T42 or X40?

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D3c · #1 Post by **D3c** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:06 am

Hi,

I'm new here, so sorry if this was the wrong forum for this topic.

Anyway, I've been looking for a Thinkpad for a long time now and I've found those two models, but I doubt which one I should buy:

Thinkpad T42:
----------------
Pentium M 1,7 GHz (Pentium M735)
1GB ram
40gb harddrive (I'll buy an external harddrive too)
DVD+CD-RW
15,1 TFT (1024*768)
Fingerprint reader
ATi Mobility RADEON 7500 - 32 mb
56K + 10/100/1000 Lan + Wireless b,g + Bluetooth
5,7 lbs

Thinkpad X40:
----------------
Pentium M 1,2GHz
1GB ram
40gb harddrive (I'll buy an external hardddrive too)
No drives
12,1 TFT (1024*768)
Intel Extreme Graphics 2, 64 MB shared
56K modem + Gigabit 10/100/1000 + b,g Wireless + Bluetooth
3,1 lbs

I'll have to use the Thinkpad in school and at home as a replacement for my workstation. I don't know if I really need such a small one as the X40 and also, if I need the drive that it doesnt have? My current thoughts are, that I'd choose the T42 if it's just as portable (or close to) as the X40?

What's your opinion on those two Thinkpads, which one should I choose?

Also, is there any use for the fingerprint reader? Can the fingerprint-security be activated at boot-up, because I mean, this would make the Thinkpad useless if it got stolen, wouldnt it?

Thanks in advance,
Christian

Leon · #2 Post by **Leon** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:47 am

Based on your description of your needs, the T42 is a much better match. The X is, of course, more portable, but the T is still very portable. I am, literally, never without mine. Yes, the fingerprint reader is activated at boot time.

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D3c · #3 Post by **D3c** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:58 am

Leon wrote:Based on your description of your needs, the T42 is a much better match. The X is, of course, more portable, but the T is still very portable. I am, literally, never without mine. Yes, the fingerprint reader is activated at boot time.

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Alright thanks, took me one step closer to choose the T42

I'd like to hear some views from X-users too.

#4 Post by **K. Eng** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:49 am

Another vote for the T4x here. I prefer having my optical bay integrated into the machine because I don't want to lug around an external drive. Plus, having the DVD drive is nice for watching movies on trips. The T4x is not all that heavy either.

juntao · #5 Post by **juntao** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:56 am

I have an X40 and I think the question really comes down to just how much portability matters to you. I seldom carry textbooks to class, so the X40 is the heaviest thing in my backpack. I really can't tell it's there. The extra 3 pounds of a T series won't break your back, but you'll definitely notice the difference. For me though, size was much more important than weight. A 12" laptop fits much better in a cramped lecture hall than a 15". The laptops you picked both have the same resolution so you can't really fit more windows on either one. When I'm at my desk at home, I hook up an external monitor and run dual displays.

I have an external USB cd-rw/dvd drive that rarely sees any use. The only time I ever wish the X had a built in cd drive is when I want to watch a dvd on the plane. However, a 15" T doesn't really fit in a coach tray table with the seat in front of you reclined, so neither laptop really wins.

You say that this is replacing your workstation. If performance really matters a lot, you'll probably want an X31/32 over an X40/41. The X31/32 can be configured with a faster processor and, more importantly, upgraded to faster, higher capacity 2.5" hard drives. X40's are limited to slow 1.8" drives.

D3c · #6 Post by **D3c** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:52 pm

juntao wrote:I have an X40 and I think the question really comes down to just how much portability matters to you. I seldom carry textbooks to class, so the X40 is the heaviest thing in my backpack. I really can't tell it's there. The extra 3 pounds of a T series won't break your back, but you'll definitely notice the difference. For me though, size was much more important than weight. A 12" laptop fits much better in a cramped lecture hall than a 15". The laptops you picked both have the same resolution so you can't really fit more windows on either one. When I'm at my desk at home, I hook up an external monitor and run dual displays.

