The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    W530 vs T530

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by verax, Jun 22, 2012.

  1. verax

    verax Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    So, in building these two, for the exact same price, you get a better proccessor, and better graphics card on the W530. Any thoughts on why you would purchase a T530 over a W530 if you are looking at an i7 chipset?
     
    verax, Jun 22, 2012
    #1
  2. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    982
    Messages:
    5,162
    Likes Received:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    216
    None. They have the same chassis so why would you?
     
    Thors.Hammer, Jun 22, 2012
    #2
  3. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    4,982
    Messages:
    34,001
    Likes Received:
    1,416
    Trophy Points:
    581
    If you don't say anything about what you want or need, it makes it kind of hard to help.
     
    ZaZ, Jun 22, 2012
    #3
  4. greatrokr

    greatrokr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Lower end 530 build a T
    High end 530 go for the W
    (I would)

    I wanted to build a i5/i7 530 without a dedicated GPU, but on the T530 this was a hassle (no way to build it online). I think without the NVIDIA, the price difference would be significant enough to stay with the T.
     
    greatrokr, Jun 22, 2012
    #4
  5. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    744
    Messages:
    3,546
    Likes Received:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    116
    True. In certain cases, HD 4000 is more than good enough: such a T530 (with the FHD screen, yeah!) would be less expensive.
     
    Kaso, Jun 22, 2012
    #5
  6. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    982
    Messages:
    5,162
    Likes Received:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    216
    But the original post states they are comparing the same price, but getting more with the W530.

    So if it's truly an apples to apples comparison, then it's a no brainer. Get the W530.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Jun 22, 2012
    #6
  7. seiyafan

    seiyafan Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    19
    Messages:
    326
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I tried to configure laptop for both T530 and W530 with the same CPU, RAM, HD, display and everything else (of course graphics on both machines cannot made to be the same), the W530 was cheaper by 65 dollars.

    Is it because K1000 is cheaper than NVS 5400M?
     
    seiyafan, Jun 22, 2012
    #7
  8. power7

    power7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    155
    Messages:
    531
    Likes Received:
    66
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Unlikely. Just a pricing policy at this moment in time.

    Lenovo's prices and options costs are quite random: for example, there are two W530 options right now on Lenovo's US site, different in CPU only, and $100 aparet. Yet upgrading the first one to the same CPU is +$85 option.
     
    power7, Jun 22, 2012
    #8
  9. djembe

    djembe drum while you work

    Reputations:
    1,064
    Messages:
    1,455
    Likes Received:
    203
    Trophy Points:
    81
    The extra $15 is for the OS upgrade from Home Premium to Professional.
     
    djembe, Jun 22, 2012
    #9
  10. power7

    power7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    155
    Messages:
    531
    Likes Received:
    66
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Ah, right. So the difference instead of -$15 is +$35, for the exact same thing.
     
    power7, Jun 22, 2012
    #10
  11. djembe

    djembe drum while you work

    Reputations:
    1,064
    Messages:
    1,455
    Likes Received:
    203
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Yup, so you save a little bit by starting with the $1399 model, assuming you were going to get the more powerful processor and the Professional OS version.
     
    djembe, Jun 22, 2012
    #11
  12. scoopbb

    scoopbb Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    my config comes out to virtually identical for both of them.

    The W530 is
    Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.60 GHz)
    Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
    15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
    NVIDIA Quadro K2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
    4 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (1 DIMM)
    Keyboard Backlit - US English
    UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader
    720p HD Camera with Microphone
    500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
    DVD Recordable
    $1,435.50


    The T530 is
    Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.60 GHz)
    Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
    15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
    NVIDIA NVS 5400M Graphics with Optimus Technology, 1GB DDR3 Memory
    4 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (1 DIMM)
    Keyboard Backlit - US English
    UltraNav without Fingerprint Reader
    720p HD Camera with Microphone
    500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
    32 GB Micro Solid State Drive, Serial ATA3
    DVD Recordable
    $1,386.75

    The T530 has the micro SSD. The W530 has a better graphics card. Everything else seems identical.

    I will probably be running Fedora on it and try hackintosh, and I will buy ram independently. I don't want any form of windows really.

    These are corp discount prices I get from my job. Which would you guys get
     
    scoopbb, Jun 23, 2012
    #12
  13. greatrokr

    greatrokr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15

    If you need QuadCore and dedicated graphics, I would bet on almost every W530 configuration being cheaper than the T530.

    Quad + NVIDIA NVS 5400M Graphics isn't very cost efficient, build wise, on the T530.

    Go for the W530! After a bit of mulling between the two that is the path I took and ZERO regrets. Maybe wait to see what coupons are in store for July (current coupons are set to expire in June it seems).
     
    greatrokr, Jun 23, 2012
    #13
  14. scoopbb

    scoopbb Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    do you happen to know anything about the dolby audio, or whether or not the micro ssd is worth it?
     
    scoopbb, Jun 23, 2012
    #14
  15. greatrokr

    greatrokr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Many members have referred to this ppt document on the 2012 thinkpads (it might be slightly inaccurate, but it was a great resource for me since I haven't bought a TP since 2006!) In terms of dolby audio, the W530 features "Dolby® Home Theater® v4" - great thread on that is:
    As for the msata SSD, it can be used as cache or OS boot up. The msata SSD is SATA II, as opposed to SATA III for standard SSD, but standard use performance should be almost the same. Here is a thread I plan to read up for the msata:
    there are also oodles of info in the http://forum.notebookreview.com/solid-state-drives-ssds-flash-storage/ forum:
     
    greatrokr, Jun 23, 2012
    #15