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Jerz
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The great Laptop discussion forum 09 Jul 2009, 07:03
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I bought the Lenovo laptop protection plan with onsite repairs, which as I understand it will cover me for accidental damage to the laptop. I think it was about $300 for 3 years of protection. I know that generally the extended warranty/insurance plans for electronics are a ripoff, but in this case I'd rather be safe than sorry.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 09 Jul 2009, 07:46
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After plenty of research, I purchased my laptop last night. I ended up going with the Lenovo T400. With the 9-cell battery, the weight comes out to roughly 5.4 pounds, which is about the same weight as my current work issue laptop.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 09 Jul 2009, 08:34
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I just placed an order for an HP tx2z touchsmart (12.1" laptop/tablet).
was a close call between it and the x200 but as much as I love the lenovo build, getting more juice for ~$300 less (with a couple of coupons and promotions) made me go for it...
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The great Laptop discussion forum 11 Jul 2009, 15:49
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MeddlingKid
After plenty of research, I purchased my laptop last night. I ended up going with the Lenovo T400. With the 9-cell battery, the weight comes out to roughly 5.4 pounds, which is about the same weight as my current work issue laptop.
Show more

Congrats! I just picked up the same as well -- loving it so far!
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The great Laptop discussion forum 30 Jul 2009, 01:49
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First off: I think any laptop which is 2 years old or less has more than enough processing power for what you will encounter in school. Those people with computers which are 3-4 years old, perhaps you can consider a new one. Laptops which are 5 years old or older, you probably need a new one (though not in every case). Weight or battery life are separate considerations, even if your computer is brand new you may want to consider a lighter model with better endurance.


Me, I had a 3 year old Vaio 15" which I think could handle the computing but it was just too heavy for school at over 6.5 lbs.

I got an X200 a few weeks ago and I think it will work great for b school. My first thinkpad.

~ $900 plus tax
2.4 ghz
Vista 64
160 GB 5400 rpm
Intel wifi 5100
bluetooth
integrated webcam
6 -cell
1gb now, will upgrade to 4gb when I get to campus (no CA sales tax there, hehe). 2 x 2gb costs under $60 right now.

I declined the fingerprint reader, I think they are almost useless.

The other computer I was considering was a Macbook Pro 13". It would cost $1099 and come with a free Touch which I would sell for $150. Very tempting, but I went with lighter weight in the end with the X200.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 07 Aug 2009, 07:16
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The Lenovo X200 seems to be the laptop of choice here for most folks. Has anyone considered the X200 Tablet though? Is it worth paying the extra $$? I'd love to get one but it blows my laptop budget :(?

Any curret or former Tablet users on here - could you guys comment?

Posted from my mobile device
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The great Laptop discussion forum 07 Aug 2009, 07:35
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shayne
The Lenovo X200 seems to be the laptop of choice here for most folks. Has anyone considered the X200 Tablet though? Is it worth paying the extra $$? I'd love to get one but it blows my laptop budget :(?

Any curret or former Tablet users on here - could you guys comment?

Posted from my mobile device
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Wanted the tablet, but the slightly heavier weight and the fact that I don't know when I would use it made me get just the X200.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 07 Aug 2009, 11:15
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shayne
The Lenovo X200 seems to be the laptop of choice here for most folks. Has anyone considered the X200 Tablet though? Is it worth paying the extra $$? I'd love to get one but it blows my laptop budget :(?

Any curret or former Tablet users on here - could you guys comment?

Posted from my mobile device
Show more

Is there a use case you guys are thinking for the tablets? I use them periodically at work, mostly for demo purposes. Most of the time it is easier to use it as an actual computer and it's kind of a pain to switch between using the keyboard and the tablet.

My boss spent a few months working primarily with the tablet and when he used the handwriting recognition, it was good most of the time, but often it missed or misinterpreted enough words to have e-mails make absolutely no sense.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 10 Aug 2009, 10:08
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highhopes

Is there a use case you guys are thinking for the tablets? I use them periodically at work, mostly for demo purposes. Most of the time it is easier to use it as an actual computer and it's kind of a pain to switch between using the keyboard and the tablet.

My boss spent a few months working primarily with the tablet and when he used the handwriting recognition, it was good most of the time, but often it missed or misinterpreted enough words to have e-mails make absolutely no sense.
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I haven't found a place where I *needed* to use a tablet. I still take notes by typing or using paper (and then scanning it in).
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The great Laptop discussion forum 10 Aug 2009, 10:28
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I own a tablet - not very convenient for taking notes, frankly. I can do much faster with just a keyboard.
I like browsing web and gmatclub in the landscape screen orientation (like a book) and it is fun from time to time, but I would not spend extra $$$ on it.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 11 Nov 2009, 21:00
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bump - do you guys find a need for a dvd/cd drive? do any of your courses hand out dvds with class or other related material? im thinking of buying a new laptop for next fall (assuming i get in somewhere). im looking primarily at the lighter notebooks (not a netbook), but most of these dont have dvd drives built in.

