Which ThinkPad to choose --- T510/T520, T530 or W520?

I am trying to decide which of the T/W5x0 ThinkPads to go for and I can't make up my mind. I was basically sold on T530, but then I started reading all the negative hype on the new keyboard and I started questioning whether I want to be stuck with it for the next ~5 years. Mind you, I have to way of testing the new keyboard before the purchase.

Right now, I have a R61 and I do like the keyboard. I don't write code or use all the keyboard short-cuts, but I like having Next/Previous buttons next to the arrow keys, and Page-up/Down in the right-top corner. Plus the ability to find desired keys just by touch.
I also like the pronounced TrackPoint and I don't know if I will like the slightly lowered one on T530.
On the other hand, I do need to look at the keyboard anyway if I want to use some more advanced FN short-cut – I don't have it memorised, with few exceptions, like Brightness up/Down (which I would quite miss).

So, here's the brake down of my dilemma (each scenario includes 1080p screen):


T530:

+ superior graphic with Intel 4000 and Optimus Nvidia card
+ support for up to 32gb ram and 3rd generation i5
+ up to 32gb ram

- the new keyboard – I think I do not like the loss of practicality of the old layout
- slightly more expensive than others, which is not that much of an issue since it is an investment for at least 5 years (provided it does not start crumbling apart like my R61 did)


W520:

+ good old keyboard layout and good old TrackPoint
+ marginally cheaper
+ looong warranty

- slower and probably more overheating / power-hungry Quadro GPU
- 2nd generation i7 (I assume higher power consumption?)
- no USB 3.0
- are Ws more heavy and bulky than Ts? And how does a W520 compare to R61 with regard to weight and thickness?


T510/T520:

+ good old keyboard layout and good old TrackPoint
+ marginally cheaper
+ cheaper

- slower and probably more overheating / power-hungry GPU (I would probably go for Nvidia)
- older generation i5/i7
- max 8GB ram
- no USB 3.0


I write a lot, but mostly text, not code. Most of the time I do not game at all, but I would like to occasionally try Diablo 3, for example. I use Linux as my base system. I use Virtual Machines (hence RAM requirement). I will use it daily, often for 10-12 hours. I won't carry it with myself too often. I want the laptop to last me LOOONG time.


So, based on above, please, help me make up my mind.
Or advice me an alternative to ThinkPad, if one exists.

 

Hey Impactor, I received my T530 a few days ago and so far I really like it. The screen is great (FHD), the keyboard feels very good and the battery life is more than 8 hours based on the limited time I've used it on battery (with the 9-cell). Right now, I'm typing on the T530 and the keyboard feels very comfortable to type on.

I also considered getting the T520 but the cost difference was not too substantial. I also debated between several laptops but after some trial and error I ultimately chose the T530. You have listed the pros and cons of each system so you have an idea of what to expect. If you are concerned about the Trackpoint and the keyboard, then don't be. Although I have not used a Thinkpad prior to now, the Trackpoint is so great that I want one for every laptop I use. The keyboard is also good but it may take some time to get used to. I must say that the keys make a nice sound when typing. Wish you the best.

 

If the new keyboard layout is a big deal (which might be the case) I'd say W520.

Presuming you have an option to somewhat customize it to suit your needs, that is...or are looking at one that already does.

Good luck.

 

W520 or T520 with Quadro should fit the bill, but honestly games don't run as well on Quadro cards than they do GeForce cards. Also I believe the W520 is a smidge heavier than a T520, but has higher CPU options because it has better cooling. I think W520 also has minimum 90W or 130W adapter while T520 will max out at 90W. The T520's NVS 4200M is a super weaksauce Quadro card.

 

The T- and W-series share the same chassis, so any weight differences will be pretty much unnoticeable. There are no dimensional differences.

 

I just discovered W520 will not work with my travel 90W PSU and that is probably a deal-breaker. I can't carry around the massive 137/170W brick. I move around too much.

