Where are the reviews for the T400/T500/W500 - DEAD - DEAD

So which of the new thinkpads has the best keyboard? I always think of the T series as having the best of the Thinkpad keyboards, but does this mean that the X300 or the W series now have superior keyboards, are all of the new models similar?

 

sorry for sounding dumb, but how do i remove the keyboard or find the part number? xD

 

Use this... http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...=/partslookup/partsLookup.vm&sitestyle=lenovo

Or alternatively assembly (if you are really want to void that warranty)...
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-70069

 

Unlikely as the keyboard is a CRU.

 

I tried that just now but it didnt work.

It just keeps showing the Apologies page. I'm quite sure I got the numbers right.

 

Unscrew the circled screws, then just carefully pop off the palmrest. Dont disconnect the palmrest wire, just pull it away from the front of the notebook a bit. Now lift up the keyboard, and without disconnecting the wire, use the slack and rotate it and flip it over. Now snap a picture

 

Attached is a comparison shot that will be in the full review. Top keyboard is one from my T60, bottom is the floppy T500/T400 keyboard.

Weight difference is 6.0oz down to 4.5oz, bottom plate thickness is 0.0025" down to 0.0022". This was obviously something to save weight.

 

excuse me while i go try that.

 

my stupid camera isnt good enough to let me see the numbers clearly, which ones do you need?

FRU 42T3937

ID NO. 85R10Y

P/NO. 42T3904

 

Yea you have the same keyboard that I have on the T400 and T500 review models.

 

The middle screw is hard to get out, and hard to put back in.

Good luck with your review!

 

Finally, the 6 cell battery sticks out? Lenovo Rep said that it doesn't stick out, not at all. If I'm not wrong, the specs in the pdf sheet said the same, "improve design in the battery, to minimize the size and optimize the power" or something like thtat.

thanks.

 

Yes, it sticks out by an inch or so.

 

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4557
You can find there a few photos.

 

I saw the first look of the T400 ('ve been waiting for it every 5 minutes since august 2), but in the review, Kevin has a T400 with 9 cell battery, that will surely stick out. My biggest complain is, once again, about the lenovo's typos and wrong information.

By the way abc1987, your T400 uses a 6cell battery? can i get a picture of your lousy 2 mp camera? (lol). Also, you should investigate more about your processor, maybe lenovo gave you a P8600 instead what you ordered.

thanks

 

There's a picture with the 6 cell in Kevin's review.

 

In the first look with the link above, we have pictures of both the 9 cell and 6 cell attached to the T400.

 

My bad, thank you both for the help.

aaghhhh

I think I'll buy a 4 cell battery and a 6 cell battery when I need xtra power.

 

HI,
I wanna get my T400 today!
I tried to get answers on this before but i couldnt get any help - it has to do with what configuration to get:

Kevin used a 7200rpm HDD and got a really good and fast result however i would like to get the 320GB (which only come with 5400rpm) does anyone know what speed difference it will made?

I was thinking to get the Intel Turbo Memory to "compensate" for this (afterall it is only $50) but I am wondering whether it will be a problem with the 4GB limit of Vista 32. I would like to get 3-4 GB Ram. (i will also get the dedicated Graphics) I would be open to Vista 64 but they dont offer HOme Premium at the Lenovo site

The last thing i would like to know has to do with which battery to get. the 4cell obviously does not stick out but is probably poor battery life. the 7-8h of the 9 cell would be optimal but not 100% necessary. Does anyone wanna share therr experience as far as sticking out battery goes? I also would like to get a light Laptop for traveling but then wihtout good battery i cant used it!

Thank you very much for your help!

I hope i dont have to wait a month for my laptop....

 

I just noticed that you cannot buy an extra battery on lenovo.com. I hate you lenovo, but I love your laptops.

EDIT: you can buy it if you search it individually, but there's no batteries on the "accesories" option when you customize your laptop. Also, it ships in more than 4 weeks. geez.

 

I would recommend the 6 cell battery. Mine is a 5400rpm harddisk too, but I don't have a 7200rpm so I cant compare.

No idea about the Turbo Memory...

