Update:Advise between T410 T510 options Lenovo US Website?

[crashnburn]

UPDATE: There has been a change. Dad is tending more towards the 14" Frame so T410 instead of the T510 is in focus for now.
UPDATE: He is focused back on T510. Well I'll keep watching both until we pull the trigger.

Please advise on getting the right config for the T410. Thanks.

OLD T510 Stuff
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... E99E68D075

It shows 4 options and even though I see differences the differences become pointless because the options are available when you go to CUSTOMIZE.

So please tell me how they are different (significantly) if at all?

ThinkPad T510 laptop with integrated graphics
Enhanced ThinkPad T510 laptop
ThinkPad T510 - includes Microsoft Office Small Business 2007
ThinkPad T510 (Customize goes straight to Warranty)

Also guide me on the following options:

I am outlining the ones I am thinking of choosing in BOLD. Do advise. Questions in bold as well.

Processor Help me decide
Intel Core i5-520M Processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
Intel Core i5-540M Processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB) [add $50.00]
Intel Core i7-620M Processor (2.66GHz, 4MB L3, 1066MHz FSB) [add $200.00]
I am guessing 1st two are good options.. 200$ extra is too much for right now.

Operating system Help me decide
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 [$0.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 32 [add $30.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 [add $30.00] [Lenovo recommended]
33% of customers chose Windows 7 Professional
Windows XP Professional preinstalled through downgrade rights in Genuine Windows 7 Professional [add $30.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate 32 [add $100.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate 64 [add $100.00]
One of the Win 7 Pro's. Also can License be shifted from 32 to 64 bit? or Backwards.. Unless.. Does Ultimate really have something special?

Display - Im gonna wait it out for the WUXGA 1920 x 1080 / 1200 screens to come back... May Im being told. Please keep us POSTED..!!!

System graphics Help me decide
Intel HD Graphics with Always On USB - What is this always on USB thing? Worth having?
NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics with 512MB DDR3 Memory [add $125.00]
Selecting this option may delay your shipment 3-4 weeks.
Are there no discrete / switchable Graphics available? Or is this a temporary thing?
Whoops! Here I find one - Is this switchable or pure discrete. Would this benefit someone at all who is not going to be doing any GAMING at all?

Total memory Help me decide
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
3 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) [add $30.00]
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) [add $65.00] (Get the matching pair or get one and other cheaper from outside?)
4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM) [add $305.00]
8 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) [add $605.00]

Finger Print Reader Help me decide
None
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader [add $20.00]

Camera Help me decide
No Camera
Camera, 2.0 MP [add $30.00] - Worth it.

Storage devices

Hard Drive Help me decide
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm [add $30.00]
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm [add $70.00] Which one?
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm with Disk Encryption [add $90.00]
500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm [add $110.00]
128 GB Solid State Drive, Serial ATA [add $350.00]


Optical device Help me decide
Multi Recorder Optical Drive (12.7mm)
DVD Recordable (Dual Layer) - This was avail only on the last T510. Any different?


Battery Help me decide
6 cell 2.6Ah Li-Ion Battery - Dual Mode
9 cell 2.8Ah Li-Ion Battery - Dual Mode [add $50.00]

Bluetooth Help me decide
None
Bluetooth w/ antenna [add $20.00]


Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters
A wireless card must be selected to connect to a wireless network.
ThinkPad bgn Wireless
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 [$0.00]
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (2x2 AGN) [add $20.00]
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN) [add $40.00]
Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 [add $55.00]
The Help me Decide does not really work here... What are the advantages of one over another?
Between the 1st two I am thinking Thinkpad BGN since thats a non Intel card that could have Linux / Mac OS X Support...?
Last three.. I am wondering how the Adv & Ultimate help with the N connections?
WiMax - Whole different ball game if there were WiMax coverage all over the place..


Wireless WWAN accessories
No WWAN support

Wireless WWAN accessories
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable
Integrated Mobile Broadband (Gobi 2000 3G with GPS) [add $150.00]

My dad is going to be in India and traveling Europe / China maybe 2/-4 trips an year. We have USB EVDO cards here and very few laptops have inbuilt support. If at all I consider one of the WWANs should I check compatibility with the ISP?

