T43/T43p - Best bang-for-the-buck?

[iMav]

It looks like there are a lot of brand-new-sealed-from-the-factory as well as refurbished T43 and T43p's available right now for under $1000. (depending on the screen, some WELL under)

It seems to me that these represent the best bang-for-the-buck Thinkpad deals currently out there. Many of these can be had with UXGA screens as well...and as someone who puts a premium on desktop real estate, that is very attractive.

I am currently working in Iraq and have decided that my current primary system (a 1st gen MacBook) will last me till my time here is done. So, I'm not looking to replace it quite yet. But when I do, I can only hope that similar deals are available. (I DID just recently pick up a T23 as a second machine though).

[lilserenity]

I'm sure you will.

The good thing about Thinkpads is that as a corporate machine of choice huge swathes of them are bought and eventually retired to the second user market if you don't mind second user, and some of these things can be mint as their users had it more as an accessory than an actual tool...

A case in point is the T40 I picked up. OK, it's a four year old machine now (feels like new technology to me though, as I think when I was heavily using Thinkpads, the T41 was the new kid on the block) but it was absolutely mint. And it was a bargain.

That said it's the 14" XGA version but that suits me just fine.

But $1000 BNIB is a stellar bargain, and well worth snapping up with you have the cash. I know I certainly would if I was in the market with the GBP to USD exchange rate right at the moment!

£500 for a brand new T43, yes please

Vicky

[dr_st]

If you can get a sealed-with-warranty T42/p for roughly the same price, I'd go for that instead.

[pianowizard]

If you can get a sealed-with-warranty T42/p for roughly the same price, I'd go for that instead.

Is that because of T43's 2010 error, and its a higher chance of having fan noise problems?

[iMav]

If you can get a sealed-with-warranty T42/p for roughly the same price, I'd go for that instead.

Like this one or this one.

[dr_st]

If you can get a sealed-with-warranty T42/p for roughly the same price, I'd go for that instead.

Like this one or this one.

The second one with the 15" SXGA+ Flexview and Radeon 9600 seems very nice, and with a warranty for almost two more years. Or is it February 08?

[dr_st]

If you can get a sealed-with-warranty T42/p for roughly the same price, I'd go for that instead.

Is that because of T43's 2010 error, and its a higher chance of having fan noise problems?

The combination of the two actually.

[pianowizard]

I saw a maxed out (i.e. 2GB RAM, 100GB 7200rpm HDD, etc.) T42p on eBay with a BIN of $900 shipped several months ago and was very tempted to grab it to replace my T43 (which had a constantly on fan and several cracks on the chassis). Good thing I didn't because I would have been stuck with three non-portable laptops (T42p, inspiron 8200, and Vaio PCG-K23).