I have an external USB cd-rw/dvd drive that rarely sees any use. The only time I ever wish the X had a built in cd drive is when I want to watch a dvd on the plane. However, a 15" T doesn't really fit in a coach tray table with the seat in front of you reclined, so neither laptop really wins.

You say that this is replacing your workstation. If performance really matters a lot, you'll probably want an X31/32 over an X40/41. The X31/32 can be configured with a faster processor and, more importantly, upgraded to faster, higher capacity 2.5" hard drives. X40's are limited to slow 1.8" drives.

Very good answer, thanks! I think the winner is the T42, or maybe the X31, I'll have to check out some prices/specs on that one.

I'll be back later with the final choice - if anybody wanna know about that

D3c · #7 Post by **D3c** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:07 pm

Reporting in: I bought the T42 with a 14" screen and 1gb RAM: http://www5.pc.ibm.com/th/products.nsf/ ... p/_2373K1A

I'll have it in 2 days, wow, can't wait

#8 Post by **aamsel** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:41 pm

Congrats!
Hope you love it.

Andrew
Austin, TX

D3c wrote:Reporting in: I bought the T42 with a 14" screen and 1gb RAM: http://www5.pc.ibm.com/th/products.nsf/ ... p/_2373K1A

I'll have it in 2 days, wow, can't wait

D3c · #9 Post by **D3c** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 4:01 am

aamsel wrote:Congrats!
Hope you love it.

Andrew
Austin, TX

D3c wrote:Reporting in: I bought the T42 with a 14" screen and 1gb RAM: http://www5.pc.ibm.com/th/products.nsf/ ... p/_2373K1A

I'll have it in 2 days, wow, can't wait

Thanks, and yeah, I'm already in love with it!

pipspeak · #10 Post by **pipspeak** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 2:09 pm

I'd get the T42 but with a 14.1 screen. Makes it that bit more portable than the 15 inchers. The X40 really is not a destop replacement machine, more of a desktop complement (for those who can afford such a thing)

D3c · #11 Post by **D3c** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 2:44 pm

pipspeak wrote:I'd get the T42 but with a 14.1 screen. Makes it that bit more portable than the 15 inchers. The X40 really is not a destop replacement machine, more of a desktop complement (for those who can afford such a thing)

Hehe, you missed something:

D3c wrote:I bought the T42 with a 14" screen

pdudas · #12 Post by **pdudas** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 4:27 pm

I sold my X40 yesterday.

The T42 is better than the X40.

The X40 has builtin the slowest hard drive I've ever seen.
I had 1.5gigs of ram, but it was slover than the PentiumIII HP Omnibook XE3 (1133 Tualatin PIII+512MB ram).

The 1.8" 4200rpm HDD which is in the X40 is the bottleneck of the system. There is no other opinion, because there is no faster and larger drive in 1.8" size.

You'd better buying a T42 ( I had some versions from the line, but I love the UC2F1. It is only 2.00kg and has builtin fingerprint reader Wlan b/g, Bluetooth..... It works about 4-5 hours from a small battery.) (If you prefer the flexview+IPS you will loose some hours working time. I had 15" flexview+IPS T42 with R9600, only worked 2 hours from a small battery. 2hours vs 5 hours is the question. The Ips is not so nice, so I use the 14,1" T1 now and it works about 4 hours from a small battery. But I have the high capacity battery too.).

DavidNZ · #13 Post by **DavidNZ** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:03 pm

Hmmm....can't say I agree with the blanket statement of one machine being "better" than another, especially when opinions are subjective. Maybe "suitable"?

Certainly the HDD is slower in an X40 than T4X, but that fact alone will bother someone only if the utmost speed is a critical deal-breaker when selecting a particular model. Are the T4X series the X4X series aimed at different markets: kinda. The T4X series will give you more speed, better graphics and an inbuilt optical drive. The X4X will sacrifice a bit of this for a bit more portability. Is one "better" than the other? Nah.

T42 or X40?

T42 or X40?

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