I can't decide between T42 and T43...

[roanoke]

I can't decide between two computers, first this T42:

General
Model name 2378R4U
Description ThinkPad T42 (IBM Think Express Program)
Web Price* $1,299.00
Operating System
Operating System Title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Architecture
Bus type/architecture PCI
Bays Ultrabay Slim
Indicator light Yes
Cover material Magnesium
PC Card support 2 Type II or I Type III
Display
External display supported Yes
Simultaneous external display Yes
Screen type description TFT
Viewable image size (diagonal) inches 14.1
Screen illumination Backlit
Max colors or gray shades 16777216
Maximum Resolution 1024x768
Graphics
Video RAM std/max 32MB
Description ATI Mobility RADEON 7500
Graphics type XGA
Video RAM type DDR SDRAM
Max resolution 2048x1536 16777216 colors
Max colors (with max video RAM) 16777216
Graphics bus interface AGP 4X
Video on Planar Yes
Processor
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium M Processor 725
Processor speed[1] 1.60 GHz
Front side bus (FSB) 400 MHz
Internal L2 cache memory size 2 MB
System memory
Memory (RAM) std/max[8] 256MB / 2GB
RAM slots total 2 SODIMM
RAM slots available 1 SODIMM
Memory speed 333 MHz
RAM type DDR SDRAM
Module specifications PC2700
Hard drive
Hard disk size (GB)[4] 40 GB
Interface type ATA-100 (Enhanced IDE)
Hard drive speed (RPM) 5400
Optical device
Optical device CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo
Device interface EIDE
Optical device speed[5] 24X/24X/24X/8X Max
Audio
Integrated speakers 2
Speaker power rating 1.0 Watts
Volume control buttons Yes
Speaker Quantity 2 (Internal Speakers)
Number of speakers 2
Audio chipset SoundMAX
Audio data width n/a
Audio on planar Yes
Communications
Fax/modem description 56K V.92 designed modem
Fax/modem speed[3] 56Kbps data/14.4Kbps fax
Infrared port Yes
Infrared port speed 4Mbps
Ethernet description Integrated Intel PRO/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Ethernet interface type Gigabit Ethernet- Integrated
Ethernet on motherboard Yes
Wireless Networking Components
Wireless speed 11b:11Mbps, 11g:54Mbps
Wireless Standard[10] Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG
Wireless Type LAN
Antenna Ultra Connect
Description Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG
Frequency 802.11b/g: 2.4GHz
Wireless Implementation (Form Factor) Mini PCI
Accessories
A/C adapter 72 watt
Worldwide A/C compatibility Yes
Port replication Supported
Docking station None
Standard features
Pointing Device Type IBM ThinkPad UltraNav
Keyboard type[11] Full size
Keyboard light Yes
Expansion options
Plug and play support Yes
Parallel Port Type 1 (EPP)
Serial Port Type 2 (USB 2.0)
Port connectors 2 USB 2.0, AC adapter, External Display, External microphone, Headphone/Line out, Infrared, Parallel, RJ-11, RJ-45, S-Video out, Expansion Bus port (for Dock II/Mini Dock or Port Replicator II)
Slots total (available) and type 1(0) Communication Daughter Card 2,1(0) PC Card
Compact flash slot No
Compact Flash Slot No
Security Chip IBM Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0
BIOS type Flash ROM
Infrared Support Yes
Weight & dimensions
Weight[2] 4.90 lbs
Height 1.0 in
Depth 10.0 in
Width 12.2 in
Security
Security features Hard disk drive password, Power-on password, Supervisor password, IBM Security Slot, IBM Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0
Security identification technology None
Limited warranty[7]
Type of service[13] Customer Carry-in Repair or ThinkPad EasyServ
Limited warranty period One year parts and labor (system battery: one year)
Packaging
Weight metric 2.2 kg
Weight US 4.9 lbs
Battery
Battery Types 6 Cell Lithium-Ion
Battery Voltage 10.8 V

And this T43:

