T400/T500 owners!!

When did you place your order?

 

Order date and time: 08/05/08 9:49:29

 

That's not the only problem going on with orders at lenovo. I called to change my order late on Aug 5th, so they of course cancelled my old one and setup a new order. Nope! I saw my credit card had "pending" transactions worth 2 laptops, so I called lenovo to see what the deal was. It turns out that both orders are still active, and get this, that he can't just cancel an order himself. The rep had to send someone an email to request that my 1st order be cancelled, which "could take 1 to 2 business days." Unbelievable.

 

That's not the only problem going on with orders at lenovo. I called to change my order late on Aug 5th, so they of course cancelled my old one and setup a new order. Nope! I saw my credit card had "pending" transactions worth 2 laptops, so I called lenovo to see what the deal was. It turns out that both orders are still active, and get this, that he can't just cancel an order himself. The rep had to send someone an email to request that my 1st order be cancelled, which "could take 1 to 2 business days." Unbelievable.

So after that, whats the est shipping date?

 

Didn't ask actually. I was just annoyed and wanted off the phone. If after 2 days that order isn't cancelled though, they'll be hearing from me.

 

Is it going to be a problem with the shipping again like it did last year with T61? I'm quite fine with it because I still got my old laptop to use while waiting for the new one, but some people do really need to get their new laptop for college or school...I guess I will blame Intel this time...they delay these new penrynn processors for a month and additional month for the whole Centrino 2 platform.

 

Did anyone notice that newegg has 1333 DDR3 for $20 more than lenovo has 1066?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227351

This will be part of my new t500

 

I think it's better for you to wait for a while before buying new DDR3 RAM for the upgrade if you don't really need it yet because they are really expensive now, but their price will drop.

 

Yeah, I should have upgraded to 2GB but I found out after that DDR3 is almost 2x more expensive on third party sites

 

im thinking of getting the t400 too, but is it worth getting the discrete graphics for an extra $100? (what does discrete actually mean) and also will using this graphics card reduce the battery life of my t400, compared to the integrated graphics.
Which screen should i get? is the led wxga+ with camera worth the money, i cant find how many pixels the camera is.
Also do you people consider the t400 being a light and portable laptop? will be carrying around with me

 

It is definitely worth an extra 100$ for me.....discrete graphics (a.k.a. dedicated) basically means that the graphic has it's own memory so it does not borrow as much memory from your mainboard's RAM...thus making your system's overall performance faster....and much faster for 3D graphics related program or games.....this discrete that comes with T400 is good for light gaming....and u can play with newest games in low resolution.....In addition, you also get the integrated graphics (Intel 4500HD) with the discrete graphics (ATI HD 3470) on the discrete graphic T400 because it's a hybrid graphic system. Hybrid graphic means you can switch between the integrated graphics (4500HD) for more battery life and dedicated graphics (HD 3470) for more performance. I heard that when you are on AC power, it will use the ATI discrete graphics while when you are on DC (battery) power it will turn off the ATI discrete and run on the integrated Intel 4500HD instead (since it assumes that you want more battery life when running on battery).

 

I wish the typo (HD 3640) is true.....we will be getting much better graphic card than the already good HD3470

 

Chen thanks for the help. I orderd my Lenovo T400 today with that oneday mega discount going on, and went for the discrete graphics.

 

no problem....I'm trying to rep myself up too....haven't been posting here much since the day I bought my old laptop....great decision for pulling the trigger on T400 though

 

Anyone check the shipment date of the their T400 or T500? Most people have an Est time of 8/26 or 8/27 but the order status site doesn't refresh and if you call it they will tell you it's being shipped the 3rd week of Sept

 

Hope they won't move the estimated ship date again....anyway, it's great to hear that Kevin is working on the review for T400

 

Anyone else order one in Canada? As far as I know, after talking to a rep, mine should ship within two weeks. I've heard nothing about delays. It seems weird that Canada would get something before the States for once.

 

Yeah maybe Canada will get it faster but they are paying 1.5x more money hehe

 

hahah good point. There's no way I would have ordered a T400 if my parents hadn't agreed to cover half of the cost. And none of the discounts (Visa, CPP, Coupons, Facebook users, etc etc) seemed to apply to Canada either.

 

I pre-ordered mine from school on 28 July and apparently it will be available on 18 August. I'm in Asia, by the way.

Here's my laptop specs:

Lenovo ThinkPad T400
Delivery only starts from 18Aug08
Intel Centrino Mobile Technology - Intel Core 2 Duo T9400
(2.53 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 6MB Level 2 Cache);
Intel GM45 Express Chipset;
4GB (2x2GB) PC3-8500 CL5 DDR3 1066MHz SDRAM (no slot left);
320GB Hard disk (5400rpm);
Integrated Multiburner (DVD-RW/CD-RW) Drive;
14.1" WXGA TFT Active Display Matrix (1280 x 800);
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 Workstation 256MB;
1.3 Mega Pixel Webcam;
USB 2.0 x 3;
RGB;
Built-in 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN;
Built-in Intel Pro/Wireless 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n);
Built-in Bluetooth;
Trackpoint;
Built-in Stereo Speakers;
Windows Vista Business;
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium;
Microsoft Office 2007 Standard;
Notebook carrying case;
USB Optical Mouse;
2.4 kg (with USB Optical and Battery).
6-cell battery (up to 3.8 hours of usage);
[3 years Local on-campus and 3 years International Carry-in warranty]

Cost around 1.5k US$ after tax.

