T400 WXGA+ (1440x900) CCFL Backlit, any good?

After waiting for the X200s with the WXGA+ screen, which never seems to come to Europe, I'm considering getting a T400. Of course I'd like to get the screen which is LED backlit, but it is not available in Europe, it seems.

So I'm wondering, how much worse is the CCFL backlit WXGA+ screen?

 

In Germany there is a student model 2767-WC8 now available with LED baclight at a good prize actually: 1169€ without OS. There is a normal (non-student), better speced and als with OS, T400 with LED available for 1499€ here for example:
http://www.notebooksandmore.net/product_info.php?info=p6453_ThinkPad-T400-NM52LGE---2767-2LG.html

The CCFL version has 188cm² according to notebookjournal.de (but I find their review a bit quirky). I read in a german forum that it's ok. According to a test in c't it's "good".

 

It looks like X200s with WXGA+ is also available there: http://www.notebooksandmore.net/product_info.php?info=p6564_ThinkPad-X200s-NS45KGE---7469-5KG.html

 

1169 € sounds like a good price, unfortunately we don't have the same student deal in Sweden. We get WXGA (1280x800) / P8400 / 1x 2 GB RAM / 160 GB 5400 rpm / GMA 4500MHD / 5300 AGN for 13 745 SEK (~1200 € .

This is rather silly when lots of stores are selling WXGA+ (1440x900) / P8600 / 1x 2 GB RAM / 250 GB 5400 rpm / ATi 3470 / 5300 AGN for 12 500 SEK (~1110 € .

And, well, I've found one model that has the LED backlit screen (no store has it in stock though), but the pricing is rather ridiculous. WXGA+ LED / P8600 / 2x 1 GB RAM / 160 GB / GMA 4500MHD / 5100 AGN for 18 300 SEK (~1630 € .

So if anyone has any more info on the CCFL backlit WXGA+ screen, it would be appreciated.

 

Then buy it from Germany, there shouldn't be a problem with warranty. Campusdiscount delivers to other countries within the EU: http://www.campusdiscount.de/shop_content.php/coID/10/content/Liefer--und-Versandinfos

I know that lots of exchange students buy from there, and since they deliver to other countries within the EU I guess you just have to show something like a student ID when you place your order.

I haven't bought from them yet, but I heared just good things from them. I also sent them an email and asked them something about a notebook model and I got prompt and good answer.
They have also a shop in Bochum where you can even test a particular model all day long before you buy it - I don't know another shop that allows this. You can also configure your model with swedish keyboard layout (although it may be cheaper to get it someplace else with 49€ .

Yes, the prizing policy of Lenovo is VERY strange. They really put themselves out of competition. Here are now a very few models available with competetive prizes, but you have to look closely between the different models. The only LED model available here was as far as I remember exactly what you said spec and prize- wise.

I had a list of all european models, I think it was listed on ok1.de. I compared prizes of a dozen or two of them in the EU and I think the particular student models are always bound to a prize. I haven't seen a single student notebook model number which differs more than 10€ within any shop in the EU. So it might be this LED model is just not available yet in sweden.

This prizing thing really sucks. I figured out that for the prize for the W500 I'm currently looking for, I can pay a fly to the USA and back (edit) and buy the notebook there, pay tax here (/edit) and still save a few beer! That's just ridiculous. Nevertheless, the prize for the T400 is quite competetive actually (for a student - without OS) with 3 years warranty.

 

Thank you for the tip. I have e-mailed them to see if it's possible to place an order. I'm rather skeptic about it, but why not give it a shot?

You seem to be right about that T400 model not yet being available in Sweden, I can't seem to find that model number here (I can find some of the others, though). Unfortunately.

I see the price for T400 was lowered a bit here today, now this model + Advanced Mini Dock is available for 12 000 SEK (~1100 € . That's also rather funny, because the same model but without the dock, costs about 500 SEK more. Seems to be a good price, but I guess the screen is still kind of disappointing. I'm surprised they lowered the price, it's usually the other way around (I guess 'cause of the euro, 1 € used to be 9.something SEK, now it's around 11 SEK).

Would it be difficult to buy a LED panel at a later date and switch them? That might be a lot more trouble than it's worth though, considering costs, voiding the warranty etc.

 

Well, color me surprised. They said it would be no problem, just mail or fax a copy of my student id. Thanks again for the tip!

 

Hello. I wanted to send you a PM but I guess NBR lacks that function (?).

Well, I'll get to the point - did you order a x200s from campusdiscount? Could you please tell me about it and how much it you've paid for it in the end? I'm a swede too, and I really want a x200s. I've tried to order one from Insight in the UK, but the model I wanted became discontinued...

 

I just sent an e-mail ordering an X200s (7469-5KG), after asking a couple of questions.

Payment is possible via either bank transfer in advance or PayPal (adding an extra 3.5 % to the cost). They currently have the notebook in stock and said it's ready to be shipped daily. The estimated shipping time to Sweden is 2-3 working days. I have not yet received any information on where to make the bank transfer, so I have not payed for it yet. Hopefully this will end well.

Edit: The total cost in EUR, however, is 1534.

 

Could you share the questions and the answers?

Ok. Bankwire was the weapon of chioce for my failed order from Insight. Hopefully it works better for you than it did for me. But in my case the Bank scr*wed it up... My fingers are crossed, and if everything goes smoothly it's possible (plausible?) that I follow in your footsteps The x200s must be the best student ultraportable around...

