Lenovo Now or Lenovo Later?

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n00b
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
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So, I'm gonna buy a laptop for college. I am an engineering student (biomedical), so I imagine I'll run into some CAD or something of the sort. I anticipate bringing my laptop with me most everywhere I go. I will have a desktop in my room as well (HTPC in the dorm) that I could play games on should I feel the itch. I would like to keep the laptop as close to 1500 as possible.

So as of right now, I am looking at a T61 14.1" 2.4 GHz, 4 gb aftermarket ram, Vista Business 32, 160 hdd, ABGN wireless, 9 cell battery. ~1300 with accidental warranty.

Now there's the T400, http://shop.lenovo.com/ISS_Static/merchandising/US/PDFs/t400_and_t500_datasheet.pdf
Same screen size, but LED backlit. Also, there are higher resolutions available on the T400 than T61 14.1 (which will be nice). But, I anticipate getting a 22" screen sometime and a dock, so whether or not the increased pixels will be utilized to their full potential is debatable. There is also DDR3, and Centrino 2. Truly, I could save some cash by getting 1 gb of DDR3 with it, suffer for a bit, and when I find a good deal blackfriday time, pickup 4 gb of DDR3. But, there is also an expected double base price (i've heard they're starting around 1500 from a couple unverified sources). I will get a 2-3 year accidental warranty as well, so there's some more cash gone. And then even with all this, someone could come in my room and swipe my laptop. So, is it worth the wait, or do I pull the trigger?

Also, if I wait I probably wouldn't have the laptop when college starts, not a big deal, there's labs and everything that I could use, and I will have a desktop, but there's a slight con to the convenience department. (I live 1.5 miles from my college, so it's not a big deal).

Any thoughts?
 
If you want a laptop for sure then get the T61 now, but if you want something that will last longer wait for the T400. If the past is any indication the T400 might have delays at launch that might make it so your laptop will not get to you until mid semester. With biomedical engineering you might not use CAD at all and a tablet PC like the X61 tablet or X200 tablet might be a better machine for you. I would research your class needs to make sure you do not need a 3D CAD capable machine though before going for the tablet.
 
Is that configuration with the coupon or not? Regardless, I would buy it now rather then waiting. I have a T61 and I couldn't be happier.
 
few things to consider...

1. being the Centrino 2 chipset, you can switch from integrated graphics to discrete and prolong your battery power by a great deal.
2.the T61's are being phased out. We are a all Lenovo work shop here ( about 500 deployed ) and the only version of the T's that will do anything in our CAD systems is the T61P.
3. the T400 is not a full roll cage. Maybe not important to you, but it is a big factor for use using them here at our shop.

good luck, we really have no major issues with any of our Lenovo's. They work great for us.

d.
 
I wonder when the T400/500 will be out?? Its been a few weeks since they were announced.
 
I said screw it and ordered one now. I doubt the new t400/500 will be anywhere close to the nice price of 1300. They will be close to 2k
 
Sorry to hijack this a bit, but I am in the same boat as the OP and am wondering if I should wait if my budget limit is about $1100. I have configured a solid T61 at that price using coupons and such. If I do wait for the T400, will it even be possible to get the same power of a $1100 T61 in the T400? With DDR3 and other costly improvements I am thinking no...
 
Don't wait, then. I can't see how the new version will be the same price or cheaper than the T61.
 
Wrench00 said:
I said screw it and ordered one now. I doubt the new t400/500 will be anywhere close to the nice price of 1300. They will be close to 2k
Click to expand...

More then likely at least 2000 out the door. I got my T61p for 1300 and its a great machine.
 
I really really want the X200 to be released. You can bet I'll be ordering one the second they're available.
 
Do schools today really make you supply your own CADD system? I went to school for Mechanical Engineering from 2000-2004 and we had a full CADD lab in the ME building with (then) huge 22" monitors and extremely fast computers. I think a laptop capable of any decent CADD experience is going to be very expensive and possibly a waste of money if, like me, you're going to work in the CADD labs with all your friends helping each other out.
 
Herushan said:
If you want a laptop for sure then get the T61 now, but if you want something that will last longer wait for the T400.
Click to expand...

What, why? Only benefit I see of the T400 is the faster memory. The T61p still has a faster gfx chip, and better WUXGA+ display.
 
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