Should I buy this T42 - is it a good deal?

[chiyoaiki]

Is this a good deal?

Model: IBM ThinkPad T42 2373-6vu

Specification:

Intel Pentium M Processor 725 - 1.70GHz
256MB RAM
40GB HDD
14.1 XGA (1024x768) TFT
32 MB RADEON 7500
24x24x24x8x CD-RW/DVD
2 year international warranty

Price: £450 ($865)

Should I buy this machine? I am planning to use the machine for 3+ years.

- Is it easy to upgrade the memory? How much is the memory in UK and where to get them?
- Will RADEON 7500 be adquate? (Not playing game but might use Photoshop, etc.)
- Will I need to upgrade the HDD?

Thanks.

[gazingwa]

Sounds like a good deal to me, it has an XGA screen and if you are ok with that then get it, memory is extremely easy to upgrade.

The hard drive, if 40gb is enough for you and it loads everything to your liking, don't bother. RAM will be the big increase in speed on this machine. Get a 512 or 1gb dimm for it, don't even mess around putting another 256 in it, you will just be replacing it later.

The radeon 7500 is a good card for 2d, it will not support the better graphics of Windows Longhorn in the future but Longhorn will still function (just won't look as pretty)

Either way, good luck with your purchase.

[chiyoaiki]

The radeon 7500 is the main reason holding me back from buying this notebook as I am planning to keep the notebook for a number of years.

Apart from Windows Longhorn, what are other software which radeon 7500 does not support?

Thanks.

[kev009]

It's unlikely that any recent app will completely not work but games will run at low settings or slowly and rendering software will work more slowly than a system with a better card. The 7500 is DirectX 7 hardware rated so I believe it has to emulate newer DirectX hardware functionality if the software uses it which really slows things down. That is a hard to beat price, but at 3+ years you may want to look into getting a ThinkPad FVU.

[Tan Mann]

... That is a hard to beat price, but at 3+ years you may want to look into getting a ThinkPad FVU.

2378FVU comes standard with a 1 year warranty, NOT a 3 year.

[BillMorrow]

Is this a good deal?

Model: IBM ThinkPad T42 2373-6vu

Specification:

Intel Pentium M Processor 725 - 1.70GHz
256MB RAM
40GB HDD
14.1 XGA (1024x768) TFT
32 MB RADEON 7500
24x24x24x8x CD-RW/DVD
2 year international warranty

Price: £450 ($865)

Should I buy this machine? I am planning to use the machine for 3+ years.

- Is it easy to upgrade the memory? How much is the memory in UK and where to get them?
- Will RADEON 7500 be adquate? (Not playing game but might use Photoshop, etc.)
- Will I need to upgrade the HDD?

Thanks.

this is the cheapest of the T series..
that said, this deal is ALMOST too good to be true and i would be sure that it is real by picking it up, in person..