Old thinkpads vs. new thinkpads? Which laptop? Has Lenovo soiled the thinkpad name...

Well, I'm selling my tosh and my macbook and pooling the money for a new laptop. My original choice was going to be a thinkpad T400, because of it's LED screen, 2.8 ghz core 2 duo, DDR3, switchable graphics, out the roof battery power and etc.
Upon further investigation, it seems as though Lenovo has cut corners on the production quality of the new T series, with things like construction, keyboard stability, solid steel roll cage, and body flex taking a back seat to the traditional thinkpad standards. I watched this video:

youtube slash watch?v=y8sOO-8LP4E&feature=related

And it seems as though my fears are confirmed. Do I have to make a choice, solidity or performance? I was considering the T61, which has great features like battery life and solid construction.... but alas no stock DDR3 and no LED backlit screen. And there are other functions only available on the new T400.

I want chunky, blocky, solid performance goodness that will last. Is there another brand I should consider, is thinkpad dead, and are my fears warranted regarding the T400?


Thanks for your replies.


[blind]

 

Also, I understand the bias upon entering the IBM forum. I ask you to please try not to plug the T400 because I'm SURE the performance is great, I just want to know since I consider keyboard flex/feel a huge factor, since it was one of my original motives to purchasing a thinkpad.


[blind]

 

The build quality of the T400 is overall very good.

The main concern of the T400 compared to earlier T series is keyboard flex. However, it is still less flexy than other brands, and if you want to make it rock solid you can buy a T61 keyboard and pop it in (I believe there is a top quality T61 NMB keyboard in the NBR marketplace).

I recommend you buy the T400, you won't be disappointed. It is certainly better built than almost any other computer you can buy (although possible a little less well than the T61). It also has better performance, battery life, and screen brightness than the T61 it replaces, and is in my opinion a worthy upgrade.

 

I’m very pleased with my T400, but it appears to be hit or miss for some. It appears Lenovo has done a good amount of cost cutting, which appears to have lead to a good deal of QA issues—they recently blamed “tolerance variations” for the “mythical” keyboard flex—and I hope they address these before they complete sully the ThinkPad brand.

 

Well, there's this configuration of T61 on ebay I am considering:

Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2) + Integrated Camera

14.1 WXGA TFT + UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader

Genuine Windows XP Professional
Free Upgrade to 4GB 667Mhz DDR2 SDRAM

320GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive

Wireless Card

Microsoft Office Professional * 2007 *

3 Year IBM/Lenovo Warranty Expiring: 2011-08-27 (Just Arrived!)

6 Cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Integrated Bluetooth PAN

DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim

PC Card Slot & Express Card Slot


It's priced at $1,425. I'd rather buy direct from IBM, but doesn't look like you can get the T61 direct anymore.


If I got the T400, I would get LED backlit, 7200 rpm 160gb, probably 2.8ghz core 2 duo.


I'm really really torn on this right now, but "sorta" leaning toward T61 because I value solid construction above all else, and I don't think replacing the keyboard would do it.

Does the T400 have the steel inner roll cage, and all that jazz?

 

If you do not like the T400 keyboard, you can request a replacement here:
http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/...&view=by_date_ascending&message.id=2738#M2738

I will do an old vs. new Thinkpad comparison when my X200 arrives. Soon I hope.

 

I watched that same video before I decided to get a T61. I got it off of ebay just in time to use my 10% off coupon through PayPal. Here's the specs:

Processor: Intel T7300 Core 2 Duo (2.0GHz, 800MHz FSB, 4MB Cache)
Graphics: Intel GMA X3100
Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP2
Display: 15.4” WXGA+ 1680X1050 TFT LCD
Hard Drive: 100GB 7200RPM (Seagate Momentus 7200.1)
Memory: 2GB Memory PC2-5300 (2x1GB DIMMS, zero slots free, expandable to 4GB)
Ports: 3 USB 2.0, 1 FireWire, Monitor out, modem, Ethernet, headphone out, microphone in
Slots: 1 PC Card Slot, 1 ExpressCard slot (optional media card reader and Smart Card reader)
Optical Drive: CDR+/-RW and Plays DVD's

----------
The graphics and no DVD burner are kind of a bummer, but I don't do any gaming or graphic heavy stuff, and I can't remember the last time I burned a DVD. I'd use the tower for that anyways. It did have Wireless and an SD slot, which the auction didn't even mention.

total cost: 580$ after coupon.
It feels solid. It stomps the VAIO I was looking at. I can barely type on my Toshiba's keyboard now that I've used this. I got a middle of the road variation, if graphics and larger hdd's are important you can find that.

I guess my point is that the T61 is a proven machine that is much more affordable now that the T400 is out. For the money I am very happy. I coludn't imagine spending almost three times what I did on my T61 for a T400.

here's the auction number:

300275333076

 

blindfighterpilot, the T61 widescreen and T400 is the same chassis. So if you are considering WIDESCREEN T61, no question, T400 blows it away. But then, you will have to buy proper keyboard.

 

Is this the good kind of T61? I heard there is two different versions, one that sucks and one that doesn't. Is this true?


cgi.ebay.com slash ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140287113639&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=004

 

I don't know if the flex is worse then then T61 but it is STILL by far the best mobile keyboard I have used to date.

 

If you are set on the T61, you can get a much better price from the Lenovo outlet. They start at $550 and move upwards from there depending on specs.

I still recommend the T400 (for battery life and screen especially) if you can afford it.

 

Well, I just bought a thinkpad T61, and I think I made the right choice. Here are the stats:

2GB Of Ram
UltraNav, Secure chip
CD-RW/DVD-RW Writer
320 Gb Hard Drive
Finger Print Port for Security Authentication
Intel 802.11ag wireless Wifi, Bluetooth/Modem
Intel Core 2 Duo T8300 2.4 Ghz ( Centrino VPro edition )
PCI Express x16 Intel Mobile 965 Video Card
Windows Vista Business Edition + OEM Key Included
9-Cell Lithium-Ion not 6-Cell Battery


Comes with a three year all parts covered warranty too!


I got it for $752.69, who thinks I got a good deal?

 

What kind oof GPU is with it?

 

"PCI Express x16 Intel Mobile 965 Video Card"

 

Oh, so that is the X3100 then? This seems like you got a great deal, it is a very nice machine.

 

I can't say much about the T61, but I can say I'm very satisfied with my T400 purchase. I don't notice any kind of major keyboard flex and the flex situation is much better than what I found in old HP computer. The only (minor) problem I have with it is that the display seems to be too tightly placed in the case - so that when I touch the chassis of the computer in certain places, a small section towards the bottom middle of the screen ripples slightly. I don't notice it enough to warrant me trying to replace it just yet though.

 

way to go! my ceiling was 600$, which is too bad because a couple hundred extra bucks really go a long way.