Which to pick: The T400, R400 or the x300/301!!

So I'm returning the Macbook Pro I purchased and I have a ~$1500 budget.

I will be ordering from Canada, but can also order from the US as I have a brother living there. I was wondering, if I purchase something from the outlet, and bring it to Canada, will the warranty still be valid within canada?

Now the choices are between a T400,R400 or an x300/1.

I am a first year university student and I need at LEAAST 5 hours of battery life

 

Machines that are sent to the outlet are knocked down to a base warranty of one year, which I would guess does not include IWS, but you'd probably have to ask Lenovo to get the scoop. I'd say the T400/R400 with the nine-cell and LED could work.

 

If battery life is your game then I would stray away from the x30x series since you can get significantly more with the T/R series as ZaZ recommended.

 

The FAQ would be useful. Have you considerd the X200(s) computers? Even smaller, lighter, and better battery life.

 

out of those choices and your circumstances, i pick the T400. get the extended battery pack, LED screen, P-series processor. if you still want more battery life; get the SSD.

yeah, i can only get around 3 hour with the 6-cell in my x300. i can get 4 hour if i just do typing on word.

 

T400 with LED and 9 cell it is. Only problem is that I'd love to order it from the outlet.

So you're saying that if I were to order one from the outlet, I'd only be entitled to a year of warranty, but what about the other warranty options (I know theres next business day and on site, but is there complete care that covers accidents?)

 

I get ~5 hours with the 6 cell in my X301 (while surfing the Internet and word processing).

If you want portability, the X301 is the best choice.

 

You can get an X301 with the optional 3 cell battery which should break the 6-7 hour mark so I have read. It will be much lighter than the T400 for you to carry about school and won't look monstrous compared to the slew of netbooks out there.

 

Yes, there's always the X301's optional ultrabay battery to add an extra couple of hours.

 

But doesn't the ultra bay it chunky (thick) and/or heavy? And how much would once cost?

 

Hey, just to let you know Lenovo Canada has a promotion on. Use CAP4DAYSALE at checkout to get 25% off I think any model over $1499, including the T400s.

 

The ultrabay battery does not add to thickness, it just replaces the optical drive. It adds a few ounces I believe, but don't know the correct numbers.

Here is my configuration.

X301
Intel SU9400
4gb ram
128gb SSD
DVDRW
6 Cell battery

All for $1200 on ebay on the right deal. Brand new condition.

I purchased a ultrabay battery on ebay for $130 shipped.

SO total was $1330.


It just depends on what you want. The power or the portability.

 

If you have to spend $1500, then I would look into the T400 or X300/301.

If your cap is $1500, and you just want to do regular schoolwork on your laptop, I would look into the Acer Timeline series. Light, long lasting battery, and much better than a netbook in terms of CPU and performance.

 

problem with the ultrabay in the x300/1 is that you need a screw to remove.

 

I love the look of the Lenovos, and I love their keyboards (I repaired one for my friend and I didn't want to give it back)

As for the ultra bay, do I need to actually open the laptop to unscrew that one ultrabay screw? Will that void me warranty?

 

See this (X301 customization, then Fixed Bay Device -> Help me decide) http://shop.lenovo.com/ISS_Static/W...pups/hmd/Popup_helpme_fixedbaydevicex300.html

It definitely won't void your warranty. However, the drive/battery are not meant to be hot-swappable, so it would require shutting down (hibernation, maybe?). You won't have to open the laptop, but it is advised that you don't do it too frequently, especially with the DVD drive.

 

yes, for windows laptop, the thinkpad gotta be on top. the thinkvantage suite, the fact that there is almost no junkware, the keyboard layout, the little detail, like the back/forward button near the arrow key, the solid construction, the list goes on.

only other windows laptop that come close would be the HP elitebook series.

it is very easy to remove, but i really suggest you dont do it often, as it is not designed to be a frequent swap system in the X300 series.

the screw is exposed on the outside casing, no need to remove any panel, you can see the screw from the outside, only removal of that screw is needed to remove whatever is inside the ultrabay.

1) remove the screw.
2) slot the drive/battery/cover
3) re-fasten the screw.

 

Well right now I don't believe that there are any reasons I'd use a CD drive, as I usually rip DVDS on my i7, and everything I have is in digital format. Plus, Windows 7 will be installable from a USB key, which means faster install times right? The future looks sweet