The Best Laptop...

[yank51]

lol, I'm just putting it out there how nice these laptops are. Many people here enjoy tech stuff and might be in the market for a new laptop. It seems like most consumers ignore the sector of business laptops that are similarly specced and much tougher, yet only cost a fraction more. Paying an extra 1-200 bucks can get you a nearly military-grade lappy. It would be perfect for a student entering college.

Kiwikat, thanks for the info. This is what I've been looking for. I went to the manufacturers site, and you can even get one there at about the same price as you can utilizing pricegrabber.com. I'd want to boost my RAM and HDD size, and you can even "add" these extras and more there. Also, they offer 0% interest if you pay it off within a certain time period, which always allows me to alk the better half into letting me get what I need (read this as what i want...lol) This is kind of funny, as I'd been noticing the commercials on TV about the Toughbooks, but you are right, they are much "pricier" that the Thinkpads. I just never actually put my hands on a Thinkpad or Toughbook though. don't personally know anyone who has one to look at.....

 

[Bjoern]

Thinkpads are even space-proof. Some older models at least. :d

The ThinkPad 750 flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope on December 2, 1993. The ThinkPad 750C's task was to run a NASA test program which determined if radiation inherent in the space environment causes memory anomalies in the 750C or generates other unexpected problems.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"> </sup>In 1995, the average number used was five, and in 1999 the average number was nine. Throughout 2006, a ThinkPad A31p was being used in the Service Module Central Post of the International Space Station and seven ThinkPad A31p laptops were in service in orbit aboard the International Space Station. As of early 2010 the Space Station is equipped with 68 ThinkPad A31p computers plus 32 new Lenovo ThinkPad T61p laptop<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference">s.</sup>
ThinkPads have been praised for exceptional build quality, system reliability, services and design throughout their decade and a half of presence in the consumer market.<sup id="cite_ref-Hamm_8-0" class="reference"> </sup>The original design was a collaboration between Tom Hardy, corporate head of the IBM Design Program, Italian-based designer Richard Sapper (noted for the design of classic products such as the Tizio lamp for Artemide, office chair for Knoll, kitchenwares for Alessi and ballpoint for Lamy) and Kazuhiko Yamazaki, lead notebook designer at IBM's Yamato Design Center in Japan.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"></sup> Sapper proposed a design inspired by the Shōkadō bentō, a traditional black-lacquered Japanese lunch box.

<sup id="cite_ref-Hamm_8-2" class="reference"></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"></sup>
The fold-out butterfly keyboard, which appeared in the ThinkPad 701 series, is widely considered a design masterpiece and is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The ThinkPad 760 series also included an unusual keyboard design; the keyboard was elevated by two arms riding on small rails on the side of the screen, tilting the keyboard to achieve a more ergonomic design.


The 755CV featured another design quirk: the screen could be separated from the lid, allowing it to be used to project the computer display using an overhead projector, before data projectors were commonplace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinkpad

My T60 already survived a 50cm fall when it slipped from my knees. No HDD damage tanks to the "HDD airbag" and the battery lost an unimportant holding clamp. No further damage.

Thinkpads are the standard issue laptops in the company my dad works for. That *has* to mean something!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinkpad#cite_note-11

 

[yank51]

Well, I've gone and done it. Yesterday I ordered myself an Elite Thinkpad T510 with discrete graphics.

Specs:
Intel i5 540M 2.53 GHz w/ turbo boost (built in overclocking to ~3 GHz)
NVIDIA NVS 3100m graphics with 512MB DDR3 memory
4 GB DDR3 1066MHz ram (2 x 2)
15.6" HD anti-glare display with LED backlight and WWAN antenna
500 GB 7200 rpm hard drive
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000
9 cell battery (7+ hours life)

I also sprung for a wireless mouse (i don't care for the touch-pads...), but just because I was trying to take advantage of a 20% coupon I found online,, anlong with a 10% one. Both had expiration dates of 3/24, so I made my move. I never could get the system to take the 20% coupon (perhaps I should have then called the 800 number, but...) so I tried the 10% coupon and it worked. Only disappointment was the fact that they then tacked on state sales tax, which I usually miss by ordering through, say, Newegg or someone like that. I chose the mfg. site because I could customize, and overall, I'm happy with what I paid (approx. 1280.00 tax included, at 7%). My laptop is scheduled to ship April 6th, so I'll come back and give my first impressions after I get it. I've been contemplating a laptop purchase for quite some time, but have been confused by all the hoopla and sales pitches, and although they have a lot to look at at Best Buy, I just don't trust them due to other members here having issue with them...

 

[Kiwikat]

You'll probably wish you got the HD+ display... In fact I would seriously recommend you contact them before they get it together and see if you can change it. The regular display isn't very good and has received complaints.

There's several T510 owners congregated on forum.notebookreview.com in the Lenovo section. If you've got any issues, pop on over there and I'm sure they will help you out some. Even if you don't have issues, pop over there and read the T510 thread. I'm sure you will find some useful info.

The i5 seems to suffer from some high pitched CPU noise (related to turbo boost and/or speedstep) that other notebook processors sometimes have (it isn't a rare problem). There are some power settings you can set to make it go away. Last night I played with the settings and I haven't heard any noise coming from it since. I now love this thing 99.9%. It's nearly flawless. It's pretty rare for me to say that about a computer!

The other .1% that I don't like is the LCD. I wish I would have had the money to get the FHD screen. $$$

I hope you enjoy your ThinkPad! Every time I pick mine up I get a smile on my face because the thing is just THAT cool. :d

 

[kilo delta]

I wish I would have had the money to get the FHD screen.

