Quick first impressions of E6400 vs T61

For a while now, I have only considered using Thinkpads. Primarily because of the great keyboard, but also because of the business aethetics.....solid pure black design and great materials. Often I would rant about how somebody else had to adopt these two features and add some competition.

I have to say Dell did an outstanding job with the E6400. The keyboard is actually nicer than the Thinkpad keyboard due to a shorter slope on the edges which give them more surface area on the top. Otherwise, the feel is very very similar. Excellent job.

The design is serious and sophisticated with a lower maintenance lid. The Thinkpad, however, still has more polish in the build construction. Specifically, the amount of overall flex and how well they had their seems disguised.

The LED WXGA+ screen has ruined me. My desktop LCD now looks dim. It's the most beautiful matte display I've ever seen on any monitor or notebook. I'm not sure I've ever seen an LCD television as nice. It's just spectacular.

I'm very happy to see Dell finally taking the business notebook market seriously. From what I've seen, I believe they've succeeded in broaching the hallowed arena held for so long exclusively by the Thinkpad. While not quite there in terms of build quality, they have more than matched Lenovo in at least a few areas and hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

 

I just purchased an e6400, so this is good to hear. Which brand display did you get in yours? I have seen a lot of people complain about various model displays in these.

 

of course, you are comparing a new dell with a previous generation thinkpad. a fair comparison is to compare the t400/t500 thinkpad with an led display, not the old t61.

 

I don't know. I try to avoid that kind of stuff. I didn't look up to see what Thinkpad keyboard I got either. So long as it works for me I could care less.

This wasn't a real review, by the way. I was just posting to say, as a long time Thinkpad user, that these new Latitudes are very comparable.

I'd be happy to post a full mini review, but it looks like we already have a couple.

 

First of all, this was NOT a comparison. I was just a rough appraisal of the new Latitudes with Thinkpads as a reference. If you read my post I only compare the keyboards (which as I've read were BETTER on the T61 than on the T400) and the overall build quality which favored Lenovo.

My title may be a little misleading because I originally WAS planning to give an indept comparison thinking some people might find it informative. I gave up the idea under the assumption that some some guy with his boxers in a twist would crap a brick over the my comparing an apparently ANCIENT one generation old notebook -- from a line that doesn't change drastically -- and effectively derail and discredit my effort. Go figure.

 

I'll believe that when I see it. My R60's keyboard is phenomenal. Glad you like you machine. The e6400 offers excellent value, especially when you consider the total package. The Outlet machines even more so.

 

yea, what's your display brand? And how about original poster's display brand? I wonder.

 

I happen to be in the same boat regarding thinkpads and dells. The e6400 physically cmpares very well with the t400 in chassis rigidity and keyboard. I took a good 10 minutes pushing on every surface of the e6400 minus the screen to get a sense of it's substructure, and came away very impressed. I've owned many business dells in the past, and they drove me solidly into the thinkpad camp. The times have changed though, and it's clear that dell is serios about challenging thinkpads' throne.