The search for the ultimate Thinkpad T4x - The start and end

[mlykke]

Hi Guys

I've been asking a gazillion questions about the Thinkpad T42 and T43 on this forum and several other places. Even calling IBM directly to find the answers to no avail.
So after receiving 5 gazillion answers in return which all pointed in different directions i decided that the only way to really find the "truth" was by trying the machines myself and do some actual testing - Both benchmark testing but also real-world testing.

And since no shops within 600 km of where i live has these machines on display i had to buy them. Therefor i have ordered three different Thinkpads for a total order of 8200 euro.

I have ordered the following machines:

UC34NGE(No direct US model)
T43 - Pentium M750, 512 MB Ram, 60 GB 7200 rpm, DVD burner, X300 64 MB, Intel 802.11a/b/g, 6 Cell battery

UC2P1GE(2373-P1U)
T42p - Pentium M765, 1 GB Ram, 60 GB 7200 rpm, DVD burner, ATI Mobility FireGL T2 128 MB, IBM 802.11a/b/g, 9 Cell battery

UC3G2GE(2668-G2U)
T43p - Pentium M770, 1 GB Ram, 60 GB 7200 rpm, DVD burner, ATI Mobility FireGL V3200 128 MB, Intel 802.11a/b/g, 9 Cell battery


I plan on doing some benchmark testing although the thing I'm really interested in is real-life performance.
The performance i will be looking close at is the graphics performance in newer games as all machines should be more than enough for some serious office work.
But i will also be looking very closely at which machine is not only the best but also the best value.

I will also examine the fan issue that many people are talking about.

Besides that i would like to hear what kind of tests i should do so we once and for all(at least for the moment) can get some real comparison between these machines instead of 10 reviews which all say different things and doesn't consider graphics-performance and so on.

The machine will be looked at as a full desktop replacement for a webdeveloper/programmer who wants a machine which is light, fast and can do it all (Utopia maybe?)

But let me know if you have anything you want to be tested or have any suggestions to as how to do the test the best way.

The machines will all arrive on Thursday and i will continue to update this thread with my findings.

[Steve007]

The machines will all arrive on Thursday and i will continue to update this thread with my findings.

Can't wait....

[Bluecat]

Good on you! Good luck and have fun. I just ordered the 2668G7U. On the IBM website it seems the only difference between the 2U you ordered and my 7U is the included software on the 2U, not the 7U.... can it be that the 7U has no software at all? Or am I overseeing some other difference.

http://www5.pc.ibm.com/us/products.nsf/ ... p/_2668G2U

http://www5.pc.ibm.com/us/products.nsf/ ... p/_2668G7U

[chbone]

Great!
Good to see those.
I am still waiting for mine arriving....waiting so long!!

[mlykke]

Good on you! Good luck and have fun. I just ordered the 2668G7U. On the IBM website it seems the only difference between the 2U you ordered and my 7U is the included software on the 2U, not the 7U.... can it be that the 7U has no software at all? Or am I overseeing some other difference.

The difference isnt the software but that the G2U uses an Intel 802.11a/b/g adapter and the G7U uses the IBM 802.11a/b/g adapter

[Bluecat]

Is the Intel better than the IBM?

[mlykke]

I hvent tried the IBM but i've used the intel in several computers and they where all working perfectly. Some do claim the IBM to get a bit better signal but not much.

But as i will be reciving machine both with the Intel and the IBM WLAN card and i have several hotspots in my house i can test this out for you.

I just need people to tell me what they want tested because it will all be done on thursday and through the weekend and no longer.

[baraider]

please compare the intel 2200bg and the ibm abg 5004 atheros. See which one drops more often, which one has stronger signal strength.

battery time/bootup time

[asiafish]

Frame rate in Doom3

[phyast]

Wow, this is a wonderful (and bold) idea; thank you for taking the time to run these tests. As someone who doesn't play games, it would be extremely useful if you could do some testing that focuses on CPU computational power and _not_ on graphics. I am curious how much of a bonus the extra bus speed of the T43 gives it over the T42.
Thanks

[phyast]

This site has a long list of benchmarking tools for various components:
http://www.benchmarkhq.ru/english.html
Click on 'benchmark tools' on the left panel. My personal interest would be some of the ones for the CPU which can be found from the CPU link.

[mlykke]

I will focus on anything you guys want - Im just saying that graphics performance will be important to me as that is one of the things which has been a pain in the [censored] to really get a clear answer on.

Initially i had set aside thursday and friday to do the testing but now im including the weekend as well, so that should give me enough time to do all the tests you guys want if i spend all my time on it

Thanks for the link to the benchmark tools.

I will proberbly need to go buy some games to do some graphics testing as well. I have Doom 3 but i think i lost CD 1 so i cant install it.

