Question: Differnce vetween T42, T43 and R52?

[jwege]

Hi,

since the main page is not available at the moment, I would like to ask the above question here in the forum. A bit more specific:

If compared the T42, T43 and R52 all with the 15,1" Display (forget the HD capacity for a second), what are the major differences betweeen the models?

As I have learned (with my own machines here), the T42 accepts easily other harddrives, even up to 250GB, while my R52 makes big trouble when trying HD's bigger than 80GB.

Since My R52 I am using actually, I need a replacement (which for reasons that I have 5 IBM TP's and a lot of external devices that i want to share) and I am considering to buy a refurbished one from some laptop firms.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Juergen

[basketb]

random thoughts:
- T43 has the same restrictions wrt. HD as R52.
- R52 does not have IPS screen, T42/T43 might (the 15" UXGA for sure, not sure about the other 15" screens)
- R52 can use Ultrabay Slim and Ultrabay Enhanced devices
- T42/T43 can only use Ultrabay Slim devices
- R52 is bulkier

[dr_st]

- R52 does not have IPS screen, T42/T43 might (the 15" UXGA for sure, not sure about the other 15" screens)

15" SXGA+/UXGA screens on T42/T43 were IPS. The XGA were not. With the R52 indeed none of the screens (XGA or SXGA+) was IPS.

Some more random thoughts:

T43 and R52 use cheaper DDR2 RAM, T42 uses the old (and thus expensive) DDR1.

T43 gets hotter than T42 and more prone to noisy fan problem (can be corrected for the most part with TPFanControl).

T42 with the exception of some late units seems to be more prone to ATI GPU failure than T43 (then again, these failures were not as common on 15" than on 14" to begin with, for whatever reason).

T42 originally only came with a DVD-R burner, whereas T43 came with DVD+R/-R capabilities. Of course, the DVD burner can easily be swapped between the two.

T42 will probably run cooler and get slightly better battery life than a T43.

T43 performance caps higher than T42 with regards to top CPUs and GPUs available. Especially on T43p.

[killer]

T43 has Bluetooth and built-in microphone. Did R52 have these?

[citizenNB]

Hi,

The T42's FSB runs at 400 MHz and it uses PC2700 RAM modules. It doesn't support Dual Channel mode.
There are installed Intel CPUs with Banias or Dothan core(only the 400 MHz versions, due to the rate of FSB).

T43 and R52 run with 533 MHz at FSB. Both support PC4200 RAM modules and Dual Channel mode.
Ex works, the T43 and the R52 came with a Intel CPU with Dothan core (only the 533 MHz versions, due to the rate of FSB). Only the R52 was also available with Intel Celeron CPUs.


citizenNB

[Johan]

Juergen:

Very sorry for being so incredibly lazy but rather than commenting your question(s), I searched this forum for the string "T42 T43 R52 difference" (and checked: "Search for all terms or use query as entered") - since I know that this question has already been discussed quite a bit! - and indeed a number of useful hits came up, incl. these:

1. T40, T41, T42 or T43? Which to buy?
2. T42 and R52 what you recommend?
3. Should I buy a R42 or an R51
4. R51 vs T40 - any reason to go "up" except screen
5. In a nutshell, what is the difference between T4x and R5x?
6. Help me pick out a new laptop!!
7. Are the T and R series the same difference?
8. R52 or T43?
9. T43 vs R52
10. (T42 vs T43) vs R52 & 14.1 vs 15. Purchase advice needed
11. Difference between T- /R- /A- /X- series Thinkpads?
12. R52 vs T43 and screen resolution question

... so I suggest you review those, and also see the links pointed to therein. Also, have a glance in the ltwbook (official title: "Personal Systems Reference, Lenovo ThinkPad Notebooks, 2005 to present - withdrawn - November 2008 - Version 348"); therein you will find specifications for the various T4x,s and R5x's.

Me? I am a sworn T42'er, so I would grab a 15" FlexView T42 (again!) any time...

Johan

[citizenNB]

Hi killer,

T43 has Bluetooth and built-in microphone. Did R52 have these?

Not every T43 has Bluetooth by default and there are R52 with Bluetooth ex works too.


citizenNB

[jwege]

First of all: Thanks so much!

Guys, this is a great forum with great members! I have never expected to get so much responses in such a short time. I am really overwhelmed.

To the topic:
@Johan: Thanks for this heads up. I feel a bit guilty to not have searched this was, but from other forums, I got this expierience: If you do not search the right way [keywords & phrases, which you often do if not having if not monitored the forum for quite some time], you do not get the results you found. So, thanks again.

To the others:
Thanks for the input. Some is a bit too in-depth for me, but as a result of all, I get the feeling that:

- T43 too near to the R52 in terms of upgrade to a bigger HDD

- with no fear about performance (I have a T42 with 1GB RAM that "even feels faster" than my R52) and not doing much video games etc. rather than MS Word, E-Mail, a bit of programming (which is mostly text)

- with the focus on HD size

- with the only REAL wish of big screen (1400x1050)

the T42 should easily do the job.

I have (at least today) no need for bluetooth, have the DVD burner from my actual R52 etc.

So. If nobody has a valid "don't do it" for me, i will go for the T42 with SVGA+, install a 300+ GB HD and will be happy for the next 2 or 3 years [hopefully -it's technology though ...].

Thanks again, i appreciate all of your help.

Juergen

[basketb]

A couple of comments:

...
I have (at least today) no need for bluetooth, have the DVD burner from my actual R52 etc. ...

If that is the DVD burner that came with the R52, then it will not fit into the T42, as it is too big. As I said before, R52 uses Ultrabay Enhanced and T42 uses Ultrabay Slim (Enhanced is 12.7mm high, Slim is 9.5mm high)

...
So. If nobody has a valid "don't do it" for me, i will go for the T42 with SVGA+, install a 300+ GB HD and will be happy for the next 2 or 3 years [hopefully -it's technology though ...]. ...

As far as I know, there is no 300+ GB PATA HD that fits the T42. 250GB is currently the largest (unless you meant to install a SATA drive in the Ultrabay SATA HD adapter for the T6x, but somehow I doubt that this is what you meant).

[jwege]

Ohhhh. That's what I meant by - too deep into it ...

1.) Yep. I have a 250 GB HDD installed in the T42 thought there would be bigger ones. But going from 120 GB as of now, 250 GB is a good step. So, this is no Stop sign, but thanks for the heads up.

2.) Also True: The DVD Burner is not going to fit into the T42. I have a DVD read, CD RW in the T42. Have never burned a DVD so far and have DVD burners in the Tower PC, the R40 of my wife and in the worst case, this actual R52 will be around anyhow. Another not STOP, but also another thanks for the heads up.

And another: You are really pro's here! You recognize even small errors. Really impressive.

Summary up here: No Stop for T42 ...

Thanks!
Juergen