Thinkpads Forum

Hi all!

I just ordered my very first ThinkPad!

I'm extremely excited. I sold a 17" Gateway for something a little more portable.

I have settled on a T60p, with the specs in my signature.

I just wanted to say hello and jump into the community! 3-4 weeks and I'll have the machine!

Thanks a bunch, and I'll give you updates!

-3nigma

Welcome to the Forums.

And, yes, I imagine your excitement, should be like waiting Santa to deliver your next big gift.

Enjoy the machine. Thinkpads are a joy of laptops to use

Congrats on your new rig!! It is an uber-powerful laptop!! I am planing to buy a T60p too.

you neglect to say which model..
14 inch or 15 inch..

welcome to the club..

hey guys,

you forgot that BillMorrow is also selling thinkpads. Buy from him and you will be happy X2. Cheap and get exactly what you want.

BTW: i loved all my thinkpads and i am very excited while waiting for my thinkpad (t30) to arrive. Luckily i never hyperventilate and faint when my T30 was delayed for 5 days due to some custom problem. The rest of my thinkpads are bought from the shops and it was immediate cash and carry.

A big WELCOME to thinkpads support forum.

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy your lappy it surely is the best of the crop. I am still waiting my T60... should it arrive by halloween or its being loaded in Santa's sleigh?

Congrats 3nigma! I too just ordered a T-60 on 10/25 and hope that I do not suffer the long delays that others have posted about. The rep "checked stock" for me and said 8-10 days, but maybe sooner, he wouldn't make any promises. But then the official email from them confirmed the order to be shipped 11/20? I emailed them back but they acted like the rep had told me 11/20 from the beginning, so we shall see. Please keep us posted on any delays you may encounter. What ship date did your confirmation email say?

Note from Moderator: The shipping sticky is at http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=21451

Thanks for the hearty welcome, all!

I bought a 14" to be more portable. I have had in the past a 17" and 15"wide, but both were not as portable as I'd like to be. I think 12" is too small for my gaming tastes (but PERFECT for my portability), so I like Apple's 13.3" wide MacBook configuration. It was hard for me to decide between the MacBook and ThinkPad, not because of hardware, but because of the operating system. The ThinkPad wins hands-down on hardware against anyone, but Mac OS X is as much a joy to use as I'm told the ThinkPad is! So I'm planning on testing Mac OSx86- I'll report my results =).

It's an SXGA+, 1400x1050.

I don't mind waiting for the laptop- I've waitied a couple monthsf or the Core 2 Duo refresh, so I can wait another 3-4 weeks. My next reading project is the shipping thread, so thanks for the heads up on that =).

But actually, in the "T61p" thread, I have been reading that on 11/28 they are releasing widescreen T series ThinkPads. I do CAD work at my job (CNC manufacturer), and I do the occasional gaming (hence the 256MB video card), so I do like the widescreep 16:9 aspect ratio for those elements. I am undecided on the gloss screen vs. the matte screen, and I know there are heated adherents on either side.

One reason I bought now is because the DVD writer was a free upgrade, and the 100GB hard drive was only a $20 special (as opposed to the usual $80 or more). There was also a free 9 cell battery, but it adds a whole 1/2 pound to the weight, and usually I use my laptop plugged in an outlet, so it wasn't needed (sorry if anyone gets frustrated with me over that 0=).

Can anyone else offer insight into the widescreen T series supposedly on 11/28? Anyone have more sources they can reference, or also if it's gloss vs. matte?

Thanks again for the welcome- I'm extremely excited!

-3nigma

Hi,

I did'nt want to open an other thread so I announce my first Thinkpad purchase ever on your thread ! (Hope you don't mind)

I just ordered a T60 14" sxga+ Core 2 Duo 2 GHz with all the free bonus we love (20$ upgrade to 100 gb DD, free 9 cell battery and free DVD DL writer).

I can't wait to receive that uber notebook, I'm so excited after 5 years of Gericom crap (hum hum).

I'm just a little concerned about the shipping delays everybody is encountering : I ordered it on october, 24th and so far it is scheduled to ship on 11/10. I need that notebook for my thanksgiving break, so fingers crossed !

P.S : very pleased to enter this joyful community of Thinkpads owners

Welcome zouav, Lenovo won`t let you down, the problem is in my opinion they don`t have a fireproof information system and they are used to cast doubts on the clients, who for obvious reasons are full of awareness and a little suspicious as in my recent case, I finally got today an excellent T60 and am very happy with it. It`s worth the waiting and suffering... (almost one and a half month, time which was announced when buying the notebook)

Congrats back to you as well, zouzav! How exciting that we are getting our new ThinkPads together!

Does anyone have any other news on the 11/28 announcement of widescreen T series?

Thanks again!
-3nigma -D

NS, thanks for the reminder that BillMorrow sells ThinkPads as well.

Bill, are you a sales rep for the ThinkPads? Can we configure a system to the perfect specs through you? Do you work for Lenovo? Do you get a special discount, so it's the same machine at a lower price?

I'd love to order through you if I get the same machine for less, and faster. I also ordered a 3-year warranty.

What's the details on all that?

