Thinkpad T510 Owners lounge

The review really make me exciting to get my T510, i ordered 3 days ago, but because of the weekend, so the status didn't have any change. I called today and kind of Indian guy told me the established date it March.19th...lol. come on my love~~

 

Okay I agree with almost 100% of that! I've got integrated graphics and the 65w power adapter, and it seems to stay only "warm" or "slightly hot". Same screen as you, and I think it's fine, despite a bit of uniformity issues with the backlight intensity. It's quite clear to my eyes and bright enough (might be hard to view outdoors if that's important to you). Sounds is OKAY, though I've heard better from laptops from Dell and Toshiba that have a "subwoofer" (barely qualifies as one--but a little bass driver on the bottom of the unit), though the sound is fairly clear (just lacking in back-end).

Speed and stability thus far have been great. I just installed Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Pro to test a few things out for kiwikat and I was surprised at how quickly it completed, faster than I recall on any machine I've had before at home or at work.

The keyboard I'm having mixed emotions about. I really love the feel of it, and unlike Mr. 49ers, I don't find it unsually loud (a bit quieter than expected actually). It's rock-solid with zero flex. But I'm still wondering if I'm having the dropped/reversed character issue sometimes when typing quickly. This has been described in a thread on this forum, about the T410. For the record I have the US English keyboard, not the international English keyboard. I'm not sure if that's significant.

The fan seems to run pretty much all the time, but at a low noise level, barely noticeable if you have any background sound in your room (I usually have a TV on or streaming music). I do hear a bit of the "CPU Whine" noise that people have been mentioning, but it hasn't been enough to bother me to date. I'll keep watching here for a solution.

I didn't think I'd like the track point (never had one before), but I'm getting used to it and liking it. The whole laptop is very comfortable to use, both on a desk and on a lap (though it's heavy enough that you don't want it there for too long--heat doesn't seem to be an issue, at least with integrated graphics).

I haven't done any extensive battery testing, but with the 9-cell and integrated graphics, I played around a bit yesteday and got around 5 hours or so. This was surfing (wireless N), bluetooth on most of the time though not using my mouse, screen at 13 out of a possible 15 brightness. I'm sure I could get more after a couple of charging cycles, plus a bit of tweaking to the power management, but I haven't bothered yet.

More later.

 

I did same thing and I think we have have reached the same guy because he told me that only my extra battery would ship on 3/19. Low and behold - I just checked the site again tonight and have tracking info. Not only that, I noticed the system had a serial number attached to it and hell I saw there are two pieces on this shipment - so stoked!

I order a T510, FHD, 4GB, 128MB SSD, 3YR and everything except the GOBI and initially it had a ship date of 4/25. That kinda sucked, but I got an awesome deal -unbelievable actually.

Lenovo needs to make their order status site actually work... I can't imagine how many phone calls it generates and lost productivity - and cancelled orders! Wow, 10+ year ThinkPad user and first time I had to buy me own - but I hope they keep the quality. After reading these lenovo forums - I am a bit worried that this may be my last one.

 

@ecco88: Wow, that's a nice configuration - congratulations! My order for my T500 back when I bought it initially posted 4 week delays, but then it ended up shipping out just a week after I ordered. Post some feedback when you receive it!

 

Is the 128mb SSD still a lackluster samsung. I head rumors of a Toshiba drive...

 

I've the 90W AC adapter, and it gets very hot. I've owned a T43 (and sometimes used T61) for last 5 years. T43 adapter almost always stayed warm, never hot. The keyboard was also very very quiet on the T43. I found the keyboard on T510 (and even T400) louder than T43 and T61. Comparing it to non-thinkpad keyboards, this is still pretty quiet and still the best keyboard out there, though I really like the Sony F-series keyboard. I'm also very happy to find no flex at all on my board. Keyboard flex has been an issue on T400 and T500, and some reported it on certain keyboard models on T510 also, but mine had none.

Sound quality is def. not the same as a Sony or a Toshiba. Sony FW series had great sound, but that's an entertainment laptop. Compared to my T43 and T61, the sound quality is much better. I had a hard time watchin' movies on those laptops due to low sound.

In complete agreement with you on the trackpoint. I love it.

I keep the brightness at 11 for the most part. With discrete graphics I get 6-7 hrs if I'm doing regular work like browsing, excel, and downloading stuff.

