Thinking of Financing TXXx, any advice?

[Reverend Sin]

I've wanted a T42p for a long time, unfortunately every time I get close to buying one, or even a desktop for that matter, things go south and I end up spending most of my saved up funds. However recently the old Compaq Presario 2100 I'd been using to replace the last Desktop that died has gone to Laptop Heaven itself.

The questions I have are should I finance or just wait until I have 3-3.5Grand cash and buy one outright, I'm a student and IBM told me they couldn't finance to with the student discount which was kind of disappointing. I really really need a new computer so I was thinking as I've got a good job (200$ a month pure spending cash after bills) I should try to Finance and maybe build my credit in the process.

The other questions I had were about the specs, it will be a desktop replacement for me as well as my portable computer. Battery life isn't super important, the CP2100 wouldn't last 5 minutes off its battery, so anything more than that is like a gift from god. Size isn't an issue, nor is weight, the textbooks I used to carry around were FAR heavier than any laptop will ever be.

Video performance is one of the things I value most highly in my computers, I do game just like everyone else (though not current games, I've never had a computer that could play anything beyond Diablo1 and sometimes Diablo2...) so I was told to hold out for the ATI Mobility 9600, are the other video cards that hideous in the T43 and T42p? (Speaking of the FireGL2 and x300 from the Build Your Own page at IBM)

Accessories, should I order it with 1GB Ram, Drives etc, or buy OEM parts and install them myself later and save myself some money?

Anything at all I should know before starting down this road? Should I buy a pre-built IBM or BYO, I'm not too worried about the PC division changing hands, but a friend that was formerly employed at IBM suggested I ask around here and possibly buy a pre-built from IBM.

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated, I'm down to using my old p3 600Mhz HP Pavillion so I'm desperate to find a replacement for my new paper weight.

[JaneL]

The questions I have are should I finance or just wait until I have 3-3.5 Grand cash and buy one outright

I was thinking as I've got a good job (200$ a month pure spending cash after bills) I should try to Finance and maybe build my credit in the process.

Neither. Save your money for a few months, and buy something you can afford. Your gaming PC will last for a short while. Your credit rating is for a lifetime.

Anything at all I should know before starting down this road?

Don't.

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated

Join the finance forum at one of the finance sites like fatwallet.com and learn how to build your credit safely.

[dc81]

Through the IBM website you can purchase a T42p for right under $2000. It is featured on September Specials, unfortunetly it expires 10/03. Is $2000 more in your price range?

Here is the link:
http://www-131.ibm.com/content/home/sto ... oduct.html

I priced out a T42p with
1.8ghz
xp pro
512mb
4X dvd-rw
60 gig 7200rpm hdd
128mb ati firegl t2
6 cell battery
3 year warranty

All this for $1973. Not $3000-$3500 you quoted. You can customize it a bit more from here depending on what options you want.

If you are after a T42 with ATI Raedon 9600 you can configure one of that same link for around $1500.

[freddy418]

At this point, I think it's kind of irrational to drop anywhere near two grand for a T42 unless you're just that rich.

If you can find a reputable seller on ebay, model 2378FVU of the T42 variety can be had for right around 1000 dollars. It comes with the Mobility 9600 which you covet and it's fairly easy to upgrade it with an aftermarket 80 gb hard drive and a gig of ram. After which it should be everything you want and probably a lot more.

[Reverend Sin]

If you can find a reputable seller on ebay, model 2378FVU of the T42 variety can be had for right around 1000 dollars.

The only one I could find on ebay was 2600$

At this point, I think it's kind of irrational to drop anywhere near two grand for a T42 unless you're just that rich.

Why?

Through the IBM website you can purchase a T42p for right under $2000. It is featured on September Specials, unfortunetly it expires 10/03. Is $2000 more in your price range?

Ok, 3500$ was a "slight" exaggeration (though not much) I don't mind paying to get what I want though, I have about 1300$ saved up right now with another 2-300$ spending cash this coming monday. The only problem is I'm rather inexperienced with IBM laptops and I was told by a friend that this was the best place to come for advice on the Thinkpads.

From what I've seen (and read) the T43 isn't all that much better than the T42, the processor speed on ANY of them will be drastically faster than anything I've used to this date, so no matter what I won't be disappointed there. The only thing I'm really having trouble with is what Graphics processor would suit me best. This will only be my primary gaming computer for about 6 months until I can save up for another Desktop, but in the meantime I'd like to play a few games (BF2 maybe, Civ4 when its released, BW2 when its released, WoW maybe) and have something portable for when I'm on the road. (Which is a lot)

Neither. Save your money for a few months, and buy something you can afford. Your gaming PC will last for a short while. Your credit rating is for a lifetime.

Making payments wouldn't be a problem even at 200$ a month, I don't have to worry about a car or insurance payments and my only other bills are 200$ a month rent and my classes are only going to be another 649$. Between my fiancee and I we bring in around 2200$ a month with only about 1500$ worth of bills between the two of us. The one thing we are looking to purchase right now is a computer that will last us a while, and I've been told that for Laptops Thinkpads are solid, dependable, and worth every penny. But I will continue saving for a while and make my choice at a later date if I can't find something I like.

[dc81]

Although IBM are a really solid machine, if your main intention is gaming, then you are looking in the wrong place. This is at least what I was told. IBMs are made for a business environment, not for gaming. Are planning to play video games on the road a lot? If not, why not buy a desktop first, then buy a Thinkpad later, for what you have saved up, I imagine you can get a pretty decent (not great, but decent) gaming machine.

[Reverend Sin]

Although IBM are a really solid machine, if your main intention is gaming, then you are looking in the wrong place. This is at least what I was told. IBMs are made for a business environment, not for gaming. Are planning to play video games on the road a lot? If not, why not buy a desktop first, then buy a Thinkpad later, for what you have saved up, I imagine you can get a pretty decent (not great, but decent) gaming machine.

My main intention is not gaming, but I would LIKE to game at least a little bit when I'm not working. I don't need HL2 at full detail/max res etc or BF2 with insane settings. And the reason I don't buy a desktop right away is I'd rather have the portability of a laptop as I'm on the go a lot, and I don't want to lug my desktop and 21" monitor around everywhere I go. I can't imagine sitting in the middle of a 747 on my way to Hawaii or St. Louis with my keyboard and 21" dell trinitron on my lap

Gaming will be the secondary function of the laptop, but in order for it to be ANY sort of function it'd need a moderately good video card and from what I've heard the 9600 is the only one capable of doing any sort of gaming at all. Then again I don't know anything at all about the ATI Mobility cards.

[freddy418]

well here's one that might not be so much

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Thinkpad-T42-w- ... dZViewItem

[Reverend Sin]

well here's one that might not be so much

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Thinkpad-T42-w- ... dZViewItem

My search only came up with ONE.... I must admit though I'm kind of wary of purchasing via Ebay, I've heard a lot of bad things about Ebay and people getting scammed but this person looks like he has quite a few positive ratings, I'll watch the auction.

[BillMorrow]

this thread should be on the for sale confrence, here..!
there are more than a few members here who have a surplus thinkpad for sale or will have one, soon..