How about the noise that the new keyboard does while typing? Is it quieter than classic thinkpad keybaord?
Cause the one on R61 is quite annoyingly noisy.

 

The keyboard sound is soft, providing just enough auditory feedback. Also, key travel is deep enough. To me, the typing experience is better than that on a MacBook Pro and a Samsung Series 9: the generic term "chiclet" may be misleading.

I have been reluctant to accept this year's ThinkPad models. Like many ThinkPad users, I am put off by the new key layout. Recently, I had the chance to spend some time with a T430 and a W530, and found the typing experience commendable.

If you consider the purchase a long-term investment, with current technologies, and don't mind the new keyboard, a T530 could be a good choice.

 

I have a T520 and a work issued X230 tablet. The new keyboard is actually a pleasure to use, but it "fixes" something that frankly didn't need repair. The T520 keyboard is fantastic, the machine (with FHD screen) is buttery smooth and it's cheaper to boot. For some reason, the island keys on the X230 feel too far apart as compared to the traditional Lenovo keys. I don't think that's the case, but it feels like it to me. Not a deal breaker, just an observation. Also, the page up/down keys are down by the arrows, which drives me crazy...many years of muscle memory is hard to break.

Unless you can get a screaming deal on a T530, I'd say just grab a T520 and call it a day. And lol at the W-series power adapter. It's why sold my W520 for a T520.

 

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed that "the generic term "chiclet" may be misleading"

I have a few quibbles with the key layout of my new T530. But what else is new when it comes to compact keyboards???

The T430 and W530 are both current models, and come with 3rd gen Intel i5/i7 cpu's.

The older T520 might be a worthy purchase, given that it likely has a slightly better keyboard. Provided that you could find one for enough of a lesser price than that of a new or used T530.

But the older T520 comes with the distinct downside of having an older gen cpu.

Agreed that a new (or open box) T530 "could" be a good choice.

I own a new T530, my only real laptop so far, so count me as very biased and with very limited laptop experience.

FWIW I've done mainly s/w and business system design all my life. In my experience, the best keyboards always came with "IBM" on them, whether the old IBM typewriters or the IBM PC keyboards. ALL of the great IBM keyboards were very noisy. It was the key action that made users LOVE those keyboards!

IMO Lenovo has adequately carried on that tradition of excellent/great keyboards, with their ThinkPad keyboards, even the *current* ThinkPads.

Added by edit: I can add that the 90watt A/C adapter that came with my T530 is very light. And that I got a 6-cell battery. I plan to buy a 2nd A/C adapter (likely not Lenovo) and a 2nd battery (likely "Lenovo" branded and 9-cell) on Amazon.

2nd edit: With bios dated Sept.2012, one can switch the Fn and Cntl keys! Yes, yes, yes!! So that removes my main quibble with my new T530 keyboard key placement.

 

The problem with T520 is that I can't find anything even close to what I want. Only T510s come close being quite a lot cheaper than T530.


Does that qualify as a screaming deal?

 

Pretty good. I suppose it's a pre-built. (I would make some suggestions if it's a CTO.)

 

I configure it at lenovo outlet. What changes would you make and why?

 

Remember that for T530, T430, W530, T430s and X230/X230t, you have to use the new series Lenovo ThinkPad battery (even those genuine Thinkpad batteries shipped with previous gen ThinkPad won't work in the new models as they lack the authentication chip), otherwise it would through a none genuine battery error.

 

I would remove the NVDIA NVS 5400M option. It adds very little to the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics. In this case, Optimus only complicates things for nothing significant.

I would get the base 4GB RAM and add extra RAM myself (either 4GB or 8GB). Less costly this way.

 

That's actually not bad.

Is it used or open box?

Anyhow I paid $1,247.64 USD for my new custom ordered T530.

Main downsides I see for your target "value" T530 (above) are:

Intel Core i5-3210M (a new 3rd gen cpu!) may not do VM; but 99+% of humanity could care less about VM.

