Comp Science Major - Need input!

Hi All,

I'm a n00b on the forums here, but this has been the best info I can find with respect to ThinkPads.

So I am a Comp Sci/Mgmt Info Systems Major. Starting school again after 15 years and a degree major switch (Drama doesn't pay well, and I'm a family woman now). I have been trying to find a good laptop that I can use for school and will probably still use after I graduate in 3 years. I will need to do programming and word processing on the laptop, none of the gaming/movie watching stuff is critical to me, since I have a house and 2 large TV's with blue-ray at home and game only when at home n my desktop, though music options may be something I would like to have, I do have an iPhone which plays music just fine. Also net surfing for research/break entertainment is also a defining factor for my needs/wants.

I am leaning towards the T500 or T510, though the delay in shipping for T510 is a bummer since I am an instant gratification type of gal. I know it's just being released, hence the delay, and I can use the husband's Hypersonic laptop to tide me over til it arrives. But my main concern is that I have a laptop that can do what I need, have good battery life because my classes are 5 hours long (accelerated night school college), and not be slow as all hell like my frickin' Vaio that I got 3 years ago and am thinking about tossing/ebaying since it's slower than molasses on a winter day.

So...I am open to any and all pro/cons/suggestions for a laptop. I don't want a lot of fluff filler, and not necessarily narrowed down to ThinkPads, I am open to any and all suggestions.

I want to add that I also read MidnightSun's T500 review and it was very informative and helpful, making me lean towards ThinkPads even more.

ok, done rambling...

Thanks very much in advance!

~CissaFireheart

 

Most programming in University doesn't require a really powerful CPU, usually the P8xxx or T9xxx C2D CPU with 3 gig of ram is more than enough. The T500 can be had for really good prices with discounts and coupons. While, if you need 5+ hour of battery life, it is recommended that you get the 9 cells battery.

The T510 is good due to the inclusion of the better CPU, better GPU and more ports (esata, extra USB)... but the extra price of T510 over the T500 has questionable value, when you are not going to fully utilise them.

 

If you are going to a University (especially a large one, as they are more likely to have this), check out their student computing demo center if they got one. They often have laptops you can demo and usually offer models in line with what the Thinkpad would (business line).

They aren't gonna have the T510 for a bit (though, no one does, even Lenovo ..)

 

I am going to an extension campus that is little more than 1 floor in a business park, so I don't have the option of checking out examples.

I don't mind the wait, since right now the only classes I am taking is one online music appr. class and environmental science...I can do the work for those at home on my desktop, which is why the wait isn't a big deal, per se, I just like to have stuff right now

My husband builds computers in his spare time, so he suggested something with a quad core or even the i5 processor, but again, he also is picky and a gamer, and I don't think I would need that much for Management Information Systems, honestly, which is why the T500 is also good for me.

Also, I plan on 4GB of Ram, just for kicks, and I am definitely going with the 9 cell battery....I am hoping to use this after I graduate and actually have a job somewhere!

Yaknow I also find it ironic that I am a CS major and need help picking out a laptop. Anyone else see the irony? Just me? heh.

 

lead_org's comments about the T500 vs T510 probably apply to any of the newest generation - whether you are willing to pay more (maybe more than the additional features justify) and wait a while longer to have the "bleeding edge".

Assuming your search is limited to ThinkPads, and based on your description, anything from Lenovo's R, T, or X series (200+) should be adequate. Personally, I would always pay a little more for T over R due to construction quality and form factor. The remaining decision would be based on how you plan on using the laptop.

Included in the range above is a 12", 13", 14", and 15" screen. The X3xx and T4xx s are probably the most expensive options, and many would say that they nail the sweet spot between being full featured and portable. The X200 is the most compact and portable, but you lose an internal optical drive. The T5xx is the least compact and portable, but has the largest screen and the most powerful hardware.

If you plan on lugging the computer around all the time and/or plan to use an external monitor at home, I'd probably go with one of the smaller ones. Otherwise, the T5xx or T4xx (non-s) are both excellent and should do the trick for you.

 

considering that you can buy new thinkpads of the T400 and T500 in USA during sale + coupons in the 600 to 800 USD range, there is little justification of buying the R series for say 100 USD dollar less. Especially if you are going to lug it to the university. In addition, the X200 ultraportable is put a lot of strain on your eyes, which is not good if you look at the LCD a lot and you are going to do so for sometime in the future. T500 with the WXGA+ or the WSXGA+ is more than adquate, considering that most widescreen 19 inch desktop LCD is only using WXGA+, so a WXGA+ in 15.4 inch LCD format is more than usable, and won't put a lot of strain on your eyes.