 

Before when the company bought them - I never cared about the configs before my company just gave us pretty decent T's, so this time I did some homework and man hate to beat a dead horse but I have three concerns...
1) The 128GB SSD says Hi Performance, but someone said those SSDs are not as good as the Intels. I got mixed feedback - some say it is the greatest and some say it is not worth the $$, but I got the option for ~ $170 - so why not?
2) I love hi-res, I had to get the FHD, but wasn't so crazy about the graphics card that was necessary to get it. I am not a gamer, nor a photo guy, so I would like to have the FHD without the discrete card - but I guess that is more of a Intel thing than Lenovo. I thought having the SSD would offset the battery life lost on the graphics card. Is the door shut on switchable graphics in the future?

3) gobi 2000 with GPS - can anyone tell me why this is worthwhile? opposed to using a USB modem? I wasn't sure which carrier I will use in the future and it seems I had to commit - and like a true male... I fear commitment!

 

T510 with LED 1600x900 (HD+)
Maximum: 222 cd/m²
Average: 202.6 cd/m²
Illumination: 79 %
Black: 0.39 cd/m²
Contrast: 569:1
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-Thinkpad-T510-4349-4JG-Notebook.25722.0.html

T400 with CCFL 1440x900
Maximum: 212 cd/m²
Average: 184.9 cd/m²
Illumination: 77 %
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-Thinkpad-T400-6474-19G-Notebook.15861.0.html

T400s with LED 1440x900
Maximum: 297 cd/m²
Average: 255.9 cd/m²
Illumination: 76 %
Black: 2.88 cd/m²
Contrast: 98:1
Brightness on battery: 246 cd/m²
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-ThinkPad-T400s-Notebook.21081.0.html

X200s with LED 1280x800
Maximum: 205 cd/m²
Average: 181.4 cd/m²
Illumination: 78 %
Black: 1.33 cd/m²
Contrast: 147:1
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-Thinkpad-X200s-Notebook.14531.0.html

X200t with LED 1280x800
Maximum: 414 cd/m²
Average: 354.8 cd/m²
Illumination: 68 %
Black: 0.5 cd/m²
Contrast: 744:1
Brightness on battery: 319 cd/m²
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-ThinkPad-X200t-Notebook.25497.0.html

You can look at the links for the full reviews as well as pictures of the viewing angles. The T510 HD+ screen actually looks very good, with much better viewing angles than all the other screens listed above, with exception of the X200t whose viewing angles are extremely good.

The T510 HD+ contrast of 569:1 is also 3 times better than most regular laptop screens. Only the x200t is higher at 744:1.
The T510 HD+ screen is less reflective than the x200t and has better backlight uniformity at 79% versus 68%.


Personally, I opted for the T510 with FHD. You can see a full review of the FHD screen within the review of the W510 done by notebookcheck.
T510 with LED 1920x1080 (FHD)
Maximum: 257 cd / m²
Average: 231.1 cd / m²
Uniformity: 86%
Black: 0.5 cd / m²
Contrast: 514:1
http://translate.google.com/transla...510-4319-29G-Notebook.26364.0.html&hl=en&sa=G

The viewing angles of the FHD are very good, like the HD+. The contrast ratios are about the same. The FHD has better uniformity at 86% compared to 79%. But what i am really impressed with about the FHD screen is that the tests show an excellent coverage of the color gamut. I haven't seen the FHD screen in person yet, but the color gamut results of the FHD in this review are very encouraging.

 

maybe theyre playing with me, but my blank ship date turned to 3/11 today. thats not too bad for ordering ssd and nonmultitouch fhd on the last day of february.

can someone with a t510 and the standard one year warranty look up how much it costs to extend it to three year depot? and adp?

 

Thanks to Mutnat, I'll be ordering my T510 after my paychecks clear tomorrow AM.

Intel Core i5-540M Processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
15.6" HD+ Anti-Glare Display with LED Backlight
Intel HD Graphics with Always On USB
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
9 cell Li-Ion Battery
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (2X2 AGN)

1181.17 after taxes (>_<), 2 day shipping, student discount, and 5% T510 discount (last day of 5% discount... whew). At least I hope that 5% discount is valid ON the 10th!

Thanks to everyone who has helped me. This place rocks!

 

Hey awesome! I'm pretty sure you're going to be quite happy with it. Please keep us posted when you get it.

 

Lol, we almost have the same configuration, the only difference is that I just order the standard 250G5400RPM hard disk, I would like to replace it with a 500G 7200RPM bought from FRY'S or ebay, my principle is not to everything I actually don't need. Maybe I should take use student discount, but i was to exciting to forget I was a college student. I knew we could buy Macbook for discount, ,lol. And which i was excited is that I really enjoy the feeling of speed and no lagging during the dailiy operation.