[archer6]

I'm still traveling, once I arrive I will respond to this lengthy post from my ThinkPad (still on my BlackBerry)

Cheers..

[crashnburn]

I'm still traveling, once I arrive I will respond to this lengthy post from my ThinkPad (still on my BlackBerry)

Cheers..

Awaiting your response And others too..

[Mutnat]

Also guide me on the following options:

Processor Help me decide
Intel Core i5-520M Processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
Intel Core i5-540M Processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB) [add $50.00]
Intel Core i7-620M Processor (2.66GHz, 4MB L3, 1066MHz FSB) [add $200.00]
I am guessing 1st two are good options.. 200$ extra is too much for right now.

Yes, I'd personally recommend the i5-540M, but if budget is tight, you'd probably be happy with the 520M also. You're not going to get good value paying $200 to upgrade to the 620M.

Operating system Help me decide
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 [$0.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 32 [add $30.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 [add $30.00] [Lenovo recommended]
33% of customers chose Windows 7 Professional
Windows XP Professional preinstalled through downgrade rights in Genuine Windows 7 Professional [add $30.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate 32 [add $100.00]
Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate 64 [add $100.00]
One of the Win 7 Pro's. Also can License be shifted from 32 to 64 bit? or Backwards.. Unless.. Does Ultimate really have something special?

It sounds like you're planning to end up with 4 GB of RAM, so definitely go with a 64-bit version of Windows 7 (unless you have some very specific reason to go 32-bit, but those are getting fewer and fewer). Win 7 Ultimate is a waste of money for the vast majority of people. Pro is probably sufficient, unless you need BitLocker (a software-based full disk encryption).

System graphics Help me decide
Intel HD Graphics with Always On USB - What is this always on USB thing? Worth having?
NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics with 512MB DDR3 Memory [add $125.00]
Selecting this option may delay your shipment 3-4 weeks.
Are there no discrete / switchable Graphics available? Or is this a temporary thing?
Whoops! Here I find one - Is this switchable or pure discrete. Would this benefit someone at all who is not going to be doing any GAMING at all?

The T510 does not have a switchable option--you must choose either Integrated Intel HD graphics, or the Nvidia option. If you're not gaming, you should probably save the $125 and get the integrated graphics. They do everyday tasks plus HD video just fine. Apparently they can even play older games also, though I've never tried.

Total memory Help me decide
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
3 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) [add $30.00]
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) [add $65.00] (Get the matching pair or get one and other cheaper from outside?)
4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM) [add $305.00]
8 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) [add $605.00]

I'd say get the matching pair and be done with it. You might be able to get the 2nd stick a bit cheaper elsewhere, but $65 doesn't seem excessive and it's more convenient for it to arrive with the config you want if possible. Your milage may vary.

Finger Print Reader Help me decide
None
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader [add $20.00]

I personally find these a bit gimicky. I had one on my previous Toshiba laptop. I used the laptop for 3.3 years but I think I only used the finger print reader for the first week or two. I didn't bother getting one on my T510. But it is an inexpensive option so maybe it's worth it to you.

Hard Drive Help me decide
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm [add $30.00]
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm [add $70.00] Which one?
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm with Disk Encryption [add $90.00]
500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm [add $110.00]
128 GB Solid State Drive, Serial ATA [add $350.00]

Of the bold options, I'd suggest the 320GB 7200RPM. The faster spindle time will give you slightly better performance vs the 5400rpm. I don't think you lose much in extra power consumption or heat generation in current models, but I guess if you need to stretch your battery time to the absolute max all the time and you don't care about performance, you could go the 5400rpm route. In terms of capacity, bigger is always better so the size upgrade from 250->320 is probably money well spent also.

Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters
A wireless card must be selected to connect to a wireless network.
ThinkPad bgn Wireless
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 [$0.00]
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (2x2 AGN) [add $20.00]
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN) [add $40.00]
Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 [add $55.00]
The Help me Decide does not really work here... What are the advantages of one over another?
Between the 1st two I am thinking Thinkpad BGN since thats a non Intel card that could have Linux / Mac OS X Support...?
Last three.. I am wondering how the Adv & Ultimate help with the N connections?
WiMax - Whole different ball game if there were WiMax coverage all over the place..

