Questions about T2x, R series, A series

[huck]

I am looking for a laptop under $200 for our 8 year old daughter. I have a T40 and my wife has a T43. All she will do is go the internet for her Webkins and do school work on the web. I am pretty partial to the T series having owned around a dozen or so but how are the R series and A series and what are the major differences. I don't need the touchpad as she prefers the trackpoint.

Thanks
Huck

[schen]

I am looking for a laptop under $200 for our 8 year old daughter. I have a T40 and my wife has a T43. All she will do is go the internet for her Webkins and do school work on the web. I am pretty partial to the T series having owned around a dozen or so but how are the R series and A series and what are the major differences. I don't need the touchpad as she prefers the trackpoint.

Thanks
Huck

You're in luck. If you prefer the "T" Series, you should be able to get into a T20/21/22 or possibly a T23 for under $200. Any of those machine will do everything the average 8 year old will need or want (including internet) without much of a problem. Of course, the T23 is preferable since it not only is the newest but it's the generally the fastest by virtue of the 133mhz bus and speedier processors (especially the 1.13 and 1.2Ghz Tualatin cores). That model will also do, up to 1Gb of RAM instead of the 512Mb limit on the T20/21/22.

That being said; the A Series of equivilent spec are just as viable, but generally come with 3 spinals (FDD, HDD, Optical) and can be had with larger screens (up to 15") so that may be a consideration. The downside is that they are heavier at around 7 pounds vs. 5 for the "T" Series, but I suspect that it's a machine that will not travel much outside the home. In a general sense, most people would agree that they don't have quite the same "fit and finish" that the "flagship" T Series had, but are quite good never the less, and there were some high-end "Professional Workstation" models designated A2x(p) that had outstanding features and specs for their day.

The R Series were designed to be a replacement for the A's (but with 2 spinals; HDD, Optical). The early units were contracted from Acer and were generally not as robust as other ThinkPads and actually coincided with the last As (A30/A31) which have a bit of a cult following today (especially the A31p with the faster P4-M CPUs, up to 2Gb RAM and high res screens).

That's a general run down (of course, my opinion is interspersed in there). For what it's worth, my recommendation for your price-point, would be as follows:
* The fastest T or A you can get into for the money.
* Be patient and try to get a 133mhz bus T23 or A30 with as much RAM as you can get in the deal. Those 2 models are a little more expensive than an earlier model, but the RAM is typically cheaper so it all evens out and you end up with a faster machine that will last longer.
* The newer models (T22, T23, A22, A30) have a much stronger probability of having wireless built-in or at the very least wireless ready (antenna's already present with the correct LCD covers). They will also be a lot more likely to have a COA for a relatively current OS (W2K/XP) and will be easier to work with in regard to drivers etc.

But hey....even if you end up with a T20 or 600, it should last her for a few years.

[rkawakami]

Another opinion...

You may want to consider a 600X as schen indicated. Can be had with a 650Mhz Speedstep (fairly rare) or a 500Mhz (usually easily obtainable) CPU. Coupled with a maxed out memory configuration (576MB), the system will probably do all that a kid needs to do. In fact my 15 year-old daughter is still using a 500Mhz/576MB system for her school work (Microsoft Word, web surfing) and for goofing off (Myspace).

The downside is that the 600X only came with a 13.3" XGA screen while the T2x can be had with 14.1" SXGA+. However, from a point of view of overall sturdiness, I would have to say that the 600X beats the T2x. I've noticed several problems with the T2x platform that don't seem to be evident in the 600X. Namely, broken Ultrabay mounting tabs, chassis flexing leading to loose connections and startup/boot issues on the T2x that I have not seen in the 600 series. Granted, I have had more dealings with broken T2x systems than 600s but that's been my experience.

[schen]

The downside is that the 600X only came with a 13.3" XGA screen while the T2x can be had with 14.1" SXGA+. However, from a point of view of overall sturdiness, I would have to say that the 600X beats the T2x. I've noticed several problems with the T2x platform that don't seem to be evident in the 600X. Namely, broken Ultrabay mounting tabs, chassis flexing leading to loose connections and startup/boot issues on the T2x that I have not seen in the 600 series. Granted, I have had more dealings with broken T2x systems than 600s but that's been my experience.

I definitely agree with this in-so-much as (IMHO), the 600 was the best made of all ThinkPads and when you combine that with specs that will run a relatively modern OS, does pose a good option. My recommendation of the newer machines are based on the ability to get into a box that can last a little longer given the cost parameters(all other factors being equal).

[pianowizard]

However, from a point of view of overall sturdiness, I would have to say that the 600X beats the T2x.

I totally agree. Unless your daughter is very experienced with laptops and knows how to handle them with care, the 600X is a better choice than the T2*'s. The prices of 600X's and T20's are very similar even though the T20 is a newer model, so in this sense the T20 is a better bargain. But because the 600X is built to be stronger, it might withstand abuses by an 8-year-old better, so in this sense the 600X would be a better investment.

[AlphaKilo470]

If you don't mind some extra bulk, the A series can be good. Avoid the A30 and A31 due to various design flaws and a delicate case. The A2x has a pretty good case design (reminds me of an oversized T series) and normally provides more computational power per dollar spent than similarly priced T series laptops. The A2x is also nice in that there's a floppy drive built in as well as an UltraBay 2000 (except for A22e which is in a modified T series chassis).

Buying an A21p or A22p would be a cheap way of acquiring a 15" UXGA screen. All A series with the P suffix have video input with MPEG encoding.

The T2x series of laptops deserves consideration if you need something thin and light. They are fast enough to run Windows XP Pro and Office 2003 and feature a lightweight case that's easy to carry around. Another good thing about the T2x is that a T20, T21 or T22 with 14" XGA screen can be had for well less than $200 if you know where to look.

[dorronto]

If you don't mind some extra bulk, the A series can be good. Avoid the A30 and A31 due to various design flaws and a delicate case. The A2x has a pretty good case design (reminds me of an oversized T series) and normally provides more computational power per dollar spent than similarly priced T series laptops. The A2x is also nice in that there's a floppy drive built in as well as an UltraBay 2000 (except for A22e which is in a modified T series chassis).

Buying an A21p or A22p would be a cheap way of acquiring a 15" UXGA screen. All A series with the P suffix have video input with MPEG encoding.

The T2x series of laptops deserves consideration if you need something thin and light. They are fast enough to run Windows XP Pro and Office 2003 and feature a lightweight case that's easy to carry around. Another good thing about the T2x is that a T20, T21 or T22 with 14" XGA screen can be had for well less than $200 if you know where to look.

I didn't realize the A30 and A31 series had some sort of design flaw? I almost picked one up a couple of weeks ago. Good heads up. Thanks.

Ron

[schen]

If you don't mind some extra bulk, the A series can be good. Avoid the A30 and A31 due to various design flaws and a delicate case.

I'm not aware of any more design flaws with this than most of the other models such as the T2x dying Motherboards, A2x various fuses blowing and i Series A/C plugs etc. I can say that we've gone through 3 of them (both A30 and A31) and they've soldiered on pretty much like the Ts that I've been using alongside them. I did get a interesting piece of information from my brother (who's worked on a lot more of them than I have), who says that they are commonly found with broken/cracked left rear corners due to a combination of their weight/bulk and people trying to pick them up one-handed (mostly with the right hand). Therefore, they end up falling on the left-rear when dropped. Otherwise, the ones I've had apart don't seem to be worse than other modern (post PII)ThinkPads I've worked on. Of course, they like most other of the newer machines don't compare favorably with the 700s and 600s.

When you compare the inflation adjusted costs of the machines, it's fairly obvious why.