Model name 2687D4U
Description ThinkPad T43 (Think Express Program)
Web Price* $1,749.00
Operating System
Operating System Title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Architecture
Bus type/architecture PCI/PCI Express
Bays Ultrabay Slim
Indicator light Yes
Core Technology Intel Centrino Mobile Technology
Cover material Magnesium composite
PC Card support 1 Type I/II and 1 ExpressCard/54
Display
External display supported Yes
Simultaneous external display Yes
Screen type description TFT FlexView display with wide viewing angle and high density
Viewable image size (diagonal) inches 15.0
Screen illumination Backlit
Max colors or gray shades 16777216
Maximum Resolution 1400x1050
Graphics
Video RAM std/max 64MB
Description ATI Mobility RADEON x300
Graphics type SXGA+ IPS
Video RAM type DDR2 SDRAM
Max resolution 2048x1536 16777216 colors
Max colors (with max video RAM) 16777216
Graphics bus interface PCI Express
Video on Planar Yes
Processor
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium M Processor 750
Processor speed[1] 1.86 GHz
Front side bus (FSB) 533 MHz
Internal L2 cache memory size 2 MB
System memory
Memory (RAM) std/max[8] 512MB / 2GB
RAM slots total 2 SODIMM
RAM slots available 1 SODIMM
Memory speed 533 MHz
RAM type DDR2 SDRAM
Module specifications PC2-4200
Hard drive
Hard disk size (GB)[4] 40 GB
Interface type ATA-100 (Enhanced IDE)
Hard drive speed (RPM) 5400
Optical device
Optical device CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo
Device interface EIDE
Optical device speed[5] 24X/24X/24X/8X Max
Audio
Integrated speakers 2
Speaker power rating 1.0 Watts
Volume control buttons Yes
Speaker Quantity 2 (Internal Speakers)
Number of speakers 2
Audio chipset SoundMAX
Audio data width n/a
Audio on planar Yes
Communications
Fax/modem description 56K V.92 designed modem
Fax/modem speed[3] 56Kbps, 56Kbps data/14.4Kbps, 14.4Kbps fax
Infrared port Yes
Infrared port speed 4Mbps
Ethernet description Integrated Gigabit Ethernet
Ethernet interface type Gigabit Ethernet- Integrated
Ethernet on motherboard Yes
Wireless Networking Components
Wireless speed 11b:11Mbps, 11a:54Mbps, 11g:54Mbps;11b:11Mbps, 11a:54Mbps, 11g:54Mbps
Wireless Standard[10] Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG
Wireless Type LAN
Antenna Ultra Connect
Description Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG
Frequency 802.11a: 5GHz/802.11b/g: 2.4GHz
Wireless Implementation (Form Factor) Mini PCI
Accessories
A/C adapter 72 watt
Worldwide A/C compatibility Yes
Port replication Supported
Docking station None
Standard features
Pointing Device Type ThinkPad UltraNav
Keyboard type[11] Full size
Keyboard light Yes
Expansion options
Plug and play support Yes
Port connectors 2 USB 2.0, AC adapter, Docking/Port Replicator, External Display, External microphone, Headphone/Line out, Infrared, Parallel, RJ-11, RJ-45, S-Video out
Slots total (available) and type 1(1) Communication Daughter Card 2,1(1) PC Card
Security Chip Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0
BIOS type Flash ROM
Infrared Support Yes
Weight & dimensions
Weight[2] 5.84 lbs
Height 1.2 in
Depth 10.6 in
Width 13.0 in
Travel weight 5.5 lbs
Security
Security features Hard disk drive password, Power-on password, Supervisor password, IBM Security Slot, IBM Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0
Security identification technology None
Limited warranty[7]
Type of service[13] Customer Carry-in or provided by ThinkPad EasyServ (North America only)
Limited warranty period Three years parts and labor (system battery: one year)
Battery
Battery Types 6 Cell Lithium-Ion
Battery Voltage 10.8 V

I would like to know the difference in battery life, what IBM's policy on dead pixels is, and if the PC Protection plan is worth the money.

Thanks in advance

[ay]

Well. I couldn't live withouth 1400x1050, so I'd go for the T43. If it's still possible to get a t42 with 14.1" and 1400x1050 i would go for the t42

[UCI2CI]

well, it pretty much boils down to how much you wanna pay. if you can easily afford the more expensive and faster system, then why not buy it. but if you really dont care much about higher screen resolution or speed, then buy the t42 and save yourself some money.

The t42 will have better battery life, since the processor, bus speed, and the GPU is a bit slower.

Some people have been complaining about the T43 fan noise. thats also something to consider.

Thinkpad protection is well worth it, if you can get it. I have it and my cat scratched my LCD and they replaced it for me.

You have 30 days to return your thinkpad from the time of purchase. so if you get an LCD with dead pixels, you can return it. After that point, there guidelines that dictate when IBM can replace an LCD with dead pixel. I dont know the exact rules, but its been discussed here many times. search this forum and youll find a link to the policy on IBM's website

[mysbca]

Why did you pick these two models to compare?
Is it because it is two of the three models listed on the EPP page for economy, value and performance? In this case, economy vs performance.

These two models are very different: 14" vs 15", XGA vs SXGA+, ATI 7500 32MB graphics vs ATI X300 64MB graphics, in addition to the processor, etc.

Also note this T42 only comes with 1 year warranty. You may want to upgrade the warranty as well.
The T43 also comes with the Flexview screen which consumes more battery. The 15" model is a little heavier and larger than the 14" model.