Yeah these are definitely a bit confusing. I don't know much about driver availability in other operating systems to be honest. What sets the Intel 1000/6200/6300 options apart, primarily, is the number of antennas they use. The 1000 comes with 1 antenna, the 6200 2, and the 6300 3. Now, unless you have a very new wireless router that supports three simultaneous streams, you probably won't get any benefit to the 3-antenna 6300, and the 6200 is probably a good choice. I chose the 6300 anyway since it wasn't much extra (I believe it was a bit cheaper when I ordered mine from the Canadian site) and I was thinking I may end up upgrading routers at some point down the road.

Okay, that's about all I can tell you. I've skipped over a few things you asked because I wasn't as familiar with those options.

[Mutnat]

I don't know much about driver availability in other operating systems to be honest.

Actually, for Linux support, you may want to read through the 3 pages of this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=454357. It's about a T410 but most of the hardware is identical but with a different screen size, so you should be able to get some good info there.

[crashnburn]

System graphics Help me decide
Intel HD Graphics with Always On USB - What is this always on USB thing? Worth having?
NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics with 512MB DDR3 Memory [add $125.00]
Selecting this option may delay your shipment 3-4 weeks.
Are there no discrete / switchable Graphics available? Or is this a temporary thing?
Whoops! Here I find one - Is this switchable or pure discrete. Would this benefit someone at all who is not going to be doing any GAMING at all?

The T510 does not have a switchable option--you must choose either Integrated Intel HD graphics, or the Nvidia option. If you're not gaming, you should probably save the $125 and get the integrated graphics. They do everyday tasks plus HD video just fine. Apparently they can even play older games also, though I've never tried.

Would the Intel run a 2560x1600 display especially this one:
SP2309W 23-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor with Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/product ... u=320-7641

Hard Drive Help me decide
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm [add $30.00]
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm [add $70.00] Which one?
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm with Disk Encryption [add $90.00]
500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm [add $110.00]
128 GB Solid State Drive, Serial ATA [add $350.00]

Of the bold options, I'd suggest the 320GB 7200RPM. The faster spindle time will give you slightly better performance vs the 5400rpm. I don't think you lose much in extra power consumption or heat generation in current models, but I guess if you need to stretch your battery time to the absolute max all the time and you don't care about performance, you could go the 5400rpm route. In terms of capacity, bigger is always better so the size upgrade from 250->320 is probably money well spent also.

320G 5400 & 7200 RPM Drives
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... name=320GB
Ranging from 54 to 89.99

If we go for 320 7200 from the factory I pay 70$ and end up with only one HDD. If I get the 250, I could buy a 320 7200 for the difference. Worth it?

Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters
A wireless card must be selected to connect to a wireless network.
ThinkPad bgn Wireless
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 [$0.00]
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (2x2 AGN) [add $20.00]
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN) [add $40.00]
Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 [add $55.00]
The Help me Decide does not really work here... What are the advantages of one over another?
Between the 1st two I am thinking Thinkpad BGN since thats a non Intel card that could have Linux / Mac OS X Support...?
Last three.. I am wondering how the Adv & Ultimate help with the N connections?
WiMax - Whole different ball game if there were WiMax coverage all over the place..

Yeah these are definitely a bit confusing. I don't know much about driver availability in other operating systems to be honest. What sets the Intel 1000/6200/6300 options apart, primarily, is the number of antennas they use. The 1000 comes with 1 antenna, the 6200 2, and the 6300 3. Now, unless you have a very new wireless router that supports three simultaneous streams, you probably won't get any benefit to the 3-antenna 6300, and the 6200 is probably a good choice. I chose the 6300 anyway since it wasn't much extra (I believe it was a bit cheaper when I ordered mine from the Canadian site) and I was thinking I may end up upgrading routers at some point down the road.

Okay, that's about all I can tell you. I've skipped over a few things you asked because I wasn't as familiar with those options.

Im still wondering about the Wireless options. WiMax worth going for?

