What T42 should I buy / wait for?

[jeroenp]

Since I'm in NY for new-year visiting some friends, it looks like I'll be finally able to order a new ThinkPad as a replacement for my A21p systems.

I'm looking for these capabilities:

• - video at least 1600x1200 (but preferably 1920x1200)
  - 2 gigs of RAM
  - about 2 gigahertz
  - DVD +/- R and RW multiburner
  - USB 2.0
  - firewire (IEEE 1394)
  - 2 extra batteries
  - 2 extra HDD ultra-bay adapters
  - 2 extra regular HDD adapters (dunno how the T42 does this, but the A21p needs a special HDD adapter to insert an HDD)
  - maybe extra floppy drive (in case T42 can boot from it)

This will be my work-machine for the upcoming years, and most likely buy it from Bill

So: what T42 model and assecoiries do you guys recommend?
And (hey - I'm Dutch) - any guess about what this is gonna cost me

--jeroen

[BccKiller]

Jeroenp

It seems that you will need to get top of the line, but there are some features that you will not get with the current TP T Series.

1. Video - The top of the line will get 128MB Video with 1600x1200 15" screen.
2. The system preconfigure with 1GB of RAM, but you can add EXTRA RAM. A stick of 1GB from www.crucial.com will cost you $389.99 + tax.
3. CPU speed. You should be OK with this. TP T Series is using 2GHz CPU now. You may be able to get 2.1GHz by then.
4. DVD burner. It will come with the TOP end model.
5. It has 2 USB 2.0 Ports
6. FireWire - Current TP T Series does NOT have IEEE1394 port.
5. You can pay extra for batteries.
6. Same as batteries.
7. Same as batteries.
8. Floppy drive - I am not sure that what you are going to use it for, but you should be able to get USB Flopply drive (cost around $15 - $30) or just buy the USB KEY drive and make it a bootable key.

Remark: Since you told that you will be here for vacation, I do not know how long you will be here. It may be a good ideas to order things in advance so you will get your stuffs when you arrive. If you decide to buy stuffs after arrived, you may not get everything in time.

Just my 2 cents.

[JHEM]

Jeroen,

Almost any current model T42p with the 15" display will meet most of your requirements, particularly CPU speed, memory capacity, USB2.0 and UXGA display.

However, there's no Thinkpad available that will have everything you want "built-in". There are no Ultrabay Slim +R/+RW multiburners available, only -R/-RW. For Firewire you'd need a PC card.

Extra batteries are widely available, 2nd HD adaptors are available directly from IBM for $45 each and the HD caddies are available for approx. $10 each. A floppy drive requirement is easily met with a generic USB external drive, but the T42s can boot from almost anything that has a BOOT sector on it, including memory keys.

Cost? A minimum of approximately US$3.5K for the base unit plus the cost of the accessories would be my best guess. But, check with Bill, he might be able to pull a magic trick and come up with one for a lot less. Bear in mind that you really are talking about an absolute top of the line Thinkpad!

Regards,

James

[jeroenp]

Thanks for the replies.

Some more questions:

- Which TP models do have firewire?
- How many PC-card slots do the T42 series have?
- How's your experience with bootable USB-sticks?
(I have tried on my A21p and our Dell training desktops without success)

Since I haven't followed the ThinkPad line very closely I was wondering what the current state of the art is.

Note my A21p were top-of-the-line: that is why they lasted so long.
But 850Mhz w/ 512Mb of RAM is getting too slow.

Also, I don't mind to pre-order and have it pre-checked and pre-shipped to my friends in NYC.
So Bill: if you see this: make me an offer I can't resist

--jeroen

[BccKiller]

It is so funny! I am using A21P myself right now. I am runing into the same problem that you have and about to retire it. I placed the order for 2379R9U. I am waiting for my order right now.

As far as your questions:
1. I think R or G series may have FIREWIRE port. I am not sure for that. You may end up with PC Card for FIREWIRE ports.
2. 2 PC Card Slots
3. Yes! There is utility software on the Internet that will format your USB Key and make it a bootable device. Once you have it setup, you still can put other files on it. By the way, i did TEST that bootable key with my TP 21P and it did work.

Intel will come out with 2.1GHz soon - you should see it by the end of this year. New TP T seires will have BIOMETRIC reader build in (you should find the forum about BIOMETRIC from this site under T-Series or THINKPAD NEWS and RUMORS).

As far as the next gen CPU and chipset, you will not see it until 1st quarter of 2005 -if INTEL does not delay it again. If you can wait until 1st quarter of 2005, the next T series is the way to go: it will have PCI Express, DDR2 RAM, 5.1 Sound, and better WIRELESS chipset. If not, you will have to deal with what they have right now.

[mgp]

FYI, the initial Biometric T42s are already out.