What will you be using the laptop for? Give us some info; there may be better choices for you.

[roanoke]

I'll be going to college next fall. I wont be doing a lot of gaming, and I wont be taking notes in class with it (so I dont really care about fan noise). With the EPP the difference in price isn't that much, so i'll probably buy the t43. I like the performance upgrades because I may be doing some image work, and it won't become outdated as fast as the T42.

[Ryan T.]

Go with the T42 2378-FVU.

It has the 14.1" SXGA+ screen w/ the ATI9600 64MB graphics for under $1500. A lot of people on this board have this model, and most feel it's an excellent value.

[Thinker]

Go with the T42 2378-FVU.

It has the 14.1" SXGA+ screen w/ the ATI9600 64MB graphics for under $1500. A lot of people on this board have this model, and most feel it's an excellent value.

Good choice. I would just upgrade the warranty.

[Ryan T.]

Go with the T42 2378-FVU.

It has the 14.1" SXGA+ screen w/ the ATI9600 64MB graphics for under $1500. A lot of people on this board have this model, and most feel it's an excellent value.

Good choice. I would just upgrade the warranty.

Exactly, which I belive cost me $112. Also, a 512MB stick of PC2700 RAM from newegg for $60 (which is also where I bought the notebook by the way), will make this a killer machine.

[mysbca]

Go with the T42 2378-FVU.
It has the 14.1" SXGA+ screen w/ the ATI9600 64MB graphics for under $1500.

With the EPP discount and the upgrade to 3 year warranty, it is under $1300.
If you decide to get this model, don't wait too long; according to the tabook, it is being withdrawn this month.

[Ryan T.]

Go with the T42 2378-FVU.
It has the 14.1" SXGA+ screen w/ the ATI9600 64MB graphics for under $1500.

With the EPP discount and the upgrade to 3 year warranty, it is under $1300.
If you decide to get this model, don't wait too long; according to the tabook, it is being withdrawn this month.

I'd be on it in a HEARTBEAT. What a great price for this notebook, I paid $400 more including the warranty only 3 months ago.

[roanoke]

How about the T43 2687DRU? It looks pretty sexy to me.

http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/store ... logId=-840

It's 14.1 sxga, with 64mb radeon x300, and with the epp is around 1375.

[mysbca]

Looks pretty good to me. It's like the T43 version of the T42 FVU with more RAM, bigger HD, faster processor and fingerprint reader.

Just note that the T43 fan seems to run a little more than the T42. It has bothered some people.

[phpguru]

Just saw this... :/

I just bought a T42 2373M3U and this is $80 cheaper!

Gah!

[mysbca]

I just bought a T42 2373M3U and this is $80 cheaper!
Gah!

The 2373M3U has the 7200rpm HD, the ATI 9600, and a little less fan noise. The 2687DRU has only a 5400rpm HD and the ATI X300.
The M3U also has bluetooth built-in. A little trade-off for the small price difference.

[roanoke]

I still can't decide between the T43 2687DRU and the T43 2687D4U. Would the 14.1 inch screen look better than the 15 inch? What is SXGA+IPS as apposed to just regular SXGA? What is Flexview? Is the figerprint reader worth the money? Would the 2687DRU have better battery life than the 2687D4U because it is smaller and lighter? What about the wireless capabilities? The D4U looks like it has extra wireless capabilities but I can't really tell what they are. This will be my only computer at school, so I wonder if a bigger screen might be better. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

[mysbca]

SXGA+IPS (aka Flexview) is brighter, has better colors and has a wider viewing angle than the standard SXGA+ (14") screen. However, it also uses more power and has a slower response time. Users have reported seeing ghosting while playing some games with it. The 14" screen is actually very good, just not as good as the 15" Flexview.

edit: Added link to nice summary of 15" vs 14" screens:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=10756

The 2687DRU does have better battery life than the 2687D4U because of the screen.

Have you use a 14" SXGA+ screen before? Some people find the fonts too small to read. The 15" will help a little bit here. I have the 14" SXGA+ and I've changed the DPI setting to 120 and I can read on it just fine.

The wireless (Intel abg) between the two seems the same to me. The fingerprint reader is a nice gadget to have, but not necessary.

Also note that the advertised 40GB harddrive actually means 37.2GB and another 4.5GB is used for the hidden recovery partition, so you only have 32.7GB of usable space before anything is installed. Of course, you can remove the hidden recovery partition to recover the space. The DRU comes with a 60GB HD.

Your choice might come down to what screen size you want. If you carry the laptop around, the smaller size might be better. If it is left on the desk with AC power nearby, then you might want the 15".

[roanoke]

How bad is the ghosting with the flexview? Is it just noticable during graphics intense games or will I notice it while minimizing windows? Also, how much battery life will I save by going with the 14 inch?