200783U vs 2623DDU - Can't Decide: ARRRGGGG!

[UnivHovrTech]

This is my first post, but seeing what a great forum this is, I need your help.

I ordered a T60 200783U with the free 512M module giving me 1.5g RAM. After many delays with my shipping date keeps getting pushed back because of lack of 1g chips (they said), Lenovo is now offering the 2623DDU for 300.00 less than what I paid for the 200783U.

I got the tabook (what a great reference) and I am now wondering if I got the right machine.

200783U
T2600(2.16GHz), 1GB RAM, 100GB 7200rpm HD, 14.1in 1400x1050 LCD, 256MB ATI FireGL V5200, CDRW/DVDRW, Intel 802.11abg wireless, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 9c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro

2623DDU
T2500(2GHz), 1GB RAM, 100GB 7200rpm HD, 15in 1600x1200 LCD, 256MB ATI FireGL V5200, CDRW/DVDRW, Intel 802.11abg wireless, WWAN, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 9c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro


Is the 2.16Ghz chip visibly faster than the 2Ghz chip?

I will be using the laptop to do video editing, and normal office work, so would the 15" screen be better? Brighter and clearer than the 14"?

Is the magnesium top more benficial than the CFRP top of the 15" screen? I read posts about the paint not sticking to the Magnesium top.

I do not plan on using the broadband wireless card, but would I benefit having it in the future. Seems like Verizon is getting a heck of a deal with built in customers having to buy their service.

I cannot get the right information pertaining to the DVDRW drives on each. Are they both the same or is one 8x or 4x?

I can add another 1g of ram to the 2623DDU and still be below my purchase price of the 200783U.

Size/Weight does not really matter to me since I have been lugging around a much heavier machine for the past four years.

Microsoft Office Basic is 50.00 cheaper than my order.

I figure I am waiting already, and I want to make the right choice. It just seems to me like the 2623DDU is a better deal.

Help!!!


Thanks!
Chris.

[serpico]

If size doesn't matter (I will refrain from making the obvious joke here), then go with the 2623. No, the 2.16ghz cpu will not be noticeably faster in real-life usage than the 2.0ghz cpu.

Even if you are used to lugging larger laptops, you will very quickly become accustomed to carrying a lighter laptop, so if you are doing a significant amount of travelling, you should really consider going with the 14". Also, if you are planning on using the laptop unplugged quite a bit, keep in mind that the larger 15" screen will drain the battery quicker.

I also considered getting the Verizon WWAN feature as something I might use in the future, and then quickly decided against it. If you are not planning on using it currently, I don't think it's worth it (others may disagree). Why? In the future, there will be add-on cards from a variety of vendors, and you will have the option of EVDO or EDGE or whatever high-speed protocol is rolled out next. So why pay more for a Verizon card now and effectively lock yourself into Verizon's rather expensive service (meaning that should you decide you want WWAN in the future, you will have to go through Verizon) if you don't need the feature currently? Also, I was quite focused on keeping the weight down, and the built-in WWAN does add a bit of weight.

[archer6]

This is my first post, but seeing what a great forum this is, I need your help.

Welcome ! You will find this a great place for help and information.

Is the 2.16Ghz chip visibly faster than the 2Ghz chip?

No, unless you are doing some really high end resource intensive computing. The price/return ratio is not worth it.

I will be using the laptop to do video editing, and normal office work, so would the 15" screen be better? Brighter and clearer than the 14"?

As you will notice from my signature on the bottom, I have many ThinkPads. 14" or 15" is such a personal decision. My experience has been that prior to the new Flexview display (only available in 15") the only difference was size, and a bit of weight. Now that I have this T60 with the 15" Flexview I would not consider anything else. It's bright, clear, and the viewing angles are amazing. Regarding the size/weight differences between a 14" or 15" ThinkPad here are my observations. I have an accurate small industrial scale. I have taken weight readings on my 14" & 15" ThinkPads (both T42 models) with the same hardware configurations. IE: both with six cell batteries and identical optical drives in place. Result: .678 lbs more for the 15". For me, this compared with the slight overall size differenct is a non issue. Personally I really like the larger screen and less scrolling.

Is the magnesium top more benficial than the CFRP top of the 15" screen? I read posts about the paint not sticking to the Magnesium top.

Again, personal opinion, but I cannot imagine this being a problem unless one is abusive of the computer. I still have every ThinkPad listed below. They are all well used, as I travel constantly and always have a ThinkPad with me as my main computer for work. Not one has a scratch or paint issues on any of the surfaces. Top/bottom/sides. The durability of finish on the ThinkPad brand is simply first class. I also have had others, Toshiba/Dell/Acer/Sharp/Compaq/HP etc and none of these comes anywhere near the finish of a ThinkPad.