[Mutnat]

Would the Intel run a 2560x1600 display especially this one:
SP2309W 23-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor with Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/product ... u=320-7641

Wow this is a tough monitor to advise you on! First of all, it's actually not a 2560x1600 monitor, it's a 2048x1152 monitor. But here's the situation. Regardless of which graphics option you chose, your T410 will come with a DisplayPort video out, and that monitor doesn't have DisplayPort in. It does have both DVI-D and HDMI. So, you'll need to use an adapter. The problem is, from what I can tell, the DVI-D port on the monitor is single-link DVI-D, which I believe can only carry a max of 1920x1200 resolution. I'm not sure what the HDMI interface can carry--you might be able to use an inexpensive HDMI adapter to get the full 2048x1152 but I don't know for sure. Normally, monitors that support > 1920x1200 have a "Dual-Link" DVI port, which would require you to use a more expensive "active" adapter like this one: http://accessories.dell.com/sna/product ... u=330-5521 but which allow you to get to 2560x1600, for example.

The Intel graphics option can drive up to 2560x1600 so it should be able to drive the 2048x1152 monitor you've chosen, but I'm just not sure what adapter/cabling will get you there without either a DisplayPort or Dual-Link DVI input.

Your best bet for compatibility and ease of cabling is to find a monitor that has a DisplayPort input so you don't have to bother with adapters at all!

320G 5400 & 7200 RPM Drives
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... name=320GB
Ranging from 54 to 89.99

If we go for 320 7200 from the factory I pay 70$ and end up with only one HDD. If I get the 250, I could buy a 320 7200 for the difference. Worth it?

Well again it all depends. Do you want multiple hard drives? Don't forget you'd have to buy an UltraBay adapter from Lenovo (I'm not sure of the price to be honest I've never looked) and take out your optical drive. Also, using a 2nd HDD will add a bit of weight, and may deplete your battery charge a bit quicker than the optical drive (which PowerManager can switch off when not in use to save power).

Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters
Im still wondering about the Wireless options. WiMax worth going for?

I don't know much about WiMax. A quick google search gives this product info from Sprint: http://developer.sprint.com/site/global ... rience.jsp. It's supposed to be fast. However, I believe the service areas are still quite limited, and I have no idea what sort of monthly fees Sprint charges for access--you'll have to look into that and decide if it's worth it. Another option you could consider if you need to be connected outside of available WiFi zones is 3G like that Gobi adapter.

[rogersyd]

My T410 specs are below. I am extremely pleased with this config. Web surfing/video, word processing, Propeller chip dev work, and MAME make up the majority of cycle times.


WXGA+ - BEAUTIFUL. (Love FN+SpaceBar. I was a doubter until I began using it) The switch to this longer screen took some getting used to. However it is awesome with applications that use folder tree views to the left of the main screen. (Like firefox with a bookmarks window, ComicRack, Fastone, software development applications tools...)

4 gigs of ram -- plenty for now, wouldn't recommend any less

the camera -- why not. haven't used yet but it is only 2010 after all.

NVIDIA chipset -- i play old school video games, watch lots of hd video (from nas, local hd, and web) with no issues. Tempted to install my old versions of Premier Pro and Adobe Audition.

the four cell battery -- realistically i am never far from an outlet, i have yet found it necessary to drag the cord around the house. The power management tools are great with an almost excessive amount of options.

win 7 pro 64 -- The built in tools (mostly spawned with FN key combination's) are slick. Out of the box the image is relatively clean. There are videos on youtube with Lenovo engineers going on and on about how the operating system was optimized in cooperation with Microsoft. Unfortunately there where 20+ useless services running and one or two redundant icons and task-bars. (If you use firefox, disable the built in middle mouse button options for best results.) The option to delay the start-up of services is awesome.

docking station -- the one I selected has no ps2 ports! (I purchased this from pro-vantage who had the best prices on the docks.)

Other random thoughts --Extremely pleased with this unit. There are a few minor annoyances that I haven't ironed out. The device doesn't feel quite as solid as I had imagined but still very tank-ish. Why do I need a switch and a hot key for the wifi card? And why do they behave differently? Like the other purists on this forum, I would kindly request that Lenovo keep all the LEDs under the screen where they belong. The power button light is annoying. Love the browser back and forward buttons. They could not be in a better place. The trackpad is decent, although the scrolling feature has been hit or miss when used in web pages like this one where there are multiple scroll-able windows. Over an excellent keyboard.

no fingerprint gizmo -- didnt really see any need for this.

