Any Problems with the T400? Thinking to Buy

So I've decided that I don't really care for the ultraportability premium. Thought about getting the X200s or Sony Z or X301, but going to return my Dell E4300. My concern is battery life, and keyboard quality, so the T400 fits the bill.

Ignoring the "flex." I'll buy myself a NMB keyboard off Ebay if it shows up, are there any issues with the T400 that I should be made aware of?

I'm getting my configuration for this price. I love how low it is compared to the $2338 including tax I paid for my Dell E4300

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processor P8400 (2.26GHz 1066MHz 3MBL2) 1
Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic 1
Operating system language: Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic - English 1
Display type: 14.1 WXGA+ TFT w/ LED BL 1
System graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon 3470 with 256MB 1
Total memory: 3 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 (2 DIMM) 1
Keyboard language: US English Keyboard 1
Hard drive: 160GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm 1
Optical device: CD-RW/DVD-ROM, Ultrabay Slim 1
System expansion slots: Express Card & PC Card Slots 1
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel WiFi Link 5300 1
Modem: Yes - AMoM 1
Integrated wireless WAN adapters: Integrated WWAN upgradable 1
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery 1
Power cord: 90W AC Adapter; NA, LA, (2pin) 1
Language pack: English US Publication 1

$1,165.04 Canadian without tax
$1,328.15 Canadian with tax

 

If your concerns are battery life and keyboard quality then you should look at the x200 if you'd still like a portable laptop.

 

System expansion slots: Express Card & PC Card Slots 1

you don't want media card reader?

 

So far 1 month into ownership, I have to say I am very happy with the machine. Of course, as you can see in my other post, I dropped in WE 320 GB scorpio black, 4 GB of ram, T60 solid keyboard... It is super fast and the keyboard feels great. The LED backlight screen is also awesome. The brightness (not color accuracy) matches my LED HDTV. The machine feels very solid with nothing flex

 

How are the screen outputs of the X200 and the T400 respectively. The fact that the X200 doesn't have a discrete card concerns me, since I want to hook it up to a 24 inch LCD monitor. Otherwise the X200 would be the obvious choice. I don't think the premium of the X200s is justified. Do I have to buy the ultrabase?

 

You don't have to have a discrete card...but if you want a digital output you need the ultrabase (for the x200). If you don't think the cost warrants it, then don't go with it. I just offered it as an alternative to look at since your main mentions were battery life and keyboard. So the smaller size is just a + within those parameters. T400 wins out regarding overall cost. But you also do not have a digital output of the t400 as only the t500 has display port.

 

The discrete card is only a concern for games and/or 3D rendering (e.g. CAD, Maya, etc). The GMA4500HD in the x200 is more than adequate for Vista's Aero theme, and also accelerates high definition video decoding (I don't have a blu-ray drive on hand, but I can play back a 1080P AVC file at a bitrate close to blu-ray just fine with the CPU throttled down to its lowest 800MHz state).

I have even tested this using extended desktop to a 20" 1680x1050 monitor while playing back high definition video, and it looked as good on the external monitor from my x200 as it did on an identical monitor from my desktop with twin Geforce 7600GT. This is despite the fact that I used VGA from the x200 and DVI from my desktop. The GMA4500 is also capable of playing back strategy type games (Civ4, Sins of a Solar Empire, etc.), however it is inadequate for high end first person shooters.

 

I think we can do a little bit better than that for pricing:

Removed by Mod.

 

Please do not post EPP pass/access codes because they are not intended for the public.

Using EPP/CPP access codes without the direct permission of Lenovo and/or IBM employees(or people who have contracts with Lenovo) is nothing more than fraud and your order can be canceled.

 

There are other discounts available to Canadian customers besides the EPP discount, which is only available to those with friends or family employed at IBM or Lenovo. Take a look at these:
www.visaperks.ca (for anyone purchasing with a Visa credit card)
www.lenovo.com/studentcomputers/ca (for students)
Both often offer decent discounts over the regular Lenovo Canada site.

 

Try any of the discount sites, you'll receive a much better deal.