W500 questions

[Bojje]

Hello, I have been searching for a new laptop, that I will be using in school.
1. I like gaming and therefor I already have an xbox and a gaming computer. What I need now is a computer that can handle very basic games, like CS 1.6 and source and perhaps some games like WoW and unreal tournament 3 but nothing heavy. Will the W500 allow me to play these games, so I can use it at LAN parties?

2. And now on to some hardware questions, will a fingerprint reader really be worth it? I will no have any need for any serious encryption, besides what I can handle myself. And how safe is it? Is it just as safe as a password or more so?

3. How good is the camera, and why would I want one on my laptop?

4. I was thinking of upgrading the cpu from the P8600 up to T9400, will the T9400 be worth the extra money, and how well will any of them handle oc? (I am not thinking of oc from when I get the machine, but later on I might).

5. How much ram would be a good amount when you plan on running XP? And how easy is it to upgrade the ram on the machine? and could someone please post a guide (I have tried google).

6. Will XP be able to handle the newest office and powerpoint suites?

7. Will installing a fresh version of XP void anything on the machine? Will I be able to get some of the think vantage(sp?) software over on the XP partition, without having the XP discs from lenovo?

8. If I want to put an SSD in my laptop later on, will it be something I can do without voiding the warranty, and how easy will it be?

9. Does the keyboard liquid drain feature save both your hardware and your keyboard or just the hardware? (I have found sources saying both)

10. Will the 9 cell be worth the heavier weight, and how long will the laptop run on a 6 cell and how long will it run a 9 cell?

11. I will be living in another country while I go to school, this country does have a normal lenovo department and the school has a company acting as repairmen for lenovo, but only if I have a warranty. I have looked at buying my computer there, but the prices are double that of the US, and they only offer their local keyboard. Will my warranty still be valid, even though I live in a different country?

12. I chose a thinkpad because I want a machine that can take all the abuse of 3+ years of school, I also love the design, and think that other laptops are very ugly. But what are the other reasons to get a machine like this? Is the build quality still as legendary as it used to be?

13. It looks as if the W500 are on some sort of a sale right now, is this true, or is it just a price drop? Will the next month be a good time to invest in a new machine?

I am sorry if I am asking some questions that have already been asked and answered, but I have tried google and I have not found what I was looking for.

[archer6]

Greetings and Welcome to the Forum!

1] Yes, just be sure to have at least 3GB of memory for XP, or 4GB for Vista.
2] No, I would not suggest a fingerprint reader. You may still set a bootup hard drive password which is extremely secure.
3] Camera is like other laptops, average at best, you would want it for capturing yourself when conferencing, your choice.
4] By not getting a camera or fingerprint reader you've paid for half of the price of the chip upgrade. And yet you would only benefit if your truly going to need the extra processing power. For regular school and office work the 2.4GHz is excellent.
5] As I mentioned in item one, for XP use 3GB. That's money well spent. It will speed up the computer more than the processor upgrade.
6] Yes
7] I would strongly encourage you to use XP as it comes on the machine. You can remove any additional trial ware you don't want, by using the Rescue and Recovery partition, and choosing "Custom" then uncheck the boxes for the trialware. Then when it wipes the drive and reloads the OS, it will not load the trialware. I've used it and it works perfectly. Plus the Rescue and Recovery partition is very handy to use if you have a major crash, or virus, you simply run it and everything's done automatically for you. No drivers to find and download.
8] Very easy, Lenovo allows you to replace hard drives, ram, keyboard and an entire list of parts without voiding your warranty.
9] I've not tried it but would expect it to depend on what you spilled. Sticky sugar filled soda might ruin the keyboard. Or you may be able to rinse it out, if done right after the spill. Then set it aside for two or three days to dry completely.
10] I've not used a nine cell on my W500 as I'm nearly always by a power outlet, I'm sure someone else on the forum can answer this for you.
11] I might suggest you contact Lenovo for that answer
12] The build quality is better than the first ThinkPad T series , and I've had everyone since then. A ThinkPad is the very best laptop money can buy. Period. (but that's just my opinion based on over a decade of using one as my main computer every day).
13] There is no way to predict, but I would say based on my experience the sooner you buy the better. The current sale prices have been very good.

There is no such a thing as too many questions. It's what we are here for, to help other users. If there is anything else that comes to mind please ask.

Cheers...

[Bojje]

First of all thank you very much, I think this is the first time I have joined a forum and gotten such good answers I am now certain that I will be getting a W500, thank you again for the help. I do however have some more questions:

1. I first picked XP because I thought it was able to run on very little ram, but when I will have to upgrade my ram, then I might as well buy it on the side and upgrade it myself. I have been stuck in a desktop world for some time now, so I don't really know who makes good laptop ram, could you suggest a company? Or should I just go for the highest rated DDR3 ram?

