Ridiculous wait times for T43p

[aamsel]

They are talking about T43p units, you ordered a custom T43.

Andrew
Austin, TX

mine got picked up yesterday in HK, and is out for delivery around 6am this morning

Maybe that's because T43p is shipped from HK, and needs 2 to 4 weeks to arrive the states. I don't know if there are any guys ordering T43p before Feb. 27. Maybe he can say something more about the availability of T43p.

[Leon]

He still doesn't need to call. If they can, they'll fulfill the order as fast as they can whether he calls or not.

[aamsel]

Alsolutely.
WHen you are "in the queue" you are "in the queue".

Andrew
Austin, TX

[davidlg16]

I was trying to make the point that it doesn't take 2-4 weeks for any machine to arrive in the states after it gets shipped from HK

They are talking about T43p units, you ordered a custom T43.

Andrew
Austin, TX

mine got picked up yesterday in HK, and is out for delivery around 6am this morning

[aamsel]

Ah, correct.
About 2 days, in my experience.

Andrew
Austin, TX

I was trying to make the point that it doesn't take 2-4 weeks for any machine to arrive in the states after it gets shipped from HK

They are talking about T43p units, you ordered a custom T43.

Andrew
Austin, TX

[brainpicker]

It's not just a few weeks we are talking about now. I placed my order over a month ago and had been told the end of JUNE for shipping. FOUR months? Obsurd! Then I called after 2 weeks of no change in ETA to cancel my order to buy something else (Fujitsu, HP, ?). I was promised the date was an error and that there was "absolutely no way you wouldn't have it by the end of April". I waited because I figured an IBM was worth it. Now TODAY I get a personal e-mail saying they are sorry but the very soonest I can expect it to even SHIP from HK is May 25th. Of course, if they are off by even a day or two with the Holiday at that time I'm still looking at June (albeit the beginning this time). Mine was a stock 43p. Nothing custom. IBM wants so bad to keep their customers even though they are so far behind everybody else at supplying the newest machines. I think they are paying more attention to getting out of the business than they are keeping their business (us). Therefore, they lie to try to keep us. Then we get so far into the process that rather than spend all that time again to configure something somewhere else (and more importantly... get used to another machine) we give up and wait. .....and wait! Again, if it were only a few weeks I can agree with you, but IBM is taking this way beyond that. We are being taken advantage of and taken for granted that most of us will stay. I'm so angry with them that I probably won't (or I'll find something close to what I want used).

[asiafish]

Some great deals on T42p right now. I am absolutel delighted with the T42p GVU I got from Bill last month.

[fefland]

It's not just a few weeks we are talking about now. I placed my order over a month ago and had been told the end of JUNE for shipping. FOUR months? Obsurd! Then I called after 2 weeks of no change in ETA to cancel my order to buy something else (Fujitsu, HP, ?). I was promised the date was an error and that there was "absolutely no way you wouldn't have it by the end of April". I waited because I figured an IBM was worth it. Now TODAY I get a personal e-mail saying they are sorry but the very soonest I can expect it to even SHIP from HK is May 25th. Of course, if they are off by even a day or two with the Holiday at that time I'm still looking at June (albeit the beginning this time). Mine was a stock 43p. Nothing custom. IBM wants so bad to keep their customers even though they are so far behind everybody else at supplying the newest machines. I think they are paying more attention to getting out of the business than they are keeping their business (us). Therefore, they lie to try to keep us. Then we get so far into the process that rather than spend all that time again to configure something somewhere else (and more importantly... get used to another machine) we give up and wait. .....and wait! Again, if it were only a few weeks I can agree with you, but IBM is taking this way beyond that. We are being taken advantage of and taken for granted that most of us will stay. I'm so angry with them that I probably won't (or I'll find something close to what I want used).

Is everyone else hearing end of May also? I ordered mine beginning of March. If I have to wait until end of May/early June that will end up being about 12 weeks plus to get. Oh well. I would get the 42p, however the 43p I am getting is only about $400 more and supposedly faster. The wait goes on. Hopefully it will be worth it. And, if there is something wrong with it (ie bad pixel) I will be bummed.

[asiafish]

It may be a tiny smidge faster, but you will have missed 12 weeks of enjoying it rather than waiting for it.

[NaT]

About the absurd wait time of T43p. That would make me in pinch! I've just place the order yesterday and confirm my credit card today.

The web site order is now saying something like 40 days but I asked the sales rep about this today and he said actually it should be around 2 weeks after all the chaos of manufacturing process for new product is in place.

P.S. to trickster2, if you're looking for another great notebook with incredible graphics and don't wanna wait, take a look at HP business nw8240 that has just come out about a week ago. It is 15.4" widescreen that is driven by ATI FireGL Mobility 5000 w/ 128MB memory and Intel Sonoma processors. The footprint of the system is quite thin and light ... even less than IBM Thinkpad. But close one of your eyes before seeing the price, though.

no you didn't. Graphics are no where near the same. You get what you pay for.

