Whats the deal with ThinkPads?!

[overst33r]

I always hear good things about IBM laptops and they were the first ones to emerge in the area but I dont think they are anything special. The only things that they have is the fingerprint reader and full-size keyboard, kinda nifty. ThinkPads remind me of MACs; nothing special but expensive as hell!


IBM ThinkPad R52
? 1.73-GHz Pentium M 740 processor
? 14.1-inch screen
? 7.0 pounds
? 40GB hard drive
? DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive
? Price when ranked: $1749

compared to a Compaq Presario V2000:

? 1.8-GHz Pentium M 745 processor
? 14.1-inch wide screen
? 7.0 pounds
? 80GB hard drive
? DVD-RW drive
? Price when ranked: $1298

 

[fbrdphreak]

Well it depends how you define special.
IBM's have top notch support. US-based phone support, literally next day repair for mail-in, and fast shipping for replacement parts.
IBM build quality is superior to most notebooks. The R52 isn't made of the same material as the T-series, but is still quite sturdy.
You may think the fingerprint reader is nifty, but large corporations need biometric security and integrated hardware encryption.
The keyboard is top notch. I like the HP dv1000 keyboard (same as V2000), but nothing beats a Thinkpad's keyboard.

Yes, they're expensive. But they aren't meant for the average consumer.
If you don't need the top notch build quality, unbeatable support, and industry leading security features, then go with the Compaq. I like the HP/Compaq dv1000/V2000 series a lot, they're awesome for the money.

 

[corkyg]

They also have a flexible module that can accommodate a second HDD. Not may laptops can do that. Main thing is, they are very reliable. And, as is usually the case - you get what you pay for.

 

[GnomeCop]

i'd say the build quality is a considerable portion of the prioce premium over other notebooks

 

[cy7878]

You just have to see one in person to know.

 

[trikster2]

Nice comparison

Next time credit your source:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120792,00.asp

First time I've seen the T43 thrown in the DTR class with 3Ghz P4 17" toasters like the Nx9600.....

And PCWORLD rankings make little sense. I think they base them on who gives them the most advertising $$$$$ that month.

For example in the same article the T43 and the DV4000 both are given 4 out of 5 stars, yet the T43 wins even though it costs almost twice as much as the DV4000? If the T43 is #1 in ranking it should be reflected in the review score.

But then again what the heck do the stars mean? Inspiron 6000 gets 4 out of 5 stars too, again the exact same evaluation as as the T43). Gotta wonder what they where smoking when they ranked the top Lenovono with the lower rungs of the dell menagerie.

Regarding build quality: It does not necesarily translate into better reliability. PC World ranks E-Machines and Apple above IBM for laptop reliability, and dell is tied. IBM service is rated at tops, hopefully that won't degrade after the chinese takeover

Recent disturbing thread regarding recent Lenovno support:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=12005

 

[znaps]

yeah i have one and it's worth the extra 2 or 300 bucks for the build quality. That's not to say you can't get a good laptop from other makers.

 

[Plester]

One of many Thinkpads that are sold by IBM resellers on Ebay, I have bought from 2 of these companies, all from Big Blue New York and been very happy. Just bought a new refurb R51(1 year factory warranty, not a mark on it) for $515 shipped. Tons of factory sealed T42s in the $1200-1300 range. Thinkpads are a bit unimaginative looking and not festooned (didn't know I had that word in my vocab till just now) with multimedia accessories, but are top notch in every way. If you are considering one - be creative - there is absolutely no reason to pay $1700-$2000 for a slightly behind the bleeding edge T4x.

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: trikster2

Nice comparison

Next time credit your source:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120792,00.asp

First time I've seen the T43 thrown in the DTR class with 3Ghz P4 17" toasters like the Nx9600.....

And PCWORLD rankings make little sense. I think they base them on who gives them the most advertising $$$$$ that month.

For example in the same article the T43 and the DV4000 both are given 4 out of 5 stars, yet the T43 wins even though it costs almost twice as much as the DV4000? If the T43 is #1 in ranking it should be reflected in the review score.

But then again what the heck do the stars mean? Inspiron 6000 gets 4 out of 5 stars too, again the exact same evaluation as as the T43). Gotta wonder what they where smoking when they ranked the top Lenovono with the lower rungs of the dell menagerie.

Regarding build quality: It does not necesarily translate into better reliability. PC World ranks E-Machines and Apple above IBM for laptop reliability, and dell is tied. IBM service is rated at tops, hopefully that won't degrade after the chinese takeover

Recent disturbing thread regarding recent Lenovno support:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=12005

1. Support continues through IBM's Atlanta Call center for the duration of 5 years.

2. Surprise!!! Lenovo is now a U.S. company - completely headquartered in Purchase, NY, and incidentally.... Corporate taxed right here in the U.S.A. That was one of the more dramatic changes as of May 1st.

