Hey- what about the Thinkpad 50E?

Just when I thought I had found the right laptop for my budget (the Compaq V2000Z), I see this on the Tech Deals page:

From Newegg: $749

IBM Thinkpad 50E:

Intel Pentium M Processor 725 (1.60 GHz)
Windows XP Professional
Screen 15.0" XGA TFT
Memory Size 256MB + 512MB free = 768MB
Hard Disk 40GB (4200 RPM)
Optical Drive CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo
Dimensions 13.1"W x 10.6"D x 1.5"H, Weight 6.2lbs

Given what seems to be IBM's stellar reputation for laptops, isn't this a pretty good choice in this price range for someone who isn't looking for a gaming machine?

Thanks for any thoughts.

-K

 

Only qualm I'd have with it is the slow hard drive, but You can replace that later when you have more cash!

 

Yes, it is. R50E is IBM's ultra-budget model, it lacks many features present on the other R and T series laptops, but IMO, none of them is crucial. It doesn't lack one important feature - great build quality. My neighbor has one of these and it's solid like a tank.

Performance will also be quite good with the PM 1.60. Only the hard drive is fairly slow, but I don't think they put 5400RPM drives on the R50e. The good thing is that in the future you can also upgrade the hard drive yourself.

 

One "qualm" I have is gaming is pretty much out of the question, my V2000Z wins in the graphics department.

 

Thanks for the comments. Now the choice: the V2000Z or the Thinkpad 50E? Yikes!

-K

 

That looks like a good ThinkPad. I would choose the R50e over the V2000Z. (And it's R50e, not 50e).

 

You said yourself that you weren't looking for a gaming machine. And Xpress 200M is not so good anyway. I see nothing going for the Compaq over the IBM.

 

Although both have stellar warranty support. I'd go with IBM hands down wins over Compaq, especially since you're not a gamer.

It also has an intangible. I'ts a status symbol. Nothing like that red green and blue IBM logo telling peeps you've arrived.

 

If you're not a gamer, and you can find a good deal on a Thinkpad, it will always be the best option.

 

The r50e has no touchpad if that is an issue.

 

Thanks again for all the help. Undecided again, though- the consensus seems to favor the IBM, but no touchpad? That seems like a pretty big drawback.

Back on the fence. Glad to read the feedback, though.

-K

 

There certainly are other R series with a touchpad.

 

But they are not as cheap as R50e.

The R50e has a trackpoint, so everything should be fine. My neighbor, when he bought it, had no idea what a trackpoint is and how to use it (not that he knew how to use a touchpad), and he adjusted very quick. It's really great if you set the sensitivity to high.

To me, the lack of trackpoint on the Compaq (and 95% of all non-IBM laptops) is the drawback.

 

From what I've read elsewhere, it seems the trackpoint takes some getting used to but is fine once you do. So, it looks like the R50e is once again the frontrunner.

Thanks all.

-K

 

You might want to look at the J&R offering on the R50E, it is $700 pllus 15 shipping.

http://www.jr.com/JRSectionView.process?N=19291+414078&Ne=400000#Brand

 

Well, I'm still not really good at "fine control", but I'm a slow learner.

 

Stuartf: Thanks for the tip! At that price, I don't think I can pass it up. Decision made... at least for now )

SpacemanSpiff: Yes, those fine motor control skills can be tricky! Hang in there!

-K

 

I am actually using a R50E right now. I bought it in Canada, somehow I got mine with a 5400RPM harddrive. Centrino is the way to go. This baby can crank out 4.5 hour no problem.

Keyboard is the best i have used so far, comparable to a desktop keyboard. The trackpoint. First i hated it, now i am so used to it, cause you don't have to move your right hand back and forth between keyboard and the mouse (somewhat improve productivity i guess)

The fan is quiet too, a big plus, only kicks in when needed.

The major disappointment is the screen. It is bright and okay a few years back, but the viewing angle sux and isn't sharp.

One more thing, i have 256megs of ram right now. It's kinda lag when i start super-multi-tasking (512+ megs would be nice)

Anything, you are interested to know?

 

Yeah, the R50e screens are far from good...

RAM can be easily upgraded.

 

Once you use a trackpoint (the erase head pointing device) you'll never want to use a touchpad again.

 

Just when I got over the idea of not having a touchpad... now you're telling me that the screen is crummy?

Arrgh. I like a nice screen. Waffling again.

Thanks all.

-K

 

im using 14 xga, and it looks great, other screen that i have seen is the sony glossy. i found that it reflected light. dont really like it, but they are sure sharper.

 

i dont like r5xE,

 

LOL. I have yet to see a person who didn't like a nice screen.

Let me try to put this in short for you.

You're on a budget and you're trying to decide between a Thinkpad and a Compaq.

There's nothing to think about here. A Thinkpad is, and always will be, the better choice, given the circumstances.

