Thinkpads still #1 PC notebook?

About 2 1/2 years ago I bought a T 60 with which I have been quite happy except for frustrating problems it occasionally has connecting to the internet wirelessly. For me the notebook needs to be a desktop substitute.

When I got the T 60, Thinkpads were pretty much the #1 PC notebook (some people liked Apples better, but I need a PC). And I liked the fact the people at customer support could speak unaccented English and answer the phone promptly (though they could not fully fix my internet connection issue).

How do Thinkpads measure up today?

Thanks.

 

uh-oh... you might set off a firestorm of grumbling about Thinkpads

Define "#1 PC notebook". Number one in what sense? IMO quality has slipped a bit, but so has price so for some it's a good development and for others it's not. For a premium you can also get an "s" series Thinkpad, which are thinner and said to have better build quality than their bretheren.

For the price, Thinkpads are still up there among the best IMO (despite my grumbles about poor build quality). There are better laptops out there, for sure, but you'll pay much more.

 

Determining which brands is the best is very subjective as we value different things in very different ways. Having owned 3 Lenovo laptops(R61, T61, T400) my satisfaction level has decreased significantly and I will phase out of PCs completely at the end of this year and stick with my Apple MacBook as I feel quality wise no PC manufacturers can match an Apple.
If you look at various reviews and magazine reports Lenovo Laptops are still at the top of the list for build quality and customer support.

 

I have not checked Apples for a while Daylove, but at one point owned one. My two problems at the time were (1) it did a pathetic job synchronizing with my Palm (I now use Outlook so this may not be an issue) and (2) it got too hot to use in your lap without some kind of major padding, a real problem on the road.

On the other hand, I loved the fast boot-up.

I should probably check them out again, but my prior experience is that if you live in a PC world (I do at work), you need a PC computer. Screwing around with the Apple was too big of a hassle. While the OS had some advantages, it was not the holy grail. But all that is 2 1/2 year old info.

 

That is likely still a problem. Outlook does NOT EXIST for OSX (Office for Mac includes Entourage). Heat can be an issue with the aluminum Macbooks as the entire body tends to be used as a heatsink (the components stay cool but the surface does not).


Back to the original question. In my opinion ThinkPads are still overall the highest quality and most reliable PC notebook (Panasonic Toughbooks are slightly better, but they are in a ruggedized class). The T400/T500 may be a slight drop from the T4x and T60 in terms of overall quality, but the X series and T400s are all superb.

Support is generally still solid but YMMV. On the few occasions I have called the person on the other side always spoke unaccented English. My problems have also been solved without incident (granted I tend to call knowing what the problem is and just request a replacement part and/or repair).

The notable exception across the board is display quality. With the exception of the Tablets, w700, and apparently the high-nit T400, almost all of the current display choices are fairly poor. Contrast this with the T60 that had an exceptional, albeit dim, IPS flexview option.

 

Thanks for the feedback Jonlumpkin. No Outlook means no Apple for me. You are right about the T 60's display being a bit dim, another minor gripe I have with it.

What does YMMV mean?

I have thought about the tablet. It might come in handy in the classroom (I am a professor). Last time I checked, tablets made a poor desktop substitute. Has that changed?

 

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary

 

Most tablets have smaller displays than notebooks considered to be desktop-replacing by most. The x200 tablet has a 12.1" screen. When it comes to specs... the power you need depends on what you use the computer for.

 

You'll get wildly varying responses to your question, which I'm sure you're by now aware of

Personally, I am very satisfied with my T500. I have had experience using the T60 for a while, and the T43 for a bit, as well as my friend's X41 and X61. My detailed thoughts of the T500 can be found in my review - the link is in my signature.

The only issues I see with using the X200t as a desktop substitute are 1.- limited screen resolution, and 2.- relatively limited processing power (although for your uses, it should be okay). I would suggest plugging it into an external display (perhaps using a dock), and then there would be no reason why the X200t would not be suitable as a desktop substitute.

 

Good review, MidnightSun. It sounds like they fixed the Wifi problem I have with my T 60.

 

That depends on your needs. The 1.86GHz (2.13GHz through some channels) CPU is more than enough for the vast majority of tasks. The integrated GPU is a poor choice for CAD, gaming, and other enhanced 3D work but great for office, internet, video, et. al. The lack of an optical drive and small (albeit very good) display can easily be remedied with a docking solution.