T400 Owners: Are You Happy?

I have been researching for my next notebook very much, and I am concerned. I was set on the T400 but have concerns.
Can you please help me with the positives/negatives that make you happy/sad about this notebook?

 

If you plan in future to use SSD, be aware.. some tests show that it might not use full power of SSD speed. I'm not sure 100% if this is valid for t400 also, but for sure T61 is... you might want to make some researches on this.

 

I love my T400

 

I agree with the professional review on this website.

POSITIVES:

LED backlighting is godly
LG screen > Samsung screen
Lenovo's solid build quality
Price is awesome. Compared to my sister's Sony Z ($2000) you don't get much more in the Sony.
Customizable build and easy to reinstall operating systems.
Trackpoint > Touchpad


CONS

Replace the keyboard to get rid of the flex with a T61 or T60 board. Order directly from IBM. Don't go to crap shops like upgradebay.com They send you used keyboards and claim that they're new.

 

Yep. This is way better than the Dell laptop I had, by far.

 

I'm pretty happy; performance for the dollar, it can't be beat.

I echo the pros above. I've had no keyboard issues, etc.

Biggest pluses compared to other brands:
- Can put second hard drive in Ultrabay - very nice in a 14 inch laptop.
- Switchable graphics helps with battery life but allows for good graphics performance when you need it
- Built-in WWAN (AT&T) module give you free GPS
- Option of PC Card and Expresscard slot effectively gives you two Expresscard slots (with adapter), which is useful (you'd think 3 USB ports would be enough, but it's not... ;-)
-Screen folds all the way back (unlike HP). Big deal (for me).
- Runs cool (much less warm/hot) that other brands

The only con is I think Thinkvantage/Lenovo drivers are goofy; easily overcome by someone with decent tech skills (go to a site, download a driver manually.)

Other than that, I think the T400 is the cat's pajamas.

 

With the exception of a keyboard that really shouldn’t bear the ThinkPad name, a blinding ThinkLight, a misplaced Fn key and nonsensical vertical USB ports, I’m extremely pleased.

 

Well said... it,s my first laptop but I love the keyboard... so I guess the old one are better but if you don't know what a "real" ThinkPad keyboard is... you wont notice it...!

This laptop is awesome... so far I'm 100% pleased with it... it look so much better looking than the Dell, Toshiba and HP that some of my friend have... this fancy glossy dirty look...

T400 is great!

 

Yes, I forgot to mention - vertical USB ports suck

 

What kinds of problems do they cause?

- Tim

 

They don’t really cause problems, but if you have a USB device that’s just slightly wider than the USB port itself, you can forget about using it with this notebook.

 

Is there that little space? How about most regular-sized memory keys and wifi cards?

I guess you've got to carry a few tiny little USB<->USB connectors with you.

Would there have been space on the sides of the machine if they had made them horizontal?

- Tim

 

you should read my short review, I am definitively happy with my purchase
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=313360

 

Functionally they work fine. The issue is if you have a USB device the buldges out after the plug portion (which many do), it will hit the surface on which the laptop lies. (if you have a short cable between the laptop and the device, this is not an issue).

This is also can be an issue with horizontal USB ports (HP, Dells); they are too close together, so you can plug two devices in at once.

So I should edit my comments: "stacked" or USB ports right next to each other suck.

This really is no big deal and is easily remedied with short cables (which come with most devices) or a FlexUSB adapter.

 

Thank you that is a pretty detailed review! Which battery do you have? I was going to get the 4 cell so that it does not protrude out of the back, and get a drive battery for on the go. Does that make sense?

 

I got the 9 cell, you will probably get around 2-3 hours with the 4 cell alone, and another 2~h with the ultrabay.

The only problem with this is that the ultrabay drains first all the way down to 0% which degrades the battery very quickly. (Some people report 50-75% wear level in 6 months) The upside is that this will allow your 4 cell to last longer...

IMHO the best choice for you is the 6 cell, or the 7cell if you can get it somewhere...

 

I am usually not away from a plug for more than four hours, and although it would be nice, I don't want to "schlep" as much as possible. I am on a Dell 8600 Inspiron which is a real lugger, and I need lighter.
BTW, are there any media buttons? I haven't noticed any mention of them by anyone.

 

The volume up/down/mute buttons are the only dedicated multimedia buttons. Fn+arrow keys give you play, stop, forward and back.

 

I am really happy with my T400. IMO it is the best 14" laptop on the market, especially considering the price. My only complaint is the lack of a digital video output (DVI).

 

How about the casing - in comparison to the metal on HP's for example.

 

my t400 rocks. the vertical usb thing is annoying. hopefully they change this in the future. i am satisfied with this machine.

 

It has a roll cage, so it is very sturdy.

 

However, I found that the cage of T400 is not as strong as that of T61. When I close my T400, it seems that the monitor and the below part of the frame do not totally coincide. In other words, the joint between them is slightly loose and I can even make some 'click' sounds just by simply giving them light presses.

