T43p Questions..

[edik]

Previously I have trodden probably a classic route in ThinkPad ownership, that is a 760XL in 1998 replaced by a 760XD (beautiful machine) then a 770, then a T30 SXGA+ (a big jump) and previously a standard T40 XGA. Now I need a machine to last me 2-3 years or so with warranty. Mainly I do a lot of RAM intensive work with VMware images.

On impulse as I didn't think here in the UK I'd get a better deal (for approx $2000 US) I purchased a T43p. This model it seems is well specified as the owner stated it has a 2.13GHZ CPU, 2GB RAM, 7200RPM 60GB Drive, Wireless, Bluetooth, DVD-RW and a V3200 128MB Graphics Card and UXGA. It also has 2.5 years left on a 3year warranty.

My questions are if anyone can help much appreciated:

1.
The model is 2668-H2G. When I search google (UK) I get just a few references. However when I search google (Worldwide) I get a lot of references from European countries (not the UK), so I don’t think this is a UK model? I am wondering whether it has a UK keyboard!

2.
Will it run a lot hotter than my old T40? Is it the same size? And will it be as reliable?

3.
Is the graphics card a good one, and will it improve general tasks?

4.
Is the machine still a current model? Or has it been replaced with the T60p(?).

5. Is the fingerprint reader a gimmick or does it work?

6. A Good deal? I just hope I didn't pay over the odds, I can only go by UK ebay and it seems the cheapest.

Thanks!
Austin

Me Installing Windows at 40000ft on a T40...
http://www.pbase.com/image/41469095

[simms]

1. Why does it matter if it's a UK model? Warranty coverage is specified when you type in your model number.

2. It will run cooler. I went from a T40 to a T42, fan never goes on anymore...

3. Considering it is a T43p, yes, the graphics card is good - but I don't know anything about VMware, so take that with a grain of salt.

4. T60p is the latest model now, with dual core.

5. Why would the F-reader be a gimmick? I have one on my T42 and would hate to go back without one. It works with about 90-95% accuracy.

6. For $2000US, maybe a T60p would be in that range as well..

[edik]

It matters because Euro keyboards are different (don't have pound sign, are AZERTY or QWERTZ etc).

As for the fingerprint reader, a gimmick may be the wrong word, but whether it works well is a more accurate assessment!

Thanks for the input

Thanks!
Austin

Me Installing Windows at 40000ft on a T40... Smile
http://www.pbase.com/image/41469095

[Dead1nside]

I've heard a lot of people say that the software used for the thinkpad fingerprint reader is slow and reading can take ridiculous amounts of time, I've also heard people say, like the poster above that it works flawlessly.

I would expect things to run cooler as chips are manufactured on continually smaller processes and are therefore cooler. However, I have no experience with the T40.

The graphics card is very good for a laptop, at least that was till the new T60ps FireGL came out. Which I think is a 12-pipe card that can play some serious games.

The V3200 is a bit better than the ATi FireGL T2 which is a 9600 class card. The V3200 I would say is probably about 9700/PRO speeds.

They are both 4-pipe cards though. I think they will definitely be suffecient for most things.

[simms]

Actually before I got my F-reader replaced, it would be very troublesome.. now it is just perfect.

[_erazor_]

1.
the "G" in the H2G of the model name means it`s a German model, which has a QWERTZ keyboard

2.
It will not run a lot hotter, it`s the same size and it`s known to be perfectly reliable.

3.
The graphics card is really good, it`s very strong in graphics stuff like CAD/CAM and also good for playing the occasional game.

4.
It has been replaced with the T60p indeed, which has a dual core cpu instead of single core like the T43p.

5.
It works and is known to be really useful.

6.
It`s a pretty good deal, but because the T60p exists, your deal is not "top of the line".

[nirvana0001]

I think you should wait for a little while because the new core duo is gonna release soon.

[Paranoid_TP_User]

I have a 2669H2g that I bought from www.notebooksansmore.net

It has an english kyboard installed.

Think about it though, you're getting a bargain in my estimation for a beautiful machine, and if it actually is a european keyboard so what? - you have to swap the Q key with the A key, and a couple of others (you know they come off, right?), and change the keyboard settings in the control panel, no big deal.

You'll be fine, I bought mine from Germany because it was cheaper, but the machine is exactly the same as the equivalent UK model.

[cj3209]

I use a T43p on a daily basis and although it's a great workhorse, it gets a bit hot when I really do some work on it. NHC says my chip temp. is around 65-70 c when the processor is working hard; at that temp, the fans are on high most of the time. It's no biggie for me as I use an external keyboard and mouse but the fan noise gets on my nerve after a few hours and the fans seem to stay on even when the processor is idle.

I've had to install software that forced the fans to shut off when the processor was idling so it's no biggie.

All-in-all, although I love this notebook, I would recommend the T60p over it.

My two cents...

[christopher_wolf]

Fans? All the T4X Series Thinkpads have only one fan.

Is it on adaptive and what kind of work do you do?

[edik]

if it actually is a european keyboard so what? - you have to swap the Q key with the A key, and a couple of others (you know they come off, right?).

Hi there

A key did come off my T30 and to be honest I could *never* get it back on again. When I eventually sold the T30 (as I had a company T40 at that time) I sold it with the the key off and handed it to the guy and said... you do it.

Anyhow is it really so easy to put these keys back on?

[cj3209]

Fans? All the T4X Series Thinkpads have only one fan.

Is it on adaptive and what kind of work do you do?

Yes, I've tried it on adaptive. I use Nikon Capture NX (raw photo processing program) which does use up a lot of resources and Photoshop CS for touchup and printing. The fan is on pretty much all the time.

