Personal t43p 2668g4g mini-review

[nrj45]

Hello everybody,

I own a thinkpad t43p (2668G4G) for 2 months.
Original specs :
P M 750, 1GB RAM, 60GB HDD, 14.1 SXGA+(1400x1050) TFT LCD, 128MB ATI FireGL V3200, CD-RW/DVD-R Multi-Burner, Intel 802.11a/b/g wireless(MPCI), Bluetooth/Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, Fingerprint Reader, 9c Li-Ion, WinXP Pro

Modification : i put a toshiba 1032GAX as primary hdd (100gb 5400rpm 16mb cache), bios update (1.22), I use CHC to undervolt the CPU and overclock the GPU when playing.

I saw a lot of threads discussing about:

• - heat issue
  - fan noise
  - hdd compatibility (-> sata/pata bridge)

The goal of this thread is to summarize my feeling concerning my t43p and group singular information i dispatched in all these threads (heat, fan and hdd). Consider it like a subjective mini-review.

General feeling :
solid construction (same state after 2 months as when it was new), some goodies are really appreciable (fingerprint reader, power management allowing to choose when the battery has to be charged or not).

Heat issue :
I didn't notice any heat issue on my t43p. when idling, no part becomes hot. I saw in some thread people having temps of 90°C, but I think it's some hardware problem. I saw that 14.1'' becomes generally warmer than 15'' models but my 14.1'' is not that warm.
In a room of 22°C :
Idle : 800MHz, 0.700Vcore, powerplay set to min perf, cpu temp 42°C, fan in a middle speed (don't ask me why).
Load : 1.86GHz, 1.164Vcore, powerplay set to max perf, gpu/mem 480MHz/300MHz, cpu temp 66°C, fan in the same middle speed (don't ask me why).

Fan noise :
I consider my t43p as noisy since it "fans" even when idling. It fans at the same speed when idling as when under load. I compared a friend's t40p with my t43p and there is a HUGE difference. When my t43p is idling, it blows quite a cold air. My t43p is noisy for an idling state and quiet while gaming (i feel). I wait on some bios/embedded controller update...
When cold booting, the fan is off for about 10 mins (until cpu temp reach about 40°C) and then, he will never stop. I see 2 possibilities causing this problem :

• - the fan is triggered by another temperature sensor (of a component that becomes warm a requires a constant fanning of the case). I wonder which.
  - a bad stepping of the different fan speeds

Hdd compatibility :
Since I exchanged the hdd, I have to escape the famous 2010 error message each time I boot my t43p. I didn't find any way of disabling this message. I hope that in a future bios/embedded controller version there will be the choice to disable this message (or at least making this message display only the first 10 times of booting). My toshiba hdd is working fine (APS is ok with it). I have a dual boot with xp pro and ubuntu (managed by GRUB).

[Joerg]

Hi nrj45,

i am a Student from Germany and i am just thinking about buying the same Notebook you have from studentenrabatt.ch, because its mutch cheaper then in Germany.

Did you find a solution concerning the Fan noise? Undervolting the CPu using CHC didnt help?

Here is a Thread in a german Thinkpad Forum that perhaps will help:

http://thinkpad-forum.de/forum/viewtopi ... ebc1afb8cb

[nrj45]

It helped but not enough. I mean i got lower cpu temps... But we found that the problem was not the cpu temp but the chipsets.
This thread could be helpful : http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... highlight=

[stalin]

i am a Student from Germany and i am just thinking about buying the same Notebook you have from studentenrabatt.ch, because its mutch cheaper then in Germany.

Please, think again!! First I have ordered mine from them and then cancelled my order, 'cause:

1. Import tax (Einfuhrgebuer) from Switzerland to EU is something like 5%
2. + You will have to pay German VAT anyway i.e. + 16% MwsT (Online prices at studentenrabatt.at - netto)
3. + 50 Euro tax when you convert Euro to Swiss Franks.

Have a look at www.notebook4u.at, for Germans they are even cheaper (Austrian VAT - 20%, German 16% ...)

PS: The luckiest of us are of course Americans, they get TPs incredibly cheap...

Good luck.

[Joerg]

Thanks for the Hint stalin.
They (studentenrabatt) just send me a mail telling me, they will not sell Notebooks to german students. So i have to find another cheap Shop .

I will visit the side u mentioned. Thx again