Buying a T42, 1.8 or 2.1, which is worth it?

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pengus · #1 Post by **pengus** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 8:53 pm

I'm looking into purchasing an IBM T42 (at a special price, courtesy of a friend), but I'm stuck between two models. Both have 60gb 7200pm hdd, 1GB DDR PC2700, ATi FIREGL T2 128mb, all kinds of good stuff.. One is 1.8ghz one is 2.1ghz.

The 2.1ghz also has a fingerprint reader and is 802.11a/b/g (as opposed to just .11b), but I'm interested in .11b and the fingerprint reader makes no difference to me.

So, in a nutshell, I'd be paying $500 more for jumping from 1.8 to 2.1 since I'm not too interested in the other options.

I highly doubt I'll see much of a difference, but at this price, it's hard not to go all out with 2.1ghz. It's honestly $500 for top of the line vs. not quite top of the line. I'll be using it for school, and it will essentially replace my desktop so it will run the latest games. Also, probably some rendering. I aim to keep this my primary system for as long as possible.

But am I kidding myself? Is 2.1 just silly?

I'm looking at roughly $2250 vs. $2800.

p.s. a fingerprint reader? wow, I really don't need this but it's not an "option" per se. it's just a security measure, right?

lvlolvlo · #2 Post by **lvlolvlo** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 10:12 pm

question
1. what size screen?
2. 1gb ram in two slots or one?

if you're answer is 14.1 and 1 slot then I'd say get it (the 2.1). However if you say something else then i'd say save the 500

pengus · #3 Post by **pengus** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 10:17 pm

15'' and 1 slot. Why do you say?

plucky duck · #4 Post by **plucky duck** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 11:29 pm

$500 is not worth the 300mhz difference imo. I'd stick with the 1.8Ghz chip unless you really need all that processing power.

dr.b · #5 Post by **dr.b** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:08 am

take 1.8 gig and upgrade later (we might see even 2.2 dothans with 400 mhz system bus).
An other option is to take 2 GB ram.

pengus · #6 Post by **pengus** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 9:10 am

Thanks for the advice. I think I'd be fine with a 1.8, but it looks like it would be nice to have 802.11b/g (sucks that I can't change it) instead of just .11b (according to my school's WiFi network page). What's the difference? .11b will work, b/g is just recommended. I guess I could always buy an additional card if i need it.

k3vb0t · #7 Post by **k3vb0t** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:13 am

I'd go with the 1.8Ghz on a different model that allows you to buy the 802 a/b/g... I would refuse to go with the slower B. I think the fingerprint reader is pretty useless, but thats just my personal opinion.

beeblebrox · #8 Post by **beeblebrox** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 12:48 pm

For that huge price difference I would certainly go for the lower speed. In usual office work your processor would run most of the time in idle / standby anyway. The new processors are extremely expensive (because new!) and after a few months you get them for a huge discount. You can upgrade to a faster one for little money in a few months and dump the old one on eBay.

The wireless can be upgraded anytime, so no worries here.

Actually, You should rather check, what kind of work you usually do, and then decide what performance you need.
Remember, every 6 months there is a brand-new generation out there on the market, and your system is outdated anyway.
If you are not in a rush, then wait till spring, when the new T-Series comes out (with the new chip sets), and then the 2.1 Ghz is on Sale!
And you save a lot of bucks.

lfeagan · #9 Post by **lfeagan** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 1:13 pm

You mentioned games....If you are getting a 15" Flexview this might be an issue. Also, since you are a student, are you considering carrying it around campus? If so, I might look at the 14" T42p models. I have a 2373GVU and love it. I think getting the A/B/G is a good thing for two reasons:
1) The Atheros is very well supported under linux as the manufacturer isn't as closed lip as Intel.
2) The A/B/G will be the most flexible about allowing you to connect to different networks.

As far as the 2.1 vs 1.8 goes, mine is a 1.8 and I do similar tasks to what it sounds like you do. I am into numerical algorithms and scientific visualization and other sorts of computer graphics. So, intense computations are something I am familiar with. My notebook works great for prototyping algorithms. I couldn't see any reason to get the 2.1 as there is little practical speed benefit to it. If I really need to run something fast I write some parallel code and put it on a large cluster system

pengus · #10 Post by **pengus** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 1:44 pm

The 2.1 is out. What I'm debating now is either a 1.7, 14.1'' with same specs as listed otherwise or a 1.8, 15'' with a multiburner, or something different altogether. I would really like a 9700 128mb video card and IBM doesn't offer it. Maybe go with Sager or something.. I dunno..

15'' an issue for gaming, why is this? I'm not too familiar with them.

I don't mind the weight at all, I'm used to carrying loads of stuff on backpacking trips.

By the way, I have an employee friend doing this so I have quite the discount on most of these setups.