I do not plan on using the broadband wireless card, but would I benefit having it in the future.

I think it's too early to see how this technology shakes out. I fail to see the value at this point, and it's a protrusion on the side of the display that can get in the way of a good snug fitting case. I'm waiting to see what the accepted standard is a few months down the road.

Hope this info is of use to you.

Regards,
Archer

[RonS]

I think it comes down to size.

I have both the 14.1" and 15" T60/p, and I just got back from a week of travel with the 14.1". The 14.1" is a marvelous machine for travelling. The battery seems to go forever and the size fits on an airline tray table just fine. If I were a true "road warrior" it would be my first pick.

But I travel only about a week per month. Most of the time, my T60 is sitting on my desk, and part of a three-screen setup that I use for development. That's why I pick the 15" as my primary machine. Plus, the image quality on the 15" is far superior than the 14".

Since you say that you'll be doing mostly office work, I would lean towards the 15" if I were you.

You will never notice the difference between 2.13GHz and 2.00 GHz in real-world use.

[Kamika007z]

Is the magnesium top more benficial than the CFRP top of the 15" screen? I read posts about the paint not sticking to the Magnesium top.

Again, personal opinion, but I cannot imagine this being a problem unless one is abusive of the computer. I still have every ThinkPad listed below. They are all well used, as I travel constantly and always have a ThinkPad with me as my main computer for work. Not one has a scratch or paint issues on any of the surfaces. Top/bottom/sides. The durability of finish on the ThinkPad brand is simply first class. I also have had others, Toshiba/Dell/Acer/Sharp/Compaq/HP etc and none of these comes anywhere near the finish of a ThinkPad.

What does this mean? Can someone eloborate furthur please? I'm really curious as I did not know this.

Thank you!

[darrenf]

Video editing is the key. The 15" screen will give you more room (always a plus when laying out tracks) and better color.

That said, you may be one of the few people who would notice an 8% improvement in CPU speed. Video crunching can be really slow. Is it worth $300 on its own? No, but the premium placed on the fastest processor is often $300-400 so the pricing is typical.

RonS nailed it - if you move around with it a lot, the 14" is the way to go -- it really seems quite a bit smaller than the 15". If you sit at one location for a while and then move, perhaps only once or twice a day, then then 15" is a no-brainer -- the screen on the 15" UXGA is gorgeous and if you're sitting at a desk on AC battery life will not be a concern.

The "paint" (actually a rubbery non-skid surface) won't come off either lid. Wear will cause the very corners to turn shiney after 3-6 months and you may see metal after a year or two, but I'm talking about a spot the size of a pinhead -- most folks never notice it.

-darren

[NJ_IT]

＞UnivHovrTech


Maybe you don't care about this difference,but ,,,,,,,
Warranty(International Warranty Service) wise, 2623 is covered only within USA (No warranty outside USA).
But warranty of machine type 2007xxx will be covered in 150 countries(of course in USA).
It is very important for me about this difference.

[creed_mty]

＞UnivHovrTech


Maybe you don't care about this difference,but ,,,,,,,
Warranty(International Warranty Service) wise, 2623 is covered only within USA (No warranty outside USA).
But warranty of machine type 2007xxx will be covered in 150 countries(of course in USA).
It is very important for me about this difference.

I'M SORRY TO SAY, BUT THE 2623 IT IS ALSO COVERED BY INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY SPECIALLY ON 2623 DDU IS POSTED ON THE TABOOK!!

[creed_mty]

UnivHovrTech

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME REASONS TO GO WITH THE 2623 IN MY PINION, THESE ARE:

- THE VERIZON THING MAY BE U DON NEED IT, BUT THE 2007 MODEL ARE EXPENSIVE AND DO NOT HAVE OTHER FEATURES THAT 2623 HAS LIKE 14"SCREEN AND VERIZON HAS THE MOST COVERAGE IN THE US.A. OTHERS COMPANIES LIKE CINGULAR HAS THE SAME PRICE ON THE BROADBAND SERVICE
BOTH ARE $59.99 MO. SO COMPETITION IS ALWAYS ON!

- THE 15" SCREEN IS WORTH IT TO HAVE IT SO YOU'LL SEE BETTER IMAGES, FOTOS AND VIDEOS AND OFFICE PROGRAMS AND ALSO "LET'S SAY" IS WORTH THE EXTRA LITTLE WEIGHT COMPARED THAT U PREVIOUSLY CARRY HEAVIER MACHINE, I'M SURE THAT THE 2623 IS EVEN LIGHTER THEN YOUR PREVIOUS MACHINE. IF BATTERY LIFE IS THE ISSUE 'CAUSE THE 15" SCREEN, IS ALSO WORTH IT TO BUY AN EXTRA BATTERY SPECIALLY THE ULTRBAY BATTERY . UXGA IS A LOT BETTER THAN SXGA

- THE PROCESSOR, I THINK U DONT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE EXTRA .16 GHz BECAUSE BOTH ARE FAST ENOUGH FOR YOUR NEEDS!

