[ltp] Purchasing New Laptop

[Steve Barr]

Andrew Biggadike wrote:
> Most of you folks with T40 laptops seem to have the T40p.  I am
> currently looking into getting a T40 and, while the T40p models have
> some nicer features, they don't seem to be worth the extra cost. 

I don't claim to understand the selection of models, but I think
it boils down to:
512mb vs 256mb
7200RPM 60gb drive (new T40p models 2373-G3U and -G5U)
> o ATI FireGL 9000 (64mb) rather than Mobility Radeon 7000 (32mb)
> o 9-cell battery rather than 6-cell

(Of course you can order 9 and 6 cell batteries and more
memory as accessories)

Other models have some of the features you mentioned:
http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=8604037&storeId=1&langId=-1&categoryId=2049168&dualCurrId=73&catalogId=-840

I think the 1.6 Pentium M has been offered on other T40 models.
You can replace the wireless card with another (I think Ted T'so
did this) but don't know if it's a supported mod.  The G3U has
the IBM wireless, and the G5U the Intel wireless, IIRC.

The T40p just has all of the nicer features in one box.

> Do these improvements really warrant the extra cost?

That's up to you since it's your money.  I think the
T40 line in general has been hailed as an excellent
choice.  There's a good article on them (down to
shots of the motherboards!) here:
http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.html?i=1801&p=10

Steve
-- 
http://www.stevebarr.com
100% my opinions.