Naturally you cannot expect superb parts on an ultra budget model, such as the R50e. But the Compaq is not going to be better. Yes, other manufacturers have model lines that are close in build quality to Thinkpads - but these are the business lines, and they cost accordingly. At least when you buy a Thinkpad, it's still a Thinkpad.

For the amount of money you wish to spend, you're not gonna find screens like XBrite, Brightview, Crystalview or Flexview. The screen on the R50e is not nearly as good as the Flexview on my T42 (and probably not as good as the 14" T-series screens), but it's very usable. It's not worse than the screen on my old Compaq Evo (which was a business model at the time).

 

Thanks for the additional comments and perspective (especially you, dr st!).

Points all well taken.

Of course, today someone told me that I can get a better screen and better specs on a Dell 6000 for less than the R50e.

I'm really not trying to be annoying here. It's just that $800 is a lot to me right now and I want to make the best decision possible.

Much appreciated.

-K

 

dell has a better screen? i think dell has not provided any screens in its laptops as good as other companies such as sony, sharp, toshiba and ibm, which has its own characteristic screen, such as brightview, crystalview, superblack, ips ....

if you want to get a better screen, dont turn to dell.

 

Well, of course the R50e screen doesn't offer the contrasts and wide viewing angles of an 15" IDTech IPS FlexView panel, but among all the low cost/budget notebooks it has a very luminant one with ~190 cd/m².

Further the R50e has a good keyboard and very solid overall build quality and case, in contrast to other similar priced budget notebooks. - Not to forget another goody, it has a trackpoint, which is by far superior in ergonomic usability over those clumsy touchpads.

All in all it's a well build budget notebook, which also reaches good battery runtimes.

 

Okay then- I'm going shopping for an R50e. Missed out on the J&R/Amazon $700 deal, and now it seems the newegg $749 special is up to $799. Dawdling is costing me.

Thank you.

-K

 

Nor that of the 15" LG IPS Flexview panel (which I got).

 

you are so lucky

I learn that my universityfellow's R50P has an excelent uxga TFT. the price is also very high.

 

you are so lucky

I learn that my universityfellow's R50P has an excelent uxga TFT. the price is also not very high and can be afforded .

 

Well, Thinkpad IPS FlexView TFT-Panels usually don't stem from LG (and also not from Samsung), those LG panels...

http://www.lgphilips-lcd.com/homeContain/jsp/eng/prd/prd300_j_e.jsp


...aren't what Lenovo/IBM sells as 15" FlexViews. Lenovo/IBM used FlexViews are all mostly only manufactored by IDTech.

 

Do you have statistics of how many of the SXGA+ Flexviews are IDTech (92P6680) and how many of them are LG (92P6761)?

Oddly enough, Lenovo lists the LG panel as an option on the T43 only, not the other T4x models. But I have a T42 with the LG panel (according to Access IBM's system information).

 

No, there aren't any public available statistics about these internals and thus you would have to ask some Lenovo/IBM first tier technical contact person, which in turn will also have difficulties to tell you, since this depends on the overall availability of supplier-components at the time specific Thinkpad models have been factory build and/or refurbished. So they probably can tell you this only for concrete model numbers according to their supplier lists.

A common problem for endusers specific to TFT-panels is, that you normally would have to disassemble the display in order to determine/recognize what exact TFT-panel type is assembled inside specific Thinkpad units. For the enduser there isn't usually any digital software-based readable indicator or the like for this.

The T42 models normally use 15" SXGA+ and UXGA FlexView TFT-panels which have been supplied by IDTech.

SXGA+ -> http://www.idtech.co.jp/en/products/pdf/I-N150P3-L04-03.pdf

UXGA -> http://www.idtech.co.jp/en/products/pdf/I-N150U3-L06.pdf

For the T43 line it's mostly similar here, except that some 15" SXGA+ TP-T43 models have been assembled with LG panels instead. This LG SXGA+ panel has overall similar specs...

http://www.lgphilips-lcd.com/homeContain/jsp/eng/prd/prd301_j_e.jsp

...it does meet mostly same specs as the IDTech panel and only differs slightly for the viewing angles.

However, it's interesting that your T42 -according to Lenovo- has a build in LG SXGA+ panel, since these normally have been intruduced and used instead in the T43 line. But maybe you got one of the latest build T42 models due to the time, when Lenovo/IBM also used the LG SXGA+ panels for specific new T43 models.

 

For what it's worth, my model, 2373-F7G, doesn't even appear in any Tabooks... But indeed it's one of the latest models (I only bought it around half a year ago).

 

This model is still listed on the lenovo germany site and is also still available via many shops in europe.

http://www5.pc.ibm.com/de/products.nsf/$wwwAllProducts/UC2F7GE?OpenDocument

http://www.compu-live.de/product_info.php?products_id=368

... and so on (see google)...