[craigg]

The HP Compaq nw8240 is not smaller than the Thinkpad no matter how you look at it. The minimum weight is 5.8lbs and I would guess that the average gaming configuration would approach 7lbs. Another area to look at is the battery life and the HP does not come close to the Thinkpad. Most 14.1" Thinkpads are below 5lbs. I do quite a bit of beta tests for HP and I like their products but this is one area where IBM is better.

About the absurd wait time of T43p. That would make me in pinch! I've just place the order yesterday and confirm my credit card today.

The web site order is now saying something like 40 days but I asked the sales rep about this today and he said actually it should be around 2 weeks after all the chaos of manufacturing process for new product is in place.

P.S. to trickster2, if you're looking for another great notebook with incredible graphics and don't wanna wait, take a look at HP business nw8240 that has just come out about a week ago. It is 15.4" widescreen that is driven by ATI FireGL Mobility 5000 w/ 128MB memory and Intel Sonoma processors. The footprint of the system is quite thin and light ... even less than IBM Thinkpad. But close one of your eyes before seeing the price, though.

no you didn't. Graphics are no where near the same. You get what you pay for.

[NaT]

Oh sorry, I forgot those 14.1" T43p offering. I am talking about 15" UXGA (1600x1200) IBM vs. 15.4" WUXGA (1920x1200) HP. HP is lighter and thinner in that sense.

And yes Craig I totally agree with you on batt's life time. I was considering that too. You have to sacrify those more pipelines, faster engines, faster GDDR3 memory performance on V5000 with the length of time you can work without wire. That's why I ended up choosing IBM T43p ... it's just that HP don't have to wait THIS long.

Ah, another fact for someone reading this thread and are going for HP. That model is US/Canada warranty only, if your work involves travelling a lot arond the world, this might not be the one for you.

The HP Compaq nw8240 is not smaller than the Thinkpad no matter how you look at it. The minimum weight is 5.8lbs and I would guess that the average gaming configuration would approach 7lbs. Another area to look at is the battery life and the HP does not come close to the Thinkpad. Most 14.1" Thinkpads are below 5lbs.

[sprior]

I've been told that I placed the second order for that unit on the first day they were accepting orders for it. Still no estimated ship date - they really know how to torture a geek I got a snail mail letter a couple of weeks ago saying that I'd have it by mid June (I had originally been given estimates of early April) which almost sent me over the edge, but they tell me that letter didn't figure in my spot in the queue. I wonder if the reason they're still not listed on the IBM website is that they don't want to burn sales of T42P's until the 43P actually ships.

[senthil]

Since we are in this topic...

Mine (T42) shows status as Call and the ETA as 04/19 ( as of today )

Does this mean I will get the Machine by 04/25?

[Esteban]

I read in the Inquirer today, "Intel Sonomas, AMD Turions rare as sharks' toenails." Perhaps that's why T43s are so slow to ship.

The Inquirer also wrote, in a March article on Intel roadmaps, Pentium Ms will get a bus speed boost from 400MHz to 533MHz in late July.

Can we hope IBM will refresh the T42, or offer a new model, with the faster bus speed?

[arwuah]

I just checked the price on the new
http://www.hp.ca/products/static/notebo ... models.php (HP business notebook: $4399*!) That is just plain crazy! I always thought IBM was the most expensive computer manufacturer, but not anymore. I paid $1000 less for the H2U I have on order! but the wait time is killing me!!! Comparing the t43pH2U to the HP PZ329UA, its seems as if IBM under priced or gave out too many discounts for their T43P's. I guess they just want people to cancel their orders

About the absurd wait time of T43p. That would make me in
...
look at HP business nw8240 that has just come out about a week ago. It is 15.4" widescreen that is driven by ATI FireGL Mobility 5000 w/ 128MB memory and Intel Sonoma processors. The footprint of the system is quite thin and light ... even less than IBM Thinkpad.

no you didn't. Graphics are no where near the same. You get what you pay for.

[NaT]

I just checked the price on the new
http://www.hp.ca/products/static/notebo ... models.php (HP business notebook: $4399*!) That is just plain crazy! ...

Comparing the t43pH2U to the HP PZ329UA, its seems as if IBM under priced or gave out too many discounts for their T43P's. I guess they just want people to cancel their orders

I think you're talking in Canadian dollars. In US, the Thinkpad H2U (2.13GHz) list price is $US3999 and HP 2.0GHz model you mentioned is $US3599.

Well my friends, I need a thinkpad that could not be waited so I have just ordered another T42 for that work instead. Worse spec at about the same price (than T43p), but well I've got no choice.

NaT

[arwuah]

I ordered my h2u in the US and it is 1K cheaper than the HP as mentioned in my previous post. I should have mentioned cheaper with the added 20% discount.

I just checked the price on the new
http://www.hp.ca/products/static/notebo ... models.php (HP business notebook: $4399*!) That is just plain crazy! ...

