Thinkpads Forum

Due to lack of information I can't make decision.

I have 3 options:

Brand new E540 (733 GBP) with
Intel Core i5-4200M Processor (3MB Cache, up to 3.10GHz)
8GB PC3-12800 DDR3L SDRAM 1600MHz SODIMM
Nvidia Geforce GT G740M 2GB
128GB S128GB Solid State Drive, SATA III, 1920x1080

or

Used W510 (500 GBP)
docking station, core i7 820QM 8MB Cache@3.06GHZ, 16 GB RAM, 256 + 128 GB SSD, 1920x1080, NVidia Quadro FX 880M

or

Used W530 (650 GBP)
core i5vPro-3320M@2.6Ghz, 8GB RAM, 320 HDD, 1920x1080, NVidia Quadro K1000M

Laptop suppose to be used for raw image processing with Adobe Photoshop and batch conversions ...

Welcome to the forum.
From those, the W510 is your best choice, followed by W530, and least wanted is the e540.
No objections at all against the W510.
Loads of objections against the W530 keyboard (unless you don't know keyboards at all), but not the rest.
-- Their layout has considerably changed compared to the keyboards that the rest of the world is used to.
-- Major stupidity of Lenovo (check Google about T530/W530 keyboards, and weep..).
Loads of objections against the e540, because it is not even a Thinkpad.
-- It is low, consumer-grade quality, meant for the unwashed, unknowing masses.

When you get your new W5x0, check the fan and fan-exhausts for cleanliness.
Also check the temperature of the air blown out by them.
If anything more than 'handwarm' after 10-15 minutes of regular use, replace the thermal paste between CPU/GPU and fan.
Ex-factory this paste usually dries out after a few short years.

Thanks a lot for quick reply! Exactly what I wanted to know)

In terms of w510 (500 GBP), the only issue I can spot from description is dead battery and few worn keys.
if I replace battery and keybord it will be +80GBP

My previous laptop DELL could freeze or BSOD due to dead battery. All issues with my DELL gone when I have removed dead battery. I don't know if this is the issue for W510.

Considering all of above there is last option (most expenceive one, but if it worth to buy it , I will):

W540, 800GBP (ex-demo, used for 2 weeks, almost new and still has 3 years of warranty), corei5-4200M@2.5GHz, 16GB RAM DDR3, 500GB HDD, NVidia Quardro K1100M, 1920x1080

Only two canditates left W510@500GBP and W540@800GBP.


Thanks for helping me!

iLok wrote:
In terms of w510 (500 GBP), the only issue I can spot from description is dead battery and few worn keys.
if I replace battery and keybord it will be +80GBP

That's a lot of money for a W510 which is a very nice machine in its own right.

Check this one here:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=115295

My previous laptop DELL could freeze or BSOD due to dead battery. All issues with my DELL gone when I have removed dead battery. I don't know if this is the issue for W510.

ThinkPads don't like dead batteries either...and will protest in many ways if one is installed.

W540, 800GBP (ex-demo, used for 2 weeks, almost new and still has 3 years of warranty), corei5-4200M@2.5GHz, 16GB RAM DDR3, 500GB HDD, NVidia Quardro K1100M, 1920x1080

I wouldn't take a W540 unless someone paid me, but it's your money to spend. The worst expensive ThinkPad that we've seen in years.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot!

iLok wrote:Used W510 (500 GBP)
docking station, core i7 820QM 8MB Cache@3.06GHZ, 16 GB RAM, 256 + 128 GB SSD, 1920x1080, NVidia Quadro FX 880M

or

Used W530 (650 GBP)
core i5vPro-3320M@2.6Ghz, 8GB RAM, 320 HDD, 1920x1080, NVidia Quadro K1000M

iLok wrote:In terms of w510 (500 GBP), the only issue I can spot from description is dead battery and few worn keys. if I replace battery and keybord it will be +80GBP

Many Thinkpad veterans hate the new keyboards, but if you aren't yet accustomed to the old Thinkpad keyboards, then you shouldn't rule out the W530 so quickly, especially since 580 GBP vs. 650 GBP isn't a huge difference. In terms of CPU benchmark, the W530 is somewhat faster, with a Passmark score of 4016 instead of 3626 for the W510, though the W530 has less RAM. You should also find out whether the laptops still have some warranty remaining. When you said "256 + 128 GB SSD", does that mean a 256GB mechanical HDD, or are both SSDs? If both are, that would make the W510 more appealing. If you don't need both SSDs, you can sell the 128GB for 50 GBP or so to offset the cost of the new battery.

Also...W530 will have 2 RAM slots only as opposed to 4 on W510...

Just in case someone from UK read this topic.
Where is the best place to buy used lenovo laptops ?

Don't tell me ebay ))

iLok wrote: Where is the best place to buy used lenovo laptops ?

This very forum.

Or, if you speak German - since they're closer to you physically - http://thinkpad-forum.de/forums/7-Marktplatz

Agree with ajkula66 and W510 but not for 500 GBP.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Welcome to the forum.
Loads of objections against the e540, because it is not even a Thinkpad.
-- It is low, consumer-grade quality, meant for the unwashed, unknowing masses.

The e540 is definitely a Lenovo ThinkPad; even has their new updated keyboard! (ooooh, ahhhh-- who needs discreet trackpoint buttons anyways... no one uses it, right?)

Don't get me started. Lenovo warranty repair had to send me those shipping boxes to have brand new edges to be sent off for screen replacements. They were brand new and displayed nothing despite the backlight turning on.

Also they use realsh... realtek ethernet which is terrible. We had to ring up Lenovo warranty repair to replace those too.

I'm wondering if Lenovo actually made a profit on them considering all of the expenses for the warranty repairs. But with that said Lenovo warranty repair was 100% fantastic.