T500 - simple question before purchasing

Hi all,

I'm about to purchase the T500 for business use. I have never owned a ThinkPad, but I'm drawn to the reputation for sturdy, reliable notebooks.

Do the TrackPiont buttons between the trackpad and space bar ever get in your way when typing? Obviously, I am unable to test this myself.

Thanks in advance!

 

99% of users will tell you that they won't get into the way and have every reason to say so.

 

no the trackpoint shouldn't get in your way of typing unless your fingertip has a diameter of more than 2 cm, which is unusually big for most people.

 

Nope, never gets in my way.

 

On the other hand, sometimes the trackpad does get on my way.

 

Just to clarify - my question is regarding the BUTTONS above the trackpad and below the space bar. I doubt the trackpoint nav device will get in the way of typing, and I'm certain that the trackpad itself won't get in the way.

I would like to know if any ThinkPad owners' thumbs, for example, accidentally press the buttons below the space bar while typing.

Thanks again!

 

Never had a problem with those. Depending on your OS/desktop env. you should also be able to switch them off separately.

 

MidnightSun - What battery are you using on your T500? Are you happy with it? I am leaning towards the 6 cell which seems to yield ~4hrs. I don't see the need for a 9 cell battery life (and extra cost) at this point.

Thank you all for your responses - very helpful!

 

From MidnightSun's review, I think he has the 9 cell battery.

IMO, go for the larger battery. With the 9 cell, you can easily get 7 hours on a ~90% charge, which is really nice for alot of reason. I'm sure you'll find ways to use the extra battery life. I don't think you can really ever have too much battery life. And also, the price difference really isn't all that big, so if I were you, I'd get the 9 cell.

 

Yes, you can have too much battery life - when one 99% of the time mains power. In that case, battery life is irrelevant; and the in-built battery acts merely as a UPS - anything beyond 2 hrs is ample. If you need to run the computer away from the mains for extended periods, by all means, get the biggest internal battery you can - but get two.

 

Yes, I do have the 9-cell battery, which is perfect for my uses. It does add weight, and does stick out the back (which is a minus for many), but for the extra battery life it gives me, I'm satisfied. I can get 6.5-7 hours (more towards the lower bound in realistic use) on my 9-cell in Windows 7 64-bit. It's decreased from battery wear and seemingly slightly increased power usage under Windows 7 as compared to Vista.

If 3-4 hours is plenty for your usage, then by all means save yourself the money. Buy what you need