ThinkPad owners--why do you buy ThinkPad?

I'll go first. I've always bought consumer models, figuring they were good enough to do what I needed. The HP that I've had for almost 3 years has made me start thinking again. With the HDD under the left palm rest, that has been a particularly warm place on my computer. When I bought a replacement drive with twice the previous capacity and boosted the RPM's to 7200, I had to get a fan desk. Extra heat in the South in the summer is not a good thing. A positive, though, is I've never had a component go bad. They worked till I quit working them.

Also, the build factor of my HP is okay for a consumer model, but not okay to me. Also, where I make my living, so to speak, on the keyboard, and the HP keyboard, while sufficient, is not stellar.

Lastly, the consumer computers look much too flashy for my taste. Many have gone from cool to gaudy, IMO. Plus, they have printed "entertainment" on them, and I don't need folks to see an "entertainment" notebook on my desk.

On the other hand, ThinkPads are solidly built, look like they mean business, and have spill drains! Plus, and this what surprised me, can be bought for less than a lot of nicer consumer models. Only on a lark did I get desperate enough to configure one on the Lenovo site and found that it was in the ball park of what I intended to spend. Then some great forum members here pointed me toward cpp, where I saved even more.

Well, that's my story for ordering my one and only, and many of you have bought several ThinkPads. Got a story you'd like to share?

Thanks,
Bill

 

Build quality, reliability, keyboard.

 

Basically everything that you listed, and in addition:

1) Matte screen.

2) Docking station

3) Trackpoint

4) I love how my X200 is so light while still maintaining solid build quality. And I also love how they actually make the effort to squeeze in a solid, full-sized keyboard.

The only thing I don't like about having a Thinkpad is that technology-illiterate people always think it's an old laptop. But I would never change the looks of my Thinkpad! It's really grown on me - I love the solid black colour and how it doesn't show any wear and tear.

 

Well reliability, no bull type of design, no gimmicks, no silver paints that wears off on you, everyone knows that you got a Thinkpad from the shape and colour... no flashy logo to tell everyone that you got one.... top tier warranty support..... serviceability...

You know you can always depend on a Thinkpad to carry you through, when everything else fails.

 

1.- High-resolution matte screen.
2.- Very quiet and cool-running
3.- Cost
4.- Switchable graphics
5.- (Partially related to above) Battery life
6.- Thinkpad design/look
7.- Keyboard/TrackPoint + Touchpad

All these factors came into play, especially the first 2, since those were directly in response to after using my Averatec. #3 was a big part as well - I did not want to go above ~$1,100 before tax.

 

1. Trackpoint
2. Keyboard
3. Reliability
4. Matt screen

 

Trackpoint, matte screen, looks classic and business-y, build quality, reliability, support.

 

It's ironic people mention cost, when really, Lenovo is one of the more expensive brand named notebook makers compared to Dell, HP, or Acer.

I'd classify Lenovo more along the lines with Sony.. and Toshiba.

My First ever laptop is a ThinkPad.
I chose it because it was the best deal out there (it had HDMI output).
The trackpoint is awesome, big plus.
Feels solid.

One dislike I have it where the Function key is placed- bottom left corner where the Ctrl should be.

 

The reasons I picked a T500 over other brands
Synaptics Touchpad (avoid crappy Alps at all cost)
15.4" 16:10 display (15.6" 16:9 too little horizontal viewing)
Onsite Warranty (hate to send my machine to a repair depot)
Discrete graphics (just in case I want to play a game)

But the T500 could be better
LED 1280 display too grainy
I prefer glossy screen
Keyboard too flexible. I had to modify keyboard to fix the flex.
Touchpad left/right buttons are too small
No Vista standalone disk for clean install.

 

Durability
Design for road warrior
Great deal at the time
Doesn't real as hot as other laptops

 

simply put... I am an engineer. I am an advanced user and demand to have full control of things.

