Switchable Graphics and i5-540m on the T410s in April?

I just called lenovo about two options that I wanted to order on a T410s, and the sales rep told me that both the switchable graphics and the i5-540m options got ditched, and they will no longer offer those options.

Some part of me wants them to be released tomorrow.

 

I want a 14" SXGA+ IPS with a i5 and switchable GPU, but I ain't gettin that either.

 

looking through the parts lists and TopSeller model listings, there was never an i5-540M offered.   the only processors available in the T410s at this time are the i3-330M and i5-520M.   if you saw an i5-540M on the website then it must have been a mistake.   at this time there are no system planars with this processor in the parts system.

 

It definitely was. There was a thread on NBR about people who ordered them. The sales rep definitely indicated that they were an option at one point. Also, there are a bunch of people who ordred them in the thread below.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=84300

 

Although the engineering probably won't give us the whole story, I guess that:

1) i5-540m puts out too much heat for such a thin laptop

2) nvidia drivers for switchable graphics are not stable at this point

I wouldn't be surprised if the nvidia switchable graphics gets reintroduced once nvidia sorts out their driver game.

 

as of january 12th, there is no mention of an i5-520M in the T400s/T410s/T410Si HMM.   and, i don't see anyone in that thread who actually received an i5-540M.   all the orders for such a config were to be canceled due to an erroneous listing on the website.   being an erroneous option and actually receiving that option are two different things.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-72739

 

I'm going to put more value in the sales rep--he works there. You don't. Sure, Lenovo customer service can be a bit of a cluster , but he told me that he placed orders for people for T410s with the i5-540m... I'm not sure though. I just want one!

 

Well, just because he placed orders doesnt mean anything either, sales rep is what he is - just sales rep.
Just my 2c.

 

The description of the T410s still have "Nvidia Switchable Graphics" listed so I'm gonna hope for the best.

 

I thought the lenovo blogs CONFIRMED having switchable graphics on the T410s only...despite the huge confusion with other information.

 

eventually. (or so i'm told)

 

sounds to me like a phone monkey making up his own explanation for missing options
i mean, mark kohout confirmed on his blog just a couple days ago very clearly that the t410s will have switchable
how would a phone monkey know about a cancellation but not one of lenovo's prominent mouthpieces?

 

then again Matt Kohut have made mistakes too in his post.

 

It seems to me that there are indeed issues with the T410s release. As of today, from my almost obsessive trawling of the web for any info about these machines, I've found that not a single T410s has shipped. Everyone that has ordered these machines has had their ship date pushed back into April. This is regardless of the machine type (520M, 540M, SSD, HD, whatever). Sales reps know almost nothing about the status of these machines. However, they are quite happy to take more orders and reassure you that you're machine will be shipped in 2-3 weeks. Also, I'm not just the owner of hair club for men, I also ordered three of these machines fully loaded on 1/7 before being put into the hurt locker...4/21 ship date inspired me to cancel my order...

I'm done speculating and drooling over this machine until its release is confirmed and some reviews and picts are posted that reaffirms this machine is worth it...in my heart, I know/hope they will eventually, but darn Lenovo you hurt me too much for the moment and I can take it no longer!

 

There are a couple out there

http://www.youtube.com/user/wiseeguy

 

Hey now we're talking. I must admit, as an old fo-gee, I've never used new-fangled video media as a source.

Now let's see what's up with this bad boy...Wait! This review better not be good, I'm got at least another couple of good days of sulking left in me!

 

Hey, on the phone with Lenovo now. Interesting stuff. Sales rep said that the i5-540m and the switchable graphics were only offered together, and that since the switchable graphics got pulled, the 540m got pulled. He said something to the effect of, "Nvidia pulled the chipset back from us." He said that both options were available for a week or so.

So he also said that we will see switchable graphics, but we don't have a sure date yet. He mentioned mid March to April, and that when the graphics option came back, we might see the i5-540.

I called and spoke to a different rep, he said that the i5-540m was in really short supply from Intel, and that we would see that back in the next couple weeks. He said that "April looks good for the switchable graphics"

I'm hopeful now!

 

Questions:

If there's no switchable graphics, then the T410s will be permanently running with the external NVIDEA? So that will make it run hot all the time? So how long will the batteries last?

No switchable graphics means even if you reboot - there is no BIOS option (for example) to switch at boot time. (Wouldn't mind having to reboot to switch - I wouldn't need the external NVIDEA so often.)

TIA

- avi

 

aislepathlight, my order experience lines up with what you've heard from your sales rep.

FYI, my order was for three machines with 540M, SG graphics, and Intel 80GB ssd. My expected ship date was pushed back to April 21th. Based on my order time, I expected I'd be one of the first to receive one when they were shipped.

Early Feb, they offered me 520M machines with no SG for the same price because the machines I ordered were going to take longer to ship. He said he would be able to expedite my order if I ditched the 520M and SG.

avi10000, the T410s without NVIDIA switchable graphics by default have the Intel integrated graphics only. There was/is no discrete-only NVIDIA option being offered on the 410s. Perhaps, you are thinking about the T410 model...

 

As far as I’m concerned, this is a good thing—and I feel switchable graphics was a hack/implemented poorly. As a T400 owner, I never use it—and the fact that the T410 (not s) does not have this capability is testament to this point. The reality that I have to MANUALLY switch between the chips is a bit ridiculous—and Microsoft has publicly admonished this practice as it is designed.

If they can’t do it right, they really shouldn’t be doing it at all—so I give them kudos for swallowing some pride and saying you get nothing, because the current implementation sucks. Nvidia appears to have done it right this time around—so if you need to wait to get something that works properly, well, you might want to give them praise.

 

I think you are spot on with this. I'd love to get the computer sooner, but my 3 year old MBP can get me through a couple months without warranty coverage. Getting the right machine that does the job correctly out of the box will make the pretty big purchase much more fulfilling and worthwhile.

 

well all we can do is hope the t410s would have nvidia's optimus

 

All waiting for the T410s. I hope it finally works in the end.

 

Personally the switchable graphics would be "nice" but only if implemented well, which sounds sketchy at best. I would be happy if they would just ship one to somebody (besides the guy on youtube apparently, haha). I went with a configuration less than I wanted based on claimed availability, but I'm hanging out here with an April ship date along with everyone else. Too afraid now to change anything though lest I be sent to the back of the line!

*longs to bury his thrice-resurrected T42...

 

well if it IS nvidia's optimus, it'd work brilliantly - seamless transition between intel gpu and nvidia gpu, like the petrol and electrical engine in a hybrid

(those are nvidia's words, not mine)