So besides Doom 3 what games would i need to test?
Im not gonna buy 15 games - But maybe 5-6 GOOD games(so i would like to play them afterwards). You need to remember that just about everything i need to buy will cost me around twice as much as in the state due to the taxes in this country.

[Zeitgeist]

You need to remember that just about everything i need to buy will cost me around twice as much as in the state due to the taxes in this country.

So why don't you buy online in other EU contries?

[mlykke]

I already did. I live in Denmark but i ordered from Germany to save a [censored] of money.

For instance - The T43p will cost me around 4180$US(plus shipping) in Germany but the same computer in Denmark will cost me around 6250$US.
Maybe thats one of the reasons im looking at moving to the states - So i can buy cheap laptops

[Steve007]

Maybe thats one of the reasons im looking at moving to the states - So i can buy cheap laptops

Well that's one of the few positive reasons to move there, what are the other 2?

[mlykke]

Another one would be cheap cars - In Denmark a car like a Nissan 350Z costs a little over 138,000$US but in the states the same model costs around 32,000$US. I think thats a noticeable difference in price.
And now that is NOT a typo. The same car in Denmark does cost around 4-5 times as much.

And then there is the whole thing with the techcompanies in the states and so on.

So for a car enthusiast who work in the tech industry and who actually hates the country he lives in for the first 50 reasons that im not gonna list here. I'd say i could find a good thing or two about moving

[Moroner]

I already did. I live in Denmark but i ordered from Germany to save a [censored] of money.

For instance - The T43p will cost me around 4180$US(plus shipping) in Germany but the same computer in Denmark will cost me around 6250$US.
Maybe thats one of the reasons im looking at moving to the states - So i can buy cheap laptops

Where are you buying your laptops? The UC3G2GE can be had for 2799,- Euro including 16% VAT, or around 3594 USD. If I remember correctly the Danish VAT rate is 25%, so even with 25% VAT thats only 3873 USD.

[mlykke]

Im buying from ok2.de - Where did you find the machine at that price? And is it a reliable place?

[RS_003]

I would like to see the ghosting on the machines tested.

I Got a T42 with a 64mb 9600 and the flexview SXGA+ screen ghosts like hell.

While the T41P did not ghost at all

[B.W. Bos]

The UC34NGE model have a 5400RPM harddisk?
http://ok2.de/product_info.php?products ... Path=21_22

[mlykke]

Darn it - didnt notice the drivespeed of that one. Oh well - Will still be testing it

And as far as ghosting goes i will test that as well, but please inform as how to test it cause im not LCD expert.

[a_d_y_a]

dont forget super pi
try HL2 please!

also some MATLAB work if u need any
Pro/E wildfire


i am just being selfish here

[RS_003]

Darn it - didnt notice the drivespeed of that one. Oh well - Will still be testing it

And as far as ghosting goes i will test that as well, but please inform as how to test it cause im not LCD expert.

Well imho the flexview 1400x1050 screen ghosts so much you really cant miss it.

Compared to alsmost every other tft screen this screen is slow, verry slow.
I think you will notice it within 1 minute when you are playing a FPS like unreal tournament

[mlykke]

I will look at the screen but im ordering 14" screens so they wont have flexview

Could you guys(the ones who play games) compile a list of say 10 great games i should test on the machine.
And please make it good games so i would want to play them after im done tetsing, because then i will order a bunch of games today since the machines will arrive tomorrow.

[asiafish]

Doom 3, Rome:Total War, Half Life 2

[ian]

Mlykke - I think that this is really great, but I'm sad that you're wasting your time with laptops.

I'm hesitating between an Audi, a BMW and a Merc - why not buy me one of each, and I'll do a REAL benchmark...

[mlykke]

Hahaha...would like to do that kind of benchmark but please choose some more interesting cars then *GG*

Before i do something like i would sure need to move to the states with the Danish car prices in mind

[mlykke]

The only BMW which is worth anything is the M5. Audi is VERY nice - Especially the A8 and A6 but also the A4T. Mercedes is mainly boring except for the very expensive SLR or cars like SL55 and SL65.

So a prioritized list for the makes you mention would be:

SL65
SL55
A8 / M5
A6
A4T

But you really need to consider some other cars as well

For instance if you want something which looks good, runs fast as hell and is just a beautiful car to drive just take a Toyota Supra and get some mods made on it. Of if you want fun in a family car package get an Mitsu Lancer Evo 8 Or a souped up Nizzan 350Z.

Anyway, back to the boring laptops
Other games than the ones already mentioned?

[zverg]

I would like to see the ghosting on the machines tested.

I Got a T42 with a 64mb 9600 and the flexview SXGA+ screen ghosts like hell.

While the T41P did not ghost at all

you [censored] with your flexview, I have the 9600 and SXGA+ on my T42 but not with flexview. My original LCD had the slow subpixel issue but this new one is fine, I wish I had flexview though.

[asiafish]

I prefer privacy over flexview