Basic question T4X vs T4Xp

[richk]

What is the difference?

[GomJabbar]

P for Power, Performance, Prestige, Pizzazz.

EDIT: I forgot and left out Poverty.

[pianowizard]

Check the tabook:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitute/psref/

[dr_st]

In short, there are two main differences:

(1) T4x series come with either the Intel integrated or ATI Radeon cards. T4xp series come with ATI FireGL cards (workstation cards, better suited for 3D rendering apps, have more RAM, often faster than the Radeons put into regular T4x).

(2) T4x 15" displays are UXGA instead of SXGA+. This general trend is somewhat stopped now with T60p, because of a shortage on UXGA displays, so Lenovo puts 15" SXGA+ displays into some T60p models, just so that people can still buy them.

Also, the 'p' models tend to come by default with faster CPUs and HDs and more RAM, but these things you can usually customize and get even on a non-'p' machine, unlike the above two.

[TonyJZX]

The FireGL cards aren't faster in most mainstream benchmarks.

The chips do have optimisations for visualisation and engineering apps.

To me the video card is the biggest differentiator but since it makes not difference for 99% of people there is no point.

The FireGL cards are no better at games than the ordinary cards.

[dr_st]

The FireGL cards are no better at games than the ordinary cards.

I know this. I meant something else, so let me explain.

The FireGL cards put into p-series Thinkpads are usually faster than the Radeon cards put into the non-p Thinkpads.

T41: Radeon 9000 < FireGL T2
T42: Radeon 9600 = FireGL T2
T43: Radeon X300 < FireGL V3200
T60: X1300/X1400 < FireGL V5200/V5250