some questions about THINKPAD R60, plz help

Hi, I am about to order thinkpad r60, why, since after reading PC magazine survey on customers satisfaction, and satisfaction polls on some brands in notebookreview forums, it seems that thinkpads are probably the best;

1. Is this also true about R60 (which is not T or Z series) ?

2. My budget is <1000, and my main concern is the overall quality of the laptop, since i am going to keep it for 4 - 5 years. It is going to be somehow my desktop replacement (i also have my desktop), so i will use it 99% of times in home. If you think i can order something better, please tell me.

On Lenovo site, fortunately, R60 is customizable. For the processor, I can not decide between:
a) Core Duo T2300e (1.66GHz) and:
b) Core Duo T2400 (1.83GHz), Integrated fingerprint reader (costs 65$ more).

0.17 GHz seems not to be considerable improvement in speed (true?), and fingerprint reader is not necessary for me, but if I select T2300e, it seems that fingerprint reader would not be functional, though its port should exist on the device, next to keys (not pleasent).

3. So, T2300e, or T2400 ?

4. Finally, is there any other site that i can customize thinkpads ?

Please help me to decide, Many thanks.

 

Sounds like a great choice. If you're not going to take it places, there's practically no difference between an R60 and a T60 with the same specs.

About the processor: It depends what you're going to do with it. I would pay for the faster one, even though I don't game, just because I'm an impatient person. But I can definitely see wanting to save the $65.

You didn't ask, but I would get a 15-inch with the SXGA screen. I think that would be best as a homebound desktop replacement.

You saw the sale under "Laptop Deals" on this site, right?

Chris

 

I would get the T2400. If you spread the $65 over the lifetime of the notebook it comes down to a few cents per day. Example: 3 years of use = 1095 days. $65/1095 days = 5.9 cents per day.

 

Yes but you have to compare that to what you could be earning on the $65 if you chose the cheaper processor.
Invested at %10 monthly compounding interest for three years you'd end up with around $87.

So is it worth 7.9 cents a day to you over the three years?? that's almost a dime

 

Indeed it is not just about the money, i doubt if 0.17 GHz higher speed is noticeable at all. is it ? and some of the money goes to fingerprint reader, seems not to be useful. is it ?
By the way, no one proposes something instead of R60. Seems that i have chosen the best for around 800$. true ?

EagleDevil, ty, i will select 15" but since my eyes are not as good as yours, as i always use 1024*768 even on 17" monitors, I think XGA should be enough for me.

 

Well, not having seen all the specs you can get for that price, it's hard to know. You could probably get a little more for the money in, say, Dell's consumer line. But I wouldn't recommend it.

Chris

 

kamran46,

If I were you, I would spend the extra $65 to get the T2400. At very least, the fingerprint security will add to the value for when you plan to sell it (if you plan to sell it).

Also, I would say the notebook you have chosen will fits your needs. As EagleDevil said, I would not getting a comsumer notebook from Dell, from the ones I have used, they feel cheap.



EagleDevil,

I was just looking at your signature, and you config for you T60 is exactly what I'm going to get lol. Could you PM me and let me know what you think of it? (I'm so sure it's the right notebook you probly couldn't convince me otherwise, but I'd like reassurance.

Thanks,
Matt

 

I like it a lot. It's built like a tank, yet portable. It's fast enough for me, and as I said I'm pretty impatient. At first I thought the SXGA was making type too small, but then I went back and worked on my wife's XGA Thinkpad -- there's no going back. Nothing fits on the screen with XGA!

Anyway, it's not a gaming machine. The screen has so-so viewing angles. It's a work machine for me; it's been great for presentations, etc. The ThinkVantage software is good, but you definitely want at least 1 GB of RAM to run it all plus whatever else you're running.

I'll tell you the only thing I wish: that you could get integrated video with SXGA. The x1300 seems to use as much battery as a higher-end card, and I don't think I really needed it. Or if your needs include discrete video, go higher. The x1300 seems like a bad compromise.

Are you a student or teacher? There's a nice deal right now on the 2007-63U -- $1499. (You have to sign in for it to show the reduced price.)

https://www-03.ibm.com/lenovo/shop/...s.cfm?category=9514&featured_display=Template

Chris

 

I'm a student. Thanks for the info, I really helped a lot!

In response to some of your points:


It's built like a tank, yet portable.
Perfect. This is exactly what I was hoping for. (A good solid notebook.)

At first I thought the SXGA was making type too small
I love small print, so what ever is slightly too small for most, is perfect for me.

Anyway, it's not a gaming machine.
That's fine, I do not intend to game on this notebook.

The ThinkVantage software is good, but you definitely want at least 1 GB of RAM to run it all plus whatever else you're running.
That's what I've heard and I've made of my mind to spend the extra $100 to get enough RAM.


Thanks Chris, I appreciate it!

Matt



Back on topic... (sorry)

 

Rep me up! I think I have a shot to catch Zaz!

Chris

 

Since I am going to use my laptop in home, i think it is not necessary for me to spend more money and get T60, or other than being a TANK, T60 is somehow better than R60?
And about XGA and SXGA, as i said, on 17" i always use 1024*768 since it is not easy for me to work with small fonts, but if u say nothing fits in screen, what do u think i should do ?

 

kamran -- I think you should go with what you're used to. My comment about SXGA was for mturco. And I agree that the T60 is not worth if you're not going to take it places very often.

Chris

 

thanks Chris.

Do u think i will be able to order R60 with MEROM if i wait a few weeks more ?
And is it possible to change core duo cpu, with merom ?

(i still can not decide between 1.66 and 1.83 with fingerprint reader. )

 

I seem to recall seeing that it would be Dec-Jan before Core 2 shipped in ThinkPads. Supposedly Core is upgradeable to Core 2, yes, but I don't ever expect to do it with mine. I'll leave that upgrade to the pros.

Chris

 

Hmm... I thought I saw somewhere that the release date of the Merom (Core II) was end of October. I hope I'm right because otherwise that means I have to wait longer!!!

Matt

 

Release date and ship date are not one in the same.

 

True... so either way so have to wait until Dec/Jan?

Matt