Can you help a t43 owner decide on an upgrade

[phoenix34]

So I have been a loyal and happy t43 owner for years. I finally have some $ to get a new computer.
I wanted to ask the crowed here what my best option was with a budget of about $500. I'd like to stay in the thinkpad family, I'd like to get the most for my money, and I am obviously willing to buy a used machine.
I am also looking at a new thinkpad edge 14 (I know, I know, it's not a real thinkpad) b/c it is a lot of machine for the price.
Thanks for your opinions!

[Harryc]

I'd look at T400's or R400's in your price range - for example...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-T40 ... 0517090778
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/LENOVO-THINKPAD-T40 ... 0477011712

Those would pretty much blow many X100e or Edge machines away in terms of performance. Do you like widescreen LCD's? Any recent Thinkpad has that ... so you need to look at T61 (Intel GPU) or T60 for non-widescreen models. If you want to consider something slightly smaller but similar in performance to a T400, I have an X200 for sale in that price range as well.

[underclocker]

Assuming 14" is the desired LCD size, without question, I would hold out for a T410 (or T410i). On the used market (eBay), they sell for as little as $500. If you like your LCD resolution, I'd try to match it as follows - if you have XGA, look for a WXGA T410, if you have SXGA+, look for WXGA+. Neither is an exact match, but that's the best you can do today with the 14" widescreen LCDs.

A T400s or T410s will also work, but generally run more than the lower priced T410 models.

A T410 vs. a T400, R400 or T61 widescreen is faster and has the six cell battery completely flush within the base. Any battery larger than an anemic 4 cell, hangs off the back of a T400, R400 or T61 widescreen.

The Edge 14 is a great design (albeit lower resolution WXGA) with fast components, but the quality of materials used are very low.

Weight note: All of the models mentioned (including your T43) weigh roughly the same amount when similarly configured - about 5 lbs. w/six cell battery, so that is not a big decision point.

Bottom line, I would hold out for the T410.

[phoenix34]

Thank you guys for your help. I going to hold off on the x200 (I like my touchpad's too much).
One silly desire I have for my next computer is that it has to run Civilization 5. My t43 has been used for hours and hours of civ IV so if I am going to make an upgrade, it has to play the new game. It seems to me like the T410 is a good fit for the game (if a little low on the sys reqs).
Any thoughts on that?

[Temetka]

Civ 5 eh? Nice game.

With the T400 e-bay auction listed above, I would drop in a cheap SSD, max the RAM and move on with my life. An SSD will help the heck out of Civ 5. I have that game on my tower machine and it nails the hard drive when loading / saving. More RAM will help as you explore more of the game and the map is more fleshed out. I think the CIV dev's store everything in RAM. Ever since Civ 3, no matter what machine I play on the game slows down if I am doing the huge map with most # of enemy players. Just. Bogs. Down. Other than that, I love Civ.

May your new machine (whatever one you decide on) serve you well.

[phoenix34]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I got an incredible deal on a T500 today (less than $400!) and I am pretty excited. It leaves me some room in my budget for a possible SSD or windows 7 upgrade.

[ajkula66]

That's an absolutely stunning deal! Congrats and enjoy!