Just ordered a T400, some questions

[mwok]

I was deciding between the T400 and T400s, the only thing that I don't like about the T400s is the battery placement and the 1.8" drive requirement. So I ordered the T400.

The configuration I ordered is:
Core 2 Duo P8400
Intel 4500MHD IGP
SSD
LED screen
Intel 5100 WIFI
4-cell Battery

The laptop will be used for typing equations in a typeset editor and some programming. Heat and noise are a big concern for me.

1) I read about the keyboard flex issue and that it was later resolved in updated T400 (2009+) models. Is it really fixed?
2) The estimated ship date is 9/30. Does it really take that long?
3) What is the actual weight of the notebook as configured? I want it as light as possible. I know the T400s is 3.9lbs.
4) I usually use maximum power savings mode (50% brightness), what is the battery life of the 4-cell?
5) Does the T400 come with a USB powered ESATA port?
6) I want to remove the optical drive, can I replace it with an empty hard drive adapter?
7) Is the T400 too bulky? Is it sturdy?

[dr_st]

1) Judging by my experience with some models manufactured in 04/2009 - no, not even close. If that's the improved one, I dread to think how it was before.

2)

3) With the 4-cell battery, I'd say about 2.25-2.3kg.

4) I'd expect you'd be able to get up to 3 hours.

5)

6) Yes, there is a thing called "travel bezel". It is essentially an empty plastic cover.

7) Depends on who you ask. IMO, with the 4-cell battery, it's not. Maybe a tad thicker than I would like, but still OK. With the huge 9-cell battery, oh yes, it is. But IMO. Not everyone thinks so.

[dunefeather]

1) My keyboard has very little flex, although the Thinkpad T400 is the first Thinkpad I have ever owned. So personally, after using a cheap Compaq for 2 years, I believe the keyboard is relatively stiff. Wait until it arrives, but if the keyboard is a concern. I hear it is possible to replace it with an older keyboard that still has a metal backplate.

2) Mine was ordered October 2008, and arrived sometime late November. I think it takes so long since they have to build the laptop with the specific configuration? But really I have no idea.

3) If you want as light as possible, 4 cell is the lightest. But I have a 6 cell and I wouldn't be able to tell you how much either of them weigh. It's fairly light without the battery though.

4) Depends if you got the LED backlighting. With the LED backlight, I actually keep the brightness at 30%. From experience, with Wifi on, Brightness 30%, and with the CPU on "low" speed, I've gotten about 6 hours out of the T400. The LED backlighting is very bright!

5) I have no idea.

6) Sure. But the T400 can automatically power off the drive when you're on battery.

7) I believe the T400 is less bulky than a conventional 15.4" laptop. But it's a 14 inch laptop. So if you're used to 15.4" laptops, it will feel a little less bulky. It is, however, a little thick. As for being sturdy, it doesn't feel very sturdy at some points and feels very sturdy at other points.

The keyboard does have some flex, it feels like it were made of plastic instead of some kind of metal backing. (As there is none.) There are some points on this laptop there will be some bulges, or some give when you squeeze it. However, the laptop has faced extreme abuse from me, I tipped it over once while it was completely vertical on its self, and I slammed it into a wall by accident a few times, and there has been no apparent damage.

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But, thankfully, for heat and noise. Assuming you are using integrated graphics processor, heat would be completely negligible. If you use the discrete graphics, it will get extremely hot. I don't know everyone's standards on how "quiet" a laptop can be, but I sleep with it on next to my bed and I hardly even realize it's there.

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All in all though, I would want to get a T400s, except the cost for me, at this time, is prohibitively high. And I happened to have ordered mine before the T400s was available.