I got the T42..should I have gotten the X40 instead?

[kobepm]

HELP !

I recently purchased the T42.....but now I'm thinking that given the fact that I will have the laptop docked for 90% of the time...working on a 19" monitor....

Would it have been wiser for me to get the thin & light X 40 for the 10% of the time I'm on the road with it?

I'm still within the 30 day return time frame....I'll appreciate your observations. Thanks !

[Leon]

no, IMHO you would be silly to give up the extra capability of a T42 for 10% (or even greater) travel... I travel 50% of the time, and would never trade!

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[RonS]

I'd take th T4x any day. You made the right choice.

[JaneL]

The only one who can make that decision is you.

Don't post the same message in multiple forums.

Thanks!

[Tan Mann]

I'd take th T4x any day. You made the right choice.

I agree!
The 5lb T4x feels like a 3lb notebook, probably due to it's thinness.
It has a trackpad...X40 does NOT.

Trackpad ROCKS
Trackpoint SUCKS

Keep the 14" T42, hands down, it is the BEST choice out there.

FWIW.

[mdarnton]

Well, I like the trackpoint, and would say the opposite, but the real issue is that the X doesn't have a CD drive, and the T does. That's what settled it for me.

[Tan Mann]

Well, I like the trackpoint, and would say the opposite, but the real issue is that the X doesn't have a CD drive, and the T does. That's what settled it for me.

About the CDRW, point well taken...Yes, the inclusion of a CDRW is a tremendous PLUS for the T4x.

Personally, I choose the T40 series a long while ago(2 years!) for the fantastic keyboard, the unparalleled Power management features, the "light" feel of the notebook and the very excellent 8-ish hours of battery life I get by way of the 9-cell battery and the Slim Bay battery together. This is my standard-use configuration as I write a lot whenever and wherever I get a chance.

With these 2 batteries installed, the weight is up to some 6-sih lbs, but man, it still feels like around 4lbs!

[JHEM]

With these 2 batteries installed, the weight is up to some 6-sih lbs, but man, it still feels like around 4lbs!

It's absolutely incredible how much we're driven by appearances. I often carry my T40 around with both the 9 cell and Ultrabay batteries and the total weight comes very close to rivalling my venerable T23 or even surpassing my T30.

But line the three of them up side by side and the T40 almost appears to float in the lineup.

Regards,

James

[jdhurst]

I use a T41 and I think the "T"'s are the best tradeoff for travelling. But you said 90% in the dock, so I think you should have got the "X" because you use the portability so little. Too late now, but the "T" is a great choice, so just be happy with it. ... JD Hurst

[rhema83]

T42 is a good choice. It's a good blend of power and portability. I have been using it for more than 6 months now and I have no problem carrying it around campus. Sacrificing so much for a smaller form factor which you rarely utilize is IMO not worth it.

[Torque]

The T series is by far the ultimate compromise between portability and performance/features. I would never be happy with an X series laptop.

[lfeagan]

I agree with so much of what the others have said. I would say that the X40 is a great laptop, but it is what is really a compromise of everything for increasing portability. Okay, not as much as the Sony X505 (http://reviews.designtechnica.com/revie ... n4758.html), but still, it lacks many things that those of us who have T4x have become used to. I would not agree with the comments that the T4x are in any way a compromise. With a 2.1GHz Pentium M, a high-end ATI video card, and a 7200RPM hard drive it comes out with pretty much the highest performance and battery life of anything out there. Other notebooks manufacturers make compromises to build a ~5 pound laptop, IBM overcomes the defecits that others have through better engineering, which also results in their higher price.

Notebooks which come in around 5 pounds that are fully loaded are the sweet spot in my mind and represent no compromise being taken for a laptop. Anything 8 pounds and above are compromising a slightly better video card, larger monitor, etc for a lack of any reasonable portability for people travelling with it. Anything in the 3 pound category and lighter has to compromise things like an optical drive, smaller screen, battery life, or having large keys typically.

What compromises are made on a 5 pound T4xp? I can't really think of anything lacking. 1600x1200 display not enough real estate? DVD-RW, got it. 2 GB RAM. Fast hard drive. Easy keyboard to type on. Has UltraNav so that both touchpad and trackpoint users can use it with ease (as opposed to having one or the other, which would be a compromise). I could go on, but I think you get the point.

[dkrizic]

Hi!

I have a T42p with 14" SVGA+ and I love it. It is the perfect balance between power and portability. Never underestimate having a CD/DVD-Drive (and burner) with you!

But I must admit, that I also have a X21 that I use sometimes, for example when sitting on the couch and surfing!

Greetings from Germany.

...darko

[MobileGuru]

Well here is my opinion on the subject, as I recently moved from my T42P to an X40 while I lent it out for demo purposes. Certainly for gaming and intense programs, the T was a much more capable box. I didn't really notice the 512Mb difference in memory between the two, because let's face it an X4 with 1.5GB is more than plenty. The drive access was on the slow side after being used to the 7200RPM, but for daily office work I hardly notice the difference.

Since I keep my machine docked and on a TFT much like yourself, I have to say there was no huge difference except for gaming, which I have a desktop at home for anyway. I did love picking up the X4 and walking away with it in one hand .. a huge leap from my 15.0 T series. In my case I leave the media slice at the office, so optical is not an issue.

Pro T

Performance
Graphics
Optical

Pro X

Battery Life
Portability

Either way it comes down to choice. I'm sticking with the X4 for my daily routine, but as I type this I am staring at my T43P waiting to be loaded, so tomorrow may be something new!