Try having full authority over that macbook pro of yours(macbook users). Yes, the macbook may seem to be a premium product... at what price again? Also, programmers are starting to love macs...

I want a certain construction (top of the line benchmarked performance: a certain architecture combination in the hardware used) in a laptop and no other company has exactly what I want. Asus comes close and so does Fujitsu, but a Thinkpad is in its own class. so, get off! (if you are not worthy)

 

Are you talking about business models (which I was referring to when I said "Cost") or just laptops in general? I found Thinkpads to be the most affordable option aside from the Dell Outlet when it came to business laptops, a tad cheaper than a Latitude at the time and much cheaper than a comparable Elitebook. It is true that there are cheaper consumer-grade laptops, but at the time I bought my T500, there no consumer-grade laptops that had the WSXGA+ screen, discrete switchable graphics, and the specs of my Thinkpad.

Also, since when did Toshiba get lumped in with Sony? I find Sony's offerings to be, while more expensive, much higher quality than Toshiba's, in my experience.

 

I love ThinkPads; especially the X series. However, competition is really heating up in the ultraportable category.

I love ThinkPad X200s due to its great design, light weight, trackpoint, and keyboard. I like the build quality, but I do not exactly take it into battlefields. I appreciate that it has a matte screen, but other than that I think the screen is pretty awful. I appreciate that it support docking, but to me the benefit is theoretical due to Ultrabase X200 costing $200 a piece.

Even a few months ago, I consider X200s as the undisputed king of ultraportable laptops. Netbooks are too slow, too small, and often weigh more than an X200s. Typical 13"+ laptops are too big and too heavy for me. There is no reasonable alternative to X200s. Other ultraportables are either flimsy or extremely expensive. But now things are a little different.

I am seriously tempted by the Acer Aspire AS1410 with the Celeron U2300 processor. It is not MIL-spec semi-rugged, but it will most likely survive normal use just fine. It weighs a little more than X200s w/ 6-cell battery, but battery life is quite decent. It is a little slower than X200s, but fast enough for computing on the go. It also offers HDMI output, which is useful for connecting to an external monitor. And I cannot argue with the price, which is 40% below that of X200s (I am talking about MSRP of the former vs. extreme deep discounts of the latter).

I feel that the X200s has met its match. And that makes things difficult for me.

 

Comparison of HP and Dell consumer models against Thinkpads are pointless. I'm still very disappointed by the general ignorance displayed around NBR on this. Thinkpads are commercial grade business notebooks, hence they have features and build quality which you won't find in a Pavillion or XPS. However, once you bring HP's business notebooks such as the EliteBook and Dell's Latitude into the equation, you'd find a fairer comparison.

 

1)15" 16:10 matte display - one reason right there.

2)Well rouded features

3) Cost

4) Switchable Ati gfx.

Nothing more to say really, the first reason was the most important for me, comparable dell's and HP's cost more for little benefit and I like plain solid things which the thinkpad is.

No major problem so far with ownership.

 

So you got a SL series?

 

Compared to Dell, HP, or Acer's business line, or home line?

Lenovo ThinkPads (especially if you know your discount programs) come in at equal or lower prices compared to Dell and HP's business line. I saved several hundred dollars buying a T400 over a Latitude E6400 or HP Business Notebook. Acer, AFAIK, doesn't have a business line.

P.S. To the original poster - I chose my ThinkPad because of its keyboard, Trackpoint, reputation for durability, understated elegance in design, and price.

 

... because I previously owned a Dell. 'Nuff said.