 

I notice the poor fitting on my T400 as well. There is spaces between the body and the DVD drive and when you close the lid (after it locks in) there is a gap between the lid and the keyboard. I don't heard clicking when I press it but you do notice it continue to move a little if you press on it. The screen is pretty sturdy but the fitting is not as "perfect" as I would like.

Over I find this laptop pretty well done. IMO if money is not an issue, then this is definitely not the best laptop. But if money is a limiting factor, then I can safely say that this is the best laptop to get for performance to price ratio. I mean I got my T400 for less about 1400 CND, which included T9600, 160GB 7200 RPM, 2GB DDR3 1DIM, Bluetooth, Intel 5300, ATI 3470, DVD-RW, LED display, VISTA ultimate, and 6 cell battery.

 

What would be the best laptop if money were not an issue, in your opinion? Just curious what folks are thinking the best laptops are these days.

- Tim

 

sony z, or lenovo x301 with a 160gb intel x25 ssd

 

On the battery: I thought the six-cell sticking out might be a problem but I've really had no issues with it whatsoever. I rarely ever feel it.

 

my only complaint about the t400 and a problem with most notebooks is the small trackpad.

i'm saying this mostly because i'm impressed with macbook touch controls and the size of the macbook trackpad.

if i could have a t400 with macbook trackpad and controls i'd be in love.

i'd say thinkpad x301 due to size and weight. t400 is great though because the screen is slightly larger.

 

Ha ha! And if I could have the T400 *without* the trackpad (just the trackpoint and mouse buttons, like the older thinkpads) I'd be happy!

- Tim

 

I leave my TrackPad disabled…

 

Well sure, that's what I'll end up doing. Just would be nice if it were not there, that's all... bring the keyboard closer to the front, etc.

- Tim

 

This is one of the reasons I opted for the x200. There is no stupid trackpad like you get on an x300/x301 or T400.

 

Is the Thinkpad touchpad centered properly? If you notice, if you touchtype with the HP's, the touchpad is shifted to the right, and your thumb muscle moves the pointer around the screen as you type. The dell has it centered properly. How 'bout the thinkpad?

 

To answer the OP's question, am I happy with it? No, I'm pretty neutral about it.

I had one hell of a rocky start with my T400. I had to send it in right away to get the mobo repaired and now there is also a weird bulge on the LCD bezel that makes a big gap between the plastic and the LCD panel. I've given up on trying to get a "perfect" system.

After having the computer serviced, everything works and it's great as far as usability. It's very nimble, meaning I can pull it out of my backpack to check some notes and quickly put it away without feeling like I'm making a big production out of it. The long battery life is also very nice since I don't have to worry about being near outlets when I'm trying to get some work done. The screen is nice for reading ebooks since it's got very little glare.

I bought this notebook for the purpose of getting work done and for that it's great. The design is so boring that all you'll want to do is look at the screen rather than admire shiny control buttons or fancy imprints. The sound card is so crappy that you won't want to listen to any distracting music. The video card is so slow that you won't want to play any games. The colors on the screen are so bad that you won't want to watch any movies. If that's what you're looking for, then the T400 (or any Thinkpad) is where it's at.

 

I have the same problem. Anyone else?

 

Not sure if it has been noticed,

but the location of the headset connector is VERY annoying. Right in front of the toutchPad... since I like to use it with my right hand, the connector is somewhat in the way...

other than this the laptop is sweet

 

Dude you picked the wrong forum to ask this question. Like you, I had gotten carried away by the "amazing" reviews on this forum and I purchased the T400 but my experience with Lenovo as a company and the laptop as fine display was engineering was disappointing to say the least.

I had considered Lenovo and Thinkpad in particular to be a company and machine for the quality conscious and yes I am *very* picky about the quality of my possessions. To my dismay Lenovo let me down.

Let me point out a couple of flaws in Lenovo's design. The screen is anti-glare LED but its pathetic. The colors are no where near the quality you'd expect and having an anti-glare screen doesn't give any edge. It just makes the screen look even worse.

Secondly, the chassis isn't at all perfect. You'll find that every other T400 owner has some or the other complaint about the laptop's chassis. Its either bent, misaligned or whatever.

Lenovo support sucks big time. When I bought my T400 I wasted too much time making the support guys understand what I wanted. Anyway I got a screen which had a bluish tinge and subsequently a "replaced" screen with a dead pixel which frankly is completely unacceptable to me. Why should I not get a screen which is flawless? People in this particular forum seem to believe that we should just shutup and use whatever screen we get. I'm sorry from where I come, consumers are not idiots.

Anyway I've a bunch of complaints and the fanbois around here will probably get irritated if I speak out against their precious Thinkpads. I ended up returning the machine and got my refund.

