Help with Thinkpad purchase

Hi, just hoping for an opinion on Thinkpad, I'm completely unfamiliar with Lenovo but looking at T410, config below with 3 yr warranty is $1272. My 2 yr old Dell 1530 just died so above all I want something more reliable. The only Thinkpad I've been able to actually look at is the Edge, I'm hoping T410 is more sturdy than that. Is there another Lenovo that is a better buy for the money? Surfing/Quickbooks type stuff, above all I just don't wan't what I had with the Dell. Thanks for any input.

Intel Core i3-370M Processor
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 6412
14.1 WXGA TFT, w/ LED Backlight (WWAN antenna)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 5700MHD - AMT
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)8
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm4
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)5
6 cell 2.6Ah Li-Ion Battery - Dual Mode60
Bluetooth w/ antenna
ThinkPad bgn Wireless10
Integrated Mobile Broadband

 

I would consider the 14'' Edge better value for money than the T410. However the build quality and durability of the T410 is better but the Edge is not bad too.

 

I'd argue a R400 from the outlet offers significantly more value. The Core 2 Duo and the i3 offer about the same level of performance. The T400 and R400 are almost indistinguishable, with the R400 being slighly thicker and heavier. The T has a few options the R does not, like WWAN and the GPU, but you're not getting those. They usually start around $500 in the outlet, but prices can ying and yang a bit. The R is also coming to the end of the line and may not be around in the outlet much longer. The downside about purchasing from the outlet is outlet machines only have a one year warranty, which cannot be upgraded. If you want a longer warranty you'd have to purchase an out of warranty upgrade, which is more expensive. You certainly could look at the T series in the outlet as well.

 

R400 and T400=old models with old cpu and gpu.
Just to clarify for OP.

 

Well...old gpu yes, but personally, I think the C2D of the P and the T versions matches the i3 adequately. Yes, if you want a i5 or above, then the C2D would seem less capable.

Much depends on what the OP will be doing. If he is going to do graphics intensive work or involved computational work, then the more recent and capable CPUs would be necessary. I don't have such needs so the P8600 works fine with me and I think it will continue to do so for the next 2-3 years. I have read and have been told that the P8600 and above are comparable in performance to the i3. But, essentially, the more powerful processors would be wasted on me. The question is whether these powerful processors will be wasted on the OP?

This is one of the reasons why I opted for the R400 recently (since March 2010). I am also ok with the 4500 IGP. Plays movies and music well. Aside from Chess and other online games, I don't game on this machine. So, the discrete IGP is also wasted on me. Advantage is that the IGP runs much cooler. I believe the more recent IGP is a marked improvement on the 4500. This is where the OP will need to make a decision.

Lastly, I get the sense from reading multiple posts on this and other Lenovo/ThinkPad forums that regardless of how one rationalizes it, the "real" ThinkPads - the R series, T series, X series, W series etc - are better built and are able to take a lot of indifferent handling. The Edge is a good machine, but it is a sort of a very-entry-level machine to the ThinkPad brand and is relatively enticingly priced. But the build quality is generally considered to be at par with the R and T (and other) series.

If the OP wants the functionality of the T410 (as specced by him), there are only two considerations and one implication that he would need to consider.

First Consideration: Can he compromise with the IGP?
Second Consideration: The T410 will be (1) lighter than the Edge; (2) better built than the Edge - based on anecdotal evidence; and (3) a recent machine.

Implication: A brand new R400 or a T400 would be cheaper than both the T410 and the Edge - as mentioned by ZaZ.

So, there you have it! The R/T 400 machines may have older CPUs and GPUs, but the considerations are much wider than that - at least that's how the matter appears to me.

 

prem226, what are you going to use the computer for? Anything in particular outside email, web browsing, and social networking?

For instance, do you have an HD video camera and plan to do a lot of encoding?

Or gaming?

Or virtualization products like VMWare?

 

Hey, thanks for all the replies. I need a laptop for work but honestly, browsing or streaming sports is the heaviest use it will see. I just want a GPU that will last, I bought two XPS 1530, one is 2 yrs old and GPU took out mobo and the other is about 1.5 yrs and on the way out it seems by the symptoms. Of course, just out of warranty. Done with Dell and really didn't want any part of NVIDIA anymore but perhaps their issues are behind them. I've more or less been using laptop to back up desktop but I keep accounting software and important files on laptop so I can have it more conveniently. Given the lifespan of a laptop and what I'm doing with it I didn't think it's justified to spend much more than $1000 again on a laptop and the T410 looked to be rugged enough to live with the frequent on/off/sleep cycles throughout the day. The XPS just quit one day and the other is now failing to recover from sleep mode but now that I look at it I see it's definitely not built for work so this time around I want a sturdy machine. I just can't find any Thinkpads to put my hands on, other than an Edge so I thought I'd ask for some insight. Office Depot had Edge in stock but if T410 or other model is better quality I'd rather wait than make same mistake again. I'm open to anything other than a Dell but I think I'll be better off with a Lenovo product. I'd like to try a 14". Traveling with a 15" turned out to be bigger, heavier than I thought. Thanks again.

 

This is why I got a T500.

http://www.armybase.us/2009/03/lenovo-thinkpad-laptops-pass-the-tough-test-meet-military-specifications-for-semi-rugged-computing/

 

I think that's the way to go, just wish I could look at one. Is there really any point in comparing build quality with the Edge? I looked at the Edge but all I really know is what I've been reading so I'm thinking the T is much better. If I use Edge as a reference, should I expect a vastly different quality with the T410 or the same for most part?

 

Buy T410 from Lenovo SPP( For IBM shareHolder) , its a website for lBM / Lenovo Shareholders. So i you are shareholder try that, it will save you 100- 200 $.