Is lighter and thinner better?

[Kyocera]

I'm a printer/network tech. After lugging around a toshiba satellite for a couple of years my t42 (got the 15" LCD) was a gift from heaven. Now it is starting to feel a bit bulky, I use my laptop to troubleshoot connectivity issues, wired and wireless, load and test software to run devices, printers, scanners, routers, faxes, etc. I am constantly adding and removing drivers, and other software from many manufacturers. I am curious if the lighter, thinner models can stand up to day to day hard core use. If anyone has personal experience to share I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks in advance

[pipspeak]

By lighter and thinner, do you mean 14.1" screen T-series or the X-series?

I swear by the 14" T-series. IMO the point of a notebook is portability, and since I use a dock at home/office the extra 1" of screen space is not too important and worth the extra weight, though it's all a matter of opinion.

My 540, T20, T40 (and hopefully my new T43) have travelled around the world and been used daily, and I've never had to invoke the IBM warranty.

[tehsoul]

i got the 15" version, but only because i thought the uxga resolution (1600x1200) was worth it... if you're going to use xga or sxga+ anyway, stick with the 14" screens

[Kyocera]

I have been checking out the X series on the IBM (lenovo) web site. Honestly I wish I would have got the 14" screen T42. Just looking to the future now for my next work laptop.

[K. Eng]

Lighter and thinner is not necessarily better. The 15" T4x may be a bit thicker and heavier than the 14" T4x, but I think the 15" chasis is a bit more sturdy.

[vliou]

I use a 14", mainly for durability. Remember...Force = Mass X Acceleration. Acceleration stays at 9.8m/s2 (gravity), and if the mass is less, when you drop it, the force is less, then, it's less likely it'll break....

[Navck]

However, 15'' disipates heat better due to more surface area