 

Grab yourself the 320GB 7200RPM drive from Newegg and swap it out with the cheapest one you can get on the T400 (80GB, 5400RPM). Don't waist your money on the Turbo Memory, it doesn't work. Core 2 Duo + 4GB DDR3 + 7200RPM and Vista will fly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...010150380+1309733643+1035507776&name=7200+RPM

Good Luck!

 

Didn't Lenovo state improved design, improve battery/smaller batteries or something?
I mean I love Lenovo laptops but T400 looks exactly like T61 to me and batteries are still a monstruosity with no name.
Ok will all like the somewhat ugly or for the least boring look of our thinkpads but no need to make it indecent with such ugly huge batteries sticking out.

I almost cancelled my order when I looked at the pictures, seriously, I felt like Lenovo took me for stupid with their improved designs marketing lies.

 

Yep, like I said, they state that the battery design ahs been imroved, so the 6 cell battery wouldn't stick out. I'm waiting a reply froma lenovo worker, to see if something is wrong. Perhaps, the new 6 cell batteries won't stick out, and the battery that Kevin received was a T61 battery. I hope so.

 

I doubt it. My battery is a 6 cell battery and it sticks out an inch. Unless I got a T61 battery too...

 

I think, and it's just a opinion, that maybe Lenovo run out of batteries, including the "new improved design batteries that won't stick out not even a little bit", so they start to send T61 bateries. That could explain about your batterie abc1987. But i think you ordered your t400 as soon it was released, so you should have a "new improved design batterie that won't stick out not even a litle bit", if they really exist.

Can we verify if your batery code is the same of a T61 or T60? Perhaps that's the reason of the sticking out.

Perhaps lenovo didn't improve nothing and they are using cheap/cheat marketing.

 

Pricewise it seems to be OK to buy the HD at newegg but I dont think i feel comfortable to touch my Laptop inappropriately! I tried it before on a Computer (not the HD but just to get a Card in) and i had to bring it to the store for repair...

As far as the Turbo memory goes - Why wouldnt it work e.g. faster boot? SSD Hardrives in general i heard boot faster, isnt the Turbo memory nothing but a small SSD? I guess I am asking the question because if their is a slightest improvement i would go for it (as i said i wont be comfortable to do any kind of upgrades later). Of course i could use the money also for other things!!

I guess i will go for the 6cell battery and if it is too bad i buy a 4cell...

Are you guys getting a 3 Year warranty or saving that money?

Is it true that Laptops dont ship before a month? On lenovo webpage it says 1-2 weeks.

 

mine came with a 3 year warranty and 6 months insurance.

do let me know if you all need the battery code. meanwhile im off to bed! goodnite all.

 

i got the three year plus accident protection on my T500.

 

Hopefully, the t500 wont be a disappointment as well.

When will the review come out for the t500, Kevin?

 

The T400 looks just like the T61 and the T60, and the T43, and the T23, and on and on and on. If you expected any visual changes you are out of your mind.

I will say I am slightly disappointed by the location of the microphone / headphone ports, VGA only, and 3 USB ports. However I am not at all surprised by the 6 cell sticking out, this is a 14" laptop! Get the 4 cell + 3 cell UltraBay battery.

You wouldn't believe how easy it is to change out the hard drive. 1 screw and your done.

 

Do you know whether this (HD swap) would affect my warranty?

When you configure your Laptop and click on Help me decide on batteries it says:
Note: The 6, 7, 8, and 9 cell batteries are larger than the standard 4 cell battery and extend beyond the back of the notebook. They are also slightly heavier than the standard 4 cell battery.

 

I was curious about the HD swap / warrenty issue myself. I was planning on swapping in a faster HD once my t400 comes, but I would feel pretty stupid if I voided my 3yr extended warrenty by doing it.

 

Swapping HD's would not void your warranty.

 

Turbo memory acts as a cache between the hard drive and the memory. It can also serve as sort of "extra memory". It does not really act like a hard drive like you think. Thus if you have enough memory (2-3GB) and a good hard drive, you likely won't see much benefit from the Turbo Memory. (if someone knows better, please correct this)

Since nobody who ordered through Lenovo.com has yet to receive a T400 or T500, nobody yet know if the expectations of shipping in 2-3 weeks is accurate or not. We'll find out the reality when the configured-to-order system start shipping. If that's next week then we'll know the "in a month" estimates were not accurate.

