Need updated thinkpad

[Outlaw]

I drive a truck for a living and need some help picking a new Thinkpad, my current laptop is a 380ED. I will be using this laptop for running MS Office 2000, Adode Acrobat 7, Wi-Fi web surfing & e-mail, scanning and printing non-photo stuff, mapping software, GPS tracking, and watching DVD's on the screen. I would like a min Pent III 900, 512MG, greater than 14" screen, greater than 20GB HD, USB2, and a CDRW/DVD combo drive. I have about $1200 to spend, new or used. Which ever laptop I get it need to be able to take a hard ride in a truck.

My father-in-law is trying to talk me into an emachine M6810, I would much rather a thinkpad. Which model thinkpad would work for me? I've been looking on e-bay and there are just so many models.

Thanks,
Mark

[JHEM]

If you're willing to accept a 14" display, a T40 or T41 can be had for that price or less and would do all you want and more.

Conversely, a T21, T22 or T23 with a 14" display would meet your needs just as well and cost around half your budget, even with an SXGA+ display! But, you'd need to use a PC card solution for USB2.0, cost you a whopping $20 to $30.

If you've got your heart set on a 15" display, start looking at one of the "p" models, beginning with the A30p. There are also non-p models in the T4X series with 15" XGA and SXGA+ displays.

I often play DVDs on my venerable A30p with 15" UXGA Flexview display and the image is simply stunning.

Regards,

James

[K. Eng]

I'd go with a T2x model. Those things are a bit more rugged than the 14" T4x, although they are heavier and lack USB2.

A T23 is probably your best bet... they had up to a 1.2 GHz Pentium III, 512MB RAM, and 802.11b wireless.

If you have the cash to burn, a 15" T42p would be a great machine... very sturdy and has all the memory and wireless options you could want.

[mattfromomaha]

T23 or T30 would be very sturdy models for you. You can pick them up used for pretty cheap, get the 12V power adapter for the truck, a USB 2.0 adapter, and have a bunch of cash left over!

[JHEM]

T23 or T30 would be very sturdy models for you.

Yes, but T30s are still selling for as much as some T40s!

Regards,

James