 

Hey derekrb, mind posting your config? Maybe we can find a trend as to which parts may be causing the delay some people are being told by Lenovo.

I haven not called, I ordered on the US launch date (8/5?) at ~11pm, and I'm still listed as 'In progress' and an estimated ship date of 8/26. I intend to wait a few days after that date to call and start complaining, if it hasn't shipped yet. No sense pestering them until it's actually later then expected.

T400, 14.1" WXGA+/LED/CAM, 160GB 5400rpm, 2GB ram, 6 cell battery, discrete graphics, bluetooth, fingerprint reader, thinkpad branded wifi, cdrw/dvd-rom... uhh.. not sure anything else is relevant.

 

how the hell so cheap. asia?

 

Well I don't have an estimated ship date, because the Lenovo Canada site is pretty crappy and doesn't do that. All I have is a rep's word that it will be "within 2 weeks". No, sorry, that they'll "do everything they can" to ship it in 2 weeks. Anyways...specs...

T400, 14.1" WXGA+/LED/Camera, T9600 @ 2.8GHz, 160GB 7200rpm, 4GB ram, 6 cell battery, discrete graphics, no fingerprint reader, Intel 5300 Wireless, DVD-RW, bluetooth, intel turbo memory...I think that's all that's important.

 

Yeah in asia, I got it from my university, I think its subsidised.

 

I think it is partly because your screen is not LED backlit...tell me if I am wrong

 

it doesnt say lol, I'll let you know when I get the laptop.

Edit: I just checked, it most likely is not LED back lit.

 

is LED expensive?

how much would it raise the price of the t500?

 

For the T400 it was about $80

 

How do you get the price down like that?

 

Am I missing a boat? Such a system hits me up for about 2-g's, plus tax. How can I get it down to the 1.5 neighborhood?

 

he bought it in Asia, he says

subsidized? whatever that means

 

ur school pays a percent of ur laptop. Maybe is a deal with lenovo.

 

It's shocking to get that low a price in ASIA....they overcharge Thinkpads there....seriously!

Edit: Still...mine is a bit less than $1.5K too

 

What fuanacho said, subsidised means your school pays a percentage of your laptop.

I know its really cheap, the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium costs more than the laptop itself lol.

 

about subsidised, it could be the goverment too.

 

Anyhow, let's wish that we will get our laptops quickly

 

wow, where in asia are you?

I am looking to get one in Hong Kong. Anyone know a place that offer a good deal?

 

I'm in Singapore.

 

Just got an odd response from a lenovo sales rep asking about the graphics card...

Hanvy Li: Sorry the 3470 is on the Thinkpad T400 with machine type 2765 model.
Hanvy Li: But the one on the web is 2764.
Hanvy Li: Sorry one more moment please.
Hanvy Li: It is HD3670 on T400 with machine type 2764.

Regardless, I'm still expecting a 3470 when my T400 gets here. 3670 doesn't even really make sense considering the T500 has a 3650...

 

i just ordered my T500 yesterday!!!

specs are as follows:

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9400 (2.53GHz 1066MHz 6MBL2)
Genuine Windows Vista Business w/ XP recovery CD
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT, w/ CCFL Backlight
ATI Mobility Radeon 3650 with 256MB
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
Integrated Camera
200 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm with Disk Encryption
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim
Bluetooth
Intel WiFi Link 5300 (3x3 AGN)
6 cell Li-Ion Battery


the total cost was like $2100 after the warranty and tax. now the only thing i have to purchase is that adapter from DisplayPort to HDMI. I still dont see the advantage of having a DisplayPort, nothing will be able to remove HDMI from the market for a while.

oh and the shipping date I got was August 28th and school starts on the 25th. so this should be interesting.

 

Hahaha gotta love these typos/confused online reps....definitely it is a 3470.

 

+1 to that....been explaining this to so many people....I have never seen HD3640 and any HD3600 series beside HD3650 would not make sense

I would really be happy if they give me the HD3650 with the battery life of the T400

 

so the graphics card which i bought from lenovo as advertised "ATI Mobility Radeon 3640 with 256MB" is not it? which graphics card is it and is it better than the one mistakingly advertised? (i bought the notebook with discrete graphics option)

Sorry im not that good with graphics cards

 

No, the GPU is the ATI Mobility Radeon 3470. The 3640 doesn't seem to exist, but being a 36xx series it would be better than the 3470. The 3470 also has 256MB VRAM, but from what I know, the difference will be that the 36xx series have a 128-bit bus, while the 34xx series have a 64-bit bus, which is generally a better indicator of a graphics card's strength than the amount of memory.

Bottom line: 3640 doesn't exist. T400 comes with 3470, which is worse than the 3650 in the T500.

 

Is this card still better than the nvidia 140 NVS from the T61?

 

I'm going to say yes....maybe someone else can help me as to the why...I see both the NVS 140 and the ATI 3470 have a 64-bit bus, but the the 3470 will have 256MB memory. But I don't know if that even matters, as there is a limit to how much memory you can use given a certain bus width. I also think the ATI card is clocked faster...ask the guys in the hardware forums maybe?

 

ATI is faster + no defective GPU problems

 

Compare away...
http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-3470.9594.0.html

 

Notebookcheck again...they only give you a big picture when comparing graphic cards...check this out... http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=275056
If you don't believe....you can wait for the full review of T400 to compare its 3dmark (HD3470) to the SL400 3dmark (9300M GS which is the same as 8400M GS which is what NVS 140M is based on)

 

I'm getting my T400 on the 18th of August, will post my thoughts on it then.