When it comes to upgrading the wireless, if only 11b is "integrated", I'd need to buy a seperate 11a/b/g card, correct? Effectively having a single 11b protocol and a 11a/b/g? Or is this wrong?

lfeagan · #11 Post by **lfeagan** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 3:16 pm

None of the wifi cards are integrated in the soldered onto board sense. There are just Mini-PCI cards which pop in and out as easily as a DIMM. The 15" Flewview is beautiful and has a super range of viewable angles with little to no color shifting. But...its response time is somewhat slow. I too wish IBM had a 9700 Pro available. But the FireGL T2 is still a very capable gaming card. Unless you are a really serious gamer, I wouldn't sweat it. I game a lot (Lead developer of the Heat of Battle mod for Call of Duty), and I find that the T42p is very capable of playing games. And of course I do a lot of graphics programming and I have found it to be a very good video card. My desktop box has a R9800 Pro/P4 3.0E and I don't find there to be a super significant different unless you want to run at 1600x1200. At 1024x768 it feels on par with the desktop in every way. The R9600 is on a 0.13u SOI process which helps increase the clockrate it runs at and decreases its power usage. I am almost certain the R9700 is not on the 0.13 SOI and therefore it has higher power consumption and doesn't get clocked as fast. But, because of its larger number of pipes, it can make it up, particularly in newer games. But older games that aren't as good at taking advantage of the large number of pipelines it has can and often do run faster on a R9600.

Ghostrider · #12 Post by **Ghostrider** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:00 pm

Hi!

At first: Glad to be here... I'll own a T42p soon - I already ordered it.
Pengus: If you get the discount "on most of these setups" as you said before, why don't you choose one of the setups that include Wireless a/b/g and the 1.8GHz CPU?
I ordered a T42p, 1.8GHz, 1GB, 14.1" 1400*1050, FireGL T2, 80GB HDD, CD-RW/DVD-ROM, W-LAN a/b/g, BT, IRDA. I get a special rebate because our company buys only IBM. Servers, tape libraries, desktop-PCs and notebooks. I have good connections to our distributor so I get the same as or little bit better conditions than the company

What I want to say: If you get the discount for many models: Check for a T42p that fit's your requirements better than the one you already have!

The amount of additional money for the 2.0 or 2.1GHz is not really justified by the performance gain you will see.
The 1.8GHz Dothan is said to be about as fast as a 3GHz P4. (I'd expect it between a 2.8GHz and a 3GHz.) That will be fast enough for all games. The limiting factor / bottleneck will be the graphics card in this setup even if it is already a good card. Not as powerful as the new 9800 or the 9700 but good enough.
And for school: You won't even need a 1.4GHz CPU there. It will idle 99% of the time at 600MHz.

So I'd suggest to get the 1.8GHz model and spend the money for something else you will need more... maybe the DVD-burner... maybe a larger TFT to work at home... there are many things to buy.

I'll buy an additional notebook mouse: "Logitech® V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse" (see: http://www.logitech.de/index.cfm/produc ... ENTID=9508 )
I think that this is somehow a matching part for the notebook. I don't really like to use the touchpad or nipple... And it will improve your notebook-experience and workflow more than 300 additional MHz for 500$.

pengus · #13 Post by **pengus** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:15 pm

Thanks again all for the advice.

I guess I should have been more specific. Since this is an EPP (employee purchase program) purchase, there is not a wide availability of machines. The machines offered are probably in high stock and are thus offered at large discounts. It just so happens that the only 1.8ghz 42p with 128mb graphics comes with only 11b wireless. That's why I asked about the wireless update since they sell an a/b/g card.

So, if I purchase an a/b/g Mini-PCI card, you say it's as easy as popping out a DIMM. Forgive my ignorance, but when I hear DIMM, I think RAM SODIMM and I think of possibly voiding the warranty in the case of a notebook. But on notebooks maybe it's a different story. I guess they may install it for me as well. Is this an easier task than I am making it?

Here:

Code: Select all

Wireless Networking Components 2
    Wireless Standard[10]		Intel PRO/Wireless Network Connection 802.11b
    Wireless Type		LAN
    Antenna		Ultra Connect
    Description		Intel PRO/Wireless Network Connection 802.11b
    Frequency		802.11b: 2.4GHz
    Wireless Implementation (Form Factor)		Mini PCI

And this on the customize page...

Code: Select all

Integrated Wireless
(Std) Intel PRO/Wireless Network and Bluetooth Combo

...on which I'll want to buy:
IBM 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter II (US )[+$52.00 ]

Correct?

Thanks.

Ghostrider · #14 Post by **Ghostrider** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:38 pm

I'm quite new to the IBM-Laptops as well... but if I understand it correct it is the right card you wanted to buy.
But you may "lose" the bluetooth because the a/b/g does not seem to have it included as the other card.
(Is the bluetooth really a part of the W-Lan card???)

I once exchanged a mini-PCI Network card on one of our notebooks. As soon as you found out which screws to use to get access to the mini-PCI slot it should be really easy. Be careful because the connectors are not build to withstand excessive force - and don't forget to attach the connector for the antenna

lfeagan · #15 Post by **lfeagan** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 6:00 pm

Ah, no way dude, the BT is not on the WLAN card, but it is on the Modem card. Check out the install/remove videos over at IBM's website, they will make it totally clear how it works. Also, installing the card will not void your warranty as it is an IBM part.
http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-50233

Buying a T42, 1.8 or 2.1, which is worth it?

Buying a T42, 1.8 or 2.1, which is worth it?

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