Various CPUs in T-Series TPs?

[DrGrafix]

OK... I'm getting closer to making a decision regarding buying another TP, and most likely all I can afford is a quality used unit. I don't profess to being an expert on all aspects of PC hardware, but there are two areas of ThinkPad hardware-related info where I need some clarification; The first is the CPU, and whether Centrino or P4 Mobile are equal or different and how. You hear that a 1.6 Centrino is faster than a 2.4 P4 Mobile or vice versa. The second issue is knowing that I'm into casual graphic work, I prefer the SXGA+ 1400 X 1050 screen at a minimum, but the bevy of graphic cards in T30's, T40's etc. makes me jumpy.

I thought it would be smart to buy from someone on this board (a regular obviously), and have had a couple of good leads/offers, and one of the driving issues was the warranty. Many of the used T-series have a couple of years still left on their warranty. OTH, reading other posts, I find that you can extend a IBM warranty on a T40 (for instance) for $118 if you do it before the notebook's 1st birthday.

All this got me thinking that maybe a used T40 is worth looking at, but then there's the dilemma of the cpus and the graphics. I think a T42 is totally out of the picture with my limited budget. So can some TP genius here give me a layman's overview of the pros and cons of all these possibilities? I'm sure others would also appreciate it. And of course, if such a nice comparison actually exists in another thread, please point me to it. Thanks in advance guys!

Mike

[csv96]

It depends on your budget. You can find a fully loaded, top-of-the-line T23 for under $1000. You can also find a used or refurbished T40 for under $1300. If you get to $1500 range, you can start browsing through some low-end T41's and T42's.

The Pentium M CPU is a completely new chip. It delivers similar performance to a Pentium 4 processor running at 1.5 times faster clock speed. So a 2.0ghz Pentium M is comparable to a 3.0ghz Pentium 4. Centrino is just a marketing term for a Pentium M notebook with the Intel wireless adapter.

Most Thinkpads come with a 3-year warranty so a used T40 should still have at least 1.5 years remaining. A T30 or T23 should still have a year or more remaining. Thinkpad Express Models (2378 and 2379 in the case of the T Series) can have either 1-year or 3-year warranties.