- THE COVER WTHERER MAGNESIUM OR CFRP THIS IS A PERSONAL DECISION SO I HAVE NO OPINIONS ABOUT IT BECAUSE IS DEPENDS HOW YOU TREAT THE MACHINE AND U SAID THAT YOU TRAVEL BY AIRPLANE I WEEK PER MONTH SO THE 2623 I CONSIDER STILL AS BEST OPTION FOR YOU! I LKE THE RUBBERY FEELING ON THE COVER MATERIAL STILL FEELS STRONG EVEN IS MADE OF CFRP!

- ALL PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM HAVE TO KEEP ON MIND IS THAT THE BALANCE TO CHOOSE A MACHINE IS ON THE FEATURES FOR EXPAMPLE: I DISCOVERED SOME 2007 THAT DO NOT HAVE VERIZON AND HAS THE SAME OR CLOSE THE SAME PRICE AS THE 2623 WITH VERIZON BUT THERE ARE OTHER FEATURES ON 2007 THAT I DON'T LIKE AND THE 2623 HAS THE OTHER FEATURES THAT I LIKE BUT WITH THE VERIZON THING BUILT IN AND YOU CANNOT MODIFY ANY OF THE FEATURES ON IBM I DON'T KNOW WHY AND THE CTO MODELS ARE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE IF U CUSTOMIZE IT!
ALSO THE 2623 MODELS IN GENERAL THE PRICES ARE DICOUNTED!!!

[astro]

I'M SORRY TO SAY, BUT THE 2623 IT IS ALSO COVERED BY INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY SPECIALLY ON 2623 DDU IS POSTED ON THE TABOOK!!

Easy on the CAPS, dude.

Indeed, the tabook indicates "International Warranty Service".

But if you do an International Warranty Search on the warranty search page, you get this.
Compare that to the output of searching for "2007".

[UnivHovrTech]

Thanks so much for the information. I am glad to see that people can understand my position.

So.....Based on the replies so far:

Whether the top skin is Magnesium or CFRP, there still is the rubbery skin over it?

Warranty is not a problem.

8% speed (per core) difference may be noticeable for me. My reasoning behind getting the faster CPU is I cannot upgrade the CPU.

15" screen is much nicer/brighter/accurate in terms of color. I really wish I could see them in person.

Both travel well. Of course, less battery consumption on the 200783U.


Still cannot tell if the DVD drives are the same.

I just found out that Lenovo will be shipping my 200783U on Monday. I ordered it on 4/26. If that is true, on Wednesday I will be able to look at it and see what I got. This should give me a couple of days before the 2623 sale ends and if I can I will send it back and get the 2623 instead.

I really wish we had more freedom in configuring our systems. I also wish they would have put Firewire800 in it too.

Thanks again!
Chris.

[creed_mty]

hay hay hay!!! sorry about the post, so is was indicated on
the tabook i cannot believe it in the search page said is only the US . something is wrong in there!!! sorry guys !

[astro]

Whether the top skin is Magnesium or CFRP, there still is the rubbery skin over it?

I'm pretty sure you'll find that the 15" doesn't have the rubbery skin on it, because the plastic is actually black plastic. I always thought the rubbery skin was just paint on top of the magnesium metal lid on the 14.1" (metal used for more strength because the laptop is so thin).

[christopher_wolf]

Whether the top skin is Magnesium or CFRP, there still is the rubbery skin over it?

I'm pretty sure you'll find that the 15" doesn't have the rubbery skin on it, because the plastic is actually black plastic. I always thought the rubbery skin was just paint on top of the magnesium metal lid on the 14.1" (metal used for more strength because the laptop is so thin).

So the 15" T60 doesn't have the polymer coating on the lid?

[astro]

So the 15" T60 doesn't have the polymer coating on the lid?

Chris, like I said, pretty sure.

I am preparing to stand corrected.

[darrenf]

The 15" actually has the same coating. It's hard to tell the difference in materials by appearance. The lid on the 14" is a little colder to the touch but that's about it.

-darren

[christopher_wolf]

I thought as much; I have never seen a T Series Thinkpad go out and change the the construction materials on the lid simply because they went from 14.1" to 15".