For my 3 yrs old DELL M1210, I always turn it on and headed for a coffee or find some other stuff to do. Then I just start to work after the continues flashing of my hard disk light..... And I am kind of program fan, so maybe after get the fresh new laptop, I could have aspire to perfect my Google application and some other tiny application.

I still not get my shipping date, so I even doubt that Lenovo's website was not working....

 

I created a new account earlier at school today and I never got any confirmation email from them. I wonder if its possible that both my ISP AND my school block their emails? I don't see how that is possible.

 

*cough*gmail*cough*

I can vouch from personal experience that the emails from Lenovo get through to my g-mal account. Food for thought...

 

BTW I see from your sig that we also have very similar netbooks: I've got an Asus 1000HE.

 

Well, I did it!

Estimated ship date: March 22, 2010

 

Awesome, Kiwi! Congrats! I was just about to PM you to ask if you'd done the dead and then I saw this reply. Very cool. Keep your fingers crossed that the only bumping they do to your ship date is forward (sooner) and not backward (later).

 

Hey what are you guys using for a case for your T510? I tried searching here but didn't come up with any useful discussion. I've found that most cases marked as fitting up to 15.6" laptops won't fit--when you look at their computer compartment size specs, they're usually wide enough to accomodate the 14.75" width, but not deep enough to fit the 10.5" depth (with 9-cell battery protrusion) and/or tall enough to fit the 1.625" max thickness at the back of the unit. 16" or larger cases generally seem like they'll fit.

I'm thinking about possibly a Kensington Contour backpack, or possibly the Kensington Contour Pro 17" messenger/briefcase-style case. The Targus Voyager backpack is also a possibility, or maybe the 5dot Connect Deep Forrest backpack from Dell. I might also consider the MobileEdge ScanFast briefcase, esepcially since it's on sale for a great price through Dell (and is TSA-friendly..though I rarely ever travel and even more rarely with a laptop). I also kind of like the light-brown Stucano GiornoWork messenger bag, though it has a baby blue inner lining that I think might be too effemenate looking.

Anything you guys use that's functional, fits nicely, isn't super-bulky or outrageously expensive, and looks decent if not nice? Also, anything to avoid?--for example, something you thought would fit but didn't and you had to return it, or perhaps it fell apart within a short amount of time?

Thanks!!

 

Has anyone tried playing L4D2 on theirs yet? I'm so close to buying one, just need to know if it's playable first, the notebookcheck scores aren't too convincing!

 

apparently the 4 week delay for fhd plus the 4 week delay for ssd equals being shipped in 9 days!

 

So a tech is coming to me tomorrow to check on the whining noise problem. I suggest him to bring a spare pair of RAM and battery just to trouble shoot and rule things out. They started off suggesting a work order to change the fan, so we'll see.

Is there anyone who can share some useful experience when working with the tech? I'd very appreciate it.

 

I noticed that the 1080p display is no longer listed as an option for the T510. Does anyone have this version on order?

Has anyone that has received their T510 weighed it, especially the version with the discrete graphics card? I never trust the website weights. I was also curious if anyone had tried to get a 6-cell battery for it. I'm looking for the lightest possible 15" 1080p laptop (other than the Envy) for business travel.

 

Congrations! When did you order the machines? I ordered it on the night of last Friday( March. 5th) and still could see any change during the status of website. They showed nothing about the shipped of est. date.

Thanks

 

Where are you located? In the US, they get an estimate shipping date pretty much right away. In Canada, we don't get one until nearly the actual shipping date (sometimes AFTER the actual shipping date), and until then it doesn't show one at all. I'm not sure why it's different but it is. Perhaps wherever you live, the system is similar to the Canadian one.

 

I live in Utah state, so I think it got a little weired why after I purchased and the credit card has got the bill information and still no change on the website, though I know maybe they just showed the est. shipped date after the machine was configuration and equipped? I just feel it's painful to wait such a lovely laptop :>

 

Tinyvane, it might be worth giving Lenovo a call to check on your order status. Was your credit card actually *charged* though, or just *authorized*? When I first placed my order, my "available credit" amount showing on my MasterCard online account went down by the amount of my order, but my "balance" didn't go up--that is, the amount had been authorized, but not charged. The authorization must have expired after a few days as the number returned to "normal" at that point. It wasn't until the day after my laptop actually shipped that my balance went up by the order amount.

 

Thanks mutnat, I just called the Lenovo, and the service assistance said my order was accepted, but he said something error happened to their order status website and apologized. He said my order would be ready around 19th of this month, and would take another 5-6 work day to delivery. So, just boring about their website, and be patient........

