Is it safe to buy a T43 now?

[bigskydream]

I have read everything I can about the T43 and fan/heat issues and I am still undecided! I am deciding between a T42 and T43 (2687D4U) with similar specs. I am quite picky about noise and heat, but the T43 seems to be a better deal. Please help!

Current Machine:
T41

[christopher_wolf]

Well; I think the biggest question here would have to be "What would you use it for and what do you foresee applying it to?

[bigskydream]

sorry i forgot to specify. i will use it 10-12 hours per day as my main work machine -- mostly web browsing, office apps, voip, listening to MP3s, etc.

do all t43s have the fan noise problem? some people complain, some don't.

[shuying]

my T43 2668AJU's fan is not a problem for me

[christopher_wolf]

Well, my T43 seems to be very quiet and cool; but this "Fan Always ON" Problem has, more or less, affected a majority of the more modern Thinkpads; see

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_fan_noise


I have come across a few non-T43 Thinkpads that actually appeared to have the "Fan Always On" Problem; so it effects a siginificant portion. Yet, once you get your Thinkpad, you can use Shimodax's Fan Control Utility to tweak the fan to your liking (The link to it and the forum is in my signature). It has been successfully tested on the T4X Series, R4X Series, X4X Series(even the Tablet), and the Z60. It is more of a user preference and, as such, seems to vary greatly from person to person.

As far as the Fan Noise issue goes, it is non-specific enough on most of the later Thinkpads; add to this the Fan Control Utility, and it should become a "feature" that the user can tweak. Although I do not recommend double-guessing a purchase on the basis of a perceived problem. There is a whole host of, quite nasty, problems out there that could manifest themselves on any laptop; even, rarely, a Thinkpad. The fan noise can be controlled, relatively, easily and through the software...It does not require
a hardware change or anything of that nature; far worse problems can do that and much more.

Now, to enumerate more on the environment you plan to use your Thinkpad in; How important is screen size and resolution, mobility, graphics power, and battery life? Going off of the model number you gave, 2687D4U; here are some things to think about. 15.0" Screen with SXGA+, is SXGA+ what you want? It depends on your situation, but SXGA+ is fine for me with a 14.1" Screen. A 60GB HDD; might get a little tight. You might consider going higher in capacity even if it means going lower on the HDD RPM (7200RPM to 5400PRM for example); that depends, though, on the data throughput vs. data storage requirements. Etc, etc....

There is a whole list of models to choose from in the tabook.pdf

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitu ... tabook.pdf (Also in the Forum FAQ)

Take a look through that with questions such as the aforementioned in mind and see what strikes your fancy.

I would go with an 80GB, 1GB of Memory, 2.0GHz (You might want a 1.86GHz, it depends) and a Multiburner with a 9-Cell and a 3 Year Warranty; that is just what I am recommending, think it over even more and see.