Why should I consider spending $650 more for a Lenovo?

Here's my situation...

I own a beautiful dual-core desktop with 2Gigs of ram. I love
the fact I can run high intensity programs on it and that I can
load dozens of programs at startup with NO LAG.

I want the same thing in a notebook. It has to be duo-core
with 2GIG ram and a 100 gig SATA drive. It also has to be light
and portable since I use it for business travel.

Now, from what I hear, the LENOVO is the best. But it also
costs a lot more than other brands.

I took a look at the HP dv1000t, their flagship notebook.
After configuring it for a T2500 processor, 2 gigs ram and a 100 gig
SATA drive the cost came to about $2150 and that includes
an extra 12-cell battery.

Now the LENOVO...

I looked at the 2623D3U which is their T60 Think Express
model. It's one of their highest rated. After upgrading to 2gigs of ram
the total comes to a whopping $2800

That Lenovo doesn't even have a standard CDRW or
dual-layer DVD drive like the HP does. It just comes with
a 4x recordable DVD drive. I'm not even certain that like the HP,
you can bypass bootup to play CDs, DVDs and media files.

The PLUS to the LENOVO seems that it comes with a 3-year
warranty standard. One needs to pay a premium for that kind of
warranty with HP.

I am very interested to hear from IBM owners as to why I should
justify paying a premium for a LENOVO -- especially when
technology will be greatly changed in another 2 years and I'll be
looking for another upgrade.

Thanks in advance!

 

I don't own a ibm... so i can't comment about the dv1000 vs T60 part

But you should upgrade the ram and hd yourself. You can save a lot more $$ that way

 

yomister is right
spending that kinda money on upgrades is stupid
order the lenovo with the base HD and ram
and do it yourself. then it might come out the same

 

Build quality, support, the usual yada-yada. Best keyboard ever, best pointing device ever are what you get on Thinkpads. You cannot play CDs/DVDs without boot, but frankly that's a feature I'd do without.

 

All the above mentioned I could add that after two years you think the HP would hold it's price better? All the new laptops now will be two years old after two years. After two years the IBM will be just like it was the day you bought it and you don't wanna part with it

I don't know if you have, but once you use a thinkpad even for a short time you don't want anything else. Go and compare them, other than specs since they're about the same in paper...

 

""spending that kinda money on upgrades is stupid""

For some it is, for some it is a much wiser option than "saving some money" which they have no count of. It is like set it and forget it. But we are the poor peeps here, so yeah, the keyword here is "stupid".

I can tell you one thing about my own experience with laptops. I've tried many, using A30'[email protected]'7k60'1G most of the time and will continue to do so until the last one will die (still have 2 left). One convenience is that they have two bays for DVD and DVDRW, they are awesome for work with their keyboards, snappy as newer ones, they are "bullet proof", have true white screens, blah, blah, blah in that direction.

Yeah, I've bought to try out best configured I9300 for its muscles, but returned it within 2 days for its unbearable keyboard and eye eating screen. Yeah there are newer and "better" laptops, but for smart 300-400 bux you just can't beat this 5 years old machine (I am sure some would say t4x is a better choice, but for what I need laptop for I made a am smart choice (read I am cheap).

 

You shouldn't, we don't want you to consider Lenovo. I would consider buying a Thinkpad.

 

You shouldn't be comparing with the 15" 2623D3U, you should be looking at the 14" 2623D7U starting at $2300. It's $2500 if you get 1.5GB of ram (you could easily save $100 here by getting the $2300 and buying a 1GB stick for $100). And the DVD-burner on the Thinkpads will have no problems burning CDs as well. It's a slower drive because it's a super slim 9.5mm, not the regular 12.9mm drives, 4x burn with the super slim drives is the best there is for the size.

Compared to that, the Thinkpad has these advantages:

• 
  Thinner and lighter

• Higher resolution SXGA+ screen - WXGA really doesn't cut it for multiple windows.

• 128MB Radeon X1400 - easily 2-3 times faster than GMA950. Can hardware accelerate video decoding and Avivo will give you better image quality.

• Dual pointing devices - IBM's trackpoint is the best implementation of the pointing stick.

• Keyboard quality - supposedly the best!

