T50(?) will come out earlier than expect?

[CoolDragon]

According to this article: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=22041, Napa will be out as early as Q3 this year. If this is true, Sonoma will not be worth buying at all.

[baraider]

look like i can wait a while for it...
(telling self...no rush, no rush...wait...wait)

[asiafish]

Not sure what the T50 will be like, but the T42 series are excellent.

As for quality going down, I just upgraded to a T42p from a T22, and I wouldn't say the quality has gone down. Some areas don't look as nice, like the LCD bezel that looks to be of a lower grade of plastic than on the old T2x, but those stainless steel hinges sure seem like an improvement to me (I bent a hinge a bit on the T22).

What is really amazing though is the performance and dimensions. Despite the increase in power, my T42p runs cooler than the T22, and weighs about a pound less. I call that excellent design and engineering.

Even the areas where I thought a new machine would be a let-down aren't. The screen is bright and evenly lit (though I'm not used to the SXGA+ resolution yet) and the keyboard actually feels better than the T22 keyboard did.

The thing about computers is that there will always be a "Next Great Thing" to wait for. Yes, Sonoma will be replaced by Yonah in 6-months to a year, but Yonah will also be replaced by something else in about the same time.

Apple is the same way if you are looking at PowerBooks. You could buy a PowerBook G4 today, but the anticipated PowerBook G5 may come out in 6-months, or a dual core G4 that is frequently discussed on the Mac websites. My guess is that the dual core G4 will be first, then the G5 when the heat issues are dealt with.

Despite the impending new technology, I bought a T42p last week and a PowerBook G4 last month. They will both be replaced, but with computers, especially laptops, the differences are rarely enough to make the outgoing models obsolete unless you shop on the low end. Spend a little more and get the higher-end models and your investment will last. My T22 lasted four years and was still going strong, I just wanted something powerful enough for games. Ditto my last PowerBook (1GHz G4), which was only upgraded because I really wanted a SuperDrive and I got 85% of what I paid for it when I traded up.

Right now so many people on this list are talking about sending their two or three week old T42s back to get T43s. To me that is abusing their warranty.

Okay, end of rant.

[zzyss]

As far as I can tell, T43 was the end of the line before they handed over to Lenovo. If Sonoma only merited a T42 => T43 upgrade, then this next chipset would be T44 at best??

I think a T50 would have to involve a significant change to the T series chassis, which wasn't in the ThinkPad roadmap when Lenovo took over.

[Steve007]

As far as I can tell, T43 was the end of the line before they handed over to Lenovo. If Sonoma only merited a T42 => T43 upgrade, then this next chipset would be T44 at best??

I think a T50 would have to involve a significant change to the T series chassis, which wasn't in the ThinkPad roadmap when Lenovo took over.

We plan to do a minor refresh around May - no T50 or whatever you want to it anytime soon....

[MSR_Steve]

We plan to do a minor refresh around May - no T50 or whatever you want to it anytime soon....

My apologies if it's inappropriate to ask, but would this refresh affect current T42 models at all? I will be looking to buy a 2379R9U in the next few weeks, but it is not time critical so if some interesting new feature/option is coming in May then I could hold off until then.

Thanks, and agin if it's impolite to ask for "insider info" please feel free to let me know. I've only been reading this board for a few weeks.

[Steve007]

but would this refresh affect current T42 models at all?

Nope although maybe a few T42 lower end & entry models might become obsolete.

Best time to ever buy a ThinkPad is now - so many good T42 deals to be taken advantage of....

[jeeva]

I read through a german article from www.pcwelt.de regarding sonoma and they said "if you have a Centrino laptop, wait to napa, it isn't worth to buy a sonoma as Centrino user."

[Steve007]

I read through a german article from www.pcwelt.de regarding sonoma and they said "if you have a Centrino laptop, wait to napa, it isn't worth to buy a sonoma as Centrino user."

Clearly pcwelt.de's journalists should steer clear of crack.

[JHEM]

I read through a german article from www.pcwelt.de regarding sonoma and they said "if you have a Centrino laptop, wait to napa, it isn't worth to buy a sonoma as Centrino user."

Sie sind verrückt!!!

Grüße,

James

[jeeva]

But I think it's right, what do we (as centrino users) need of sonoma, which is worth to (again) spend many bucks? Serial-ATA? DDR2? no I don't think that's worth it.

[Tan Mann]

Right now so many people on this list are talking about sending their two or three week old T42s back to get T43s. To me that is abusing their warranty.

Okay, end of rant.

I absolutely agree, it just wind up driving up the cost of doing businees with IBM.
When Lenova sees the returns during the 30-day period, I bet my [censored] that the 30-day grace period will take flight.

