Lenovo Thinkpad T500 User Review

If you had the 6 cell battery, do you know approximately how much time would you be able to surf the internet with btightness to 1/2 with:

1)integrated gpu?
2)dedicated gpu?

 

In which OS (Vista/XP) T500 lasts longer on battery? (on both with intel graphics)

 

What can you say about the audio quality as compared to the macbook pro?

 

I'd guess... ~4 hours on integrated, and perhaps ~3 hours on dedicated?

Vista is quite a bit longer, from what I've heard. I do not have XP installed on my T500, though, so I can't verify that. I did try using Ubuntu for a while, it lasted ~2 hours less on a 9-cell battery than did Vista (with some proper tweaking though, I'm sure you can minimize that difference). XP is supposed to fall between Ubuntu and Vista though, so maybe figure ~1 hour less than in Vista on a 9-cell.

The MBP's audio quality from the built-in speakers is quite impressive from my experiences with them. Definitely better than the Thinkpad's (although the T500's sound quality is improved over the T60's). Headphone jack is great, though, with no quiet static or anything (as there was on my old laptop).

 

Thanks for the review! Those screen pics were probably the dealmaker in me making up my mind =D

 

so this is what you do in your spare time

 

Thanks so much for the informative review and the great website. It's very helpful!

I'm cross-shopping the R500 and T500 currently, I'm wondering what you think as far as how they compare to one another.

I'm not terribly concerned about size, since this will be more or less a desktop replacement. I don't "need" discrete graphics, I would just be using this machine for internet and watching DVD movies.

I'm curious as far as operating temps, durability, other features etc. how you think they compare. Is the T500 worth the extra money for someone not concerned about portability or discrete graphics?

Thanks!

 

The R and T series share a lot of the same parts - screens, keyboards, motherboards, etc. The R500 skews more from the T500 than the R400 does from the T400. It's a bit clunky and uses more plastic, I would assume to keep the cost down. It's still a solid machine if you ask me. If you're not moving much, then the extra durability and litheness of the T500 does not have as much value.

 

I'm pretty sure the R series has the lo-resolution screen options, and not the hi res available on the T. So you have a bigger heavier computer than has been neutered.

 

The R500 offers the same panels as the T500.

 

Yep, the R500 has the same panels available as the T500, except for the WXGA LED screen - all of its screens are CCFL.

Basically, the main advantages/differences of the T500 over the R500 are
1.- Switchable discrete graphics
2.- Thinner and lighter
3.- Roll cage in the LCD panel, which protects the screen when dropped or when a heavy load is stacked on the closed laptop
4.- Familiar Thinkpad rubber-ish texture on the lid - R500 uses regular black plastic

In most other aspects (noise, how quiet it runs, keyboard feel, etc), the R500 should be pretty much exactly the same as the T500.

If you do not mind these differences (seeing as you're not moving it around much), as well as the clunkier look, then the R500 would be a fine choice. It is still much better built than the SL-series.

 

MidnightSun, great review!

I can't see the pics (I.E.8 - Firefox) for some odd reason tho.

 

Thanks

The pictures are hosted on Imageshack - check if anything is blocking content from that site.

 

I've been reading your review and i'm pretty sold on the t500 (if i can get the money for it), the only question i had is would it be better to get the wxga tft, w/ led backlight or the wsxga+ tft, w/ ccfl backlight?

 

Wsxga+.

 

wxga is good for 12" or less laptops.

 

I would highly recommend the WSXGA+ CCFL display over the WXGA LED display. The LED display is supposedly not much brighter, but loses a lot of screen real estate.

 

Thanks, i ordered my t500 yesterday and put on wsxga+ ccfl. So happy

 

thanks for the awesome review! 143 i love love you.