2. If I would like to upgrade to windows 7, how would I do this, without loosing any Think vantage software?

3. Is there room for one or two hard drives in the W500? And I have heard that some of the older thinkpads didn't let you upgrade the HDD, is this still the case? and if it is, is there a hack to fix this?

4. Is the screen mat, and not glossy as with most laptops?

5. I'm considering between CPUs: P8600 vs T9400. I understand that the P8600 uses only 25 watts whereas the T9400 uses 35 watts. How much will battery life be increased? Is it measurable? Has anyone done this comparison? And if I only do some light gaming, will the bigger cpu be anything that I will notice? I guess I'm asking which will I notice more, the increase in battery life of a P8600 or the increased performance gain of T9400?

6. When and if I upgrade the Hard drive, should I go for 7200 rpm or a 5400 rpm drive? Will the performance gain be worth it? (320 gb 7200 rpm vs. a 500 gb 5400 rpm drive).

7. How long will I be able to have the laptop, if I just want to use it for normal text editing and power points? When does a thinkpad "die"?

[Bojje]

I also have another question, if I do a format, will I be able to use my vista recovery dvd (vista business) to install, if I have the original serial?

[archer6]

1] The Ram Memory Specification is: PC2-8500 1066MHz DDR3. As long as you get this exact specification, your ThinkPad will run in dual channel mode, which maximizes the use of the processor. When it comes to brand, ThinkPads are not sensitive, you may use any major brand available your area. I always buy memory from a third party company, and install it myself to save money. I've used Crucial and had great success http://www.crucial.com

1a] Here is a link for you to download the W500 Hardware Maintenance Manual, (HMM) it includes instructions for installing ram, and other parts like hard drive, etc.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-70068

2] I also plan to upgrade to Windows 7, and we will have to wait and see if Lenovo offers to sell the discs to us.

3] Yes, I was running two hard drives in my W500 and now run two SLC SSD Drives.
It's easy, you simply purchase another hard drive (no restrictions on the drive as long as it's SATA. The old ThinkPads were different.) which mounts in a ThinkPad Serial ATA Hard Drive Bay Adapter II, which fits in the ultrabay after you remove the optical drive. It's a one button release, pull a lever and the optical drive slides out, then you install the second hard drive / adapter combination in the ultrabay. Here is the link to the proper adapter:
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... EB5B2B986E

I might suggest a 7200rpm Western Digital Scorpio Black hard drive. I have a couple of these, they are fast, quiet and readily available on sale. Here is a link:
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=477

I routinely run XP as my main OS with the second drive running Linux. If you want instructions as to the fast, easy way to set up your computer with two drives in a dual boot configuration just ask, and I will outline that for you.

4] Thankfully ThinkPads still have matte displays. I have one of the new Aluminum Unibody MacBook Pros and it's highly reflective glossy screen is dreadful. Utterly useless in a room with any reflections from other lights or sunlight entering the room.

5] This is a topic that can be very controversial. Many will argue for battery life, others processor speed. I say, if there is any question and you can afford it, simply go with the faster processor even at 35w. That way you will never doubt speed. And yet that said, it's highly overrated (based solely on my personal experience, as I have them all). What I will say is that the reduction in battery life is very minimal. Also because battery life is totally dependent on what one is doing with their computer, (and involves too many variables, screen brightness, how many apps you are running, how you have the power manager setup, and on and on) in my opinion there is simply no way to know based on others experience, just what you can expect for battery life. You will only get a rough estimate at the very best.

6] Hands down go for a 7200rpm hard drive. I find the price premium relatively small when ordering the computer, it's easiest to just get one when you configure your W500 during the ordering process. That way it's tested after the computer is built, and if there is any issue it's covered by your warranty.

7] Look at my signature on the bottom of this entry. Each and everyone of those ThinkPads I purchased new, took good care of, used daily for work for the first year of their life, and are running just fine today. Take good care of it and it will last as long as you want it to. I've used mine everyday for over a decade and never been let down. And those below are only my favorites. I own every ThinkPad I've ever purchased, except two, and I only sold those because I was offered more money than I paid for them (True, long story).

8] Yes you will be able to easily use your Vista CD/DVD set for installing that OS on the second hard drive in the ultrabay.

Nothing... absolutely nothing beats a ThinkPad!


Cheers...