If you care about VM, get at least i5-3320M (my ref on this is shaky, so don't blast me!)

Win8 is certain to be buggy. The only question is how much. And Win8 may turn out like Win Vista and fail and be a prelude to Win9 (or whatever the new name might become).

For $300 less than what I paid, you don't get 1year accidental warranty worth at least $80.

IMO buy it only so long as you're totally confident that if you don't like what shows up on your doorstep, that you can return it and get your money back.

Otherwise walk away from it.

 

I somewhat disagree. I'm rarely going to game, but I saw some comparisons on how well this card handles Diablo 3 (which I'd like to try as an old-timer D1/D3 player) and new Call of Duty and I was quite amazed. Besides, it's only 30USD price difference.

That's exactly what I am doing. 8GB is gonna be from ebay for 30 USD.

Neither. It's brand new.

Can you elaborate on that a bit more?

I am a linux user. There is no option to subtract Windows from the price and Win 7 Home Pro and Win 8 are the same 0USD price, so I thought I would go for 8 and then sell it on eBay. I thouth Win8 would be more south-after/expensive and thus easier to sell.

I will be using it in Europe, plus I don't expect any accidents. I've been using laptop since 2006 and never had an accident. The only reason I was changing them were design faults - exclusively faulty GPUs: in Acer (ATI), Compaq, HP and now ThinkPad R61 (all Nvidia). I hope T530 with new Nvidia will break the spell.

Well, I better be confident because I won't be able to return it. My friend picks it up in the US and brings it back to me in Europe.

 

Outlet purchases are not eligible for any kind of warranty upgrades.

I hope that OP understands that he's essentially buying a laptop with no warranty whatsoever, because IWS is not applicable to these units either.

 

Perhaps I have expressed myself wrongly. I am buying it at shop.lenovo.com, not outlet.lenovo.com.

 

You got me confused with "I configure it at lenovo outlet."...in the post # 12

Have you made sure that the model is covered in the UK under IWS?

 

Yes. And in France, and all the other European countries I live in.

 

Back on my desktop for this...

As I continue to use my new T530, I bounced into the bios and took a "new" somewhat much longer look...

The bios is dated Sept.2012, and wow it allows one to switch the Fn and Cntl keys!

Yes, yes, yes!!

So that removes my main quibble with my new T530 keyboard key placement.

 

That was available in custom ThinkPad BIOSes since years. I have been using the switch on my R61 since 2010.

 

The placement of Fn and Ctrl keys? That's not what I meant when I wrote "Like many ThinkPad users, I am put off by the new key layout."

 

Well, it's not quite correct to say that i5-3210M does not support Virtualization. It does support VT-x. i5-3320M, on the other hand, supports both VT-x and VT-d. See Intel comparison table.

​

The OP may not care about VT-x nor VT-d.

 

The OP is Impactor, and he's the one who asked me what I meant by my comment on VM. So thanks for bailing me out; but then odds are that it was *you* that I saw recommend the i5-3320 for it's "better" VM capabilities.

With regard to the keyboard on my T530, the placement of Fn and Ctrl keys is the one thing that's really bugged me. So I was happy to find that bios permits switching those two keys.

FWIW I can understand that other keyboard differences also bug many of those (like you) who've used the older ThinkPads.

 

I did, in a different thread. And I indicated the lack of VT-d support, but never said that the i5-3210M "does not do VM." (Strictly speaking, VM functionality is provided by software, such as VirtualBox and VMware.)

Anyway, putting out incomplete tidbits may not be helpful.

 

Oh, but I do care. I use VBox and VMware quite extensively. THe thing is that VT-d does not seem to be supported by either of them as of now, and that's the only real difference between the processors.

 

Darn it. Lenovo no longer accepts paypal nor non-US credit cards. And so there goes my new ThinkPad. Oh, well...

 

Lenovo U.S. never accepted non-US credit cards to begin with...