Why are canadians getting stiffed on discrete graphics option on T400?

They dont offer discrete graphics for Canadians now for the T400?

In general why are there differences between parts option between the US and Canada anyway? What is the purpose of this again?

 

They're out to get Canadians. Didn't you know that?

 

Yes, they removed the option just when the T400s became available. I have no idea why.

 

welcome to the club
canada has had the led wxga+ screen option on the t400 for weeks
while the us has gotten stiffed
don't understand lenovo sometimes

 

me too. and now they offer turbo memory 2gb for free.

 

It's lame, but what do you do. But no discrete videocard on the T400 is a small thing, there are other countries Lenovo 'treat much worse'...

 

It's not a small thing. I wouldn't have bought a T400 if it didn't have a discrete graphics option. That's what the R400 is for. There are more people than just myself for who that would make-or-break the purchase; I'd end up looking at Dell's Latitude E6400 instead.

"There are other countries that Lenovo treats worse" is not a good reason for inconsistency. I also checked --another poster is right, that Lenovo Canada offers a WXGA+ LED backlit display, while not offering it to the US. I would have paid extra for that display (note: my CCFL WXGA+ display has been excellent, so I'm not too miffed).

 

yea not having the led display pales in comparison to not offering discrete graphics, which is more likely to be a deal breaker for more people, for reasons of practicality. and yea, the discrete graphics is today what TRUELY DOES differentiate between the T and the R series (minus styling issues which themselves are hardly distinguishable to the untrained eye).

 

They should just get their act straight and be consistent across the board.

 

What's the fun in that?

 

Folks over in the US and Canada have it easy. I had to pay almost US$2200 to get a T400 out here in the middle east, when a comparable unit in the US would've cost me a minuscule $1200-1300. Sometimes I wonder why I left the U.S.

 

In my case, I don't want to buy a T400 at all. My target is the T500. However, Lenovo does not even sell the T500 or W500 at all in the country I am currently working in (Taiwan), for some stupid reason. When asking Lenovo people, they say the main reason is that the 'T500' is considered too big or expensive for the Taiwanese market.

However, they sell the W700. Now, that one is not big and expensive, right?

And being able to customize a thinkpad, wow that would be like a paradise.

So in the end, yes, I would consider a LED screen/discrete graphics a small thing. I guess it's all relative...

 

About customisability. Maybe it has to do with the courier services available in your country. The main courier services in north america are very well established operations with many physical locations throughout north america and are pretty good and reliable. Basically they have all the logistical infrastructure to make it very reliable and cheap for companies to use. They also have enough deals I'm sure to secure some economically viable agreement with the courier companies. Maybe in other countries this is not the case.

 

You might consider it that way. However, if Lenovo loses sales over it (they would from me), they definitely shouldn't consider it in the same way, and not just for Canada.

Just a suggestion --would it be possible to get your notebook direct from the PRC with the configuration you want? Or don't they sell it there, either?

 

I think its the same reason we get stiffed the led screen.

 

Canadians are stiffed for everything.

Of course, you got free healthcare and all that good stuff...*winki* *wink*

 

Courier services can hardly be the issue in lots of countries (Western Europe...hint, hint, Lenovo? Anyone?).

The abysmal availability and customazibility options in most (Western) European countries stands in no relation to the level of courier services here.
Lenovo could open up shop in Europe, just like they do in the US.
Simply make it an english-only operation.
No need for 25 regional language versions of OS's, manuals, support and all that.
Lenovo/Thinkpad buyers are usually reasonably educated folks who really don't mind having to 'deal' with english-only marketing/support/service etc.

If only Lenovo would hire some proper marketing, sales and logistic people instead of thickheadedly invest in innovation 'only'.
Get creative Lenovo and start selling here. Go, go, go...

 

Oh. But I'd have to imagine logistics is a huge part of it also. Also maybe they just haven't expanded that far into europe yet.

Funny thing I've seen in Asia is McDonalds delivery, by McDonalds themselves no less and not an external service.

 

The reason IBM and now Lenovo doesnt sell CTO models in online stores in Europe (excepting UK) is that the two tier channel (distributor plus reseller) is totally dominating also for corporate business.

So its a business decision that Lenovo would loose business by pushing their distributors/resellers to competing brands and that the volumes lost in the two tier channel could not be compensated for in the direct online channel.

 

Well, that's a Lenovo decision I guess.
If they don't open shop in Europe like in the US, they effectively propagate the dominating position of the two tier channel.

While (local) resellers can be very good at delivering high quality service, I don't see how they can compete with Lenovo when it comes to pricing and servicing high volumes of Lenovo products.
Perhaps there is no need for it as there are no high volumes to be serviced but as long as Lenovo doesn't change it's strategy this remains a chicken<->egg debate.

 

Are there companies that offer custom to order laptops in Europe?

 

It looks like the T400 with discrete graphics option is back on the canadian site