I never have my laptops resolution wound up to the 1920x1200 max as it's too difficult for me to read text whilst browsing or using Word.......guess I'm getting old!

Congrats with the new laptops,guys! :ernae:

 

[djscoo]

I never have my laptops resolution wound up to the 1920x1200 max as it's too difficult for me to read text whilst browsing or using Word.......guess I'm getting old!

Congrats with the new laptops,guys! :ernae:

I was the same way, I use my main computer on a 22 inch display and I always kept the resolution lower so I could read. I was playing around with settings one day and found out you can add new resolutions to the Nvidia control panel. I looked up the native resolution for my monitor and the icons were almost too small to read. I went into windows settings and changed the font and icon size to extra-large for the visually impaired, and finally I have a high-res display (1360x768) with legible text. My laptop, on the other hand has a 10in screen so I'm kinda stuck on lower resolutions.

 

[Bjoern]

I hope you enjoy your ThinkPad! Every time I pick mine up I get a smile on my face because the thing is just THAT cool. :d

Yep. It just doesn't get old! Even after 3+ years of usage.


Another cool thing is the publically available maintenance manuals. I changed the LCD all on my own with the help of it. A 300€ job done for 25€, which was the cost for the new screen including shipping. :d

 

[Kiwikat]

I never have my laptops resolution wound up to the 1920x1200 max as it's too difficult for me to read text whilst browsing or using Word.......guess I'm getting old!

1920 x 1200 would be incredible for some of the stuff I do, like the adobe CS4 suite. So much of the room is taken up by palettes and toolbars. Same with Visual Studio. This 1600 x 900 is just barely big enough to work comfortably.

 

[kilo delta]

1920 x 1200 would be incredible for some of the stuff I do, like the adobe CS4 suite. So much of the room is taken up by palettes and toolbars. Same with Visual Studio. This 1600 x 900 is just barely big enough to work comfortably.

True, the higher res is a godsend with the likes of PS, but you could always hook up your laptop to a desktop monitor/ lcd tv .....albeit then losing the portability of the laptop.

 

[fsafranek]

I saw someone back over one once. He was pissed. Didn't fair too well. In fact
it was hardly worth bothering to reach down and pick it up after that. He was an
ass so we all got a good oops followed by a chuckle. Just don't set it on the trunk
and then get distracted.
:ernae:

 

[kilo delta]

Yep...I saw a guy accidentally drive over a €5k alienware laptop in a forklift! It remained relatively intact but the screen,mobo, and frame were destroyed.

 

[yank51]

You'll probably wish you got the HD+ display... In fact I would seriously recommend you contact them before they get it together and see if you can change it. The regular display isn't very good and has received complaints.

I hope you enjoy your ThinkPad! Every time I pick mine up I get a smile on my face because the thing is just THAT cool. :d

Got a hold of them this morning and made that change (the HD+ instead of just the HD per your commendation). It will add a few weeks to my delivery, and the sales guy said I might even still receive my original order, but they would do a replacement, but I might have to do a new order to get the different display. The bottom line is that my change request will be honored. Thanks for the tip... (BTW, I never noticed you had ordered the HD+ instead of the plain HD display. I think they should have given it a different name, just to make the difference more noticeable...)

 

[Kiwikat]

Got a hold of them this morning and made that change (the HD+ instead of just the HD per your commendation).

Great!

I highly doubt it will take weeks longer. Mine wasn't supposed to ship for over 2 weeks and it shipped in 1.

The Lenovo ordering system and shop was the only thing I didn't like about the whole experience.

 

[jmig]

I had a Thinkpad years ago. back in the days of IBM. It was a good computer. Had the little pencil eraser to move the mouse.

 

[Bjoern]

I had a Thinkpad years ago. back in the days of IBM. It was a good computer. Had the little pencil eraser to move the mouse.

They still have those.

Great to confuse people using your laptop.
"Huh? Your touchpad is not working."
- "Yeah, because I don't need it."
:d

 

[Kiwikat]

The touchpoint is awesome actually. I've stopped using the touchpad completely. It is so much more comfortable using it because you don't have to move your hands as much to move your cursor.

 

[Bjoern]

The touchpoint is awesome actually. I've stopped using the touchpad completely. It is so much more comfortable using it because you don't have to move your hands as much to move your cursor.

But only if the laptop's positioned completely level. My mouse cursor gets a life of his own thanks to the touchpoint when I have the laptop inclined, like on my lap or pillow.

Might just be dirt though.

 

[yank51]

Well, finally got my Lenovo T510 yesterday, and it's everything kiwikat said it would be, and more. Love it!!! Still playing with the settings, but we'll see about the resolution setting. Right now, I'm on the default just to get used to it and to set it up. I'm in the middle of getting it intomy home network, so I'm fiddling with a wireless router which is new to me. Again, thanks for pointing me towards the T510, as they are everything you claimed they would be, even though a bit more money than I originally planned on spending...

 

[HundertzehnGustav]

It is by far the most solid laptop I have ever used or seen. B

Does anyone else have any experience with ThinkPads?

1+
1+
love changing keyboards or Mobos on them - beats any HP bullshytte by lengths.
regularly have some of them under my grubby hands, and even very old models from IBM days seem to survive a lot better than the other fangdangled new stuff.

but pricey... and come with a lot of unnecessary software.

 

[HundertzehnGustav]

It is by far the most solid laptop I have ever used or seen. B

Does anyone else have any experience with ThinkPads?

1+
1+
love changing keyboards or Mobos on them - beats any HP bullshytte by lengths.
regularly have some of them under my grubby hands, and even very old models from IBM days seem to survive a lot better than the other fangdangled new stuff.

but pricey... and come with a lot of unnecessary software.