Like I said, it's no biggie but the fan gets on my nerve after a while.

[Rose]

1.
the "G" in the H2G of the model name means it`s a German model, which has a QWERTZ keyboard

No , it doesnt. All preconfigured thinkpads sold within sweden are "G" models. Based on that, the "g" indicates either europe, "outside the US" or something else.

[Rose]

I had a T41p about a year ago that I lost. I bought a T43p and just recently I acquired a T41p again. For the record I much prefer the T41p over the T43p. The former runs much cooler and A LOT quieter. The T41p has no pulsing fan, has no noise from the fan motor and it allows me to move my system disk over to my X31 when I need to travel.

Finally i can sleep again, without turning the machine of.

[simms]

I had a T41p about a year ago that I lost. I bought a T43p and just recently I acquired a T41p again. For the record I much prefer the T41p over the T43p. The former runs much cooler and A LOT quieter. The T41p has no pulsing fan, has no noise from the fan motor and it allows me to move my system disk over to my X31 when I need to travel.

Finally i can sleep again, without turning the machine of.

I've heard the T43 has that pulse fan. T42 doesn't have this problem though, I would probably take a T42 > T43 = T41 > T40... The fan annoys me, but the performance of a T43 can't be ignored.

[Rose]

I had a T41p about a year ago that I lost. I bought a T43p and just recently I acquired a T41p again. For the record I much prefer the T41p over the T43p. The former runs much cooler and A LOT quieter. The T41p has no pulsing fan, has no noise from the fan motor and it allows me to move my system disk over to my X31 when I need to travel.

Finally i can sleep again, without turning the machine of.

I've heard the T43 has that pulse fan. T42 doesn't have this problem though, I would probably take a T42 > T43 = T41 > T40... The fan annoys me, but the performance of a T43 can't be ignored.

well, i never had a T42p so i cant tell if it does pulsate or not. But I tried out a T42 once and it did pulate just like all T40's (many) and a few T43's i tried do.

The thing is that the T41p and T42p are just the same. Only difference between the two is that the T41p never was sold with the Dothan CPU, and fingerprint if you so will.

[cj3209]

Fans? All the T4X Series Thinkpads have only one fan.

Is it on adaptive and what kind of work do you do?

Yes, I've tried it on adaptive. I use Nikon Capture NX (raw photo processing program) which does use up a lot of resources and Photoshop CS for touchup and printing. The fan is on pretty much all the time.

Like I said, it's no biggie but the fan gets on my nerve after a while.

My fans don't pulsate - they're just on most of the time, even when idle. But I do processor-intensive work so it's no biggie. Just last night, I was batch processing 100 files with the processor at 100% and CPU temp was around 75 degrees C for about 5 hours. The fans were on high during this time.

I'm going to try this type of work on an X60s (dual core) and see what the temp and speed is.

[Paranoid_TP_User]

Anyhow is it really so easy to put these keys back on?

I certainly found it to be so - it could have been that the mechanism under the key was in your case actually broken I suppose, only think i can think of

[silo]

I had a T41p about a year ago that I lost. I bought a T43p and just recently I acquired a T41p again. For the record I much prefer the T41p over the T43p. The former runs much cooler and A LOT quieter. The T41p has no pulsing fan, has no noise from the fan motor and it allows me to move my system disk over to my X31 when I need to travel.

Finally i can sleep again, without turning the machine of.

Hi, could you give me a quick rundown of pros/cons for the T40p through t43p? I've been looking at all these (T40p, 41p,42p,43p) on eBay and thinking of making one of them my main machine.

All seem to be similar in description, but I gather there are serious differences? The fan situation you describe is of importance to me, for example. Are tehy all comparably quick? Screens substantially the same? Etc?

[Dead1nside]

To my understanding (I've been looking at the same models as you).

T40p is quite old and has a Fire GL 9000 only 512MB RAM and does not come with a 9-cell. It uses the older Banias chips. (Also has 14x10 screen). Only a/b wireless.

T41p this is when they start giving the 'p' models some breathing space. It has a 7200RPM HDD, 1GB as standard, 9-cell standard. It has a lovely 1400x1050 14.1'' screen. a/b/g wireless. [This is the model I'm getting, with a 1.5Ghz Banias]

T42p I've heard many say this is the epitome of Thinkpads, you can get it in 14x10 14.1'' or 16x12 15''. It has a Dothan as standard as well as all the features of the T41p, but the components are slightly higher revision.

T43p is a different architecture from T40/41/42/p it is a Sonoma board and uses DDR2 memory and a larger FSB. It apparently is powerful but has worse battery life, it includes a slightly better graphics card.

[silo]

To my understanding (I've been looking at the same models as you).

T40p is quite old and has a Fire GL 9000 only 512MB RAM and does not come with a 9-cell. It uses the older Banias chips. (Also has 14x10 screen). Only a/b wireless.

T41p this is when they start giving the 'p' models some breathing space. It has a 7200RPM HDD, 1GB as standard, 9-cell standard. It has a lovely 1400x1050 14.1'' screen. a/b/g wireless. [This is the model I'm getting, with a 1.5Ghz Banias]

T42p I've heard many say this is the epitome of Thinkpads, you can get it in 14x10 14.1'' or 16x12 15''. It has a Dothan as standard as well as all the features of the T41p, but the components are slightly higher revision.

T43p is a different architecture from T40/41/42/p it is a Sonoma board and uses DDR2 memory and a larger FSB. It apparently is powerful but has worse battery life, it includes a slightly better graphics card.

Very helpful, thanks much.

[Dead1nside]

My pleasure.

Check out www.thinkwiki.org for any model queries you have, or to find out about Linux compatibility etc.