Thinkpads Forum

Hello.

I've been lurking around the forums here at TP.com (as well as NBR) for approximately the past month. The weallth of knowledge found on this message board dedicated to the Thinkpad line is nothing short of incredible and I appreciate the detailed information and discussions.

Approximately a month ago my Dell Inspiron 6000 stopped functioning (over $200 to properly fix). After much research and due diligence (ex. telephone confirmations, etc.), I purchased a "Redistributed" T500 from an eBay vendor with excellent feedback and over 7k transactions. Unfortunately, I was sent a "Refurbished" unit, which I have sent back and am anxiously awaiting a refund (wish me luck with that). With that being said, unless I find an incredible deal on a new T500 direct from Lenovo, I would prefer the peace of mind with a purchase from the marketplace versus the risk and headache of FleaBay.

I'm pretty set on either a T60 or T61. A 15 inch screen is a must. General preference would include the 4:3 IPS Flexview (but not a deal breaker), Core 2 Duo processor, and a machine cosmetically in great condition. It is my intent to use this laptop for conceivably the next five to seven years. The cheaper the better but I suppose forum rules dictate that I must set a price criteria of $300 (floor), which is flexible depending on the specs.

Thank you all for reading my posting and I look forward to hearing what you may have to offer. On a related side note, I have 100% positive feedback on FleaBay with over 40 completed auctions. I'm not a seller/reseller/etc... strictly your average Joe Blow in search of the perfect Thinkpad for my personal home use. Have a good day.

-Robbie

What's wrong with refurbished unit as opposed to redistributed, I mean if the machine is in good shape otherwise and you have the warranty?

This might be worth a look.

Hi Fred. Thanks for the comment.

I've actually been checking out refurbished products from the Lenovo Outlet (in addition to Craigslist and FleaBay). With regards to the Outlet website, I didn't see the T60 or T61 listed, but saw a few R60e/i with the Celeron processor, which is not my preference. I was also looking at some modestly priced T500's as well. The CA tax (9.75%) and $16 recycling fee make the Outlet a pricier option.

I'm certainly not opposed to a refurbished Thinkpad but IMO, a refurbished machine would warrant a lower price. In my Fleabay dealing, I paid for a redistributed item (which the seller confirmed was sealed new) but received a refurbed item (RF serial number, scratched cover, blurred undercarriage COA sticker, etc. Had it been conveyed as a refurbished product, I would not have paid as much and tempered my expectations. My apologies if I sounded a bit jaded in my original post.

What is your opinion of the purchase of a T60 versus the T500? Others, feel free to chime in.

Thanks again Fred!

There's no need to apologize. I was not harmed. I just was curious. I think either path has its benefits. The T500 will get you better performance, though to some degree that will depend on your needs. With switchable GPUs you'll get better battery life as well and better graphics performance if that's what you want/need.

A T60 with a dual core CPU still offers very good performance. I think the reason to go this route is if you want a flexview screen, which are clearly superior to anything being offered on a mainstream thinkpad right now.

You're probably not going to see the T60 or R60 in the Outlet with any regularity. I wouldn't necessarily pass on a R60/e, even if it's got the Celeron. The CPU is very easy to upgrade on these machines and you can get a T2400 or T5500 for example pretty cheap on eBay. I've had two R60 in a row and they've both been very good machines. You can swap the LCD in a R60 for a flexview. It's a straight swap on the R60 for either the SXGA+ or UXGA, though it's a bit more complicated than replacing the CPU. I'm guessing you can get the SXGA+ in the $75-100 range on eBay. The UXGA are more pricey, probably north of $200 unless you get lucky. Good Luck.

Bumpage...