What is Happening to THINKPADS

They are the same design premise most models because it's a proven design, they will redesign when people truly are outraged with the "repetitive" design. If they want to stay in business that is. I do agree that the new Lenovo management are stretching the ThinkPad name way too far, especially when they came out with IdeaPad which to me is way to lazy to be doing. That's alot like those players that look like the 3rd generation iPod Nano advertised as "MP4 players". It's horrible that they seem to have no consideration for the reputation of the IBM era brand that IBM conceived and built up over years of excellent services and PC's/products. It's truly a shame. You would think they would carry on the tradition and even want to give the world the impression that just because it is a Chinese franchise it can still offer the legendary quality the ThinkPad was known for, according to experts, that's what the initial plan was, but apparently it never came to fruition. I also have a feeling that the original IBM era designers are still present, and design them well, but then Lenovo infers by building the designs with cheaper materials.

 

http://lenovoblogs.com/designmatters/

http://www.dwhilldesign.com/biography.php

http://www.dwhilldesign.com/leadership.php?leadership=1

 

It's in an email lenovo sent to me. Looks like a mistake. I think they reversed the "you save" price and the final price. Doesn't mean I'm not going to try and call them Monday to get that $1700 x301 for $1K. Worth a shot. Worse they can say is no.

 

Good one, my friend got a T61 yonks ago for 199 dollars.

 

I got a good one for you. I have a W700 with the DisplayPort. I don't like the fact that it doesn't have a straight HDMI port, but....hahaha...on the most expensive Thinkpads at the present time....a multimedia powerhouse.....the damn thing DOESN'T CARRY AUDIO HAHAHHAHAH

And there is no fix. Every other DisplayPort on other models (including the W500) works fine. But not the W700 LOL...

W--O--W!!! gotta run to a party, but I'll be back for this thread...U gotta hear what Lenovo said tpo me...bye for now

 

Crunchdude, none of the Displayport that has graced the current Thinkpad carries Audio, and W500 is not exception to that.

The displayport is included as a dvi alternative, due to the fact that it can handle a much higher digital screen resolution compared to either the dvi single link or the hdmi. SL series do have the HDMI, so i don't think cost was the ultimate determining factor, given that the SL series cost so much less than the W700 thinkpad.

 

After 12 years and more of buying professional-class Dells, I have been very happy with the W500 in every way bar the non-provision of proper OS-discs, and ridiculous cost of additional ram. A silent, fast, light, elegant, system with gorgeous screen and great keyboard and switchable gpu- what more could I ask for? I am hoping the Win7 experience is as seamless.

 

Add ram on your own .

 

i usually buy one gig of lenovo ram, and add the rest after i got it.

 

Dell's 3-year ProSupport warranty is among the best in the business, and I can say that from experience. Compare that to the stories I hear of Lenovo, which makes me hope I never have to call them.

I can't say whether there has been a huge decline in build quality or not with the ThinkPad line, since I've not owned a recent IBM model prior to Lenovo's takeover. However, IBM's ThinkPads of yore cost two to three grand. My T61 cost under a grand (2-year warranty, and my T400 (1-year warranty), with more features yet, cost around $900. I would have paid several hundred dollars more for Dell's similar Latitude E6400 or E6500, and gotten a better warranty, eSATA, HDMI, but a poorer keyboard. Decided I didn't need to pay more, and my T400 has been flawless. My T61, slightly looser build quality, but still a solid laptop for what I paid.

If Lenovo charged $2-3,000 for the ThinkPad line, and upped the quality for those that are currently longing for the IBM-owned days, they'd lose money hand-over-fist. At most, people are willing to pay a little more for quality --not double. And it's a well-known fact in the computer industry that in the absence of knowledge, a consumer will make their buying choice based on price. I myself wouldn't be able to afford a ThinkPad at IBM prices, and would have bought a Dell Latitude instead.

 

also ridiculously expensive, other than 2GB.

 

It is still cheaper than lenovo...

DDR3 has gone up in price. Nothing you can do about it unless you just want to wait.

 

In USA the price went up, due to the weakening of US dollars. In Australia the price dropped due to the strengthening of Australian dollars.

 

In Australia, I can get 2GB for the W500 for A$95, but for 4GB it is A$660, which is an amazing premium to max the W500 out! In comparison, Crucial UK is offering the appropriate 4GB DDR3 for £198.99 ex-VAT (a very decent A$349.179, but one would have to pay 10% import tax on that). Crucial USA are offering 4GB DDR3 for US $319.99 (A$354.257, plus 10% Australian import tax). The DDR3 memory cost for W500's and W700's is to me the biggest problem with these beautiful machines.

Maybe someone has seen Australian memory at a comparable price to the USA and UK price locally? I have 1X2GB and 1X1GB now with Win Vista Vista-32. If I added a 4GB stick and changed to Win 7-64, that would be better use of memory resources and, in particular, the two gpu's.

