is $425US too much for refurb T30???

and s&h w insurance is $60US.

specification:

T30, 14", 2.2GHz, 40G HD, 512MB, CDRW/DVD, integrated wireless 802.11b, Radeon video card, 3 mth warranty

 

That doesn't sound too bad. Is the warranty through Lenovo? 3 months seems a bit short. What kind of Radeon video card is that?

 

seller claims "MOST STILL UNDER IBM WARRANTEE FULLY TRANSFERABLE"
and "90 Day Parts, Labor & Tech Support or Original IBM Warranty"

30 day return policy DOA

the model is TYPE: 2366-XXX and video card is just Radeon, no specifics about it. could that be a catch, i.e. very cheap card?
I looked at Lenovo site and all T30 2GHz laptops are out-of-stock.

I am worried about this XXX in the model type

 

this is the warranty info for this laptop:

LAPTOP comes with a 30 Money back guaranteed against D.O.A and still Under IBM MANUFACTURE WARRANTEE about 1yr left. IF Warrantee is less then 6 months left Thru IBM: seller WILL COVER THE UNIT FOR 6 Months from the Date of Puchase, ( Will cover Parts and labor)

 

Hello,

I am currently writing to you on a T30 (type 2366). The Radeon, assuming it's the same one I have, is a Mobility Radeon 7500 with 16MB RAM. This graphics chipset won't play any modern games; to put it into persepctive, it's comparable to a GeForce 2 GO graphics card (It's actually faster than the GeForce 2, but it's a DX 7 card which makes it antiquated). If you want to run Vista on the laptop, you won't get the Aero Glass interface.

Basically, if you're looking for a solid business laptop, the T30 is a good choice at that price point. The battery life is so-so (1 1/2 - 2 hrs), the display is nice and bright. Mine doesn't have USB 2.0, which is a pain. If you're running productivity apps with it (Office applications or even less complicated programming) then I'd recommend it. Just don't expect to play anything other than Space Cadet Pinball on it.

 

thanks for additional info!

this one seems to have 2 USB 2.0 ports.
Display
Max LCD Resolution: 1024x768
Max External Monitor Resolution: 1600X1200

Memory Expansion
2 slots
Maximum Memory: 1024MB

PC Card Type
PCMCIA CardBus Type III or 2x type I / II

Input Devices
Trackpoint Mouse

Power / Battery
External AC Adapter w/Cord
Lithium-Ion - Tested to at least hold a charge, battery time will vary on applications/settings used.

Operating System / Software
Comes with the COA Windows XP Professional Label & Preinstalled

Laptop Ports
PS/2 Port (Mouse/Keyboard)
Serial Port (9 Pin)
Monitor Port (15 Pin)
Printer Port (25 Pin)
SVideo Out Port (TV Out)
2 USB Port 2.0 Interface

Infrared Sensor

Microphone, Headphone, Line-out jacks.
Docking Station Connector


but now I am worried about battery life. is that 1,5hr for brand new battery or for used one?

the purpose for this laptop would be to take it to classes and take notes, record lecture and download it through USB port to laptop. other use mostly business. but now if classes last for 5-6 hours and battery lasts only 1,5 - 2 hr then what, it seems not practical for this purpose

 

Hi, the 1 1/2- 2 hrs I quote was a used battery. You may get better life out of yours (also, you can dim the screen). The Pentium M scales pretty well, so if it's going to be idle, you should see a better battery life.

To be honest, I don't know of any affordable laptop that will get you through 5-6 hours on a single charge. If you choose this one, the charger is really light and small, so I'd carry that with you. Also, it's good to hear you'd get USB 2.0 ports. USB 1.1 is annoying

 

Hmm, doesn't seem to bad. If your not planning any graphic intensive apps (which is sounds like you won't) this machine should be fine. You can check and see if Lenovo has any inventory batteries remaining that match that laptop. Perhaps you could pick up a new battery in the future (larger one if possible).

See if the classrooms/halls have any outlets hiding around, that way you can plug your adapter into it to power your notebook. Try to get images as well, make sure the seller is reputable and ask clearly IN WRITING, the warranty conditions and limitations.

 

T40s are going in the $400-500 range on eBay.

