Good or Bad T42P?

[taichi]

Locally someone is selling a T42P manufactured in May 2004, type 2373. A call to Lenovo informed me that the GPU is the ATI Mobility Fire GL T2.

Is this model in the high GPU failure group, or lower failure variant of the T42P?

Thanks!

[underclocker]

I'd say the only one with that precise info might be IBM/Lenovo.

However, ALL ATI GPU T4x and R5x machines are subject to failure due to broken solder joints between the GPU and motherboard.

Some people suggest that some fail less than others, but I have seen every model fail. I have also used individual machines for years without issues and I have a close friend that bought one of the first T40's new and it is still in use with the original motherboard.

Basically, if the machine is treated with care (not flexed and used in a reasonalble environment) it does well. The problem with used machines is that you do not know how they were handled before they got to you.

A basic ATI GPU T60 will run circles around a T42p. T60's are very reliable. I'd go with a T60. In fact, I did.

[taichi]

I'd like a T60P or even a T60 with 15 inch Flexview, but money is tight. That's why I'm considering the T42P. But having to reball/resolder would skew the whole price advantage.
Ah, the travails of being a Thinkpad afficianado!

taichi

[poshgeordie]

As someone who reflows T4x graphics chips for a living, +1 for Underclocker's comments.

You might want to think about getting a more 'standard' T60, and go for one of the more 'exotic' models when funds are available.

I recently bought one for the first time, and it's a real step up in terms of performance and looks from the T4x series, and came with nearly 4 months manufacturers warranty as well. I paid only £199 ($320) (T4x go for around £150 here) but I'd think you can buy a similar one in the US for a lot less.

[taichi]

Thanks for the responses. I will resist the siren call of the T42P, and set sails towards the isles of the T60 series.

taichi

[sktn77a]

Bear in mind that, although this is a known issue with the T4x, it probably afflicts only a relatively small proportion of the computers out there. I think the people who post their problems on this site are more likely to have had the problem (or they wouldn't be posting) than those who don't. So it's not a representative sample.

[Norway Pad]

I got the same impression too when I bought the T42. I wasn't aware of the GPU failures before I started looking around here, and the level of attention this failure got almost freaked me a little out at first. But I realized that this is a technical forum, and most people are here because something is wrong with their Thinkpad.

(I have never had a single hardware failure with any of my Thinkpads ever, just to mention that. Knock wood. He, he)

However, if a person was going to buy a T42 just because it was cheap, while he really wanted a T60, and was maybe going to be dependent on this laptop as a daily driver, I would probably have given the same suggestions as given here.

[ajkula66]

A couple of aspects have been overlooked in this discussion so far, at least IMO...

a) What is the primary use for the machine in question going to be? Is it going to sit comfortably on a desk, or be used mostly for travel?

b) What are the highest priorities the user is looking for: screen/keyboard quality, ability to run certain software...???

c) What lifespan is expected from the ThinkPad in question ?

All of these questions might point one in directions that were left out of the initial discussion to begin with...

Personally, unless someone needs the graphic horsepower of the "p" models, or can't live without an UXGA LCD, I advise them against getting them. To an average user, they usually offer not much that can't be found on "regular" ThinkPads of the same generation...

Those of us who have gone through a lot of ThinkPads have experiences which don't necessarily match 100%, and do not represent the entire picture by any means. But given the number of shady-condition T4x units offered on fleabay, GPU issues are a very real threat to this day.

With that said, I'd never choose a T4x as a travel machine unless it were an Intel-based T43. And I'd be very weary of an inexpensive T42p...unless I knew where it was coming from, and the owner's user patterns...

My $0.02 only...

[iambtk]

T42P is more cool than T43~

[Tasurinchi]

and the level of attention this failure got almost freaked me a little out at first

Well, I'm also impressed but that. But let me first tell my story:

In my previous company we were a team of 8 people, using almost all T4x series (except me having a T30). I don't recall by heart the exactly models, but we have sure several T40s and several SXGA+ models with FP reader ( maybe T42p/T43p?).

We use to travel a lot with these machines (mostly by airplane) and were heavily using them. Appart from issues with dying batteries, we NEVER had a problem with displays. And that over a period of almost 4 years.

When I started to frequent this forum I was surprised reading about the GPU issues for T4x and the memory slot issue for T30s. In my limited experience with TP these were unknow problems to me. I've got a T43p some days ago, I treat my TP at home very carefully, so I hope not to have any GPU issues for some heres (know on wood).

My 0.02 cents...