 

notebookcheck has the best reviews up so far. check for both the t510 and w510.

having no estimated date and reading these forums, i was expecting a massive wait especially because i ordered nonmultitouch fhd the last day it was an option online, 2/28. yesterday i was told it would ship sometime tomorrow, and it actually shipped first thing today.

 

asdfadsfasdf

 

Please keep us posted.

 

So is that a "no"?

I have read the reviews, and a quad core isn't on my list due to heat and battery life concerns.

 

my fhd t510 shipped today, but i cant tell you how it is!

 

I think FHD is awesome, but I just chose HD+. Congratulations,aperture science

 

Just ordered mine today I am very excited.

 

LOL, we are the same, this is my first TP.

 

Congrats! My order's about 22 hours ahead of yours.

I really hope it doesn't take too long to get here. I think I'll go nuts if I watch any more youtube videos and read anymore reviews on it.


LOL go figure, if I ordered it today with the new sale I would have spent 55 dollars less... SIGH. There's no way to get back that difference is there?

 

Should I upload some vids to youtube just to torment you further? LOL.

 

lol, received the lenovo shipped confirmation mail, gr8, earlier about 8 days before I thought.

PS: After reading the content twice, i got a little confused about what it was talking about? It said all parts of my laptop had been shipped from different place? It was indicating the components or such as the machines or the battery? The shipped parts are delivering to Lenovo or to me? Thanks for your advice.

 

Usually the laptop is shipped from the factory and the accessories from other warehouses.

 

So you mean that I would received my laptop without some parts which would be sent to me later?

 

When I got my T61P the dock came seperate from the laptop, but both came around the same time. I think it's more common to get the accessories first and then the laptop.

 

And by accessories I mean things like docks, extra adapters, etc. The main battery should come with the laptop.

 

Thanks for your answer infinus:>

 

That'd be fine with me. There's only one real review of the T510 on youtube. Another thorough review would be cool.

Ugh I need to stop hitting F5 on my order status page. I'm going to wear out the key.

 

I could do something like that (never done that before), though the problem is I don't have much spare time until at least sometime next week. Any requests for things you want covered? I could probably video some visual studio work for lack of anything better to do.

 

That's awesome of the idea to upload some video to youtube, i just got a little worried about my spoken English... should I make some arrangement or scripture in advance, lol, i got my camera and could make it to take a shot of video...

 

I'd be most interested in bootup and shut down speeds, some more opinions on specific components' build quality, perhaps some more opinions on the HD+ screen, just stuff like that. Some more subjective opinions that you wouldn't normally see in a regular review. Like what you think could be better, or what you might be worried about failing in the future. Some individual application tests would be cool too. Anything from office applications, coding applications, web browsers, games, whatever you've got.

It's rather pointless to cover ports and physical characteristics because you can learn all of that from looking at the website...

If either of you guys do put one together, remember that I've already bought one. You don't need to sell it to me.

I wish reviews (for every kind of product) had more personal comments, opinions, and critiques about what they are reviewing. Some videos on youtube are pretty bland, more like reading a brochure rather than someone's truthful evaluation of a product.

Just a few thoughts...

Oh, and don't worry about your English. It is probably better than that of my friends at school. lol.

 

OKay, thanks for encouraging me, i like doing this kind of cool things.

 

I bought a Case Logic sleeve - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015IAERK/ref=oss_product

I've a 9-cell T510 and this sleeve fits my T510 easily. If not a tight fit, but it's not loose either. It fits in easily with the 9-cell battery. I bought the Green/Gray color one. The sleeve is reversible and has decent thickness. It doesn't feel cheap and seems durable. Really liked it. I don't like Sleeves with zippers - because I'm worried about zippers scratchin' my laptop. So, this was a perfect sleeve for me. No zippers.

Then, I bought a Swiss Gear backpack from Amazon. Amazon has Swissgear on 50% discount, so some of the backpacks are pretty cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OHDIWY/ref=oss_product

That's the one I got for $39.99 - if I remember correctly, a similar backpack was available in Samsclub for about the same price. I love this back-pack. First, it has a lot of padding and it's very comfortable, even when you are carryin' a lot of weight. It looks great, better than the picture available on Amazon. I was able to fit my T510 with the sleeve on in this backpack. It was a perfect fit. The quality of swissgear backpacks is much better than other brands (IMO). They are sturdy and durable and last for years. I went to best buy to check their quality first, and was very impressed.

 

I've just ordered a T510 with the FHD display and will post a video if people are interested. Although I won't get it for a few weeks possibly.

FYI, UK readers can get an extra 10% off at the moment and details are listed on the Lenovo website. I saved £340 on mine!