I eventually ended up buying an Inspiron 13 and let me tell you the hype that lenovo created that has these guys hooked on. Most guys here haven't actually gotten around to purchase a thinkpad from lenovo. I'd love to see their faces when they do

The Dell Inspiron 13 is very robust and good in every possible way. I've written a review which is down to earth. I dont have any hatred towards Lenovo. Its just that when I purchase a new machine I expect it to be flawless.

Anyway, look around and decide what you wanna purchase. You'll be surprised that HP, Dell, Sony ( ESPECIALLY SONY ), Apple also exist and sport far better quality and price / performance ratio than Lenovo.

 

sorry for your bad luck atlguy. I agree that the screen does sucks(for T61, don't know about T400 tho), but i haven't had any dead pixel yet.

 

reply to the title:

Not happy.
cannot wake up from sleep.
cannot reboot.

tried on 2 hdd, vista home basic and Windows XP,
neither work correctly.

 

I'm reasonably happy with the purchase... Nothing to rave about, but nothing to complain about either (except for some driver issue I encountered in Vista). The video card is adequate as long as you don't plan on playing the latest and the fastest, Oblivion at full resolution with all the effects turned on works fine, and HL2 series don't give any trouble either.

I've never used any previous generation thinkpads, but the keyboard on T400 is certainly above average. This is the type of keyboard I can imagine writing a dissertation on.

The battery life is either overhyped (I have 6 cell, btw) or can't be attained without some significant tweak to the system, which should be a ridiculous notion in this day and age.

The general performance is certainly above average, and I'd say the system as a whole is well integrated.

I can't seem to find any misalignment on my laptop, and no dead pixels. The screen, while not the best, is certainly better than what you'd get from the new aluminum MacBooks.

Is Thinkpad better than similarly priced Dell or Toshiba? I'd say yes. Is it better than similarly priced Sony or Apple? Hmm. I don't know about that. But it certainly is above average machine in any case.


Oh, and this laptop is much lighter than I expected, at least for its size anyway.

 

about the battery life, you should expect 7.5 hours(9 cell) of actual usage with 60% brightness/wifi on... this is with a LED screen and a P series processor, this goes up to 10 hours if you go with the 9 cell/ultrabay

 

What are the other specs? Harddrive? Screen resolution? Webcam option? Bluetooth option? IMO it doesn't last so long I've had a T400 and had optimized the battery life. Max I got was 6 hours from a 9 cell.

 

check out my sig... I got the high res screen

the best thing u can do for yout battery is figure out what the HD is doing, make sure you
-set search/indexing to "power saver" on battery and set the idle limit to 30s, this might save you up to 2-3w...
-It seems as the sweet spot for the LCD indoors is 7/16.
-Set your maximum cpu speed to "adaptive" and enable deeper sleep.


What are your spec

 

i use Linux and it supports better power management than windows and I still didnt anywhere near 10 hours.

 

Linux does not have better power management than windows, they both depend highly on the configuration/tweaks

 

My case fits fine, keyboard has no problems. It is lighter and "leaner" than previous Thinkpads, but I have no problems throwing it around into my case and out - I'm not the type to baby my laptops and I'm not worried about this one. And it is amazingly cheap. I mean, I got my T400 for around $1000 US, and for that I got a blazing fast laptop with HD3470 graphics.

Cons:

- screen is "cool"/"blue-ish" (fixable with tweaking)
- "Fn" key switched with "Ctrl" (retarded - who thought of this?)
- Arrow keys are a bit small
- touchpad is too small and buttons are too close to bottom edge (I don't "get" the above buttons..why are they there?)
- Audio output in annoying place at front...should be on side.
- "modem" port? Unnecessary in 2008
- Should have been DVI

Basically, I don't think this is the "best laptop in the world" like it was hyped to be but for $1000 it's a good deal. It's going to last a long time and the performance is awesome. I just think it has some design/aesthetic/ergonomic/build issues.

The main reasons I bought it were the hd 3470, low cost, and reputation for build quality. I think I'm satisfied in these areas, but I think part of my problem with it is that I'm not a long-time thinkpad owner, nor am I really the target Thinkpad customer. I'm more of a multimedia / gaming / light business user so the feature set isn't exactly what I want. For example I think the trackpoint and extra mouse buttons are a waste of space, there should have been a DVI port, etc..

I would have gotten an Ideapad but I hate glossy screens, wanted the HD3470 card, and just like the fit/finish of the Thinkpad better.

 

The buttons above the trackpad are for the trackpoint nub

 

It does. There are daemons which are specifically written for laptops. They save a whole bunch of watts as opposed what Vista can do.

 

I definately agree I am on my 3rd TP, and I always wished that they would fix that. EVERY other computer, and keyboard has the CTRL in the corner.
Royal pain when you do a lot of stuff with the CTRL key.

 

I have heard much about this and dont get it either. I too cannot stand the glossy displays and dont understand why people are so into them when they blind you if there is light behind you.