 

Ms Fireheart,

Welcome to the forum. It's nice to have another woman around!
Renee

 

Glad to hear my review helped

Your needs do not seem to be very intensive, so aside from certain design improvements, the T510's new features and specifications don't really bring much to the table that you need. For that reason, and to minimize the cost of the machine, I think you'd be better off looking at the current Thinkpads instead of the new generation.

Because you will be using the machine for classes, I would suggest looking at the T400 and X200 instead of the T500, as they are more portable and offer longer battery lifetimes. Maybe, if the budget allows, the T400s may be a good option to look at as well, as it contains much of the design improvements of the new generation of Thinkpads in a very portable package.

 

I second the suggestion to go for the T400s if your budget (look out for the coupons and special events). T400s is the vanguard of the new Thinkpad range, by offering eSATA, Displayport in 14.1 inch, CFRP/GFRP rollcage, enhanced keyboards, etc.

 

I for one agree with your husband. A Comp Sc. major will also need programming, thus a good CPU and fast CPU will compile faster. Furthermore, as you want the machine to last at least 3 years, I say your best bang for buck is to get an i5 or i7 CPU. You can combine this with the slice battery to get to at least 5 hours. And since you will be spending a lot of time infront of the co,mputer, I suggest the new T510 w/ an i7 CPU. My $.02.

 

How do you envision using the computer, and what is your budget?

It is doubtful that an i5/i7 cpu or T400s is a necessity. Both, however, could be very nice to have depending on your usage.

Based on your first post, I think that the CPU should not be a deciding factor, rather get a laptop that you can live with... portability vs. screen real estate vs. cost

 

I would recommend against a quad core processor. These tend to have a pretty drastic effect on battery life and are unlikely to provide much of a benefit to the apps you will be running (most programs you'll write will be single threaded). I'd stick with a reasonably fast dual core processor. Any of the C2Ds on the ThinkPads should be fine as well as the newer i5 CPUs.

I would say the biggest question comes down to resolution and how much weight you're willing to carry around. The T500 will have a 1680x1050 display. This offers quite a lot of space and can be very helpful when programming or multi-tasking. However, it's fairly heavy.

The T400s/T410s, T400/T410, x301, and x200s all offer a 1440x900 display. This is still pretty large, but doesn't offer quite the room of the T500. All of these are smaller/lighter than the T500 (the T4x0s, x301, and x200s especially). However, I'd probably avoid the x301 due to the ULV CPU (may not be competitive after two to three years) and price.

The biggest reason to wait for a T510 in my opinion (more than the i5/i7) is if you want the 15.6" FHD Display (95% Gamut, 270nit) with LED Backlight display. This will have an even higher resolution (1920x1080), albeit not much taller, display and should be of pretty good quality. However, the T510 will likely be even larger/heavier than the T500 due to the switch to 16:9.

 

The T510 does have a very nice optional FHD display, but that one will greatly increase costs, and the T510 is bulkier than the T500. For your purposes, I think a more portable machine would be a better idea.

 

If you gone be going to the campus with metro/bus or need to walk for ~10min every day forget the T500/T510. I have the T60 15.6inch which weights the same and it's a real hassle carrying it around. If you go by car T510 is a good choice specwise.

I'd wait a bit (for an extra 15% discount) and get a T410s with Intel's 80gb SSD and i5 processor. I think it's currently the best 14" laptop out there.

 

For everything I ever did on my uni courses, and even today as a developer, you'll probably be hard pushed to find a laptop that won't be good for you.

Truthfully, the small sized comp sci projects you'll be doing, any dual core 2GHz+ processors, with 4GB RAM will work well for you. The newer Core i5/i7 are not required unless $ is not an issue.

Your selection of the 15" screen is probably useful for having more screen size if it is your sole display, but if you are perhaps thinking of having a small PC to take to labs, and a large second screen to use at home, then a 14" might be better, with DVI/DisplayPort output for a 24" screen.

Unless doing a course with some gaming/graphics/CAD focus, an integrated (e.g. GMA4500) card would be fine.

So... through the cpp site, you can probably get a good T500 for around $800 at the moment, although as the T510 is only $900 for a similar spec, it would be silly not to go for that.