My first thinkpad purchase advice.

I need a new laptop that will last 4 years. I decided on a thinkpad but I wanted to see if my configuration gets the approval of the thinkpad community. I was going to get a 420s but I didnt want to deal with such a unique HD since I will be for sure upgrading in the future. Let me know what you guys think.

I am buying it for movies, excel, CAD(proE), matlab, and reading pdf's


Qty Product Code Description Unit Cost Total
1 SYS.4177CT CONFIGURED SYSTEM $748.44 $748.44
The above product code consists of the following component(s):
1 4177CTO THINKPAD T420 - 1 YR DEPOT TOPSELLER WARRANTY $748.44
1 0A68267 SBB 2NDGICI5-2520M IHDGR200 $0.00
1 45M3092 VBB GENWIN7HOMEPREM64 $0.00
1 0A68394 SBB GW7 HP64 US ENGLISH $0.00
1 0A68252 SBB 14.0 HD+ (1600 X 900) LED $0.00
1 0A68248 SBB INTEL HD GRAPHICS 3000 $0.00
1 45M4569 VBB 2GBPC3-10600DDR3 1333SODMM $0.00
1 45M4839 SBB KEYBOARDUS ENGLISH $0.00
1 0A68278 SBB 250GB HDD5400RPM $0.00
1 0A68277 SBB DVD RC8XMXDLLRULT E ATA $0.00
1 0A68292 SBB EXPRESS CRSLT4IN1CR $0.00
1 45M4815 SBB 6CELLLI-ION BATTERY $0.00
1 41W1787 LENOVO THINKPAD LANGUAGE / LOCALIZATION KIT $0.00
Product Description Lenovo ThinkPad language / localization kit
Product Type Language / localization kit
Localization North America
1 0A68261 SBB BLUETOOTH 3.0 $0.00
1 0A68264 SBB IEEE 1394A PORT $0.00
1 75Y1724 SBB THINKPADB/G/N $0.00
1 44C7950 SBB INT WRLSSWDAREANTWRK UPGR $0.00
1 0A68293 SBB LPUS ENGLISH $0.00

 

How much CAD are you going to do? W520 is much better for heavy CAD work.

 

If you do a lot of CAD work (such as 2D/3D modelling) then you may want to consider bumping up to the NVIDIA Quadro GPU for better graphics acceleration. The Intel HD 3000 is a good GPU in its own right but by all means it won't be as good as having the discrete option.

 

I CAD on a intel hd 2000 comp and its fine. You really dont need discrete unless your doing a assembly with a million parts. The only thing I am worried about with this laptop is the screen and it not lasting as long as everyone is saying. I really dont want to spend 800 dollars(after tax) on something that will onyl last a year.

 

Spend the extra $25-30 to upgrade the one-year warranty to onsite. If you need service, you'll be glad you did.

I think any worries about the screen are overblown. The systems are brand-new, and there is no way the screen will only last a year.

 

Is the 3-4 lifespan of thinkpads pretty accurate or is it hype?

 

You can always extend the warranty later on and upgrade to on site if you don't have the funds immediately.

 

The lifespan varies to be honest, you do get some ThinkPads that are lemons while others just run and run to infinity with no problems. It's just the luck of the draw really, i'm really fortunate with my ThinkPads as they lasted 3-4 years between them without trouble.

Just treat it like you normally would, they don't need the "cotton wool treatment" and can take a few minor knocks. It doesn't hurt to give it a clean once in a while from dust and smudges too. Obviously if you want to drop test it from a 5-story block for example then that's probably asking for trouble!

 

Is that a good price for what I am getting?

 

That's a good price, T420 brand new could easily hit like 1400 dollars.

ThinkPads with the integrated graphics last forever. The discreet GPU is another story, especially the ones with the G84M/G86M chip, though not necessarily Lenovo's fault.

 

Have you applied any coupons. There's an automatic 6% if you order through Student, Visa (pay with Visa through their site) or Shareholder programs. Also some new coupons seem to have been added:

USP14LAPTOP- Up to 40% off T420- expires 4/20
LOGICBUY10- 10% off over $899- 4/30

Also talk to a rep over the phone. They can sometimes do even better than these coupouns.

 

ups code only does 5 percent
logicbuy code does 10 percent.
I added 10 percent and then i talked to a rep and he knocked off another 10.

Ive never spent this much on a laptop so im indecisive...

 

I'm typing this on my 6.5-year-old X40, while waiting for my new T420 to be delivered. True, it did lie in a drawer for the better part of two years while I almost exclusively used the T61 my previous job set me up with, but that still makes for over 4 years of active use. It has, however, just recently developed its first real problem, namely a system board glitch that makes it unable to draw power from, or charge, the battery. Thus the new machine. But there's no doubt Thinkpads are _extremely_ durable compared to any other notebook I've ever used.

EDIT: Batteries, of course, are another matter. They age just as with any other brand, and need replacement every 12-36 months, depending on usage patterns.

 

An issue about contrast ratio has been brought up in another forum. Im wonder how much this will effect me since I watch alot of movies/shows.

 

You might notice that the color does not pop, the screen look kind of wash out, especially if you switch between different monitor. If you use it everyday you eye will adjust the low contrast ratio.

 

How did you get the rep to knock off another 10%?

 

I tried calling and the guy couldn't do anything more than the student price and 10% off.

 

I work for a defense company and Im a student. I told them that and he came back with a qoute with approx 10 percent off. I think im going to pull the trigger on this on monday.

 

Can you upgrade warranties later. If i keep it at depot warranty can i upgrade to onsite later?

Also what the difference between the thinkpad wireless card and the intel one that doesnt cost anything to upgrade?

 

The rep that I contacted told me we can upgrade from the basic to better coverage within 90 days after buying a laptop. However, the price will be higher than buying together with my laptop.

I'm not sure about other case. For example, If we buy 2yr onsite and protection, and want to extend to 4y onsite and protection after 2 years, can we extend it?

 

Thank you guys for all your help so far. I have a few questions left before I buy:

-Whats you guys opinion on warranties? Im thinking leave it standard since ill probably try to fix it myself if anythign ever happens
-I keep hearing about the discount and warranty up grade with visa but when i go to visa website all i see is a discount that cant be stacked.

Thank you guys again for the help.

 

My personal opinion is that whatever warranty you get, adding onsite coverage is best. There are some mail-in service providers contracted by Lenovo that customers have found to be less than satisfactory. As a result, I would rather have any service done where I can supervise it, as I regularly repair laptops myself.

How long of a warranty to get depends on how well you take care of your gear. I've usually found that if nothing goes bad in the first year, the only parts likely to go bad are either user-replaceable (like the hard drive or keyboard, which have moving parts), or due to user accident (e.g., liquid spillage, drops, etc.) Since your laptop is worth less every year you own it, think about at what point in time you'd decide to buy new if it broke. I probably wouldn't buy more than a 2-year warranty at the longest; after two years most business laptops are worth half of what they were new. The additional cost starts to add up, and at a certain point it's easier to buy new, or (if you're tech-savvy) purchase repair parts yourself on Ebay to do the job.

I configured my T420 with the standard 1-year, and added onsite.

 

1) always get onsite warranty, if available for your area
2) warranty the number of years you don't expect to be considering a new machine
3) think of it as the ongoing maintenance cost - things will go wrong, without warning, and at any time
4) think of it as an insurance premium
5) if you can't decide, get onsite for at least a year, and before warranty runs out, extend it beyond that for extra year or two