Need some advice--next step from a T23

[devildog2067]

I'm a newly minted PhD student in physics, beginning some very computing-intensive research.

The computer I've had for the past 3 or 4 years is my old business computer, a T23. I used to be in the car business, and my old job bought this computer for me. I had no idea how spoiled I was until I started researching what Thinkpads cost!

My problem is that I'm having trouble figuring out the next step. Almost all of the computing I'm doing is ssh'ing into a cluster or analysis farm, so I don't really need any more processor or RAM. This computer meets all of my computing needs except for one: I need more screen resolution. 1024x768 just isn't quite enough for me to have two putty windows open side-by-side.

Support for two monitors would be nice as well. I don't know if any Thinkpads support that. I need to add a second hard drive as well, but that's relatively easy with Ultrabay.

My dilemma is that other than this one thing, my T23 works quite well. Therefore it's hard for me to justify the expense of buying a used T4x (an impossible, basically, to try and justify to my wife buying a T60). Basically what I want is a new SXGA+ T23 and an Ultrabay HDD adapter.

Also, my computer is now several years old and has seen some use. Both latches are broken, and there are tiny cracks in the case on both sides (just above the PgUp key on the right side, just below the Fn key on the left side).

So what suggestions can you make? I think ideally I'd like to swap my existing computer's guts into a new T2x case with an SXGA screen, but I don't know how feasible and/or expensive that would be. Failing that, I'd like to find a cheap (under $500 if at all possible) T4x, but then I'm stuck with trying to sell a cosmetically imperfect (but mechanically sound!) T23 which I'd want to keep the HDD out of.

What do I do?

[skygodtj]

First, welcome to the Thinkpad Forums! And congrats too, on becoming a rocket scientist

I've been a huge fan of the T23's for a while now (started with the 770's, migrated to the 600, -E, -X, then the -T2x) and love them to death... that being said, I've just made to jump to hyperspeed, in the form of a T40. Just a bit thinner and lighter than the -23, but slick.. and the -23's being still in the 100's range for bus speed(100 and 133mhz) while nice, there is a noticable improvement in speed with the 400/533mhz bus speeds of the T4x series.

The one I'm on now is a T40 that was a 1.5ghz Bania, now a 2ghz Dothan I got from James (JHEM) here on this board, check with him, or Bruce Moskcowitz (I know I'm spelling it wrong.. sorry) for any they may havee on hand. I love mine so much, I got a second one off ebay for my newly-minted college daughter (Arizona State) for $449 and $23 to ship, it's a 1.5ghz also, but for her, that will be plenty fast enough. You will be able to find a LOT of T40's right at the $500 range, with several on there BuyItNow for $500 w/free shipping. There are several under that.. The increase in video RAM, and just straight out architecture for the -40 over the -23 is, for me, worth the investment. And if you use it just for work, it's a write-off.

The memory from the T23 cant be used in the T40, so if you were looking for a T40 with minimal ram(less than 256MB), and planning to use yours from the -23... wont work. HD will tho.

For processors, the T40 will take up to a 2.1ghz Dothan cpu (if you can find one under $250), I got the 2ghz chip for $170 shipped. The 1.5ghz model should be able to take a 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2.0 or 2.1ghz chip, knowing that the best performance is to max out the RAM and get a 7200rpm HD.

As for the expanded video... Your T23 doesnt have the video expansion (dual monitor) installed? The exact video package escapes me at the moment, but I'm pretty sure you can plug a second monitor(ext TV) in and expand the Desktop area between monitors. I dont remember if the resolution is above 1024x768 (1280x1024, etc) but you have to make sure the video drivers are up to date for it.

To fix up the T23... look to eBay for cases, they go pretty cheap. there are several sellers on there with nothing more than latches, motherboards, lids, bezels, etc. Search them out and see what it would cost to replace the T23 case, If it's over $80 with everything, I'd be surprised. That would give your -23 a real facelift. Doing the actual swap is pretty easy, just follow the Hardware Maint Manual, and you'll be set.

If you can get a T40 for under $500(pretty likely) you will be really happy with it. Going up from that to the -41 or 42, you start moving into bigger bux($650-900).

Hope that helps!

TJ

[devildog2067]

Thanks for the welcome.

What are the performance differences between the T40 and the 41/42/43? I know the specs, I mean more along the lines of what limitations will I have to live with with the T40.

I don't see any cases on eBay right now, although that is a great suggestion. The problem with that route is that I'd still want to upgrade to an SXGA+ screen, and not only do I not know how, I don't even know if it's possible.