3. You can always find support issues within any vendor -especially when you visit forums dedicated to their product. (thinkpads.com).... Sometimes the issue is with a overly high-maintenance customer, or any number of other issues.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: WackyDan

Originally posted by: trikster2

Nice comparison

Next time credit your source:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120792,00.asp

First time I've seen the T43 thrown in the DTR class with 3Ghz P4 17" toasters like the Nx9600.....

And PCWORLD rankings make little sense. I think they base them on who gives them the most advertising $$$$$ that month.

For example in the same article the T43 and the DV4000 both are given 4 out of 5 stars, yet the T43 wins even though it costs almost twice as much as the DV4000? If the T43 is #1 in ranking it should be reflected in the review score.

But then again what the heck do the stars mean? Inspiron 6000 gets 4 out of 5 stars too, again the exact same evaluation as as the T43). Gotta wonder what they where smoking when they ranked the top Lenovono with the lower rungs of the dell menagerie.

Regarding build quality: It does not necesarily translate into better reliability. PC World ranks E-Machines and Apple above IBM for laptop reliability, and dell is tied. IBM service is rated at tops, hopefully that won't degrade after the chinese takeover

Recent disturbing thread regarding recent Lenovno support:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=12005

1. Support continues through IBM's Atlanta Call center for the duration of 5 years.

2. Surprise!!! Lenovo is now a U.S. company - completely headquartered in Purchase, NY, and incidentally.... Corporate taxed right here in the U.S.A. That was one of the more dramatic changes as of May 1st.

3. You can always find support issues within any vendor -especially when you visit forums dedicated to their product. (thinkpads.com).... Sometimes the issue is with a overly high-maintenance customer, or any number of other issues.

All good points WackyDan! Don't mind trickster, he seems to be the IBM-hater hater on here Not many companies based their support out of the US, make every effort to ship a notebook in repair out on the same day they receive it, and still make a machine with unrivaled quality. Own one for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and you'll see why Thinkpads are so revered
Has Trickster owned one?

 

[HomicidalSloth]

Yeah, thinkpads are great quality. I had an old one, and compared to other laptops of that era, it really was a great laptop.

 

[computeerrgghh]

You want a T series, not an R series to see true workmanship. Its made of Titanium + Carbon Fiber. It uses technology that will stop the read/write head on the hd if the lappy drops (tech that Apple is stealing for the ipods!). You could drop up to an inch of water on the keyboard and be fine (maybe more). The antennae is built into the side of the screen, which allows for a longer antennae and better reception. You can turn a light on to illuminate the screen and the keys. Its real easy to zoom in on any part of the screen on the fly. Etc. Etc. The list goes on and on.

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: computeerrgghh
You want a T series, not an R series to see true workmanship. Its made of Titanium + Carbon Fiber. It uses technology that will stop the read/write head on the hd if the lappy drops (tech that Apple is stealing for the ipods!). You could drop up to an inch of water on the keyboard and be fine (maybe more). The antennae is built into the side of the screen, which allows for a longer antennae and better reception. You can turn a light on to illuminate the screen and the keys. Its real easy to zoom in on any part of the screen on the fly. Etc. Etc. The list goes on and on.

Actually the last two models of the R series has all that.

The core difference between the R and the T are as follows

1. ABS Plastic on the R vs the T. The R is almost as durable as the T, but is thicker and heavier because they have to use more ABS plastic to try to get the similar durability of the T's material.

2. R's offer the Pentium M Celeron as well.

SO the R has the keyboard light, spill resistant keyboard tray, dual antenaes just like the rest of the thinkpad line and the hard drive protection system... just like the rest of the thinkpads...... Well... THe G series leaves off some of those features currently.

And that is another reason I like the IBM's. Every model offers the same essential core/brand features, and the decision comes down to what model fit's your needs based on size/weight and/or video.

 

[secondvijai007]

Hi guys!
I'm new to this forum and just thought that i'll give my two cents on this topic. You have to understand that names like Apple and IBM offer security and reliability to consumers. Apple offers a wonderful OS, and IBM has its own features added onto their thinkpads. I believe that both Apple and IBM offer sudden-needle technology(or something along the lines to that). Sudden needle technology basically locks your data and shuts down your harddrive as it is about to make contact with say.. a wall, floor etc. It does this by constantly making sure that the speed of the needle does not exceed normal.
This is very important, as hard drives are the most sensitive part in a laptop. Also, i know that IBM offers a feature that allows you to reset your OS back to the original state, in case an update or something has a negative effect. This is very beneficial to a person working to meet a deadline, as it will allow them to finish the job without having the additional hassle of fixing the computer.

hope that helped...