T400 vs R400

Since this is specifically Lenovo related I thought i'd trying posting in here.
I am currently trying to decide between a T400 & R400 for school work with portability being a factor, while still wanting functionality. I would prefer not to be gaming on this, but at the same time I'm hoping that watching streaming lectures won't be horrible either. On the Lenovo SPP site I tried out both the R400 & T400..

I customized an R400 and got this:
ThinkPad R400 - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
$738.65
Intel Core 2 Duo processor P8700 (2.53GHz 1066MHz 3MBL2)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
14.1 WXGA TFT, w/ LED Backlight, Camera
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD w/ 1394
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
160 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
DVD Recordable 8x Max Ultrabay Enhanced (Serial ATA)
Express Card Slot & 7-1 Media Card Reader
Intel WiFi Link 5300 (AGN) with My WiFi Technology
6 cell Li-Ion Battery

Kensington MicroSaver Security Cable Lock from Lenovo
$28.08

With a total coming to $766.73



I customized a T400 to get this:
ThinkPad T400 - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
$747.15
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40GHz 1066MHz 3MBL2) 25W
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64
14.1 WXGA+ TFT, w/ LED Backlight, Camera
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with vPro
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
160 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)
Express Card Slot & 7-1 Media Card Reader
Intel WiFi Link 5300 (AGN) with My WiFi Technology
6 cell Li-Ion Battery

Kensington MicroSaver Security Cable Lock from Lenovo
$28.08

Which brings the total to $775.23

Essentially: With the T400 I can have the WXGA+ vs the R400 with the WXGA
On the T400 I can have the P8600 vs the R400 with the P8700<--These are both the lowest options for each
Would there be any noticeable difference between the 2.40GHz P8600 & 2.53 GHz P8700?
The one thing I miss about my first laptop (17" Asus G2S-A1) was the beautiful 1920*1200 screen compared to the replacement G50 they gave me with 15" 1366*768 . Now that my priorities in life are different I would prefer something more mobile with less distractions but then again I wouldn't mind a slightly better display.
Would you say that the T400 is a higher class than the R400 or vice-versa?
I can't find information on battery life difference from the two, but I do believe that the T400 is slightly lighter than the R400.
I was considering getting the 3GB 2 DIMM ram but I was told that it would be cheaper if I just chose the default 2GB 1 DIMM and bought another 2GB stick and install it myself to have 4GB.
Is the camera worth the price on these notebooks?

Also: For the Kensington lock cable, does anyone have a different choice or is the one I have selected fine?
There is an option for a pack of Thinkpad Trackpoint Cap Collection for $8 which looks like 2 each of 3 different types of caps for the little nub like trackpoint. Has anyone found these of use, or does the original one wear out quick for me to want some extras?
I'm also considering getting a spare charger just because I happen to forget my charger every now and then so I might leave one in the car (Especially since the spare on here only seems to be $24.96)
Any other suggested add-ons?


Sorry for bombarding you guys with questions, I'm mostly thinking out loud. I really appreciate the help.

 

For such a small price difference, I would go with the T400 over the R400. The T400 is lighter and less bulky. The WXGA+ screen will give noticeably more screen real estate than the WXGA screen on the R400. The only difference between the P8600 and P8700 is a slight difference in clock speed, so no, you will not feel the difference at all - the only reason I went with the P8700 on my T500 was that at the time Lenovo had it as a free upgrade, by a pricing mistake that they actually honored.

You can get a laptop lock for much cheaper. I would not order it with your laptop.

The camera is probably worth the price - it is less than $30 on the CPP site, I believe, which is the cost of a fairly priced external webcam.

The caps have not worn out for me yet. I rotate between the soft dome and the soft rim caps. You can find non-Lenovo, but identical replacement cap 3-packs for ~$2, so the $8 is a bit of a ripoff.

 

Get the T400 I would recommend...

If you are in the US, you can get a T400 with hybrid graphics which give you the options of integrated and dedicated for roughly that price with CPP/coupons.

 

For the small price difference, i would get the T400. While the R400 is very similar to the T400, it is mainly sold to people whom couldn't afford the price of T400. In australia, the price difference between a similarly spec R400 vs T400 is around 600 USD, and this is a bit more in some other countries.

 

what is CPP and where do you get coupons from? I usually try to skim through slickdeals.net and found the lenovo/SPP prices.

 

ThinkPad coupon codes (updated regularly)

CPP is the "Contractor Purchase Program" and posting links to it is against the forum rules.