[crashnburn]

Would the Intel run a 2560x1600 display especially this one:
SP2309W 23-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor with Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/product ... u=320-7641

Wow this is a tough monitor to advise you on! First of all, it's actually not a 2560x1600 monitor, it's a 2048x1152 monitor. But here's the situation. Regardless of which graphics option you chose, your T410 will come with a DisplayPort video out, and that monitor doesn't have DisplayPort in. It does have both DVI-D and HDMI. So, you'll need to use an adapter. The problem is, from what I can tell, the DVI-D port on the monitor is single-link DVI-D, which I believe can only carry a max of 1920x1200 resolution.

I'm not sure what the HDMI interface can carry--you might be able to use an inexpensive HDMI adapter to get the full 2048x1152 but I don't know for sure. Normally, monitors that support > 1920x1200 have a "Dual-Link" DVI port, which would require you to use a more expensive "active" adapter like this one: http://accessories.dell.com/sna/product ... u=330-5521 but which allow you to get to 2560x1600, for example.

The Intel graphics option can drive up to 2560x1600 so it should be able to drive the 2048x1152 monitor you've chosen, but I'm just not sure what adapter/cabling will get you there without either a DisplayPort or Dual-Link DVI input.

Your best bet for compatibility and ease of cabling is to find a monitor that has a DisplayPort input so you don't have to bother with adapters at all!

My dad was using 1920x1200 on his current Dell Inspiron 6000 with ATI X300 Video card. He wanted something high res so we just RECENTLY bought that Monitor for him. And for that kinda resolution it was a pretty good deal.

He's running that monitor at full resolution from the OLD Dell machine which I am sure does not have Display Port and I am guessing is using DVI.

As per what you're saying at that high resolution it has to be Dual Link DVI-D..? Cannot be Single link DVI? Right.

Question:
Do T410 & T510 support Dual link DVI-D ?
and/or
Is it possible to get a not so expensive Display port > Dual DVI dongle / converter?

320G 5400 & 7200 RPM Drives
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... name=320GB
Ranging from 54 to 89.99

If we go for 320 7200 from the factory I pay 70$ and end up with only one HDD. If I get the 250, I could buy a 320 7200 for the difference. Worth it?

Well again it all depends. Do you want multiple hard drives? Don't forget you'd have to buy an UltraBay adapter from Lenovo (I'm not sure of the price to be honest I've never looked) and take out your optical drive. Also, using a 2nd HDD will add a bit of weight, and may deplete your battery charge a bit quicker than the optical drive (which PowerManager can switch off when not in use to save power).

I am not adding a second HDD inside. What I meant to say was it would give us a SPARE HDD. That can be used for MORE STORAGE. $$$ Something that would cost 80-100$. Unless I am guessing the warranty coverage on it helps if I have a longer 3 year warranty?


BTW - It seems that he might be slipping towards T510 land again.

[Mutnat]

As per what you're saying at that high resolution it has to be Dual Link DVI-D..? Cannot be Single link DVI? Right.

Actually I just looked on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface) and it says that Single-Link DVI supports up to 2098 x 1311 in the 16:10 aspect ratio. So you *should* be okay with an inexpensive DisplayPort to Single-Link DVI adapter! Obviously I can't guarantee it will work, but on paper it definitely should.

Question:
Do T410 & T510 support Dual link DVI-D ?
and/or
Is it possible to get a not so expensive Display port > Dual DVI dongle / converter?

To get Dual-DVI, you need an "active" converter which contains it's own circuitry, which is why it's more money than the single-link adapters (which are passive). The good news is, as I stated just above, I don't think you'll need Dual-Link for the monitor you have.

I am not adding a second HDD inside. What I meant to say was it would give us a SPARE HDD. That can be used for MORE STORAGE. $$$ Something that would cost 80-100$. Unless I am guessing the warranty coverage on it helps if I have a longer 3 year warranty?

