T43 2686DGU or a T42? Confused!

[nmuntz]

First off, I'm sorry if this is beating a dead horse for the 40th time.

I think I've done too much research into this. Right now there is a good deal on the Lenovo friends and family site for a T43 2686DGU, however I'm hesitant to get a T43 because of all the negative comments about them and the talk of how they're a big step backwards from the T42.

T42's with the specs I want (14" SVGA+, DVD-R, G-wifi) are hard to locate (at least in Canada) without paying a serious premium.

Is the T42 really that much better, or are the defenciencies in the T43 just really overstated?

Maybe I'll just keep using this T21 forever!

[christopher_wolf]

In this case, the differences between a similarly spec'd T43 and T42 are negligible, especially if you want to get it quickly. IMO, trying to tailor one's order because of perceived issues that may or may not manifest quickly spends time and nerves in the search for the "perfect" system. Thinking about it, all of that will be moot if, say (knock on wood), a dead pixel pops up and you can't stand dead pixels. The T43 is like any other T4X Series Thinkpad; dependable, rugged, and an excellent performer. What is "better" can only be described by you, the consumer, who purchases the product.

Between me and my friend that has a T42, there is nothing that I find very different; at the same settings, you get very similar behavior from both of them.

[dr_st]

Is the T42 really that much better, or are the defenciencies in the T43 just really overstated?

I don't think that anyone said the T43 is a big step backwards. It's just that it's not a step forward, that's all, but indeed the differences are minimal. In a nutshell - the T43 should perform marginally better, but is more prone to issues with heat, fan noise and battery life than T42. The T42 may be prone to other things... Note that when I say "more prone" doesn't mean that you will experience serious problem with _any_ T43. Most of them will probably never have any problems. Just get the best deal you can on either of them and enjoy. If something is wrong with your particular unit, you have a time window to replace it.