T420 or T420s?

[Geartooth]

Having discovered the wonders of Taobao i am now screwed. Anyways T420 or T420s? T420s is only slightly more expensive than T420, but I'm scared of not being able to upgrade it. I do want to take it out with me though.

[Thinkpad4by3]

T420s is a light feather, and with the i7 it will go fast. If you need serious power on the go, a T420 with a quad-core processor is possible and batteries are bigger and easier to get. If you don't need the i7-QC, get the T420s.

[Geartooth]

I probably don't need a Quad Core anyways, but how moddable are T420s vs T420?

[shawross]

An earlier thinkpad forum comparison here viewtopic.php?t=100345

[jwjensen356]

I have both, T420 and T420s. Both modded similarly, SSD and added memory (T420s to 16GB). I prefer the T420s because it is lighter. What other mods do you have in mind?

[Geartooth]

Do you haul your T420 around? I'm Planning to install a HDD Caddy instead of the DVD Drive.

[axur-delmeria]

Do you haul your T420 around? I'm Planning to install a HDD Caddy instead of the DVD Drive.

Unless you're going for a dual-HDD setup, I suggest an mSATA SSD instead. If you don''t need the DVD, you can remove it and get a blank cover for the ultrabay.

[Geartooth]

Unless you're going for a dual-HDD setup, I suggest an mSATA SSD instead. If you don''t need the DVD, you can remove it and get a blank cover for the ultrabay.

Yeah, I'm looking to install 2 HDD. Not like I NEED the storage space, but hey.

[bit_twiddler]

I use both. T420 has the advantage of better availability of third party batteries (i.e., 9-cell),
but screen upgrades are easier for the T420s (AFAIK, but this may have changed.)

[jwjensen356]

"Do you haul your T420 around? I'm Planning to install a HDD Caddy instead of the DVD Drive."

Not so much. But it will be a pleasure to do so since I have it at about 3.75# This is with a blank caddy that can be swapped out with either a slice battery or a DVD drive (as needed).

[bit_twiddler]

Forgot to mention that the T420s has usb 3.0 + 2.0, while the T420 has esata-p + usb 2.0.
Esata is quite fine as long as you are willing to get the right enclosures, cables, etc.

The T420s will not be able to use the usb 3.0 port on a mini-dock which is so equipped,
for that I think that you need a T430s, T430, W530, or whatever. But, I can't actually
verify that because I don't have any of those machines.

[dr_st]

The T420s will not be able to use the usb 3.0 port on a mini-dock which is so equipped,
for that I think that you need a T430s, T430, W530, or whatever. But, I can't actually
verify that because I don't have any of those machines.

You are correct. All **30 series will work with the USB 3.0 on the Mini-dock. From the **20 series, only the X220 i7 will work with the USB 3.0 on the Mini-dock.

[jaspen-meyer]

The T420s is easier to carry around and thinner. That said, it gets hotter and the fan runs more often.

The stock screens of some T420s are terrible. Color calibration helps but you should plan to get a new screen.

I don't typically take the T420 or T420s out of the house. The only exception is when I need a powerful machine in which case I bring my T420. Specs are SSD, HDD caddy, mstata drive, 16gb ram, quad core.

[Hans Gruber]

I would suggest an x220 for travel and either a T420 or T420s for home. I think of the T420 as a desktop replacement and the T420s as a mobile laptop. Obviously there is a W520 but that is more of a beast that they call a desktop replacement while the T420 is much more portable than a W520. I have a T420s, it's a nice machine.

[gfuller]

Am I the only one that lugs my T420 around with me all of the time?

[TPFanatic]

I also carry my T430 around. Hoping to replace that job with an X201!

[TonyJZX]

I have both with similar spec. ie. 1,600 x 900, t2540m, 8Gb ssd

however my 420 has the nvidia and my 420s has intel gfx

i'd say the 420s is superior everywhere.... built in USB3 its slimmer lighter

the only downside is the bga soldered cpu

both have 3 spindles ie. sata2 msata sata3 hdd and ultrabay

i do however like my 420 since it was about half the price and i assume the 420 should be widely available unlike the 420s

[turomini]

I carry my T420s with me a lot. I will be doing some upgrades soon. It came with the i7 CPU, and the Nvidia GPU, which are the only parts you really can't change.
Its not a quad core, but it is more than capable of handling anything I want it to. The size is good for when I carry it to class with me, everything else already weighs enough.

With the T420s, and T430s you can upgrade the display to 2560x1400. Throw in a good SSD, max out the ram, then just the wifi card, mSATA drive, etc to fit your needs.
The only down side is the battery can't be expanded, so it will be a limiting factory if you are off the charger for a very long time, but there is the ultrabay battery you can add.
Or be like me, I'm going to try to replace the batteries inside a spare battery I have, which is almost completely dead. The cells used are 103450, which aren't as common as 18650, but you can still find them. The reason I'm doing this is mostly for fun, and you have to know its possible to have perfect batteries and have a problem with the circuit board that controls the batteries.

[TonyJZX]

As true laptops both arent great.

If you're close to a power socket then you dont care... I'm almost always near a socket at work etc.

The 420s has a relatively rare battery.

The 420 uses the 410 battery so its realtively common.

Both can use the same ultrabay battery but its rare.

A 420 w/ that 9 cell and a ultrabay might do 4-5hrs at best?

The 420s with the std. and ultrabay is a lot worse.

[TPFanatic]

T420 cannot use a ultrabay batt actually, it has no connector in the ultrabay for one. They can use a 9 cell Slice battery that uses the Dock connector, the 15" series too.