 

Not in any particular order:
1. Build Quality
2. High res high-nit matte screen
3. Keyboard. Love the placement of the Ins, Del, Home, End, PgUp, PgDn keys.
4. ThinkLight
5. TrackPoint! Prefer not to even have a trackpad.
6. Low heat and noise.
7. Classic look that doesn't age.
8. Latest technology (WWAN and other wireless broadband)
9. # of and location Wireless antennas and wireless reception
10. Useful LED lights located above keyboard and top cover.
11. Frequent software updates for Windows in 32 and 64-bit
12. BATTERY CHARGING THRESHOLDS (IMPORTANT!) Helps maintain and save your battery life

Wish they'd improve:
-keyboard flexing; squeeky Trackpoint buttons 1,2,3.
-ugly looking thick screen bezels
-screen quality

 

If you order it with the laptop you can get it for around $130-140 with coupons! That's what I did. Also, you might be able to find used ones on ebay eventually... But not yet.

MidnightSun: I agree with what you say about price. Thinkpads are the most affordable in their own market segment. Hell, they're even more affordable than consumer laptops from Sony and Apple. So I definitely believe that Thinkpads are the best "bang for the buck". I looked at the Latitude E series when I was shopping for a laptop, and I thought they were way overpriced compared to Thinkpads.

 

One thing to note about price is that dell and HP can offer 3 year warranties as standard.

 

Ongoing support of out-of-production models.

 

Trackpoint.
Keyboard.
EZServ.

 

Great reasons. I had forgotten about the matte screen, which was one of the basic reasons I ordered a T500. My previous HP Pavilion was matte, but the present one is glossy. I loved the initial wow factor for deep colors of photos or videos produced on the screen, but the wow factor quickly dissolved under the florescent lights in my office. I am really looking forward to the matte screen.

And yes, cost was important in my decision. Lostinlaptopland mentioned the included 3-year warranties of Dell and HP Elitebook business computers, but even considering that, the T500 I ordered was considerably less than a comparable Dell or HP business computer.

Bill

 

Why did we get a few T500's?

1) Trackpoint. I turn off the touchpad.
2) Support of older Thinkpad models. At least they have drivers out there for the older models. Very, very helpful.
3) Matte screen, LED backlit.
4) Excellent keyboard (Lenovo replaced the squishy one).
5) I could order it with XP.
6) Descent video card (3650).
7) Runs cool, and quiet.
8) Well built, and I like the black, understated look.
9) Have a few older Thinkpads and they still work well.

 

Most of those points, Scrubjay, went into my ordering a ThinkPad.

And it looks like I'll get to experience if for myself soon--just got notice from Lenovo that my order shipped today.

Bill

 

Battery life+ Warranty+ Durability. Going from 1 hour on battery to 7+ was a huge thing for me.

 

Durability, battery life, build quality, Trackpoint, docking station support, high resolutions in matte, support for multiple hard drives, great keyboard.

 

Reliability and Build Quality.
With that said, I'm still waiting for a higher performance machine from Lenovo; I think that there is little tempting to replace my T61P with, processor-wise there may be, but not in graphics.

 

Quality feel, ongoing support (drivers and software, etc..), and availability of parts for repairs long after warranty expires. If Lenovo keeps this up, I will continue to buy thinkpads. (5 so far!)

 

I was a computer software professional and I go all way back with processors to the seventies. I do not care the least about "business computers" but I know a good solid machine when I see one. The Thinkpad is such a machine and I bought one, which was my first and only laptop. My fully packed t61-p cost over $3500 on Ebay! I don't care. I got the very best machine I could get.

I do have one complaint about it, now that I am with a physical dysfunction. The t61p is pretty heavy. I'd rather have that problem than any other.

Experience has shown that one does not really save any money by scrimping on a processor. I was a pedstrian hit by a car driven by an illegal alien. Within a few nights, while I was unconscious, my notebook was stolen. The thief did not know what they were messing with because they put the machine on the internet after changing the disk. It didn't do them any good cause because it called Computrace up and I got my machine back. I'm the only one I ever heard of that has gotten a notebook back.

Renee

 

Oh, I totally forgot about having two drives. Thats a big plus.

 

I find that pricewise, Thinkpads are on par with Dell and HP. (esp. if you used ccp program.) They used to be a price premium a couple years ago, but no longer.