So I guess I'm leaning pretty much towards buying a T4x. If I do, what do you suggest I do with my T23? Can I get more money selling it or parting it out? I see LCD's selling on eBay for 85+ dollars, and mine is in perfect shape. I'd want to keep my hard drive anyway, so maybe parting it out is a better option? Or maybe someone here wants to buy a T23 sans hard drive...

Thanks for your help! Other advice actively solicited, and appreciated...

[AlphaKilo470]

If you sell the T23, you should be just fine selling the unit as a whole. I see dead T23s with bad mobos, cracked screens, etc going on eBay for more than the amount I've invested (about $160) in my fully functional ThinkPad T21.

[JHEM]

I'm a newly minted PhD student in physics, beginning some very computing-intensive research.

Pick up one of the T41P or T42P models for sale here on occasion.

Either will meet all of your computing requirements WRT actual processing ability, but more importantly a 14.1" SXGA+ or 15" UXGA display will just blow you away!

Regards,

James

[skygodtj]

OMG!!! Am I seeing things or there really a T40 for under $400????!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Thinkpad-T40-1- ... 0023688139

nvr mind, a newbie bid on it and the BIN of $379 is gone forever.

[kstuart]

OMG!!! Am I seeing things or there really a T40 for under $400????!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Thinkpad-T40-1- ... 0023688139

nvr mind, a newbie bid on it and the BIN of $379 is gone forever.

You have hit on my Pet Peeve !

I hate the weird rule of Ebay "If one person bids, then Buy It Now is gone".

[Fidim]

I hate the weird rule of Ebay "If one person bids, then Buy It Now is gone".

I thought it was, if someone bids higher than the Buy It Now price, then the higher price is what matters, because the seller will want to get the best price for what he's selling, right?

[JHEM]

I thought it was, if someone bids higher than the Buy It Now price, then the higher price is what matters, because the seller will want to get the best price for what he's selling, right?

No, unfortunately that's not the case and Ken has it right, the BIN price dies with the first bid.

Ultimately, the unit could sell for MORE than the BIN price buit that's not usually the case and it could well sell for less unless there's a reserve price set.

Regards,

James

[rkawakami]

<snip>... the BIN price dies with the first bid. <snip>... and it could well sell for less unless there's a reserve price set.

And if the seller has set a BIN price along with a reserve, then the BIN will remain visible until the reserve has been met or exceeded. The BIN does not always disappear after the first bid.

[devildog2067]

OK, with some further research I see a few other things:

I just bought a new battery for my T23. It will work in a T30, right?

I'd heard about the memory problems with T30s and hadn't even bothered looking at them; now reading about it the problem doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

What improvements will I see going from a T23 to a T30? I think that's the right move for me in terms of price; as long as it gives me the performance I need, I think it's a better bargain for me than a T40 (I haven't seen one with SXGA for under $650-700).

Any compelling reasons for me NOT to look at a T30? If not, does anyone know of an SXGA T30 in excellent condition for sale?

(I'm already in touch with the guy currently selling one on eBay)

[rkawakami]

I'll answer the first question...

I just bought a new battery for my T23. It will work in a T30, right?

The T23 battery will NOT fit into the T30 laptop, but the T30 battery WILL fit into the T23 laptop.

[devildog2067]

I'll answer the first question...

I just bought a new battery for my T23. It will work in a T30, right?

The T23 battery will NOT fit into the T30 laptop, but the T30 battery WILL fit into the T23 laptop.

Well crap. Back to the drawing board I guess.

[rkawakami]

Well crap. Back to the drawing board I guess.

I should have explained better the reason why... The T30 battery has a "notch" on one corner which matches the laptop's case. However, in the T2x systems that notch is not there in the battery compartment. Consequently, the T2x batteries are filled in where the notch exists on the T30 batteries. It sorta makes sense that IBM would do that because the T30 batteries were higher capacity than the T2x batteries and they probably didn't want anybody mistakenly trying to install a lower capacity T2x battery into a T30 and then complaining to IBM that the battery life sucked.

[schen]

In the past 3 months, I've bought 4 computers for different friends and family. And have found that the T30 falls into a "neither/nor" catagory. Of the 4 machines I bought, 3 have been T40s and 1 a T23. The reason is that unless you get one of the last T30s, the performance isn't all that much better than a maxed out T23 and if you do find a later T30, the price is usually so close to the T40s that you might as well spend the difference and buy the faster machine.

In any case, the only thing that will move from you T23 to the T30 are the drives and if you have a T30 battery already. Just my 2 cents worth.