Thinkpads Forum

I am about to buy a laptop and thanks to my friend who have R61 I fall in love with ThinkPad. I was watching at more available thinkpads here where I live in Macedonia, so I found more accessible the SL500 with good configuration, I want more R as my friend, but the only was with celeron processor, so I want Core 2 Duo. Then when I researched together with my friend, we found SL not so recommended and less quality than others. So when we contacted the IBM we learned that R61 is not offered by Lenovo now, but they say close to that one is R400 and R500 - which I like more.

So what you people think? Should I insist to find R500 than to buy SL one?

Thanks in advance, I am not familiar yet with the laptops so I am a little bit confused and lost in choice, but I am sure I want a thinkpad one. .

It might help if you gave some indication of what you plan to do with it. I would point out the R400 is probably a little more stout due to the roll cage in the lid, which the R500 lacks. It's also more mobile if you need it. Unless you're planning on getting the WSXGA+ screen, the R400 might be worth a look.

FredGarvin wrote:It might help if you gave some indication of what you plan to do with it. I would point out the R400 is probably a little more stout due to the roll cage in the lid, which the R500 lacks.

I would say that the extra thickness of the R500 lid will make it much more stout than whatever rollcage they can put inside the lid of the R400.

FredGarvin wrote:It's also more mobile if you need it. Unless you're planning on getting the WSXGA+ screen, the R400 might be worth a look.

That's true. The R400 is almost the same as the T400 as far as exterior goes. But the R500 is a different story - 15" R are still budget models, and they are much thicker and heavier than their T counterparts, use different (cheaper) materials and cut on some features.

The advantage of the SL series is that they have HDMI and still good build quality at a lower price point.

FredGarvin wrote:It might help if you gave some indication of what you plan to do with it. I would point out the R400 is probably a little more stout due to the roll cage in the lid, which the R500 lacks. It's also more mobile if you need it. Unless you're planning on getting the WSXGA+ screen, the R400 might be worth a look.

Ok, I'm confused. I was told by Lenovo that the only difference between the R400 and the R500 is the screen size. Are you saying that the R500 doesn't have a roll cage?

Tony

dr_st wrote:I would say that the extra thickness of the R500 lid will make it much more stout than whatever rollcage they can put inside the lid of the R400.

I suppose that would depend on how it's hit, but R500 does not have the roll cage in the lid.

Tõnis wrote:Ok, I'm confused. I was told by Lenovo that the only difference between the R400 and the R500 is the screen size. Are you saying that the R500 doesn't have a roll cage?

The R500 does have a roll cage in the base (bottom), but not in the screen lid (top). R400 has both, just like T400.

There are indeed substantial differences between R400 and R500, and in fact they go back to the 14" vs 15" R61 models. See my post in this thread:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=79193

Thank you, dr_st, for the info! I'll check your link, too.