 

Can anybody tell me how much difference it makes speed wise (5400rpm) and 7200rpm? I also heard that the 7200rpm produces more heat?

I am asking because I am still hesitating to buy the cheapest hardrive and then do not change the HD! Could i also go to let say best buy and they would do it for me?

 

I have read it enough on these forums to believe it that RAM and Hard drives are customer upgradable, but I would not say swapping out the hard drive is as easy as one screw. You also have to go through the process of reinstalling Vista and all the appropriate drivers which may be no easy task depending on how tech savvy you are. I would read through the Vista install guide on the forums before making the choice if you are unsure.

I was looking into a Vista reinstall on the W500 I ordered when I noticed ATI has not even released drivers for the FireGL V5700 yet (or the AMD M86GL as its called by Lenovo)

As for HDD speeds go, a 320GB 5400RPM hard drive would probably be as fast or faster than the 100GB 7200RPM hard drive because the platters are more dense and therefore the drive has to rotate fewer times to read the same amount of data. As far as sound/heat goes, in theory a 7200 drive would run faster and hotter but it depends on the manufacturer/model so check out some reviews on the potential drive you are considering buying.

 

Please, whatever you do, don't go to Best Buy to have them install a HD for you..... please.

 

I was just there, why?

 

I guess you are not friends of Geek Squads

I think i keep the Lenovo 320GB - after all my last laptop was 7years ago! If i am really not satisfied i get a USB case for the Hardrive and buy a new one Later. (as far as Vista Installation goes i think i can do that - did XP a lot of times even tried with Linux but it was not fun..)

I also read that it would be best to get equal amount of RAM (e.g. 2GB or 4 but not 3)? Is there any way to get HOme Premium AND 4GB? Even if they are not used it is much easier to get a software upgrade than a hardware upgrade (at least for me!).

A final question on the processor - is it worth to pay that much more from 2.53 to 2.80? It would be exactly the money i would use for 3 years warranty instead (otherwise it looks a bit short with money).

I dont know about the Intel Turbo memory it sounds really stupid to get it if it is of no use but then i somehow like it??

Does anyone have the Link where i can get the 5% Visa or student discount (either one is fine but i would prefer the Visa)?

When i look into the Acessories of the T400 it says with the batteries (6,9cell) that it would delay shipping for 4weeks....Could it be that they dont have (much) of those batteries? Maybe i go with the 4cell instead and might get my laptop sooner?


Thank you very much!
I will order my Laptop after that !!

 

Why not just clone the original drive after the system arrives? You can get simple cloning kits that will make a replica of the original drive and then I assume you are all set,no?

 

If you can afford to buy the 6 or 9 cell later, then I would do that. You can use the 4 cell for short trips or every day use and use the larger one when you travel (I actually use the opposite approach with my T42, but I take both batteries with me when I travel, so the original small battery is now my power boost for long flights).

 

But that doesn't get rid of all the crapware.

 

Customer: First I wanted to know how long a shipping would be - i heard that there is a delay up to one month?
Hanvy Li: Approximated 2-3 weeks to ship due to the battery supply issue.
Hanvy Li: I will be able to contact you for the updated ship day next week if you order today.
Customer: Is this also for the 4cell battery?
Hanvy Li: Yes. will be about the same ship date for 4 cell battery, but 6 cell and 9 cell can be longer for the wait time.

 

Could anyone give me recommendations as far as i should go with the 2.8 or 2.53Ghz? I would feel more comfortable money wise to go with 2.53 and get the 3year warranty?

 

For what it's worth, that's exactly what I'm doing. With the cheaper processor, you can get all the neat options on the T400 or 500 and the 3-year warranty for under 2000.

 

First look should be out tomorrow.

 

Sweet, Thanks.

 

sorry if it was posted and I missed it, but does anyone know ETA on full t400 review?

 

Any word on the W500 review... Please??