T43 Advice

[GetAMac]

Hi,

I've used Macs my entire life, but alas I must get a PC for law school. If I have to switch over, an IBM is the way to go because I heard nothing else comes close to the same quality.

I decided on a T43 because it seems like the best combination of portability and power. But I had a few questions on the configuration.

1. Why are there so many model numbers? Isn't there any place I can just configure exactly what processor, hard drive, etc. that I want?

2. Is the 9-cell battery worth it? How much more does it weigh than the 6-cell?

3. Should I upgrade RAM on my own? It seems like I could save some money that way.

4. Any other advice would be welcome of course.

Thanks!

[mysbca]

1. I don't think there is any place that you can configure exactly what you want. You can call a salesperson and they can configure a CTO (Configure To Order) model for you. It will probably be more expensive than the pre-configured models. You can download the tabook.pdf which has a list and specs of all the available models:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitu ... tabook.pdf
The Express models are pre-configured with some popular options and are highly discounted versus the standard models.

Check with your school to see if they have discounted models availabile. If not, check with Bill Morrow, the owner of this site, for his discounted pricing on standard models. Bill doesn't sell Express models, but he may have a competitive price on a standard model comparable to an Express model. You can also go the IBM/Lenovo Education site or various credit card sites for discounts.

2. The 9-cell battery is about 1/3 pound (50%) heavier than the 6-cell.

3. Yes, upgrade RAM on your own. It will be cheaper.

4. List your requirements, then we can suggest some models. 14" or 15", screen resolution, price range, etc.

[CaptainMorgan]

Not to take anything away from mysbca.. but just give my .02...

1) See above
2) I feel the 9 cell is worth it. Don't forget, upgrading to the 9 cell gives you two batteries, combined for almost 10 hrs, or more depending on your uses.
3) RAM at NewEgg or something like http://www.crucial.com/ is mad cheap. Crucial is very easy too, you can navigate to find the exact chips to fit your exact model, no fuss.
4) See above.

Cheers

[ck37]

I just went through the same scenario for my work. I am an avid mac user but I needed a PC. I went with IBM becuase like you, this was the only laptop that i felt and others did, to be comparable or superior to Apple in terms of quality.
As for the battery, I am also debating on getting the 9 cell as well. The current 6 cell does go pretty quickly on the T43. I have a hard time dimming the screen, and not utilizing the power the T43 is capable of to maximise battery life, so I get about three hours max.

It does fair better than apple's batteries, but the 9 cell would be the best of both worlds I think.

IBM did have a free additional 512mb ram deal going on, I am not sure if it is still available but might be worth it to call and check it out.

Good luck in your venture. I am glad I went with the thinkpad. Great machine, and built very well.

[asiafish]

Nothing better than a ThinkPad for law school, especially after you take the time and get used to the TrackPoint (eraserhead mouse).

I too am a Mac user, but for law school exams, my old T22 was a superb machine. In law school the most important aspect of a laptop is the feel of the keyboard, because you will be typing you a$s off.

By the way, while you absolutely need a real PC for exams, your Mac (if it is portable) is just fine for everything else. If you don't want the PC to do anything more than law school tasks, I'd recommend instead of the T to get yourself an X-series, which will be much smaller and lighter while offering just as much battery life potential (depending on your battery set-up.

[GetAMac]

Thanks for the advice!

Right now I have a 12 inch iBook, so a 14 inch SXGA screen would be a huge step up. 15 inches would be nice, but I don't think it's worth the extra size and 1 pound of weight.

I think I'll get the 9-cell battery, it can't hurt, although in class and the library I intend to use my AC adaptor.

I actually have a couple more questions. In that pdf file with all the ThinkPad models, I noticed something that says Workhorse, Global, or Express. Do you have any idea what these are? Specifically, what is the difference between the 2668 and 2687 models?

Also, what warranty would you recommend? I'm thinking of a three-year warranty for law school, but IBM offers several different versions of its warranty.

Thanks!

[mysbca]

I noticed something that says Workhorse, Global, or Express. Do you have any idea what these are? Specifically, what is the difference between the 2668 and 2687 models?

See this thread for definition of Workhorse, Global:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=10698

2668 are the standard models; 2687 are the Express (discounted) models.

The 2668 and 2687 come with standard 3 year mail-on depot warranty. Turn around times are typically within a few days. Some people have had problems and took several weeks to get their laptops back, but that is more the exception than the rule. Some people prefer the next day on-site warranty and others also will add the Thinkpad Plus warranty which covers accidents that are not covered by the standard warranty.
Choosing which warranty depends on several factors such as cost (onsite and/or Thinkpad Plus will add a couple of hundred dollars), can't afford any downtime (next day on-site), etc.

My personal experiences with the mail-in depot warranty include a 4 day turnaround for a systemboard replacement for a T21 and 2 day delivery for missing screws.

[Darth Avenus]

Unless Steve Jobs' remarks this morning convince me otherwise, I'm looking to get a new TP myself for my law practice soon. You may want to check out
the Tabook (ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitu ... tabook.pdf) for an excellent overview of all current/recent TP models. That should explain all those dizzying model numbers. In doing so, you may realize that a T42 could be a cost-saving alternative. I'm also looking at the 9-cell battery, as the long life would benefit you throughout the day, maybe even when you're in the law library studying. Getting more memory (512MB or 1GB) afterwards is a good thing, too. I'll probably look to Crucial for it. Good luck with your purchase!