 

so I found a coupon for 10% off when the T400 is 799 and up. Right now I'm trying to decide what to add to bump it up so I have it at 799 or so. For my configuration of the T400 I can either add 4GB DDR3 ram (2 DIMM) or I can upgrade to the 9 cell for around the same price. My main concern is that the 9 cell would be substantially more bulky and heavy compared to the 6 cell even though they both stick out, and considering that portability is why I'm leaning towards the T400 it might not be the best choice. I usually am plugged into an outlet, and there are only a few classes of about 1.5 hours where I have no access to the outlet. I hate internal conflicts.

 

Like others, the T400 would be my choice too. I would second the RAM upgrade vs the 9-cell battery to bump the price up if portability is an issue and if you don't want to upgrade the RAM yourself later. Though it is generally cheaper to upgrade the RAM yourself. Keep in mind the actual weight of your system might be more than the advertised weight. You can also just consider the configuration with the discrete graphics, which will bump the price over 799 and then you will be eligable for the discount. Integrated bluetooth is also something you could upgrade, if you use bluetooth devices such as a mouse/keyboard.

Cheers and happy shopping.

 

Well this is assuming the OP is from the United States. In some countries the price gap between T and R series are ridonkulously huge

 

Would anyone here recommend the Accidental Damage Protection? I'm not usually accident prone but in the event that something should happen it would be nice to have the laptop repaired or replaced with a new one even. I'm even considering whether I should downgrade to the 4 cell to keep the battery flush with the system, keep the 6 cell upgrade, or even bump it up to a 9 cell since it's already sticking out with the 6 cell. As you can possibly tell I'm a VERY indecisive person.

 

Seeing as the OP already posted the two configurations in the first post, I think that's to be assumed.

That depends. Personally, I'm very careful with my stuff in general, so I do not need accidental warranty for any of my devices. To date, I do not believe I have damaged/broken any of my electronic devices by my fault. If you're not accident-prone, then do not get it, especially since the accidental warranties tend to be rather costly. Might as well save that money towards your next laptop.

You have said you're usually plugged in. If you are fine with the ~3 hours the 4-cell battery gives, then by all means go for that one, because it is cheaper and more portable. If you think you will find greater lengths of time unplugged from the grid useful, then you may want to consider going for either the 6- or 9-cell. Realistically, the 6-cell will give you 4-6 hours of battery life, while the 9-cell will give you about 7-9 hours depending on usage.

 

You may not be accident prone, but can you say the same thing about others around you?

While I've dropped a few notebooks over the last 15+ years with no ill effects, I had never spilled any liquid into one until about 3 weeks ago when I spilled 16oz of water and ice into my X300 keyboard. There went my perfect record in an instant. It's called accident for a reason, and only you can decide how much risk is acceptable to you.

 

I decided to jump for it and ordered mine. I got the 4GB DDR3 ram upgrade so I don't have to do it myself later. At first I was almost upset that my 10% off coupon that was working earlier was no longer valid, and then I found a 12% off coupon Hopefully I'll love this laptop till it dies in a few years.

 

Congratulations on your purchase. I got my first Thinkpad just last week and if the T400s is anything to go by, I'm sure you'll find lots to like about your T400.

I'm with JaneL on the warranty. Only you can decide whether or not you need one. I know you have already ordered it, but here's a view on warranties that I found very balanced http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3000_7-6398085-1.html. Hopefully it may put your mind at ease.

 

I would strongly strongly strongly suggest getting the onsite warranty. The depot can take a long time and be problematic.

As for the accidental protection, that's your call; if you are mobile a lot and clumsy, it may be worth it. I got it on my wife's laptop, because I know chance are she will have an oops moment, and I will be glad I have the coverage.

 

Congrats - you will love the T400. I've had mine over a year, and would buy it again today. I've never said that about any previous laptop.

 

mikec - what screen do you have in your T400?

 

LED WXGA. 1440x900 is plenty good for me.

Definitely happy with LED backlit screen. After a couple years, the screens of laptops grow dimmer and dimmer (Beside batteries, screens are the major things that wear out.) The LED fixes that, and it nice and bright.

 

it's not a pricing mistake, P8700(2.53GHz) consumes almost double the power of P8600(2.4GHz) so it's a trade off. Look at 9500 it's at 2.53GHz and at a much higher price. The 2 reasons are the cache, and that the power consumption is half of P8700.

 

Technically, the power consumption of the P8700 is exactly the same as the P8600. One is just binned with a slightly higher stable clock speed. At the time, the P8700 had just been released for not too long, I believe, and the prices that Lenovo had set put the P8700 as a $50 upgrade over the P8600, which I would not have paid. The P9500 has double the L2 cache of the P8700, which is why it is more expensive. The P9500 and P8700 have the same power consumption as well.

Anyways, to the OP: congratulations, and hope you receive it soon