Well bear in mind that once you take out the HDD that comes in the laptop, you'll still need an enclosure of some kind to be able to use it as an external drive (for "MORE STORAGE"). These can be relatively inexpensive but something to keep in mind. The drive on it's own isn't any use to you without an enclosure to provide power and either a USB 2.0, FireWire (IEEE 1394), or eSATA connection

BTW - It seems that he might be slipping towards T510 land again.

I may be biased, but I'd say that's not a bad thing!!

[crashnburn]

Great. Thanks on the confirmation about the Monitor & DVI etc.

I am guessing thats a pretty sweet spot to be in without having to go Dual DVI.

Question: I do have a T61 (model below) with NVS 140m that runs my 30" Gateway LCD 2560 x 1600 through my 2504 10U dock which has DVI Passthrough.

Can I run this LCD in some way with the T510 / T410? Does the version of DOCK for T510 have a DVI-D Passthrough?

(To run this 2560x1600 would Intel HD Vid Card work or do I need Discrete NVIDIA etc? )

HDD - I think I have an enclosure or two that I can use or get a new one

[Mutnat]

Question: I do have a T61 (model below) with NVS 140m that runs my 30" Gateway LCD 2560 x 1600 through my 2504 10U dock which has DVI Passthrough.

Can I run this LCD in some way with the T510 / T410? Does the version of DOCK for T510 have a DVI-D Passthrough?

(To run this 2560x1600 would Intel HD Vid Card work or do I need Discrete NVIDIA etc? )

The Intel HD video is capable of driving a monitor at 2560x1600 just fine so you don't need discrete graphics. I don't know about the dock for the T510 as I don't use one and have never looked at them--hopefully someone else can answer that. Or, you should be able to look at the specs on Lenovo's site to see if it has a DVI-D output. Your other alternative is to use an active DisplayPort -> DVI-D adapter like this Dell one http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/prod ... u=330-5521. There are probably others, all should be around the $100 range. So if you don't need/want a dock for any other reason, that is the cheaper alternative.

[crashnburn]

Question: I do have a T61 (model below) with NVS 140m that runs my 30" Gateway LCD 2560 x 1600 through my 2504 10U dock which has DVI Passthrough.

Can I run this LCD in some way with the T510 / T410? Does the version of DOCK for T510 have a DVI-D Passthrough?

(To run this 2560x1600 would Intel HD Vid Card work or do I need Discrete NVIDIA etc? )

The Intel HD video is capable of driving a monitor at 2560x1600 just fine so you don't need discrete graphics. I don't know about the dock for the T510 as I don't use one and have never looked at them--hopefully someone else can answer that. Or, you should be able to look at the specs on Lenovo's site to see if it has a DVI-D output. Your other alternative is to use an active DisplayPort -> DVI-D adapter like this Dell one http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/prod ... u=330-5521. There are probably others, all should be around the $100 range. So if you don't need/want a dock for any other reason, that is the cheaper alternative.

Interesting. Thanks. I did look it up and realized that. I am guessing T500 atleast was 2504 10U compatible.

Also on the Thinpad 3 series and 3 series plus docks..
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 72871.html
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 72873.html

VGA analog monitor supporting 1920 x 1200 resolution
One Single-Link DVI-D digital monitor supporting 1920 x 1200 resolution
Single-Link DVI-D port does not support attachment of a DVI-to-VGA monitor adapter.
One DisplayPort monitor supporting 2560 x 1600 resoltion

Supports attachment of DisplayPort monitor cables; Using DisplayPort monitor cables reduces resolution to 1920 x 1200

DisplayPort monitor cables
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 70321.html

The DisplayPort monitor cables lets you easily connect a DVI-D digital monitor or a VGA analog monitor to a system or graphic card with a DisplayPort connector. The following DisplayPort monitor cables are available:
DisplayPort to Single-Link DVI-D Monitor Cable (45J7915)
Support for attaching a single-link DVI-D digital-only monitor
1920 x 1200 WUXGA maximum resolution
Includes 1080p HD (1920 x 1080) resolution
DisplayPort plug and DVI-D receptacle connectors
No software required