 

why don't you buy cheaper brands on ebay? i bought my 2x2gb micron pc8500 ddr3 ram for $75...i think the price may have fallen now...

 

I need 4GB modules. I guess I will just have to wait...

 

no you don't
you want 4gb modules

 

Ouch! Oh well; then i wish to use 64-bit Win-7, but only have 3GB at present. I want to have sufficient memory to make it a good idea. Would go up to 4GB be sufficient to make 64-bit win-7 advantageous over 32-bit? (I can easily replace my 1GB module with a 2GB). If it is marginal (and I expect Win-7 to use less memory), I will stick with my present 3GB...

 

You won't have any trouble running a 64-bit version of Windows(Seven or Vista, doesn't matter) with less than 4GB. You should achieve decent performance with just 3GB; I run my T60p on Vista Ultimate x64 with no issues with my max 3GB of RAM.

IIRC, your new machine will take up to 8GB, but unless you're running some seriously intensive programs and multiple virtual machines at once you won't really have a use for that much.

 

Antskip you should got those ram from MSY. I think it is 49->56 dollars for a 2 gig DDR3 module? MSY is the cheapest in Australia, it is only 10 per cent more than 1000 unit wholesale price, but for that cheap price you get absolutely no customer service, because there are so many people whom visits these stores.... and most of these stores look like a Persian Bazaar after a typhoon had hit.

 

Also, i think the W500 will do 16 gig of ram max.

 

I doubt it. The W700 takes only 8GB.

Now, about this DisplayPort business...It appears I was totally wrong in assuming that DP worked with audio. In fact, DisplayPort initially was never meant to carry audio, or at least it is seemingly an addition to the DP, if it also carries audio. I can't believe I struck out that badly. This article speaks for itself.

I talked to multiple Lenovo reps, from multiple departments, and not just the folks in India. No, when I asked in no uncertain terms "I'm not familiar with this DP. I just want to make sure that it carries audio". Everybody in the 919, every last rep I talked to at Lenovo before purchasing three of the W700's, and there were a few, as I needed to add hardware items that I couldn't online over their CTO system.

The reason I didn't question it further was because I had assumed it works with audio, and I had gotten consistent Yay's after asking multiple people when there's a tech thing I'm not familiar with. I likely would have ordered everything that I did either way. That, however, does not negate the fact that I was misinformed, but ultimately, the responsibility lies with me nonetheless, as I didn't do what I always do, and that is to assume something else, which has proven to be correct time after time. I had too much confidence in other people. Because people, nine times out of ten, are just uninformed and useless when it comes to any type of reliable information (and numerous other things but I won't go too far OT). Just go up to an AT&T kiosk at your local mall and ask what the difference between GSM and CDMA, and they'll tell you that GSM doesn't really exist anymore, because 3G is better than GSM, and by the way, your cellular device gets the signal from satellites now, and Verizon phones are not safe to use, and who am I to ask as to whether DisplayPort carries audio, because of course it does... Nine times outta ten...

 

That is what Lenovo says right now, as no 8 gig module is released, but i think the motherboard chipset can address 16 gig of ram. Just like initially Lenovo insists that T61 can only address 4 gig of DDR2 ram.

 

IMO People get confused with Displayport's capabilities because they hear it is a technology to replace HDMI. Since HDMI carries audio.....

Technically, DisplayPort has the capability to carry audio. Or at least the bandwidth capabilities are there.....

 

Right...Well, the DisplayPort's website is pretty interesting. Also no mention of audio until you dig. Hard. lol...

So what would be the best way in your, or anyone else's, opinion, to get the audio from my W700 over to my HDTV? Where do I siphon off the audio? Or should I just use the DVI port instead...Also, my cable box (from Time Warner just fyi) is their latest and greatest, and I must say I was impressed at the diversity of its connectivity options. For instance, why does my cable box have an Ethernet port?

Thanks surfasb, and thank you everyone else who wants to take a shot at this one?

 

You use an external sound card or you use the 3.5mm headphone out on the laptop (not ideal).

 

I second either idea. Express card sound card or a headphone jack.

 

I'm running Windows 7 x64 on 4GB right now, and it runs extremely well. I don't see how that going down to 3GB would cause much of an issue unless you have some heavy apps open.

At this time, 4GB notebook memory modules are for the birds. They cost quadruple what 2GB modules run.

 

And in the not too distant future they'll be in the bargain bin.

 

And when they are, I'll be in line to pick two up.

 

last comment is spot on!
you find 64-bit with 64-bit good - but much difference to 32-bit with 4Gb or 3GB? speed benefits would seem marginal there - are there other noticeable benefits you have found? very interested! - when i switch to win7 I will do a clean install, and might as well make the switch to 64-bit if it is a no-brainer over 32-bit, even for 3-4GB ram....