Why Do You Love Your ThinkPad?

^^^To play devil's advocate, I've personally had no problem using a laptop w/o the latch, even when treating it rough inside my bookbag, et al.

 

Strong reliable durable what else could you ask you?

 

The modular design is unbeatable IMO, Changing or upgrading components is dead easy if you follow the HMM's, even for a novice. I haven't seen any other brand being so easy to upgrade.

Is difficult to add anything new to all previous contributions, but I think the timeless design and sturdiness is something I really like from Thinkpads

 

Based on my previous usage of Z61m, R400, T410
- Business design, although i have to admit, HP Elitebook design is grow on me... fast!
- Trackpoint, i never understand the hype of gesture touchpad in windows. I tried it but feels it is still not mature yet.
- Thinklight... much better than illuminated keyboard. Looks more elegant.
- Keyboard... still love the keyboard, classic one, not the island type.
- System Update : even they still provide Windows 7 driver for Z61m! If you have Vaio, you will nail-bitting knowing that your Win7 capable laptop will not have the soundcard driver just because Sony have discontinued them.
- Access Connection : can switch back and forth easily between home network, office and integrated 3G modem

I like what they have done in multimedia department, especially in :
- integrated webcam : T410 web cam is more low light friendly than Z61, tested in Skype and Camfrog
- integrated speakers : much better and louder compare to R400 and Z61

 

Hey now... don't hate on the Satellite! I have that same exact laptop, but the 17", and it's been stellar for 6 years. I've abused the hell out of it, I rarely ever shut the thing down or reboot, no maintenance or upkeep, and it's still ticking.

Granted, the screen has no brightness anymore, a grip of dead pixels, the sound is abysmal, and now I'm getting a white band down the center of my screen.

Hence, I am looking for a new lappy and that's why I'm in this thread. Debating the T520 with a XPS 15, Sager 5175, or some 17" consumer models (Envy, XPS 17).

Thinkpad kills it, though.

 

the screen!

But I will never buy a brand new Thinkpad again, their value drops too much.

 

"But I will never buy a brand new Thinkpad again, their
value drops too much." QUOTE investmenttechnology.


So by saying the above, does this mean that you will only buy

previously owned machines due to their price having been

reduced?

 

All computers drop in value (except for Apple, but that's due to their cultism). Technology moves so quickly that hardware from two years ago would be about half as powerful as technology today.

But, good laptops actually don't drop down that badly in value. For example, the W510 is still averaging around $1,100 in value in the Lenovo Outlet, and Dell Precision M4400 workstation are hovering around $800 for regular C2D models to $1000 for the C2D Extreme models, so I have no idea what InvestmentTechnology is talking about.

 

Yes, I will stick with Thinkpad, but will only buy second hand or one or two generation old Thinkpad.

I bought my X200T in early 2010, cost me $2400. Now it's around $600. A very bad investment choice on my behalf.

I have made a promise to myself that I will never buy a new laptop that cost more than $1000!!!!

 

"A very bad investment choice on my behalf."
QUOTE investmenttechnology.

(LOL)

You must remember, you will only lose money if you were to sell.

In the meantime, a new machine has been yours from day one.

Enjoy!

Regards.

 

Computers do not depreciate like cars. The only exception is the top end CPUs. In the case of current thinkpads, that's i7 CPUs.

The strategy that has worked for me best was to flip the laptops before they are a year old. I typically do about 8 months and get within 10% of what I paid for it (sell for 90% of what I paid).

The exception was the x120e. I bought that sucker for $321 in March and just sold it yesterday for $420. The only upgrade I did was add 2GB of RAM.

 

then just get a second hand machine or buy from the outlet. A generation old machine isn't that bad.

 

Pros:
-Keyboard
-Build quality\durability
-Discreet aesthetics\No BS looks
-Thinklight
-Ultranav
-Very cool
-Very quite
-Holds its value better than many others

Cons:
-Inferior screen for a business\pro-grade laptop (Most thinkpads)
-No gaming GPU option

Will I buy another thinkpad? Heck yeah. I'd like to buy another one tomorrow but it is hard to justify buying it when my current unit (2008/Sept) works and looks flawless (aside from a degrading battery).

Ideally, I'd like my next thinkpad to have 15.4 (16:10) IPS screen with a 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 580M GPU. Not sure when that is going to happen but with my current laptop the way it is, I can afford to wait another 2years hoping.

 

Keyboard, build quality, productive tablet option, resale value, and since the x220 introduced screen quality.

 

Words cannot described the relationship I had with my T61.

 

"Words cannot described the relationship I had with my T61."
QUOTE tHE jOKER

We are not going to go there are we.

(LOL)


Regards.

 

Recently, I purchased my first ThinkPad, a x220, and installed a mSata in it. Thus far, this is my favorite laptop ever, and this is coming from someone who has been mostly using Macs as his personal computer. This beats out an old Powerbook G4 12" laptop that was fantastic for the first two years but was so beat up after that it became nigh unusable.

