Thinkpads Forum

Hi everyone!

I would like to know if you guys thought of putting (with modding I suppose, but I could be wrong) W540 System board in W520 casing? I have W520 and love it, its keyboard, build quality etc. etc., but W540 has better specs obviously

Any thoughts or suggestions on this topic? Your input will be highly appreciated!

The W520 and W540 are completely different generations, and I would be very suprised if they used a similar chassis, since they look very different and the motherboard ports are in different places and have different connectors. I think it would be quite difficult to make the motherboard swap, but I suppose with enough patience and skill that it would be possible. The W520 is still more than capable of handling most demanding tasks, and I would just stick with it for now.

The W540 is very different from the W520 like brchan says. The W520 is fairly similar to the W530 where you could use the same lid and LCD motherboard connector. The the eSATA port is not included on the W530 but is on the W520. The W540 is a much different platform. Don't let that stop you.

Brad

Why not just get a W540? It's not like the W520 has anything special to offer like 4:3 and the likes.

Well, the W520 does have the advantage of the traditional keyboard as well as a stronger lid (at least from what others have said). IMO, the W540 design is not as nice as the W520's, and the W520 didn't win any beauty contests either .

brchan wrote:Well, the W520 does have the advantage of the traditional keyboard as well as a stronger lid (at least from what others have said). IMO, the W540 design is not as nice as the W520's, and the W520 didn't win any beauty contests either .

I've compared both units in real life and IMO the W540 is somewhat better in most regards. The keyboard may not be traditional but the typing experience is better. As for the lid, both didn't have very strong lids, but considering that the W540 has a much thinner lid than the W520 I'd say the W540 wins here as well. Though I prefer the W540's design I understand that others may think differently. Guess I'm just trying to say that you need to test the W540 for yourself because I think it's quite an improvement over the previous W machines and writing it off just because of some bad comments isn't really fair.

Aurora wrote: Guess I'm just trying to say that you need to test the W540 for yourself.

I agree.

Let's not forget that the keyboard connector has been changed on the *40 generation as well, along with everything else previously mentioned...