thinkpad t series for architecture student?

[stkim]

hello,

i am a grad student studying architecture and i was wondering if somebody could recommend me a system. i am trying to decide between the t42 and t43. which ever system i choose i will be needing at least 64mb of dedicated video ram. i will be using it for CAD(autocad). 3D modeling (rhino, 3dsmax), and graphics work (photoshop, illustrator). are there any architects on this forum? if so, i would love to hear your experiences with the thinkpad. thanks in advance.

steve

[Bob Collins]

<rant>Florida Registered Architect here. I suggest a different major. You have heard it before, I am re-iterating it. Ask your elder Architects.</rant>

As for Thinkpads for AutoCAD, Photoshop and the like is a good choice, however do you actually require mobility for this work, as in real world I find a desktop workstation to be the best and most cost-effective way to work.

There are prolly better choices than the Thinkpads for the speed and bleeding edge hardware, but none can beat IBM's reputation for support. Now that Lenovo is at the helm of the Thinkpad line, these things may change. If I were to make a purchase now, I would go with a T42, as I tend to stay behind the curve of the edge.

One thing I would do is to email AutoDesk and ask some of the developers and users what they prefer for a mobile AutoCAD notebook.

<rant>Good luck, but you have been warned. NY Times and CNN or some such just released the salary survey of professions versus cost of education and guess what, Architects were the lowest. 6-7 years of school, 3 years internship, then state boards and you make a whopping $34,000. On the upside, we are the best investment for student loans; we pay back our loans with a near 100%, while Doctors tend to have the highest default rate on student loans!</rant>

[stkim]

haha! thanks for the advice. well, i've already got a pretty solid desktop and i looking to get a more portable machine to take to classes, internships, etc...

[nrj45]

You will see in many other posts a lot of debate between the t42 and t43 version.
Go for the "p" version anyway (t42p or t43p) since it has a FireGl with 128mb dedicated graphic card (optimized for 3d applications like autocad).
Eg : the t43p has a FireGl V3200 wich is merely an X600 with a special support for opengl.

If you want power go for t43p, if you want battery life, less noise go for a t42p

[stkim]

thanks! i was actually looking for the t42p on the website after reading a review of it in cad digest but couldn't find it. is it still being made?

[stkim]

i just found some t42p's on pricewatch and they are way over my budget. i was hoping to get something for around $1500. even if they offer an educational discount on them i don't think i'd be able to afford it. that's too bad because they look amazing.

[nrj45]

finding a p version whatever it is for 1500$ is a bit utopic no ?
My t43p was at about 2200$ with the student discount.

[Bob Collins]

Due to the 3D and Photoshop, I would go with the 128 video card.

As for advice, one other thing I'll mention, Architecturally, do not be afraid to change firms often. Architecture is a gypsy profession until you find the firm that pays you properly, recognizes publicly your work, and has a comfortable fit personality wise. And don't be afraind to demand more money than they pay the cad draughstmen. They usually make more than the Architects because they "produce" the drawings. Most firms will underpay the Architects if they can! Don't let them, I did and am still feeling the effects.

[dcdomain]

Wow, had to jump in on this thread. I think for most graphics work, any version of the T series will do. I've worked with huge Photoshop files on my T42 without a hiccup (just get a gig stick of ram at least).

Anyway I agree, stay away from architecture. I graduated with an accredited degree and immediately avoided the field like the plague. I floated around for a year or so before landing a marketing job and am glad I did. I believe 9 out of 10 of my classmates all hate architecture and are pretty miserable at their jobs.

Unless you want to be poor for a long time designing bathroom details and such, architecture may not be for you...

[stkim]

i appreciate everybody's advice. i'm leaning towards the t42 series and might possibly pick up a t42p i found for around $1800. the firegl chip looks like it would come in handy for the type of work i do.

not to take this on a tangent but i'm loving school right now. i knew what i was getting myself into from the beginning (lots of back breaking work with little pay or appreciation) and decided i was willing to deal with that because i love architecture. i'm not in arch school to become an architect really, but to learn/hone my critical thinking skills which are helpful in any field of work. who knows what i'll do after i graduate. i may go into graphic design, animation, art, film, marketing,business,teaching, etc... i think the education i am getting is well worth the money and is teaching me skills i can use in whatever field i choose to work in.

that being said, can you guys help me find a good price on a t42p with the following specs?

-ThinkPad T42p 2373
-Pentium M 745 1.8 GHz
-Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
-RAM 512 MB
-HD 60 GB
-CD-RW / DVD
-Mdm
-LAN EN, Fast EN, Gigabit EN, Bluetooth, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g
-14.1" TFT SXGA+ (1400 x 1050)

thanks!

steve

[Kenn]

Edu discounts for schools range from 10 all the way to 30% off. At some schools, you can get machines with substantially the same specs you listed, plus accidental damage insurance and extended 3-year warranty, for under $1800, probably less now. Check the pricing at your school.

If you can't get the edu deal, remember that Bill Morrow (the owner of this forum) is an authorized thinkpad reseller, and has awesome deals on a number of T42s and T43s!

[onix]

stkim I just went through a search of a similar laptop. With education discount the computer (2373 GVU) comes out to about $1919 + shippping + tax, etc. I searched everywhere, e.g. pricegrabber, ebay, Bill's offerering, and finally found this price on IBM's website. The only way to get cheaper than this 20% off list, is to find an IBM employeed who can get 30% off for you. Otherwise find a nice used version of the same laptop. Good luck.

By the way, where did you get the $1800 price. Sounds like a good deal.

i appreciate everybody's advice. i'm leaning towards the t42 series and might possibly pick up a t42p i found for around $1800. the firegl chip looks like it would come in handy for the type of work i do.

not to take this on a tangent but i'm loving school right now. i knew what i was getting myself into from the beginning (lots of back breaking work with little pay or appreciation) and decided i was willing to deal with that because i love architecture. i'm not in arch school to become an architect really, but to learn/hone my critical thinking skills which are helpful in any field of work. who knows what i'll do after i graduate. i may go into graphic design, animation, art, film, marketing,business,teaching, etc... i think the education i am getting is well worth the money and is teaching me skills i can use in whatever field i choose to work in.

that being said, can you guys help me find a good price on a t42p with the following specs?

-ThinkPad T42p 2373
-Pentium M 745 1.8 GHz
-Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
-RAM 512 MB
-HD 60 GB
-CD-RW / DVD
-Mdm
-LAN EN, Fast EN, Gigabit EN, Bluetooth, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g
-14.1" TFT SXGA+ (1400 x 1050)

thanks!

steve

[stkim]

the $1800 price i mentioned was at the site you were looking at with the 2373gru. i think the model i was looking at didn't have the dvd burner the gru model has. i ended up buying the 2373 gru and couldn't be happier. handles autocad, rhino, maya, etc like a charm. it's not a bad game machine as well. i've got counterstrike "condition zero" loaded at max resolution and it performs flawlessly. all of this in a small 14.1 package i can take along anywhere. i love it.