the two main ones im looking at now are:

asus UL20A
Acer 1810T

obviously either of these 2 can be fitted with an external dvd drive, so it wouldnt be a huge issue. just kind of a pain to carry around extra stuff i guess.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 12 Nov 2009, 12:29
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Toshiba makes a decent laptop, but if you buy one of their products do not think for a moment that your warranty will be honored! I had an adapter cord (and transformer) that failed, and it has now been 2 weeks that Toshiba has been "unable" to send me a replacement cord. They claim it is on "back order" with no date in sight as to when the part will be available. Of course (they tell me) I can go into a store and buy a replacement part myself (over $100) but they will not reimburse me for that - I will simply have to wait for the back order in order to have it replaced under the warranty provisions. In essence, they are telling me that - in all of North America - they cannot put their hands on one of their own power cords, even though I could just walk into any store and buy one myself! This, they say, is their "policy" - and the policy cannot be changed. In my book, this is not "policy" but rather consumer fraud - buy their product, assume that you have a warranty, but when it comes to fulfilling their warranty obligation you're told to wait indefinitely - or just go buy the replacement part out of your own pocket. Frankly, I had expected better from a company like Toshiba, and my experience has made me conclude that I should never consider buying another of their products - ever!
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The great Laptop discussion forum 12 Nov 2009, 15:36
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I almost never needed one. I had a Lenovo x61 and didn't buy the base for it, nor did I buy an external. Once I borrowed one from a friend and another time I used my desktop to copy a disk onto my MP3 player and then put it on the laptop.

Even if you buy an external, they don't cost much and you def won't need to haul it around.


shadowsjc
bump - do you guys find a need for a dvd/cd drive? do any of your courses hand out dvds with class or other related material? im thinking of buying a new laptop for next fall (assuming i get in somewhere). im looking primarily at the lighter notebooks (not a netbook), but most of these dont have dvd drives built in.

the two main ones im looking at now are:

asus UL20A
Acer 1810T

obviously either of these 2 can be fitted with an external dvd drive, so it wouldnt be a huge issue. just kind of a pain to carry around extra stuff i guess.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 15 Nov 2009, 10:51
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I've needed a CD drive exactly once that I can remember. It was for a CD which came with a textbook. Other than that, NEVER. All files and course materials are online now, if not hardcopy. I'm so happy I didn't choose a computer with a built-in

If you are concerned you can buy a $40 external drive.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 16 Nov 2009, 20:46
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I have a laptop without DVD drive, and bought a cheap external drive "just in case". I've used the drive exactly once: to install the Kellogg-provided copy of Office '07 which they gave us on DVD. Other than that, everything is handled online here.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 16 Nov 2009, 20:58
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thanks for the feedback.. will most likely go for one of the 2 i posted before (unless i have the patience to wait till next summer to buy a newer model)
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The great Laptop discussion forum 25 Nov 2009, 08:17
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Lenovo SPP has the Lenovo ThinkPad T400 14.1" Laptop for $573 with free shipping.
They also have Lenovo X200 Ultraportable 12.1" Laptop for $729 with free shipping

https://slickdeals.net/?pno=26801&lno=1&afsrc=1
If you do not have an SPP account, click create account, otherwise log in
Click Notebooks --> ThinkPad notebooks --> T Series netbooks --> Thinkpad T400 --> ThinkPad T400 with integrated graphics--> Cusomize and buy
Add to cart, checkout, apply coupon code USPBLKFRIDAY
Your total will be $573 with free shipping
Specs
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40GHz 1066MHz 3MBL2)
14.1 WXGA TFT, w/ CCFL Backlight
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with vPro
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
160 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)
Intel WiFi Link 5100 (AGN) with My WiFi Technology
4 cell Li-Ion Battery
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
1 Year Depot Warranty


Click Notebooks --> ThinkPad notebooks --> X Series netbooks --> Thinkpad X200 --> ThinkPad X200 with integrated graphics (on the right) --> Cusomize and buy
Add to cart, checkout, apply coupon code USPBLKFRIDAY
Your total will be $729 with free shipping
Specs
Intel Core 2 Duo processor P8600 (2.40GHz, 3MB L2, 1066MHz FSB)
12.1 WXGA, 2x2 UltraConnect II antenna; with Camera and Wireless Broadband Upgradeable
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
TrackPoint
160GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
Intel WiFi Link 5100 (AGN) with My WiFi Technology
ThinkPad X200 Series 4 cell Li-Ion Battery
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
1 Year Depot Warranty
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The great Laptop discussion forum 25 Nov 2009, 08:37
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Don't rush into buying a laptop yet. Laptop deals are available in late Spring from these vendors, plus you can use student discount once you get into bschools. Also, each school offers discounted laptop option to its students. For example, all YSOM students get laptops for free (I think it's already included in our tuition...can't opt out). For NYU Stern, I know Solaris1 got crazy light weight Dell Laptop at awesome price this summer. So, my advice is to be patient and wait for better deals later on.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 25 Nov 2009, 09:08
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but I'm so tempted ..... :(

I know even the Dell employee discount is only 10%.

I just can't figure why the SL410 cost $100 less than T400.
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The great Laptop discussion forum 25 Nov 2009, 09:14
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asimov
but I'm so tempted ..... :(

I know even the Dell employee discount is only 10%.

I just can't figure why the SL410 cost $100 less than T400.
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I was in your boat. I couldn't resist and went ahead and purchased Vaio TT series. Then all the cool Kellogg and Cornell kids from this forum last year went ahead and bought Thinkpad X series….and I experienced cognitive dissonance…..then YSOM notified that I am receiving free Dell laptop....

Don't make the mistake that I made!
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