Yes, it is, in fact since R series are no longer in production they have replaced it already.
Some might argue on the other hand that given how much R series cost at their release that T410i(somewhat cheaper T410 version with no difference from regular T410) is more of a R series replacement than L series are.

 

They changed from the SL series? Because the SL series absolutely does use the IdeaPad BIOS...

Also, AFAIK prior to the T420 generation, none of the publicly-offered ThinkPads used UEFI.

 

The L series laptop are gear toward corporate purchase, I am fairly certain that they use regular thinkpad BIOS(UEFI). The original SL series use to be targeted small business and home office, thus using only the Ideapad BIOS.

 

Maybe the current generation is, but i have not seen many corporations using these L series as their main laptops. There were quite a few R series used, but predominantly T and X series are what is used in the corporate environment.

I think L series is targeted to the small to medium businesses whom maybe more constrained in their IT budget.

 

Currently the regular ThinkPad BIOS isn't UEFI capable. To my knowledge, Lenovo hasn't shipped a UEFI BIOS quite yet (the T420-series is the first to have one.)

 

Thanks everyone for the comments!! I definitely will buy a T420 if I can figure out how to fund it

 

Check out other threads, there are members who have configured rather decent T420 for well under 1000$, if you live in USA you can get as low as 800$ or even lower depending on your needs.

 

actually, I am not in US now (just moved out of US a few months ago). So, I can only purchase the pre-configured models from websites like Provantage.com. I don't have all the freedom to choose whatever I want...

 

Well then you could wait for month or two, if you can and then see what other models become available
Im sure there will be plenty.