IBM X31 info

Hi, what about a second-hand ibm X31 in excellent conditions at 200 euro ?

It is a centrino 1400 mhz with 1 gb of ram.

I need a second light laptop (I've already have a 14.1" dual core HP business notebook) and so...

 

What about it?

 

Yes.

Do You think it can be right as second (light) notebook ?
Is it better than netbooks like asus eee, etc. ?

 

It will be more durable, the resolution is better, keyboard is much better, and performance will be slightly better. However, the x31 is used so you have to weigh that against it (you may also need a new battery).

 

The battery is in really good conditions, again.
About three house of life.

Do You think that 180 euro is a good price ?

Under the aspect of "power" a centrino how can be considered if compared with an atom ?

I know that the keyboard is really better and in fact keyboard and build quality for me are the more important aspects when it comes to choose a notebook.

 

Centrino isn't a CPU like the Atom is. Is it a Pentium M? If so, it is faster than an Atom, though the Atom has HT so it may "seem" a bit smoother for certain things.

 

It is a pentium M centrino speestep.
At 1.4 ghz

 

A Pentium M will easily beat an atom at the same clock speed. I believe a 1GHz Pentium M is about on par with the standard 1.6GHz Atom.

If keyboard and build quality are your top concerns then you can't go wrong with the x31, it's a great workhorse.

 

If really in "excellent condition" worth every penny. Heck it's worth 180 Euro for the trackpoint alone. I considered getting a netbook but the thought of suffering with a touchpad was scary. I ended up quadrupling my budget and getting a X200s.

 

I really wondering about buying it.

The seller, moreover, has proposed to give me the X31 and a T42 (Both in really good condition) in change of my HP 6510 B (T7250) but I'm not sure it is a good choice for me.

I probably prefer to get the X31 at 180 euro..

 

Although I'm not a huge fan of HP/Compaq notebooks I'm not sure that's a good trade. The x31 is certainly a solid portable workhorse, but the CPU in the T42 has aged (likely a Pentium M 1.8GHz) and does not compare well against a C2D as a primary machine for CPU intensive use.

I would suggest getting the x31 and using it as your portable machine and leaving your HP 6510B chained to a desk (possibly with external keyboard/monitor) for work that requires extra CPU power.

 

Yes, my intention is just that.

The T42 cpu is very older than that on X31 ?

 

No. In fact, the T42 platform/CPU is slightly newer (Dothan vs. Banias). However, the slower CPU is far less of a penalty on a mobility platform (x31) than a primary desktop machine (T42). The T42 CPU is older in design and performance compared to your HP's T7250 and therefore less ideal.

 

Ok, ok.

However in Your opinion, for that price, the X31 can be a good solution to have a really portable laptop ?

Do You know its effective weigth ?

 

Yes I think the x31 is a good solution for a portable workhorse. According to the tawbook, the x31 with 6 cell is listed at 3.60 lbs (1.64kg) and provides 5.3-6.0 hours of battery life.

 

Thanks.
I'm uncertain if buy it or choose a new netbook (That probably costs me at least one hundred euro more) but considering keyboard quality and display size I'm about to choose the ibm...

 

I'd also suggest taking a look at the HP 2510p. It's newer than the X31 and relatively cheap (here in the US anyways). I've owned both a 6710b (the 15.4" equivalent to the 6510b) as well as a 2510p and the 2510p has better build quality (being a high-level business notebook as opposed to an entry-level) and is extremely portable.

 

However, I think that regarding the build and keyboard quality the X31 is better.

 

The quality of the HP is pretty good IMO. I went from the 2510p to the X301 and I personally did not notice much of a difference between the overall build quality and the keyboard quality.

Oh, and since the 2510p is quite a bit newer than the X31, it is more comparable to the X61s.

 

No idea about Euros but here in our shop we sell refurbished X31 and T42 laptops for $199 with a warranty. All have 512mb RAM and a new 80gb hard drive. All have CDRW/DVD combos as well.

 

Interesting... and You ship to Italy ??