[WilsonF]

I have used the 2623DDU with Premiere 2.0 to capture and render video. I use a second HDD in the ultra bay. It's almost as fast as my desktop with a Raid 5 array and a Pentium D 3.0 Ghz overclocked to 3.3 Ghz. The extra real estate and extra brightness on the screen of the T60p are really nice.

Personally, I don't think the additional 0.16 ghz will make much difference to you if you're rendering video.

[astro]

As I said, I shall now stand corrected.

I thought as much; I have never seen a T Series Thinkpad go out and change th e the construction materials on the lid simply because they went from 14.1" to 15".

Sorry to be picky, but the lids on the 14.1" and 15" are different -- magnesium alloy and CFRP, respectively -- aren't they?

I just had a theory that becuase the 15" was made of black plastic, they wouldn't bother painting it, cause it is already black -- so it would have the same finish as the rest of the shell.

[darrenf]

the lids on the 14.1" and 15" are different -- magnesium alloy and CFRP, respectively -- aren't they?

Yes - they are. I think since the 15" lid is so massive they can get by with weaker material and still get similar overall strength and flex characteristics.

-darren

[archer6]

I think since the 15" lid is so massive

I agree with darrenf !

In fact now that I have my T60, I removed that massive lid from my dead T42 for use as a coffee table

[darrenf]

Archer6, I noticed that you have a X60s. I know this is a T60 forum, but since you have both I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on the X-series. I've often thought of giving up the optical and gaming (ugh) on the T- to have the ultra-portability of an X- but haven't been able to bring myself to try it.

What is your opinion and why do you have both?

Thanks!

-darren

[archer6]

Archer6, I noticed that you have a X60s.
What is your opinion and why do you have both?
Thanks!
-darren

I am a mobile "road warrior" if you will. I travel everyday and have used the T series since they were first introduced. So, much like I cannot imagine not having a cell phone, I cannot imagine not having a ThinkPad.

Because my ThinkPad is absolutely "Mission Critical" to my work I always carry two. Each a mirror of the other. In the event that one is stolen, crashes completely, etc. I have another one ready to go. Since I'm also an early adopter, tech addict, I'm always checking out the latest in all brands of laptops. To date, I have not found anything that compares, or even comes close to a ThinkPad.

I upgrade to a new ThinkPad as each new model is released. It's this pattern that has provided me with quite a bit of experience with the brand and the various T series models. That said, I have been watching and thinking about an X series for years. Prior models did not have enough resources for my needs. In addition, I just could not justify the purchase, "just for the fun of it".

That was until this year when I decided to treat myself to 3 new 60 series ThinkPads.

I had been eyeing the X series for a long time so I decided to get the X60s. It's really nice when I'm on the airplane as it fits on the tray table with room to spare. These T - X - Z models are fantastic computers. I am very happy with each of them. If I had to choose just one it would be between the T and the X. I would have a hard time deciding between these two as they both have very distinct features and benefits.

I have large hands and it amazes me how easy it is to type on the X60s keyboard. As the spec sheet says: it's 97% as large as the T series full size keyboard. When I put the T60 & X60 side by side on the desk, the font size, icon size, etc is very close to being the same on each computer, very nice. Both displays are bright and clear. Both computers run quiet and cool. I use both each day, just to insure that any bugs, or problems will show up early as opposed to showing up during a presentation to a client.

Let me know what you would like to do with the computer. Then I will respond with more specifics for you.

Archer6

[Eztarget]

This is a related question:

Does anyone know the equivalent Thinkpad model number if I wanted everything the 2623DDU has with OUT the WWLAN verizon card?

[archer6]

This is a related question:

Does anyone know the equivalent Thinkpad model number if I wanted everything the 2623DDU has with OUT the WWLAN verizon card?

IBM-Lenovo Thinkpad T60p /2007C8U/
Core Duo T2600 2.16GHz, 15, 1600x1200, 100.0G, 1024MB, DVD-Multiburner, 56K Ethernet 10/100/1000 802.11a/b/g Bluetooth, 6.3lbs, 3 years, WXP Pro SP2, Fingerprint reader, New

This is the closest I could find, faster chip seems to be only difference.
Archer6

[Scratch]

All of the covers are fog coated for consistency of product color component to component as they are mixed and matched from various tools and molders. It also covers knit/weld lines and other misc process remnants.

The adhesion of the coating and primer on the TM'd mag covers can be a sporadic problem related to the surface treatment and coating processes. I had a mag cover coating peel off in sheets once, but its replacement wore like iron.

The CF reinforced tops can actually be a little more dent and ding resistant with only a nominal drop in rigidity. I've seen more damaged mag tops than plastic ones, but others' MMV. Their wear is also somewhat less visible as stated earlier because of the darker substrate color.