Personally, I really see no reason to trade-up from the T42 SXGA+ units to the newer T43 equivalent.
The Radeon 9600 rocks, the weight is low, the construction is high and the reliability of the components use throughout is without question(as far as I am concerned.

I am still recommending T42s as I see no real mitigating reasons to embrace the T43, at least not until an x600-based T43/T50 shows up with a 7200RPM 60+ hard disk!

FWIW

Tan

[trikster2]

But I think it's right, what do we (as centrino users) need of sonoma, which is worth to (again) spend many bucks? Serial-ATA? DDR2? no I don't think that's worth it.

Sonoma give you PCIe gigabit ethernet (claimed to be "wire speed"), laptop expansion cards based on a bus twice as fast as CARDBUS (expresscard54), and fast PCIe graphics such as the X800 or Nvidia 6800.

If you do more than word process, then yeah fast networking, future expanability, and over twice the graphics speed may be worth it.

Regarding the intel release dates. I would definitely take them with a grain of salt. Alviso/Sonoma was not exactly on time. Looking into my magic ball I predict this time next year (or later) for when you can actually buy laptops based on this chipset.

[jeeva]

But I still mean, that it's not worth buying it now, napa will come soon and you'll be asking yourself "why couldn't I wait" Sonoma is certaintly not upgradeble to napa and if you need the features of sonoma, you find them in napa too.

[asiafish]

I have always believed in buying the very best one-year-old technology when I go to buy a new computer. Currently that is a high-end T42. By getting the best of last year, you get an extremely powerful system at a very manageable price. Chances are it will remain current almost as long as the latest and greatest, but cost a sgnificant amount less.

When I bought my 1GHz T22, the T30 had just come out. My new T42p is absolutely delightful, every bit as capable as a high-end T43, without hitting my wallet quite as hard. The current T42 models, at least those with the 9600 or FireGL graphics are more than up to the requirements of Longhorn, if that ever ships, and are in the same general performance class for games as well.

Any application that comes out and requires more muscle than a T42p can give, will also require more than a T43p can give. Perhaps some future T50, T52 or whatever will be a quantum shift in power that renders the current models obsolete, but as for right now, even a high-end T40p remains a totally current machine capable of running Longhorn and just about anything else that will run on a T43p.

I've always believed in buying what you need, when you need it. Just look for the best value equation at the time you buy. It may be last year's model, as it was with my T42p, or the brand-new, just-announced model as it was when I bought my PowerBook last month, just depends on the numbers.

Andrew

[bdoviack]

I honestly believe the T42 or regular T43 will not be able to run long Longhorn (at a satisfactorily level). Only the T43P with its 128 MB VRAM may qualify. Yes, Microsoft says that so far 64MB VRAM will be the minimum, but that's like saying Windows XP will run on 64MB RAM. It will boot up, but it will be so slow as to be unusable.

So far the reports from beta testers are don't even think about using less than 128VRAM while 256 is recommended. Longhorn is a ways off so I'm sure when it is released, 256MB VRAM cards will be commonplace.

[anthean]

Just regarding the subject of buying the best of year old technology, well, we know that IBM has a reputation for quality, but when buying from anyone else, waiting a few months gives them time to fix problems that surface in the first production units.

[K. Eng]

I bought a first generation T40 and I don't think I'd buy first generation stuff ever again. I had to do a lot of backyard mechanic work to get this machine working the way I wanted it to, and a lot of minor things annoyed me (like keyboard flex, loose battery, palmrest creaks). These got fixed, but it took awhile.

Sonoma won't be worthless when Napa comes out. It'll be a well tested platform by that time, and the T43s will hopefully be less expensive, just like the T42s are right now.

Best deal right now is a T42 of some type. I don't think the T43 has much of an advantage.

Just regarding the subject of buying the best of year old technology, well, we know that IBM has a reputation for quality, but when buying from anyone else, waiting a few months gives them time to fix problems that surface in the first production units.

[trikster2]

But I still mean, that it's not worth buying it now, napa will come soon and you'll be asking yourself "why couldn't I wait" Sonoma is certaintly not upgradeble to napa and if you need the features of sonoma, you find them in napa too.

I just actually read the article. It's not stating yonah/napa will be out this year just that the release may be accelerated because Intel is rolling out a new process faster than expected.

If you are waiting for napa/yonah you are waiting a year (or more). If you have that much time on your hands you are not in a market for a new laptop period. Check back in next year when you are.

[jeeva]

Ok for my needs at the moment I can live with my Banias a year so it isn't worth for me to buy a Sonoma.