Dilemma T42p? or T43p?

[jdzbox]

Hey guys..
I just need an opinion.
I recently returned a October manufactured T43 (2.0G, 512MB, 80G@5400rpm, w abg, DVD-multi etc..) because of the fan noise and HDD noise. The HDD made periodic beeping noises. Also, high pitch noise (similar to that of old or cheap TV) when the laptop's power is Off but the AC power is plugged in. If I remove the AC power the noise stopped. (BTW HDD was a Hitachi one)
So, now I'm looking for a replacement and found some deals through my school.

1. T42p 2373-GVU
P M 745, 512MB RAM, 60GB 7200rpm HDD, 14.1 SXGA+(1400x1050) TFT LCD, 128MB ATI FireGL T2, 24x24x24x/8x CD-RW/DVD(slim), IBM 802.11a/b/g wireless(MPCI), Bluetooth/Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, 9 cell Li-Ion battery, WinXP Pro


2. T43P 2668W42
P M 760(2.0GHz), 512MB RAM, 60GB HDD, 14.1 1400x1050 LCD, 128MB ATI FireGL V3200, CD-RW/DVD-R Multi-Burner, Intel 802.11abg wireless(MPCI), Bluetooth/Modem(CDC), 1GB Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, Fingerprint Reader, WinXP Pro


The price is actually the T43p is 50 dollars cheaper!!!
So what should I go for?
This is hard...

[daeojkim]

I like the T43p because of portability. It is a 14.1" and non-flexview, this is probably the reason why it is cheaper than T42p.

If you do carry around your notebook often I would choose T43p. If you use it mostly as desktop replacement and screen is a big factor then you should go with T42p.

The DVD multiburner is only 2X, which takes about 40 minutes to burn one DVD (pretty slow). But it is nice to have one than none.

If I was buying it I would go with T43p. Lighter, smaller, the SXGA+ will give you quite a lot of real estate. If want more desktop space I can just purchase a LCD screen (quite cheap these days) so that I can use dual monitor at home.

[cchsiao]

I can't find the specification of 2668W42, but according to the spec of W4U, the video chip inside this machine is X300, not V3200. So I would say it's NOT a genuine T43p (although it will have T43p mark). If you need OpenGL capability, I would suggest that you buy a 2373GVU.

GVU is a 14.1" T42p, so the portability should be the same as a 14.1" T43/T43p. There is no issue on upgrading the HDD on a T42p, but it's the case on a T43/T43p. So... if you don't care about the extra ExpressCard slot, I would also suggest that you buy a 2373GVU.

[kyrotech]

Product: ThinkPad T43 2668-W42 [change]
Operating system: All [change]

Original description: Based on 2668-CTO: P M 760(2.0GHz), 512MB RAM, 60GB HDD, 14.1 1400x1050 LCD, 128MB ATI FireGL V3200, CD-RW/DVD-R Multi-Burner, Intel 802.11abg wireless(MPCI), Bluetooth/Modem(CDC), 1GB Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, Fingerprint Reader, WinXP Pro

Get the T43p