When it comes down to it, you are also buying service, and Lenovo is good in that area, esp, for the next day onsite (and it's cheap).

I use to love HP, but they have fallen off in quality and support. Dell is okay, but again, support is mixed, and quality of materials is lower. Thinkpads are the best bang for the buck.

 

Yes, this is HUGE advantage.

 

Is that LoJack you using? Good to know you got your laptop back!

Personally, is not the laptop but the data... If only I have encrypted hardware or window that do encryption~

 

Durability, TrackPoint, keyboard, positive previous experiences.

 

Set the HDD password through BIOS. It is secure enough against your typical petty thief.

There are companies that can crack HDD passwords, but IIRC the fee is north of USD $5K with no guarantee of success (because they need to take the disk apart and attach a high-speed logic analyzer to its internal bus).

 

Can always give truecrypt a go for encryption. Haven't used it myself but have heard it recommended.

 

Sorry to hear about your accident Renee. There was several cases of Apple Macbook users getting their laptop back, that i have heard.

 

Built-to-last quality, great technology and R&D, great support, high resale value.. just a few to mention

 

I too was a consumer brand person until 2007 when we ordered our first business class notebook at work. From there I fell in love with the strudy construction, keyboard functionality, temperature compared to flashy store bought models, and non flashy rugged build and look. After that I was hooked and am now on my second personal business laptop. I only wish there were store offerings of business class notebooks so others can see the light I was lucky enough to see thanks to work.

The only unfortunate thing is I like to game, so I do have to suffer a little bit on that front. But at almost 26, work and usability are a lot more important then being able to max out a game.

 

I have always loved Thinkpads and used to own a T21 a couple of yrs back which is perhaps the best notebook that Ive ever owned. Its only recently that Ive got hands on a Thinkpad again and so far, apart from some issues, its a nice feeling all over again!

 

The only reason I considered a Thinkpad because it was the cheapest notebook of it's comparable class (T500/W500 vs. E6500/M4400 vs. 8530p/w) in Canada.

 

Same as the UK I found, HP's especially seem to cost alot and Uk website does not allow custom configs either.

 

Must be the location I guess. HP Notebooks are very reasonably priced in East-Asia, esp, here in Singapore where I live.

 

one thing i found weird is that a t500 in uk is roughly the same price as a macbook pro..perhaps more expensive..~1300 pounds. why is this??

@liquidxit2: i also had a vostro 1700 in the past...it was built to last but i wanted a more portable laptop. i got my mac but i heats up like crazy in windows. so i'll be getting a t510 when it gets released...

 

That's a good question. I considered a MacBook Pro, but in the U.S. it is several hundred dollars more expensive than a comparable T500. Plus, I didn't want the heat I had read about with the MBP.

Bill

 

I've found that the consumer HP notebooks that I have seen from asia are much nicer too in comparison to US consumer HP notebooks.

But the problem with OEMs that don't have standardized models in every region is that the quality isn't specifically comparable and price discrimination changes the whole value and cost/benefit of the laptop purchase.

 

I will say a couple of positive things about the HP Pavilions I've own: I've experienced no hardware issues and the quality of the paint on the palm rest is outstanding (even though the silver gloss under florescent lights can be distracting). My present one looks as good as when I bought it in February '07.

That said, it's not as solidly built and doesn't have nearly as quality a keyboard as my friend's ThinkPad SL500, two factors which went into my ordering a T500 instead of buying another Pavilion.

Bil

 

You're not comparing them properly.

For £1300 you get the 2.53ghz model and only intergrated gfx, lower res screen and all the other things the mac lacks.

The same money will get you the 2.8 ghz T500 with switchable gfx, the higher res screen and all the little things that the thinkpad has.

Also, as I am sure I mentioned to you in another thread, maybe someone else. Including coupon and even with out, a comparable macbook is 300 - 500 dearer in the UK.

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...-category-id=4FE3E1B75A004FA5B5BC02D90A0972F3