Is there a successor to the T2x Series??

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I have owned a T20 for years. It has been my trusty notebook for countless meetings, trips, projects, and late evenings. Over the years it has started to show its age (as have I).... the IR port cover is gone, paint has peeled up from much of the bottom of the notebook, and a small scratch has formed on the side of the LCD cover. Beyound that, I find that my needs far exceed its capacity in both memory and processing power, as well as a longing desire for internal wireless. Over six years of use out of the T20 and it still hums along like a champion - I'm typing this message on it.

To satisfy the needs, I did what I thought was perfectly logical - I bought the next level of Thinkpad that seemed to fit the bill, with the intention of keeping it for several years. I purchase a preowned T42P that arrived in nearly perfect condition. That was one month ago. The T42P had everything I wanted - up to 2GB of ram, a faster processor and internal wireless connectivity. It even has intergrated bluetooth so I can use my softphone and bluetooth headset, and USB 2.0 ports (2!!) so that I can download images from my DSLR faster. All in all, this seemed like the perfect upgrade while keeping in my beloved Thinkpad lineup.

After only two short weeks of using the notebook the dreaded LCD blanking out started. As I have found out on this forum, this is a result of the ball grid array FireGL chip becoming partially desoldered from the system board due to flex. A call to IBM resulted in a tech coming out and replacing the LCD, which did nothing to fix the problem. Two days later, due to waiting on parts, the tech returns to replace the systemboard and keyboard (by request). That was a week ago.

Last night the backlight gave out without warning. Poof - no backlight, no usable notebook. Once again, IBM is replacing parts - this time the backlight inverter, and according to the phone tech another new UXGA LCD assembly. Once again I am without the use of my new thinkpad, and back to my trusty T20. They are also replacing the A/C I/O plate, as the power cord is precariously loose.

I'm not rough on my notebooks, but I am what could be described as a power user. My T20 is still working as well as it did the first day I got it all those years ago. I don't throw, drop, dump. clunk, or otherwise manhandle my notebooks. I do, however, expect my notebook to be reliable and functional at all hours of the day and night.

So here's my question - is there, truly, a successor to the T2X series in quality of construction? The T42P has let me down more times in the past two weeks than my T20 has in six years.... I'm doubting that it deserves the venerable Thinkpad namesake.

Is the T60 better? Should I just be happy that I have a warranty and plan around giving up my notebook more than once per month? Is there a model that is built to the high standards of the T2X series that I have overlooked, as I am about ready to eBay the new Thinkpad and start shopping for a different brand if something like this happens again. I want to love it - the beautiful UXGA screen, the svelt lines, the back and forwards keys for web browsing, the spectacular integrated wireless.... but it feels more like a Dell than an IBM, and that breaks my Thinkpad-loving heart.

To my fellow T2X owners - what will you do when the upgrade demon rears its ugly head?

[Stargate199]

I own a T21 and it is a wonderful machine. My dad gets a new laptop from his office every 3 years, part of a lease plan with IBM/Lenovo. He last Thinkpad was a T40. I think that was one of IBM's best models. The fan almost never came on, screen was bright and it was fast. The Thinkpad he had before that was in the T2x series I believe. That was one of worst Thinkpads I had ever used. It may had to do with the fact that is was running Windows 2000 and had a whole bunch of start up programs and the machine likely had only 128MB of RAM. It took about 7 minutes from when you turned on the machine until you could use the machine. His current Thinkpad is a T43. It's a great machine after you get over that the fan never shuts off when it first comes on. Yes I know about the TP Fan utility, but company policy does not allow to do that to the machine.

[ambientscape]

I have owned a T20 for years.. <snip>

Sometimes I would blame on my luck in this scenario of yours. I have friends who owns T42's and 3's and they treated them "ROUGH" I would say, but the machine still running till today with no major problem. The T2x was a great machine and no doubt the T4X as well....with some heat issues. I would go for the T60 on the conclusion and I don;t see any quality degrade compared with the T4X series. Lastly, it might just a "bad apple" you get for your T42P....Just my few cents...

Moderator note: Please trim quotes.