Thanks again!
-3nigma

Also- I'm not reading the Shipping Details thread (up to 22 pages now!). I didn't realize I could've haggled the price w/ the sales rep, I'm great at haggling and could've saved some cash. Is this true, or is it set corporate pricing (through Lenovo I mean, no through Bill)? Thanks again!

Try PM'ing Bill, so that you know that he will respond, since he doesn't get to ready every thread here.

Also, as an FYI: No, he doesn't work for Lenovo.

i USED to resell new thinkpads..
but not any longer..
for a variety of reasons..

the PCVar dealership is probably no longer good (i have not tested that for years)..
and to buy as a PCVar the discount is, like 5% off web list price, from my distributor, ingram micro..

then when ibm invited me to buy direct, i started out with a decent discount (for those days) and it built up to where i was getting a good discount and selling upwards of 50 thinkpads a month..
then i learned that they did not want ME to sell new thinkpads when they cut me off and nearly fired the sales rep..


now, there is too little profit for the risk and overhead, so i don't do it anymore..
and i have been thinking to sell thinkpads.com (the web site, not the forum) or rent it to other notebook direct vendors..

so, that is the quick version of the story..
the moral of which is don't do too well and they will leave you alone..

sometimes, i can get a few new thinkpads at a decent discount that will allow me to sell and make a profit..
but these are few and i must be selling a top end thinkpad..
otherwise, why bother..

OK!! I can't stand waiting anymore . I'm ready to order a t60p 14". How do you recommend I order it. Online or call a sales rep??? Any caveats???
Suggestions welcome.

I have ordered on-line and using a sales rep, if/when I order my next thinkpad i'll call and use a rep, I got good one on one communication from the rep I had.

steveg47 wrote:OK!! I can't stand waiting anymore . I'm ready to order a t60p 14". How do you recommend I order it. Online or call a sales rep??? Any caveats???
Suggestions welcome.

Do BOTH...I customized mine on-line, saved it as a quote, printed it out, and then called Lenovo. The rep pulled it up on the screen and we went over everything to make sure it was correct; and I pleaded my case that I would not wait 3 weeks for a computer. HE placed the order, gave me the order number, and after checking with "someone" he said 8-10 days...now that's not what was on the screen the next day, but at least I can go back and argue if it takes too long, like the 11/20 date I was sent. Good Luck!

steveg47 wrote:OK!! I can't stand waiting anymore . I'm ready to order a t60p 14". How do you recommend I order it. Online or call a sales rep??? Any caveats???
Suggestions welcome.

Steve,
Try to save $$ where you can. Do you really need a T60p or will a T60 do? Do you need the OpenGL support or the higher speed graphics. Remember, higher speed graphics chips eat battery.

Don't forget to add 1 GB RAM from www.newegg.com

I wish I would've read more of these miscellaneous threads before ordering. Since the time I've ordered, I wish I would have 1) did the same thing and requested/demanded a better shipping time, and 2) haggle the pricing down to save a little bit.

I guess I can probably call them up and at least apply a retro-active educational discount.

Is it true that there is wiggle room in the pricing and you can haggle a bit, or is it just set corporate pricing? Someone reported that they haggled $2999 to $2099 or 2300 or something.

Thanks again, guys!
-3nigma

dfumento, you miss my point. After 30+ years in the computer industry I know what I want. I'm just looking for recommendations on the best approach to ordering it from people who have already acquired experienced with ordering laptops from Lenovo.
Should I simply order online or contact a sales rep?? From other posts i get the impression that info from sales reps are generally unreliable. Is there anything to be gained talking with a rep? I'm the cautious type especially when there is $2000+ involved but my past experience dealing with sales reps of all types has been generally unrewarding.

corymcnutt, I think your approach makes some sense and couldn't hurt. Personally, I believe that trying to pressure the rep for a better delivery date will probably do little or no good and may only serve to increase the aggravation level. I would be interested to know if anyone has actually gotten an earlier delivery by bugging the rep.

I read on another forum for Thinkpads of a few people who gave "sob stories" and were rewarded. One was leaving the country in 5 days and still didn't have theirs after 2-3 weeks and the rep got it there in 2 days. If you ask in a positve way I doubt that you will increase their aggrevation level...rudeness would certainly irritate, but politeness will go a long way. I tried to be his "buddy", ha, and he was very nice to me. That is when he (supposely) checked on the stock of the parts and confirmed it should only be 8-10 days, probably less, but he wouldn't make any promises. Good Luck!

steveg47, have you read through the shipping post's at the top of this conference? It is a quick education through the real world of thinkpad shipping, with stats and stories. We've all been there done that and shared our experiences, some good some not. Check that out.

steveg47 wrote:OK!! I can't stand waiting anymore . I'm ready to order a t60p 14". How do you recommend I order it. Online or call a sales rep??? Any caveats???
Suggestions welcome.

Order online immediately and get the free upgrades before they end on 10/31.

Hard drive: Upgrade from 60GB to 100GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive ($60 value).
Battery: Upgrade from a 6 cell to a 9 cell Lithium-Ion battery ($50 value).
Optical drive : Upgrade from a CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo drive to a DVD Recordable drive ($70 value).

Free Upgrades on T60