Thinkpads Forum

Hello, everyone, I'd like some advice. I'll try to not take up too much of your time.

I've got an aging Dell Latitude D600 that will need to be replaced with a new laptop soon, and I'm trying to decide what to get. This laptop is going to be used for college work; I will mainly be doing word processing, using wireless internet, and occasionally watching a movie or two. I don't plan on playing any intensive games on it, however I would like to be able to watch full screen Youtube videos, something that my D600 does not allow me to do. I really like the size of the D600; it's a solid, compact, machine about the size of a notebook that I can easily carry around with me in one hand, and I would like that in the next computer I buy. I also found the ability to mate with a docking station very convenient, and would definitely like this feature in the Dell's replacement. I'm also looking for a laptop that gets 3-4 hours of battery life, but I don't think that will be too much a constraint considering the form factor I'm in the market for.

I also have a bit of an interest in having an integrated webcam and microphone for Skype calls to home, the option for a second hard drive (I'm thinking of putting in a solid-state drive for the primary drive, and a mechanical drive for the storage of media), and possibly Bluetooth, but none of these are really necessary.

That being said, I am curious as to how well a Thinkpad will suit my needs, and to which model I should consider?

Also, how well do Thinkpads stack up against other business-type laptops, such as Dell's current line of Latitudes or HP's line of 'EliteBooks'?

All help is welcomed!

There are quite a few lines that would meet your requirements.

In no particular order:

- SL Series: I just bought an SL410 for my wife for almost the exact same set of requirements. For just under $600 I got a 14.1" screen, Core 2 Duo (2.53 GHz), 2 GB RAM, Intel Wifi Link 5100, 250 GB hard drive. You could add a camera and bluetooth for probablyy $40-50 more. There are some questions about the build quality of the SL series; some are saying it's basically the Ideapad line in a Thinkpad case. Honestly, I'm okay with that. If I thought she was going to be traveling a lot with it I might look at an R-series.

- R-Series: Mid-tier thinkpads. You're probably looking at about $800-900 for a fully configured R400 (Core 2 Duo, 14.1" screen, 6-cell batter, bluetooth, camera, small 5400 rpm drive). You'll be able to everything on your list and then some.

- X-Series: You'll be paying for portability. You'll get a similar set of features, but you'll be starting at about $1000. Also, no option for a second drive (optical or HDD).

You haven't mentioned your budget, which is probably going to be the determining factor. If you're open to used Thinkpads you could probably find a deal on refurb/used T series or R series.

I also found the ability to mate with a docking station very convenient, and would definitely like this feature

The R-series will let you use a few docking stationg (advanced mini and essential port replicator) and the SL and X series are going to limit you to a USB port replicator.

Also, how well do Thinkpads stack up against other business-type laptops, such as Dell's current line of Latitudes or HP's line of 'EliteBooks'?

Not really sure on this as I haven't used either. Perhaps others here could be of help, or you might look at the forums on notebookreview.com

One thing to keep in mid - SL series does not have docking station support (which will limit you to generic USB port replicators).

Well, if you are really on a budget, as most college students are, check out a A31p with an IPS Flexview. These are 3 spindle machines (HD & 2 other devices). Yes, they are a little long in the tooth, a bit heavy and only about 2 hrs battery time, but for the price, they would also suit your needs. The T series should also be considered along with the others in this thread.
It really comes down to your budget - under $200 its an A31p, over that, the sky is the limit. Having used a number of older DELL's, the switch to a Thinkpad will be a revelation.

Just my .02 (admittedly biased ) worth.

D600 to an A31 would be quite a downgrade as far as CPU performance in concerned.

It's not uncommon to see the R400 in the $500-600 range in the outlet.

I haven't looked back since buying my X200s, and I really think now that ultraportable is the way to go, especially as I hardly notice it in my backpack even when travelling on public transport (e.g. standing on the Tube). My previous ThinkPad was an A30 and that basically stayed tethered to the desk (but got a lot of use). In contrast, the X200s goes with me nearly everywhere, and I reckon I've already typed 15k words on it since I had it in mid-December last year. And the battery life is excellent, as you'd expect.

Whilst an X200 may be out of the OP's budget, my second choice (and the laptop which I almost bought) would be perfectly fine too and rather more affordable - an X61 (or X61s) from eBay.

(Having said that, I prefer the widescreen display on the X200s... I didn't think I'd like it but in my opinion it suits the ultraportable form factor perfectly.)