Comparing the t43pH2U to the HP PZ329UA, its seems as if IBM under priced or gave out too many discounts for their T43P's. I guess they just want people to cancel their orders

I think you're talking in Canadian dollars. In US, the Thinkpad H2U (2.13GHz) list price is $US3999 and HP 2.0GHz model you mentioned is $US3599.

Well my friends, I need a thinkpad that could not be waited so I have just ordered another T42 for that work instead. Worse spec at about the same price (than T43p), but well I've got no choice.

NaT

[lithium726]

I read in the Inquirer today, "Intel Sonomas, AMD Turions rare as sharks' toenails." Perhaps that's why T43s are so slow to ship.

The Inquirer also wrote, in a March article on Intel roadmaps, Pentium Ms will get a bus speed boost from 400MHz to 533MHz in late July.

Can we hope IBM will refresh the T42, or offer a new model, with the faster bus speed?

the sonoma platform offers the 533fsb, those chips are already avaliable. this is what is holding the T43 back, evedently.

[rocketman]

I guess Dell must be getting all of the 2.13GHz Sonoma processors. Whenever I configure a Dell laptop with this processor I get a delivery quote of about a week. Unlike the 8-10 weeks in total it supposedly will take for the T43p I ordered. Guess it's all that buying muscle Dell must have.

[wn0x]

Is everyone else hearing end of May also? I ordered mine beginning of March. If I have to wait until end of May/early June that will end up being about 12 weeks plus to get. Oh well. I would get the 42p, however the 43p I am getting is only about $400 more and supposedly faster. The wait goes on. Hopefully it will be worth it. And, if there is something wrong with it (ie bad pixel) I will be bummed.

I was promised 4 to 6 weeks for an order placed March 9th. I have watched the ship date/status move from backordered to shipping 5/4, then 5/6, then 5/9 and as of today 5/10. I am considering cancelling my order since it appears IBM will probably not ship before my term paper is due in May. Hindsite - 20/20 - I should have ordered a T42P, probably a 2373KTU, and I would be reviewing the posts on that unit as we speak.

[asiafish]

I've always been impatient, but I'm enjoying the T42p enough that I won't be too upset when the 43p is shipping.

[emorphien]

IBM didn't build the T43 as a gaming machine.

We've never built ThinkPad's for gaming. They are a business tool. We're still shipping machines with ATI Radeon 7500's!!!!

And rediculously overpricing them!

[NaT]

Well my friends, I need a thinkpad that could not be waited so I have just ordered another T42 for that work instead.
NaT

This t42 has been shipped out yesterday! So, if IBM has it, it ships out fast. But t43p is still back-ordered (no hope when to arrive) and also my other options' status keep shifting from 4/17->4/18 and now is 4/20.

Just curious, the t42 unit was "In-stock" when I placed the order but then it was shipped from Hong Kong. Actually I want it by tomorrow, now I've go to pray for it to arrive in time even for 2nd day shipping. Are all IBM stocks now located in HK? I thought that only newly built units are shipped from HK.

NaT

[Leon]

JIT Inventory.......

[trikster2]

Got my M70 yesterday. It shipped 10 days early but I've been on the road for a month so it sat at UPS for a while. Built like a tank and I really like the keyboard, (to me) at least as good as the thinkpads I've used. Vast improvement over my Lattitude D800 (similar laptop but the D800 is bigger). The laptop says made in malaysia, so maybe it is only china with their "power rationing" having problems getting stuf made? Screen is beautiful bright. Have not had a chance to test the graphics/gaming, memory still has to get here (ordered 2gb PC-4200 DDR2 kingston value ram for $260 from Memory4less, believe it when I see it).

I'll still be hanging out here, especially once the T43Ps actually start appearing. Thanks for all the information....

(OT) I had this information at one point, does the thinkpad docking station take a PCI card and a spare optical/hard drive? Could be a factor in deciding between the T43p/M70.

Thanks for the information on the HP, with the V5000 it looks like it could really be a contenda if it was a little cheaper.....

[wn0x]

I thought I would watch this for a few days before posting. My ship date is incrementing every day by one additional day. Says 5/16 at the moment. Its nice to know that on 11/24 my shipment should arrive exactly before Christmas. I will hopefully receive the unit the day my final paper is due.

[ppk800]

wnOx,

I noticed the same thing. Every single day I checked the ship date status, I saw the ship date increase by one day. This is the worst case scenario and often is not accurate, according to the sale rep. According to the website, my order will not be shipped until 5/6. But I just received the email today stating that it has already been shipped out from HK. Be patient and good luck. BTW, I ordered a customized T43, which waiting period was said to be around 10 days when I placed the order. What's your model and do you remember the waiting period?

Mike

[wn0x]

What's your model and do you remember the waiting period?

Mike

T43P - 2668G1U 2.13 PM770 FP Intel A/B/G 60GB 7200 HD.

I only had the verbal confirmation of ship date from the sales rep of 4 to 6 weeks. I asked him about the "Backordered" status displayed on the website and he said to ignore this until 4 weeks had passed.

If there is an estimated ship date on the original invoice I can't seem to find it.

Thanks for the input.