The price difference isn't really that much considering the above and the longer warranty. Extra batteries might be a bit steep, but ebay might have some for a lot less.

 

you could save an extrea $25 on a 1GB if you buy it from Newegg.com
I'm not sure where lazybum shops, but $100 for 1gb stick is a bit high...

 

Okay guys....

If I go with IBM....

Many are saying I should go with a THINKPAD
over a LENOVO. Why?

With that in mind.....

If it's a LENOVO I want the T60. What is comparable (top-of-the-line)
in the THINKPAD series?

Thank You all for your help.

 

Hello NJRonbo,

Just to clear up something, when you say T60. You're already talking about the Thinkpad series.

Lenovo is the name of the company that now produces these beautiful laptops. Of course Lenovo have also rolled out there own brand named Lenovo. But this is not a Lenovo branded laptop, but rather a Thinkpad.

Hope that help. :-D

 

LazyBum,

Yes, I should be looking at the 14" 2623D7U

Problem is, it only goes up to 1.5 GB ram

Will Lenovo customize it for 2 gigs if I ask them? I know it's
more expensive this way but it will still come out less than the
$2800 pricetag on the 15" model.

 

Well I can't shop at newegg since they don't ship to Canada
But the $100 figure was from newegg for a 1GB stick of sodimm DDR2-667, $93 is the cheapest in-stock stick at the moment.

DDR2-533 is cheaper, 1GB for $69 at newegg.com. Definitely the cheaper route than paying what the manufacturers want to upgrade, but NJRonbo probably doesn't want to have to rip off the palmrest on his brand new laptop just to add ram himself.

I have no clue why Lenovo would only be offering up to 1.5GB on the website, you'll have to call and ask them. I don't see why they wouldn't be able to do it if they have other T60's with 2GB options.

 

NJRonbo,
if you have really any mechanical skills at all you can add RAM to your system. Unscrew a few screws on the bottom, and slide the chip into it's slot. The box should include instructions for this, and it does not void the warranty. So you could buy with 1 1GB stick, and add a second stick of your own.

 

They moved where the memory goes. Read this...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=46486

 

and this is one of many reasons why you should go with lenovo...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=1313695#post1313695

 

that is pretty much exactly the reason I got a T43 with flexview. no way to do decent photo editing on that dell screen.

 

Get a T60. Quality is the answer... and the trackpoint, touch pads are junk compared to a trackpoint Only a Think pad will do.

 

...And further more... if you get somebody who works for INM/Lenovo to give you their EPP you can save nearly 600 on the $2599 T60. I know as that's how I am ordering mine. And by the way, they hold up to 4g memory, but with only 2 slots. That means, comes with 1gb, get a 1 or 2 gb chip, that's right I said a 2gb chip... they are or will be available... have to because it only has 2 slots... do the math. IBM rep informed me of this. Upgrade yourself. You can get the mem cheap . Does not void warranty as long as it's IBM memory. If you send the machine in for service, remove the non IBM memory or they might void the warranty.

 

Since I've already replied to this post on "notebookforums.com"...I might as well paste it here too.

okay...apples to apples time.

Since you didn't provide the exact config for the dv1000t, I'm going to make some assumptions. I'm putting a plus next to every advantage the TP has over the HP.

The only Video option for the HP is integrated.
+ The T60 has a 128MB x1400 ATI card.

I'm guessing you didn't upgrade the 1 year warranty for the HP.
+ The T60 has a 3 year warranty...best in the business.

+ The T60 has integrated WWAN...verizon broadband wireless.
Not an option on the HP.

+ The T60 has a fingerprint reader.
HP, none.

+ The screen on the T60 is much higher res FlexView.
The HP is a lower res widescreen.

While it might not be offered on Lenovo's public website, you could call the telesales guys, give them specs of the HP and chances are they have a T60 with virtually identical specs for about the same price as the HP.

Of the two models you compared, I'd much rather have the TP due to the vidcard, warranty, screen and fingerprint reader. I have a FPR on my T42p and I love it.

 

I bought the T60.

It made sense looking at overall build quality and standard
3-year warranty.

I don't think the 14" models have the Flexi-View screens,
though I may be wrong on that.