 

The T40 is much better than a T30... besides being Pentium M (a big leap forward over earlier generation Pentiums), the T4x is also thinner and lighter.

Beware of hitachi hard drives and bad LCD's on the T40-41 tho. I had problems with both.

 

What was the issue with the LCD SKi?

 

Is buying IBM Certified Used a good idea? Are the screens and batteries thoroughly inspected? The warranty is mostly for three months, and after that it is a gamble as parts could be difficult to have.

 

I've actually seen many problems with the T30s at my work, now that you mention it. The hard drives are notoriously bad, 1 of the DIMM slots frequently stops working, battery life is iffy... I've placed more service calls on them than I can remember!

I'd just get a cheap new notebook, if you can afford a hundred or so dollars more:

www.hpshopping.com -> new laptops starting at $450.

 

Check out Lenovo branded notebooks. Not sure about the starting price in the U.S. but it would be a sound investment. The new C100 looks quite good.

 

IBM THINKPAD T40 P-M,CENTRINO 1.5Ghz,512MB,60GB,COMBO goes for $555US on ebay. that is $130US more than I paid for T30 which btw is 2.2GHz.

another one , IBM T40 Laptop P-M 1.5GHz 256MB 40GB CDRW DVD 14.1" XP $470US but without integrated wireless and only with 256Mb RAM

 

i think T30 and T23 are sturdier based on different stories. i selected T30 cause i heard it can run with 2GB sticks.
for T40 i would have to pay at least $150US more or even $200US if with integrated wireless and >=2GHz and that is 50% increase in cost.
price/quality wise i think T30 is the best Thinkpad with price well below psychological barrier of $500US

 

now it's too late, i ordered it. the reason i decided to go with Thinkpad is the keyboard. for me notebook is all about keyboard and all about sturdiness. some folks testify that Thinkpad keyboard is even better than many desktop keyboards. i wanted Apple Macbook but it's keyboard is a disaster, i tried it at an Apple store. new Thinkpads are overpriced, just like Sony and Asus. so decision was made to go with certified used refurbished T30, i.e. get some quality for the purpose as specified, and see what happens. i have 30 day DOA and claim it is 100% functional and like new, so if a DIMM does not work it shoud show up immediately and i would return the laptop (hopefully in that case i wouldn't pay for S&H).

i saw T30 selling with one DIMM specified to be malfunctioning, for $100-150US less. regarding HD i don't know. warranty is claimed to be 6-12mth mostly, depending on unit, and it is transferrable. since i paid with credit card which adds 1 additional year of warranty automatically, i think i'll be safe for maybe 1,5 years. so maybe i'll have this Thinkpad for 2 full years with 2GB ram and integrated wireless for mere $500us, not bad i think

 

Did you buy your T30 from IBM? How was the experience?

 

If it comes with a warranty, you're OK - the problems I mentioned happened almost immediately. The T30 is solid for what you want to do and it's pretty light. The failed parts are always within the warranty period, so don't worry.

 

no i bought it on ebay from US, but since i am in canada it will take a while until the shipment arrives from California (ups ground) and clears customs.

 

anybody have any experience with ubuntu on T30? if installation is smooth, dual boot etc.

 

425 US = 479 CAD (ish)... That is a really not bad price on that T30. The local PC store i saw with a 2 GHz CPU but same specs was $550. Now if your looking for something that will run in the future uhh the T30 is kinda not going to.... Vista will be so so, I don't think it has USB 2.0 Etc.... A Thinkpad T43p or R60 or T60 would be better choices but then agian the T30 is dead cheap.

 

broken red seal on T41 after a year.

instead of fixing the LCD, ibm replaced the entire laptop with a new one... swapping the optical, HD and battery.

 

you should be able to get a T4x for US$500 shortly.

the main advantage of the T4x is that it has pentium M, which is MUCH better on battery and cooler than the earlier generation pentiums. Also, the T4x is thinner & lighter than the predecessors. And has the ultranav (not on my t20's)

 

Let us know what you decide to go with.

 

$550CAN? that is not bad al all as there is no shipping, insurance etc. Could you provide a link to that store or location, in which town etc. thanks

 

I'd also be interested in seeing this store.