Thinkpads Forum

Hi All,

I am debating between the lovely T400 and the new 14.1'' Dells. There is the slightly more economical latitude version the E6400, and a very similar precision workstation M2400.

All machines seem to use magnesium cases that attracted me to Dells. I hate their plastic finish but these two seem to get good reviews.

They can all be configured similarly with the main difference being the graphics card. I was initially leaning towards the T400 as I am a current T43p user. However, Lenovo's service is a big red flag for me - it does not compare to Dell's. I work for a university and both Dell and Lenovo are very aggressive with their pricing, so money is not an issue.

My expected use: Some traveling, MS Office, Matlab simulations, no gaming but occasional demanding 3D CAD work, connected to an external 24'' monitor.

Here are some links to the machines:
T400:http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4569
Dell E6400: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4586

Interesting thread comparing all three:
http://www.overclock.net/laptops-notebo ... ersus.html

My questions:
1. Has anyone done any similar research or has access to all models for a hands-on opinion?
2. Are there any MAJOR flaws/advantages that would point you to a particular model?
3. Can I use my T43p batteries or power adapters with the T400?
4. Are the SSD HDs really worth it? Are the SSDs from Dell different than the ones from Lenovo?

I had a problem with my T43p and I requested the purchased NBD service. It took them 3 weeks to bring the MB from China that left me really disappointed with Lenovo. The advantage with Dell is that my school has leverage, with Lenovo it is more like a "good luck dude" attitude.

Your thoughts are highly appreciated.

I was planning to replace my beloved T61 with the new T400 however when i gave the T400 a try at Lenovo's showroom i immediately scrapped my plans! the new keyboard sucks it flexes like cheap notebooks + the T400 lacks a DisplayPort which i really need so i really felt that its unnecessary for me to pay money and get nothing in return meanwhile the new Dell E6400 is a very solid laptop external casing is made from Magnesium alloy + all reviews say it has a very good keyboard + it has a DisplayPort if i was you i would defiantly buy the E6400

nxman wrote:I was planning to replace my beloved T61 with the new T400 however when i gave the T400 a try at Lenovo's showroom i immediately scrapped my plans! the new keyboard sucks it flexes like cheap notebooks + the T400 lacks a DisplayPort which i really need so i really felt that its unnecessary for me to pay money and get nothing in return meanwhile the new Dell E6400 is a very solid laptop external casing is made from Magnesium alloy + all reviews say it has a very good keyboard + it has a DisplayPort if i was you i would defiantly buy the E6400

I think everyone in this room has strong feelings about the keyboard. Any advice beyond that?

I really can't understand what you people are complaining about. The T400 keyboard is solid, it's fast and it's even quieter when typing fast. Before ordering my T400 i worked on a T60 for about a month and I can only say the new keyboard rocks. The only thing I dislike about the keyboard is the way the key labels are printed, otherwise it's still the best keyboard out there.
Nevertheless if one feels uncomfortable with the new keyboard (I say it's more of a personal choice, preference) a T61 keyboard replacement can be a solution.
By the way if you're interested more in the new keyboard, check the Lenovo Design blog:
http://lenovoblogs.com/designmatters/?p=228
They seem to have a pretty good explanation on their drastic keyboard change decision.

My T400 keyboard has a lot of flex on the left side. When you type a little hard, and hit any of the keys on the left, it flexes, and you hear a little vibration from it. I replaced it with the Chicony keyboard. I can smash the keys, and it is like hitting a brick wall.

Only thing I can't stand about thinkpad keyboards is the Fn and CTRL should be reversed. I find it very annoying.

As for not purchasing the T400 because of the keyboard, just by a replacement keyboard for it. Cost about $50.

I just wanted to clarify that the keyboard is not a major issue for me. I do not want this thread to turn into another debate over that.

More specific questions:
- Does anyone know if the SSD is really worth it considering I get a deep discount?
- Would an integrated graphics card satisfy my needs (see first post)?

Thanks in advance.

- SSD not worth it. Read times are good, write times are not even if cost isn't an issue.

- Recommend getting the hybrid. Price difference is little and it extends the effective usefulness time of the laptop.

Other notes:

1) I have not noticed the flex on the laptop. From the forums, I did compare it to the T60 and T61 and if I press hard enough I can see a bit of a difference but not much.

2) The T400 is a pain to hook up to external monitors right now because the integrated card doesn't seem to work through the DVI connector of the docking station.

3) I got the 4 cell battery. I get about 3 hours with it in real world use.