X41 or T42

Ive got a dilema and i can not decide which route i will go.

I can get the X41 for 1799 canadian including X4 dock with a combo drive and an 8 cell battery and it also carries a 3 year warrenty ( http://caipsgws001.can.ibm.com/stor...ool=0&cells=0&title=0&bannerkey=0&aud=EA1VISA)
or
i can get a T42 for 1549 canadian with a one year warrenty ( http://caipsgws001.can.ibm.com/stor...ol=0&cells=0&title=0&bannerkey=0&aud=EA1VISA)
and a spare battery (power bundle) for $99 and a port replicator with 512MB jump drive for 149

I will be adding 512MB of ram to both computers later

Most of the time the laptop will be used to follow notes that the teacher emails to us, type notes, program C, run circuit simulations and using matlab(cpu intesive math program).

With our program we have our own individual computers so i will be using dual display (if possible) and maybe an external keyboard.

I really like the X41 but im wondering if it is too small for me considering i can not go out and see one easily. Also what laptop would you choose

Sorry if i have confused anyone and i will be able to clear up any questions about my needs.

Thanks
Rx8

 

You haven't given me any indication that you want an ultraportable and your needs certainly don't call for it. I'm not sure I see any reason to sacrifice features for the form factor.

 

yeah thats what i thought that i really didnt need an ultraportable so it looks like the X series is out

 

X series uses 1.8" hard drive which can only be had in 4200RPM speed. If you want a smaller one, the x32 is a better choice in my opinion. It uses a standard notebook drive which can be upgraded. They also use regular dothan Pentium Ms which go up to 2Ghz whereas the x41 uses the ULV Pentium M. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the x41 only had on memory slot.

 

The X41 uses the LV actually, not the ULV. It has a PM 1.5. It does have one RAM slot that is open, I think the base RAM is on-board.

 

I recently ran into the same dilemma...between a X41 and a T43...I ended up ordering the T43...

Battery life on the X41 is better, but I think that this laptop will likely end up being my primary computer, so I figured that I might as well get the T43 (I got another 6 cell battery also, though.) It is only 1.6lbs heavier with the 6 cell compared to the 8 cell X41, and that includes the optical drive and the bigger screen (14.1").

My T43's specs are 1.86ghz, 1gb ddr2, 60gb 7200rpm, dvdrw, 14.1" sxga...
The X41 I was looking at would be 1.5ghz, 1gb ddr2, 40gb 4200rpm, 12.1 xga...

Since I ordered through the EPP, the difference in the 2 was about $110 after I got the second battery for the T43 (now I should get comparable battery life to the X41 with the 8 cell)...

It was hard enough for me to actually drop this much money on a computer (I build my desktops myself, and I haven't even spent half of what I spent on my T43 on my desktop.) This is also my first laptop.

Most of the work that I am going to be doing is taking notes, using Office, or some accounting software, and I figured that I was spending so much money, that I shouldn't bother trying to make any compromises just for size/weight reasons. (I'm 6'3", 220lbs, and I doubt that I will even notice the extra 1.6lbs in my backpack because of the T43.)

I think that of the 2 series', the X series is alot more attractive, but at the same time, I value the performance potential that the T series has to offer, especially when I'm trying to justify spending this much money.

I was also debating the warranty situation, but you can extend your warranty later on if you feel the need to. I honestly think any major damage would likely be noticed in the first year anyway, and a lot of people never even use their warranty anyway, so I don't think you should base too much of your decision on that.

I'm sorry if I didn't reply as directly as you may have wanted, but I just went through the same sort of situation, and thought you might benefit from hearing the conclusion that I personally came to.

Since I ordered through EPP, there are no returns, so I'm hoping that I don't regret this. (I'll probably post a review once I actually get it...I think i have a week or 2 before it'll ship though, so that might not be for a while, if ever (might be too busy when school starts back up.)

Good luck with the decision though, and sorry this was so long. =oP

-Cassius

 

It is a fine machine, you won't regret it.

 

I would also get the T42 over the X41. For engineering or computer science work, looking at a 12" screen for hours at a time would be painful, in my opinion. The T42 is light enough as is.

 

What is the Visa affinity program with which you have those good prices, is it open to anyone with a Visa?

Pat

 

here in canada there is a website called visaperks.ca which offers discounts upto 10% on select TPs when you use your visa to make the purchase. i imagine in the states it's something similar.