 

It was mostly the standard questions regarding shipping cost, payment options and estimated delivery time, and the answer to those questions can be found above. Other than that, the only question I asked was about international warranty, and they claimed that all their ThinkPads come with worldwide manufacturer warranty.

That certainly sucks. I hope it works out for you in the end. I have received payment information now and the transfer is scheduled on Monday. Hopefully no problems will present themselves. As you say, the X200s seems to be the best ultraportable around.

 

I could confirm that the 7469-serie has got the IWS since I've called Lenovo Sweden and asked them about it.

Then there's nothing but to wait...

 

Hello all,

I seem to have the same problem as you guys - I want to order X200s with WXGA+ screen but it's just not possible in EU... I briefly checked those two German websites but first of all I don't really speak German and I'm not sure how those student discounts work. Are all students within EU eligible for the discount, both part- and full-time?

Also I wouldn't like to buy a laptop with German keyboard. As a matter of fact I would very much prefer UK keyboard since it has large Enter key. I checked Insight but they don't seem to have X200s with WXGA+ either.

So does any one know how to become a happy owner of one of those X200s?

 

Try to find a local Lenovo Business Partner.
I have found mine via http://www5.pc.ibm.com/europe/produ...agent&brand=Thinkpad&series=ThinkPad+X+Series and http://www5.pc.ibm.com/europe/products.nsf/$wwwPartNumLookup/_NS23Axx?open&OpenDocument&epi=web_express.

PS
Or find the user hw45-177 and ask him.
He got his one from UK, as far as I know.

 

Thanks for the advice menos, I tried to look for a Local Lenovo Partner but all those in my area seem to do business with companies only and not private customers - I did not check it very thoroughly though... I will also try contacting this hw45-177 guy and ask him how he got his X200s

I actually managed to answer most of the questions from my previous post myself by browsing translated version of these German websites - I also send them an e-mail so with a little luck I will know more as soon as they reply. It seems that they ship to whole EU and laptops can be customized with UK (or any other) keyboard. I just need to find out a little bit more about the nature of this "student discount" and I think I may place the order.

Thanks again

 

A couple of UK stores that take international orders are
www.Overclockers.co.uk
www.Laptopsdirect.co.uk
www.Technoworld.com

I don't know if they have X200s with WXGA+ though.

 

Thanks Phil, but they don't seem to have X200s in stock... The only place I found them online is those German websites. I still wait for their reply and will see if I can place an order

 

As long as you have some kind of student ID that you can scan and send them, you should be able to order.

 

Thanks for the info. I send them an e-mail with few questions yesterday evening and still wait for the reply. I was hoping to sort this out before I go for my two-weeks-long trip in about two weeks...

 

How are things going?

 

also wondering about the original question: how is the WXGA+ CCFL backlit display. the only reviews/comments found are comparisons of the two different LED backlit panels. I'm kind of attracted to the good ol' ccfl backlighting as so many (white) LED panels' brightness overpowers the colors and contrast.

 

well, so far so good

I placed an order fox x200s with UK keyboard, transferred them money (bank wire transfer) which they confirmed receiving and I expect the package to be shipped early next week so with a little luck I should get it by next weekend

 

I'm having some problems. Apparently they haven't received my money yet, though I transfered it on Monday. I sent them an e-mail now to double check the details regarding the payment, I'll see what they say after the weekend.

 

It's here! Last I heard from them they hadn't received my money, but today this showed up. There's some light leakage as you can see in the image. I don't feel like complaining too much right now though.

Also, sorry for steering this thread so off topic. If anyone has anything to say about the T400 WXGA+ CCFL backlit display, I hope they do.

 

Thats some beautiful OT! For a total of €1534 (?) thats a hell of a computer. Now you'll have to join www.sweclockers.com and write a user review of it in the "Thinkpad x200 snart här"-thred

 

Hopefully come this feb problems like this will be gone with the proper full customisation our cousins over the pond in the USA enjoy.

 

Nice one! Just get rid of those windoze/intel stickers q-:

I still wait for mine, things are going slower than I'd like them to but in right direction nonetheless...

 

Same like mine!
Except the stickers I removed right after opening the lid :wink:
Light leakages suggest that LEDs are at both the bottom and the top of the screen. Am I right?
To keep on topic track: Once you start using a X200s you'll never want to return to the T400, which turns out to be too big, too heavy, and permanently "contaminated by a touchpad" :wink:

 

OK, mine just got delivered. Can't wait to get home and wipe that joke OS off of it.

Good day all

 

Great! Indeed, I too got rid of the OS, but the stickers are still there. Maybe I should remove them too.

As for a user review, I don't think I have much to say that other people haven't expressed better already. I really like the computer so far. The only serious annoyance I have is the CPU whine, but it seems you can't escape it if you want an Intel CPU. It's less audible when running at 800 MHz. You can get rid of it by disabling the C4 sleep-state apparently, at the cost of less battery life and possibly a warmer computer.

Otherwise I guess there's some minor complaints like, the keyboard seems a bit loose in the lower left corner (and thus using keys in that area sounds a lot louder), and flexes very noticeably in the upper left corner. Then there's the light leakage you saw. The last few negatives are the obvious ones, like missing digital video out (without a dock), no webcam, etc.

I think that's all of my complaints! Again though, I'm really happy with it so far, even though the above paragraphs might not make it sound like it.

 

i made a few pictures, if you want to have a look

i only had this laptop for a day but i already love it; i'll try to write a mini review in future; for those of you who are interested i can say that linux support is great (in mint 6 which essentially is ubuntu 8.10)