[Bojje]

Thank you a lot for all the help
I will soon order my W500, and the extra ram and HDD, I am really looking forward to getting it Now I only have on question back, and that is how bulky is the 9 cell vs the 6 cell? So if anybody can answer this, then it would help a lot.

[archer6]

I've downplayed my dependence or focus on batteries because I don't want that to prevent me from buying the best ThinkPad for the job. That said, I do use battery power exclusively about once or twice a week.


I have the 6 and 9 cell batteries for mine. The 9 protrudes out the back of the ThinkPad about 30 to 40mm and certainly adds some bulk and a cumbersome feeling. Also it goes without saying your case must have room for it. Yet its no more awkward than any other laptop with an extended life battery. My take on it, is that it's one of the compromises one must live with, for extended run times. In my case it gives me nearly 45-50% more time.
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Cheers...

[Bojje]

Well if it gives that much more time, then I will upgrade and go for the larger battery, and I will also get the CPU thanks to the savings I will post in the "order thread" when I order my laptop, which I hope will be very soon
So this will be the final machine:
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 (2.53GHz 1066MHz 6MBL2)1
Genuine Windows Vista Business
15.4" WSXGA+ TFT, w/ CCFL Backlight
ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 (512MB VRAM) with Intel AMT
1 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM) Will be upgraded to: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820148191
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
160 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm4 (I will upgrade that drive to this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822136280 )
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo 24X/24X/24X/8X Max, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)5
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
ThinkPad WiFi (BGN)10
Integrated Mobile Broadband upgradeable
9 cell Li-Ion Battery

And I added some stuff:
Belkin Neoprene Sleeve for notebooks up to 15.4in - Black/Red (I added this, even though I do have a nice leather briefcase for it, I think it would be nice to have a sleeve, so it doesn't look like crap after a week)
Lenovo USB WebCam (It was 5$ more, and it has way better quality, and I can use it at my desktop)

I kind of had a crazy idea, is it possible to have both face recognition and finger print, as added security?

[archer6]

Here's a great place to get a sleeve that is a perfect fit, as they are designed to the exact dimensions of your ThinkPad. I've got some that are five years old and look just like new.
http://www.sfbags.com/products/sleeveca ... ecases.htm

I don't know about the multiple security measures, you must be a secret agent....ha...ha...ha.... (James Bond...eh?)

Cheers...

[Bojje]

Thank you Sadly the sleeve would push me over my budget (it sucks to be a poor student).
I have ordered the computer now, and I am looking forward to getting it Thank you for the help, you really helped me decide on what laptop I should get

[archer6]

Yes, I remember the days of being a poor student myself. The good news as you know, is that it pays off handsomely as time goes by. I'm glad that I was helpful in assisting you in your quest for a new laptop. It's great to have you as a member of our forum. I look forward to your continued participation as your time permits.
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Cheers...

[Bojje]

I just recived my W500 (I am typping this message on it) but I am having some issues.
First of all, the left side of the keyboard flexes considerably, whille the other side is rock solid. It is a bit annoying, but I guess I can live with it if there is no fix.
Second of all, my FireGL card is showing as a 3560, and after I upgraded my operating system from basic to ultimate (I have not upgraded the HDD yet) the card just won't run, the "catalyst" software crashes saying "it does not support the active GPU. But I can't get the FireGL to work. In device manager windows says this "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)".
What should I do?

[archer6]

I just recived my W500 (I am typping this message on it) but I am having some issues.
First of all, the left side of the keyboard flexes considerably, whille the other side is rock solid. It is a bit annoying, but I guess I can live with it if there is no fix.
Second of all, my FireGL card is showing as a 3560, and after I upgraded my operating system from basic to ultimate (I have not upgraded the HDD yet) the card just won't run, the "catalyst" software crashes saying "it does not support the active GPU. But I can't get the FireGL to work. In device manager windows says this "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)".
What should I do?

Return it.

I actually have two W500's and both have keyboards that are rock solid across all keys and every corner.

[Bojje]

Yeah, that was the answer I really didn't want to hear... I will try and see if I can get it fixed under the warranty first, at least I solved the wireless problem (it kept dropping it) and the GFX.
So far I am still enjoying my purchase, this is definately a quality computer, but it strikes me as odd, that they didn't have enough quality control to check the keyboard for problems.

[archer6]

If it was not defective out of the box I would say use the warranty. But this one slipped by QC and if you return immediately now while you can, even though inconvenient, you'll be glad you did.
Believe me I've had this happen to me and I hesitated, but then returned it and the replacement was perfect. Then I was so glad I did. Once in awhile this can happen with any manufacturer. A year ago I had to return a MacBook Pro for a similar condition. So it does pay to act immediately.
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Cheers...
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