Reasons Why I Love My ThinkPad:
(1) Keyboard. It really makes a HUGE difference. The travel and feel is second-to-none. I forgot how real keyboards felt like after being on chicklets for so long.
(2) TrackPoint. I didn't know what I was missing until I started using the nub. This is much better than a trackpad. The Mac trackpad is a bit nicer, but I think it is more because the Mac trackpad is much larger. In terms of accuracy, I don't have any issues with the x220. Regardless, the nub is the way to go in my opinion now.
(3) No heat and noise issues. Coming from an overheating and loud Mac, this laptop has been a revelation! I occasionally have a whine when I am plugged in, but when unplugged, I have not heard one peep (other than the sound of keys being punched). I also have no heat issues whatsoever unlike my previous Mac.
(4) Looks. Many people say that it's boring, but I think it looks classic. If anything, I think Macs look kind of tacky now. Laptops are meant to be functional, and my laptop screams productivity.
(5) Build quality. Although this will ultimately be determined in a few years, it looks to be quality thus far. My MacBooks have had so many cracks and dents despite handling them with kids' gloves that I have very much soured on Macs of late.

My top four laptops of all time:
(1) ThinkPad x220 (so far), (2) Powerbook G4 12" (for first two years), (3) Sony VAIO (can't remember the model), (4) MacBook Pro 2007

 

No doubt, thinkpads are business proven for decades.

 

Love my T61 and X220 to bits...

1. Timeless classic black design
2. Modular design: Upgrading or replacing parts are so easy.
3. Great keyboard
4. Trackpoint
5. System Update
6. On-site warranty - Have had excellent service from Lenovo

 

Functionality, durability and matte screens.

 

But realty (or gold or whatever) for resale value...computers? Buy them to use them...no? (unless you are in the business of selling computers like a retailer etc.)

 

Yeah, computers are a crappy investment economic-wise, but that doesn't stop people from buying high-spec computers. If you want a stable growth, start a mutual fund or something. There's no computer in the world that increases in value over time.

 

Sorry, that first word should have been "buy" and not "but". Anyways, I echo your sentiment - though mutual funds too seem to be somewhat doomed in the current market conditions.

 

Mine is still doing pretty good. It depends on what stocks are in the fund, I suppose. Most of mine are relatively conservative, nothing that'd change rapidly.

 

I love my T61 because it's still running strong after 4 years. Other than the obsolete graphics card (no Skyrim on this rig), it's still relevant and still able to run the programs that matter, especially after installing Windows 7, 4 more gigs of RAM, and acquiring an ultrabay HD adapter. I had to replace the 9 cell battery once, and the video card fried (Lenovo fixed it free of charge even though it was past the warranty). But other than that, I feel like it's built like a tank and will still run for years to come.

(I can't burn DVD's either, but I think that's a Windows 7 issue rather than a hardware issue. I rarely do that anyway (and I have a 2nd HD in the ultrabay anyway))

 

Nice! Though the only negative thing is for sometime there appears no reason to buy a new ThinkPad! Unless you are Lead_org, of course, and a few others who have shared their ThinkPad "stacks" with us on some of the threads on this forum!

I think the very process of buying a ThinkPad - the decisions to make, the discussions to have, the options to evaluate, the assessments to share, the thrill of unboxing, and finding a "freshness" about the new arrival is enchanting! But then again, I love ThinkPads!

 

Indeed. I'm hoping that the Ideapad Y570 I just ordered will be just as solid as the Thinkpad line. My T61 will now become my "desktop" and be docked for the most part, and the Y570 now becomes my mobile workstation.

 

If you don't mind my asking - why did you pick the Ideapad?

 

It was mostly a price issue. The Ideapad was priced well enough to convince me to try that line. A similarly loaded T520 or even a T420 would've been several hundred dollars more, although the options for a higher res screen and a 9 cell battery were there.

I spent nearly a month researching other brands too, but my experience with the T61 gave the Ideapad an edge, and that last weekly deal sealed it.

 

i am a professional. joking
the real reason is simply one word: reliable.

 

Once you go black you never go back!

 

You know funny you say that, my next laptop is an Alienware...but I looked around for a cheap W700/W701, and boy are they overpriced at easily 2000+ still..

 

They are indeed overpriced as far as gaming laptops go.

This is because they are not gaming laptops.

 

I used ThinkPads for years at work. Then they switched to Dell (and I have a Dell right now). One of the things that I've really enjoyed has been the ThinkPad keyboard -- it has been such a pleasure to use compared to any other laptop that I've used recently.

I've turned off the the trackpad as I mainly use a Bluetooth mouse. Going to see how that works out.

 

I have been using my x220 exclusively at home for a while now, and my MacBook Pro has been collecting dust. Keyboard/Trackpoint combination is pretty awesome though I still prefer to use a Bluetooth mouse when I am at the desk.